In Brief

After more than six months of haggling with the city, a developer has

given up on a 16-house, 2.3-acre project on Canyon Drive in Costa Mesa.

Brian Johnson, a representative of Instant Jungle LLC, said the

development, reduced from an original plan for 22 houses, would not be

profitable enough to build.

The plans were redesigned after neighbors and city officials raised

concerns about the project in June. The builders wanted 18 houses, but

the council in October approved 16 single-family units.

Mayor Libby Cowan said it is “too bad” the developer has decided not

to build the project.

“I think that the 16 homes would have been a fine project,” she said.

“If [Johnson] believes that way, it wasn’t the right place for his

project.”

Councilman Gary Monahan -- who in October spoke in favor of allowing

18 houses -- said he regrets the council’s decision to cut the project by

two more units.

“I felt strongly with the developer and with the majority of the

neighborhood that 18 units was not a problem at that location,” Monahan

said. “It would have been a very good project on that side of town, the

Westside, and it is unfortunate that the majority of the City Council

killed it.”