Just a quick reminder that the final Council vote will be today at 4:30 at Escondido City Hall.
Here are some of the excellent letters that have been filed on this project
San Diego Audubon Society and from our counsel Everett DeLano DeLano for ENU
Thanks to all the people who have written and supported our efforts.
Our Media Release
Escondido Neighbors United
An alliance of engaged
residents working for the benefit of rural, urban, and natural communities in
the Escondido Area.
residents working for the benefit of rural, urban, and natural communities in
the Escondido Area.
For Immediate
Release: Contact: Laura Hunter,
619-997-9983
Release: Contact: Laura Hunter,
619-997-9983
Community to Oppose Oak
Creek
Creek
Housing Development in
Escondido
Escondido
On March 4,
2015, members of Escondido Neighbors
United (ENU) will join other residents and organizations to present their
opposition to the proposed Oak Creek Housing Development at the final City
Council hearing on the project. They
will urge the City Council, instead, to consider a less dense option called,
Community Creek or defer decision until more is known about the environmental
condition of the site.
2015, members of Escondido Neighbors
United (ENU) will join other residents and organizations to present their
opposition to the proposed Oak Creek Housing Development at the final City
Council hearing on the project. They
will urge the City Council, instead, to consider a less dense option called,
Community Creek or defer decision until more is known about the environmental
condition of the site.
Oak Creek is a 65-home, gated housing development
proposed on farmland adjacent to Felicita Park and annexed from the County to
the City. The proposal will cause the
destruction of hundreds of native oak trees and the dense development footprint
adds to threats of erosion and runoff downstream where impacts are already
severe. County Parks Department’s concerns about potential impacts to
Felicita Park have yet to be addressed.
proposed on farmland adjacent to Felicita Park and annexed from the County to
the City. The proposal will cause the
destruction of hundreds of native oak trees and the dense development footprint
adds to threats of erosion and runoff downstream where impacts are already
severe. County Parks Department’s concerns about potential impacts to
Felicita Park have yet to be addressed.
Escondido Neighbors United
has been engaged on the Oak Creek housing proposal for many months. ENU members have commented extensively on
the project about impacts and concerns related to wildlife, oak trees, traffic,
community character, waste contamination, air quality, water quality in the
streams, water supply, and cultural resources, but improvements have not been
made. In fact, the project was changed
to worsen the impacts
has been engaged on the Oak Creek housing proposal for many months. ENU members have commented extensively on
the project about impacts and concerns related to wildlife, oak trees, traffic,
community character, waste contamination, air quality, water quality in the
streams, water supply, and cultural resources, but improvements have not been
made. In fact, the project was changed
to worsen the impacts
Also troubling is that past sampling shows the
Chatham plumes are under about a third of the Oak Creek site. However,
conditions cannot be fully known because the property owner refused access to
technical consultants for scheduled testing of wells on-site. One of the wells has measured multiple contaminants in the past so
needs to be tested. Soil vapors and groundwater pollution were found
within the property lines and some of the new homes are proposed over plume
areas.
Chatham plumes are under about a third of the Oak Creek site. However,
conditions cannot be fully known because the property owner refused access to
technical consultants for scheduled testing of wells on-site. One of the wells has measured multiple contaminants in the past so
needs to be tested. Soil vapors and groundwater pollution were found
within the property lines and some of the new homes are proposed over plume
areas.
ENU member and neighbor of the site Eva Salazar stated,
“I request that no homes are built
over the plume. If this project is approved I don’t want my future
neighbors to be in the same situation I am in, living on a plume of
contaminated ground water wondering what toll this will take on my health”.
“I request that no homes are built
over the plume. If this project is approved I don’t want my future
neighbors to be in the same situation I am in, living on a plume of
contaminated ground water wondering what toll this will take on my health”.
Although the State Department of Toxic Substances
Control said the pollution is adequately characterized and will degrade given
enough time, this contradicts facts on the ground. The most recent
monitoring shows pollution entering Felicita Creek at the highest levels to
date, contamination has spread to new wells, and wells on the Oak Creek site
were prevented from being tested. A sister agency, the Regional Water
Quality Control Board, disagrees that the contamination strategy is
working.
Control said the pollution is adequately characterized and will degrade given
enough time, this contradicts facts on the ground. The most recent
monitoring shows pollution entering Felicita Creek at the highest levels to
date, contamination has spread to new wells, and wells on the Oak Creek site
were prevented from being tested. A sister agency, the Regional Water
Quality Control Board, disagrees that the contamination strategy is
working.
Oak Creek is also heavily reliant on constructed
storm water features to address increases in runoff. The City has stated
that compliance with the storm water permit will ensure no downstream
erosion. However, on February 10, 2015 the Regional Water Board filed an
official Notice of Violation against the city of Escondido for many failures to
enforce the storm water rules. More information can be found here, http://escondidoneighborsunited.blogspot.com/2015/02/escondido-receives-official-notice-of.html
storm water features to address increases in runoff. The City has stated
that compliance with the storm water permit will ensure no downstream
erosion. However, on February 10, 2015 the Regional Water Board filed an
official Notice of Violation against the city of Escondido for many failures to
enforce the storm water rules. More information can be found here, http://escondidoneighborsunited.blogspot.com/2015/02/escondido-receives-official-notice-of.html
Escondido Neighbors United, will ask the City of
Escondido to deny Oak Creek, require a less dense alternative, get serious
about enforcing water runoff rules, and require remediation of pollution before
annexation.
Escondido to deny Oak Creek, require a less dense alternative, get serious
about enforcing water runoff rules, and require remediation of pollution before
annexation.
ENU
members will also be advocating instead for consideration of Community
Creek—A Balanced Option. Community
Creek proposes a reduced footprint and density alternative and
appropriate conditions for consideration.
Community Creek achieves many benefits:
members will also be advocating instead for consideration of Community
Creek—A Balanced Option. Community
Creek proposes a reduced footprint and density alternative and
appropriate conditions for consideration.
Community Creek achieves many benefits:
·
Protects
more wetlands but allows development to occur,
Protects
more wetlands but allows development to occur,
·
Reduces
negative impacts to the streams and avoids disruption of creek,
Reduces
negative impacts to the streams and avoids disruption of creek,
·
Reduces
loss of native oak trees,
Reduces
loss of native oak trees,
·
Better
supports wildlife,
Better
supports wildlife,
·
Protects
clean water and prevents downstream erosion and impacts ,
Protects
clean water and prevents downstream erosion and impacts ,
·
Reduces
traffic and needed infrastructure,
Reduces
traffic and needed infrastructure,
·
Enhances
and integrates with existing neighbors, not isolates from them
Enhances
and integrates with existing neighbors, not isolates from them
Escondido Neighbors United
(ENU) is a local community group active in the SW Escondido area working to
protect the environment and local communities.
ENU is committed with preserving our community, environmental, cultural resources, Felicita Park, and quality of life of the neighborhoods in
our area. More information is at www.escondidoneighbors.org
(ENU) is a local community group active in the SW Escondido area working to
protect the environment and local communities.
ENU is committed with preserving our community, environmental, cultural resources, Felicita Park, and quality of life of the neighborhoods in
our area. More information is at www.escondidoneighbors.org