Mauro Quinones, 70, lived in West Covina then Azusa before coming to the High Desert. For 11 years, he has lived in an unincorporated area in Apple Valley's sphere of influence.

"When I first moved here all I could hear was the wind through the trees," he said.

In recent years, that has been replaced by the sound of roofing and cement trucks and other haunting noises of urban sprawl.

Rural areas throughout the Victor Valley such as Oak Hills, Pinon Hills and county areas within Apple Valley's sphere of influence are repeatedly being jeopardized by high-density housing proposals. Many residents of those areas -- such as Quinones, who cherish their spacious lifestyles -- feel they weren't properly warned and therefore didn't have an opportunity to fight to keep their community at 2 1/2-acre minimum lot sizes.

According to David Zook, spokesman for 1st District Supervisor Bill Postmus, there is a formula for notification that varies depending on the type of project. For development of four parcels or less all contiguous properties are notified; 20 acres or less, everyone within 300 feet of property is notified; 20 to 160 acres, everyone within 700 feet is notified; more than 160 acres, everyone within 1,300 feet is notified.

"If you think about that law and extrapolate it into anywhere else in the county, it would make a lot of sense," said Don Slater, president of the Pinon Hills Municipal Advisory Council. "Out here where the distances are much greater, it doesn't translate."

He said he has heard from many people that notices should be sent out to an area of one square mile around the project and he agrees. He also thinks the planning division should be required to send all notices to the municipal advisory council in the community where a development is being proposed.

"I guess when you're in the desert in a rural area and you're a mile away, you think you're close," said 1st District Planning Commissioner Ken Anderson.

any projects that a recon - side red go to the MAC and a nyo n e else who wants to be notified can be put on a list.

" Obviously, there seems to be a gap. I would expect these things to come to me," said Slater who didn't receive a notice for a mobile home project that is being proposed in Pinon Hills.

Monica Uhlyarik is Quinones' neighbor. She did receive all notices and sent a letter of opposition to the planning staff. She believes the number of opposition letters doesn't necessarily mean anything: "I guess it's just a matter of who pays off who," she said.

Zook and Anderson both believe that the system is fair to residents in areas of proposed developments.

Most residents aren't upset about development coming to their areas as long as the projects stay within the 21/2-acre minimum lot size zoned for those areas.

"I know we can't stop development, but I think that they should build it in a way that fits in with the rest of us," Uhlyarik said.

The majority of residents say the lot size and rural character is the main reason that they moved into unincorporated areas such as Oak Hills.

"These people are trying to change peoples' lives," Slater said.

Quinones is considering moving to Northern California.

"I'm not sure that you can call it progress when you have to give up your lifestyle," he said of growing development.

With better warning, Quinones thinks it would be much easier for residents to band together and fight high-density housing projects that are being proposed in rurally zoned areas.