Housing Watch: Homes being built in picturesque setting near Millerton Lake

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A brand new neighborhood is taking shape near MIllerton Lake.

Once you enter the Fresno County community of Friant, if you take a left at the light off Friant Road just before the dam, you'll discover homes being built in "The Preserve."

"We're so close to everything but we are kind of tucked back a little bit away from the hustle and the bustle so when people do come out they're amazed," said Kristine Lucas, a senior salesperson with Woodside Homes.

Woodside Homes is building two neighborhoods here for homes ranging from $550,000 to $1 million.

Model homes are already available including a two-story, 4,000-square-foot Valley Rose house.

"Even though we're not a custom builder, we do offer a lot of flexibility so that you can customize your home to fit your needs," explained Lucas.

The development spans 2300 acres.

"The whole concept of The Preserve is to do something really unique, as to build a sub-division and then to also place it in a context of being in nature," said John Ennis, project engineer.

"You have nature in between every little village, that's how it was designed," added Lucas.

A large clubhouse is already in place.

The plan includes over ten miles of trails for residents who want to take a walk.

"If you want to have a nice easy walk, you can walk along the creek. If you want to have a much harder walk, well then you can walk up 8-900 feet just at the first hill," said Ennis.

Plans call for a new Madera County fire station here and a STEM school in the Chawanakee School District.

Ennis first started working on this development more than 20 years ago.

"The water comes from a fractured rock water system that is really one of a kind that has been encountered in the Sierra Nevada foothills. We have seven wells that we're drilled over 30 years ago now and they're really wonderful wells," said Ennis.

Ennis says a sustainable water system has been set up.

A pond will benefit local wildlife, and all residential sewage water will be recycled for landscape irrigation.

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