November 30, 2005 - Top Stories
The Valley Center Road widening project will transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 in December.
Beginning this week the County Dept. of Public Works will begin Phase 2, which involves improvements between 1-mile south of Banbury Drive to Cole Grade Road.
The three year project will include:
• Widening and realigning the road
• Adding either a landscaped or striped median, bike lanes and graded parkways
• Adding a concrete sidewalk along portions of the road through town
• Installing a new water line
• Installing a new gas line
• Undergrounding overhead utilities
As the lowest bidder, Archer Western Contractors Ltd. is the contractor for this $34.1 million contract.
Preparatory work will begin Dec. 1, when the contractor will take steps to protect wildlife that breed in the area each year. Crews will remove trees and vegetation in the immediate project area before breeding season begins in January and February.
This allows birds, such as raptors, and other species to settle away from the construction area.
Work hours will be from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday.
One lane of traffic control with a flagging operation will be in place periodically from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Monday-Friday.
Traffic delays can be expected during these hours.
Residents who want more information about the project may contact the Project Hotline at (619) 232-2640 or email Destree Lazo, Collaborative Services at DestreeL@CollaborativeServices.biz
The H.E.R.O. (Harrah’s Entertainment Reaching Out) Team from Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort celebrated their first “Operation Turkey” on Thanksgiving Day when they hosted 150 Marines from Camp Pendleton.
The casino has an ongoing partnership with Camp Pendleton. Harrah’s has been hosting wives and Marine personnel for monthly Pampering Parties – a complimentary luncheon and spa treatment – for several months.
According to Gen. Mgr. Janet Beronio, “With the holiday season approaching, we started thinking about what we could do for some of the active duty personnel stationed at Camp Pendleton. That’s when the H.E.R.O. Team came up with the idea of hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner for the Marines who do not have family in the area.”
The community relations officials at Camp Pendleton were very receptive and Operation Turkey was born.
Harrah’s transformed the Pavilion, their main entertainment venue, into a holiday dining room. Tables were festooned with Thanksgiving decorations and plasma TVs were tuned to the Thanksgiving Day football games.
Casino executives, managers, supervisors, and front and back of house employees pitched in to help set up the dinner, serve it and clean up afterwards.
Everyone was eager to help – more volunteers turned up than had originally signed up.
The Marines were picked up at Camp Pendleton by two tour buses donated by Sun Diego Bus Company owner, Rich Illes.
Once the Marines arrived they were greeted by Janet Beronio, followed by a non-denominational blessing delivered by Guest Safety Officer, ordained minister and former Marine Willie Coleman.
Then it was chow time, and the troops eagerly lined up to enjoy turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and a variety of scrumptious desserts.
There was more than enough for seconds . . . thirds . . . even fourth helpings to satisfy hearty appetites.
The Marines returned to base with box lunches that included a turkey sandwich, chips, and a slice of pumpkin pie.
When asked if they wanted to return to Harrah’s Rincon for Thanksgiving next year, they responded with a resounding “Hoo-RAH!”
Orchard Run, the project that might be alternately called “The Neverending Story,” is finally nearing final approval by the County.
The VC Planning Group Nov. 14 heard a report on the project and made some fine-tuning recommendations to the County. The planners had previously voted on the project four times.
The 118.3 acre, 300 unit project on Lilac Road & Betsworth Road is being put forward by D.R. Horton, which is in escrow to buy the land from John Belanich.
Development with a History
The development has an interesting history. It has been around in one form or another, for over 22 years. During those two decades it was owned by John Belanich, who offered several iterations of the project.
The most famous, in terms of how it affected the community, was in the mid-1980s, when Belanich proposed a development known as Rancho La Paz. The development would have included apartments and 600 unit density.
It was the catalyst that set off a grassroots revolt of local residents against the Central Valley Sewer, and caused that project to be voted down by a 2/3 majority.
At Monday night’s meeting Patrick Richardson, planner with D.R. Horton presented the current plans.
Orchard Run will have five neighborhoods, all with single-family dwellings, though some units are attached duplexes.
According to Richardson, the project’s waste water treatment plan has been approved.
Joyce Johnson, Gen. Mgr. of the VC Parks & Rec district, told of her concerns about traffic impacts to the park from Lilac Road, next to VC Community Center.
This prompted a drawn out discussion of traffic concerns.
Planners Larry Glavinic and Debra Hofler reported on the traffic impacts to the ballfields, next to the development. Existing traffic problems are already extensive, they said, and will be multiplied by the development.
John Ladd, active in VC Little League claimed that the project would have a substantial impact on the fields and asked that the developer take part in mitigating that problem. This sentiment was seconded by Dr. Hofler.
The group unanimously passed several motions:
• Require 4 sections for the project, i.e., 2 in the north and 2 in the south to determine elevation changes because of the importation of 150,000 cubic yards (CY) of dirt to show before and after elevation changes.
• Request that the trails/pathways in the SPA area be consistent with (of similar construction and appearance) the proposed VC Trail system and have the ability to connect to the proposed VC Trail system.
• Request offsite traffic impacts be evaluated and mitigation measures implemented for VC, Mirar de Valle and Betsworth Roads. Evaluation should include ingress, egress and safety issues between north and south developments.
• Request that the developer work with VC Parks and Recreation and VC Little League to address acute traffic problems, possible water reclamation, pedestrian access to ball fields, baseball field capacity (impacted by new development) and other issues.
• Request the redistribution of extra parking sites. Approximately 14 need to be relocated on Lime Wood from Orchard Loop and approximately 8 spaces need to be located on the north end of Orchard Court. Maker/Second: Glavinic/Hofler; Vote: 12-0-0
• The pathway midway (east-west) in neighborhood B needs to be widened, straightened and lighted for security reasons.
• The open space between lots 91 and 105 needs to be further refined.
The planners postponed further action on Orchard Run until the December meeting.
* * *
The next meeting of the VC planning group’s Orchard Run subcommittee is Dec. 5, 7-9 p.m. in VC Community Hall. The public is invited.
Garden Club of Pauma Valley members prepare for their poinsettia sale to be held December 2 at the Pauma Valley post office. Inspecting poinsettias from Zelinda Farms, a Pauma Valley grower, are (left to right) Sue Stockton, Alice Thomas, Mary Louise Coykendall and Jeanette Regan.The proceeds go to a scholarship fund and community projects.
The Valley Roadrunner
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