Escondido Neighbors United

Here is another update from an ally. 


On
December 17th, the County of San Diego  held a scoping meeting regarding a
Notice of Preparation (NOP) to make General Plan Amendments (GPAs) for 43
Property Specific Requests (PSRs).  All 43 of these requests call for zoning
changes to increase density, mostly in rural North County San Diego.   In total,
these requests call for up to an additional 2,800 dwellings.  This meeting was
not Lilac Hills Ranch related, but there are several new requests regarding
property in Valley Center and Bonsall that are in the same vicinity.  It is of grave concern that after 13 years, $18 million dollars, and countless public meetings, developers  are attempting to subvert the General Plan.   It should be noted that the Board
of Supervisors directed the planning department to initiate these GPA/PSR
studies less than 1 year after the General Plan was adopted at an estimated
cost of at least an additional $1.5 million dollars to tax payers.  This lacks
transparency and begs some questions about a conflict of interest.

Here is a link to the scoping meeting and specific maps: http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/pds/advance/PSR.html

The public comment period
ends February 4th. Please write the County and let them know that the General Plan should not be monkeyed with.  There is plenty of growth allowed in the General Plan in the planned places.  They should not be increasing it elsewhere.

We recently received a copy of the County staff comments on the Notice of Preparation for the Safari Highlands Ranch project.  October, 2015 Letter from SD County staff on SHR.  We are especially glad that the staff noted the number of annexations coming from Escondido, lack of impact fees, concerns about PAMA compliance, concerns about storm water compliance, and the lack of an adopted multiple species conservation plan for Escondido.  These are just a few major problems with this project.   Stay tuned!

We hope you had a great holiday!  Here is some news on our ‘favorite’ projects!

1. The Draft 401 Water Quality Certification for Oak Creek has been released for public comment by the Regional Water Quality Control Board.   This is an important and final action related to the permitting of Oak Creek.  Here is the link Draft 401 WQ Cert_Oak_Creek  and the Transmittal letter_Dec_23_2015.  Comments on the document are due to the Regional Board on January 29 by 5:00 pm.


We will have more to say about this document in the coming days.  ENU requested a public meeting on this. ENU_Request_for_Public_Meeting_Oak_Creek_401Cert

More soon!

There’s more bad behavior to report from developers in North County.  Representatives of Safari Highland Ranch sent a threatening letter Safari Highlands Letter to Regional Board to local water regulators.
While the letter is uninformed and has no real viable legal basis, it does demonstrate the kind of recalcitrance and reliance on bullying tactics seen more and more in North County developers.  See related story on Lilac Hills troubling-article-in-voice-of-san-diego.html

Community residents objected to this attempt to intimidate the Board and spoke out at the meeting raising the following points:

• The developers do not have an approved project, environmental documents, annexations, or other decision related to the project. 
• The $500 million of value is purely speculative
• SHR doesn’t even have entitlements for the  27 homes allowed under the applicable County General Plan 
• The ‘value’ is limited to the $7 million they appear to have paid for the land. 

If you haven’t been to The Farm Stand on Miller Ave you want to go right away!  A long-time family business sells locally grown and produced produce, jams, jellies, eggs, hydroponic greens, fresh squeezed juices, fabulous mustard, and other fun things.  For sure, you want to get your pumpkins there!  They even sell on the honor system when they aren’t open.  Who else does that??!!
A good way to check it out is to go for the Harvest Festival from 10am to 5pm this Sat and Sunday.  Enjoy this jewel of Escondido

Located at 2115 Miller Ave @Citradcado Pkyway and I-15.  (760) 738-9014
Follow them on facebook at FarmStandWest and Twitter FarmstandWest

Escondido Neighbors United has filed the following letter ENU Opposition to Gregory Canyon Dump on the Gregory Canyon landfill issue.  Other leading environmental organizations have also filed multiple letters against this project. Environmental Health Coalition letter  and San Diego Coastkeeper letter.
Both group have previously filed extensive comments on the project.
EHC April 2013 comments on DEIS
SD Coastkeeper 2013 comments
These are both amazing organizations and all are urged to join and support them.
Everyone is urged to write their own personal letter as well.  As North County residents, we need to speak up and stop this unnecessary degradation of our region.

A most amazing sculpture garden is located in Kit Carson Park.  Queen Calafia’s Magical Circle is an art installation worthy of Paris or Florence.  But, we ar e so lucky that it is here is our community.  It is the last and only American installation of world-reknown artist Niki de Sainte Phalle.
The 12^th “birthday” celebration of Queen Califia’s Magical Circle will take place on October 10, 2015, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Weather permitting,  this sculpture garden in Kit Carson Park (3333 Bear Valley Parkway) will be open to the public, with Queen Califia docents on site to answer questions. Free Mardi Gras beads will be given to the first 50 visitors. 


Learn more about the Queen here Queen Calafia’s Magical Circle