Gossamer Grove in final building phase

Lennar Homes is building its final phase of construction, with the 416 homes going up in the high $300,000 range. The development has a variety of floor plans, from 3- to 5-bedroom homes available. This is also near the site of the newest park, Community Park, that opened recently in the development.

This phase of the 3,280-unit development is also the first batch of homes that will be in the Richland School District. In size, Gossamer Grove compares with 5,280 houses in the core city of Shafter as of Jan. 1.

Previous homes had been in the Norris Elementary School District.

High school students still will be going to North High School, with none of the homes in the boundary area for Shafter High.

Currently, there are 486 children attending Norris schools – Norris Middle School, Norris Elementary. Olive Drive Elementary and William Bimat Elementary School – from the development, with 216 attending North High. Eight high school students are going to Bakersfield Christian High School.

When the homes first started being built back about 10 years ago, families originally were destined to attend Frontier High School or Shafter High School. But, with the redrawing of district boundary lines, the only option for the students are North High School. At the time, this caused some concern for some residents. "When we first moved here, we were under the impression that our son would be going to Frontier High School. We then found out that it would be North High. This really wasn't what we signed up for when we bought out here," said Richard Hayworth, whose family bought their home over eight years ago. "But, North was a really good experience and we don't regret the move at all."

According to the developers, the homes at Gossamer Grove have been very popular for residents who wanted to move into an attractive neighborhood, but still wanted the resemblance of a small-town feel. "This has been the best move we have made," said Ramona Garza, who moved with her family to Gossamer Grove three years ago. "We just love it out here. Also, with the building of retail that has been promised out here, we couldn't be happier."