Clearing the Air: Facts About the La Puerta Plan

There are several common misconceptions about the La Puerta plan floating around social media and other outlets. We address several of these issues below. Please email us at outreach@lapuertaclaremont.com if you have any questions about the project. We’ll gladly meet with any Claremont resident interested in this project.

Misconception: This is high-density housing. 

Facts: False. As proposed, the La Puerta plan falls within the City of Claremont’s low density zoning category and is the same as the surrounding neighborhood, which is zoned as homes between 2 and 6 units per acre. Our plan is less than 6 units per acre. 

Misconception: Trumark is planning attached townhouses.

Facts: False. All homes are single-family detached residences that fit within the city’s “low-density” zoning of 2-6 units per acre.

Misconception: Trumark is planning to purchase both the school site and the park. 

Facts: False. Trumark is not proposing to purchase any of the sports park and there are zero plans to alter, rezone or otherwise change La Puerta Sports Park.

Misconception: The plan includes 74 homes. 

Facts: Only 56 residential units are proposed on approximately 11 acres. Six of these units have Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) included as part of the home to help the city meet its affordable housing goals.

Misconception: These homes must be on quarter-acre lots (10,000+ sf)

Facts: This is not accurate. The plan fits within the city’s low-density zoning, which is the same as the surrounding neighborhood.. Larger, quarter-acre lots (10,000+ sf), like some surrounding homes, are not feasible, according to economic studies.

• Market: Today’s buyers prefer lot sizes from 4,000-7,000 sf. This is abundantly clear in expert market research. 
• Timing: If proposed at quarter-acre lots, economic studies show that it would take upwards of three years to build and sell these homes, prolonging construction and reducing financial benefits to the city and schools.
• Regulation: The State strictly regulates water and energy use for homes as part of sustainable development rules. Large-lots are not conducive to these sustainability rules. 

Misconception: Trumark will build a road from North Indian Hill to Forbes.

Facts: False. A road from North Indian Hill to Forbes (or any other area) has never been proposed. 

Misconception: The City should just keep the La Puerta school site as a public facility.

Facts: The school site belongs to the Claremont Unified School District. The district is required to sell the land at fair market value, per California law. The city, by law, cannot acquire the land below that value and would have to purchase it at market value, then pay for the construction and maintenance.

Misconception: Trumark hasn’t conducted outreach

Facts: False. Trumark has been conducting outreach since March 2020, including: mailings to project neighbors, televised/online public meetings, a community forum for neighbors, project website with feedback mechanism, social media, more than 40 individual or group briefings/phone calls, at-home visits and personalized view simulations, community emails, sports league briefings and meetings; all done during and within strict COVID regulations.