March 15, 2006 - Top Stories
Although Supervisor Bill Horn has taken heat this week because his opponent attended a meeting of people pushing for changes to the 300-unit Orchard Run Development when he did not, it is unheard of for supervisors to do so, even in an election year.
Because of the Board of Supervisors ex parte rule, individual supervisors cannot meet with an applicant or group that has taken a position on a project.
Horn’s aide David Graham explained, “If anything was construed about him supporting or opposing a project in public he would have to recuse himself from voting on it.”
Neither Horn nor his aides were invited to that meeting, says his office. Apparently Bruce Thompson, Horn’s opponent, was.
Graham has met with planning group Chairman Keith Simpson, Vice Chairman Larry Glavinic and Design Review Chairman Lael Montgomery after they appealed to Horn to address their problems with the project.
“I would be happy to meet with the people who put together that meeting,” said Graham.
Not that Orchard Run will be coming back before the Board of Supervisors at any time.
Orchard Run’s specific plan and tentative map was endorsed in 1998 by the VC planning group and then given official approval by the Board of Supervisors.
Left unfinished was the final map and site plan. The only entity that can make a decision on the site plan, besides the Dept. of Planning & Land Use, is the planning commission.
Because of market vagaries, owner John Belanich didn’t proceed with building right away.
Eight years later, the project is at the maximum of extensions allowed before it expires. Usually approved projects file for 36 month extensions. But sometimes, as is the case here, they can file for another 36 month extension.
The tentative map approved in 1998 expires this June.
In the meantime things have changed. Projects are no longer done the way they were a decade ago. None (or maybe one) of the planning group members were on that group in 1998.
They want to take back what that earlier group granted. Or at least subject it to more scrutiny.
But that doesn’t seem likely.
If the County delays the project or if the map expires, the County would be violating the State’s Subdivision Map Act. It could be sued by the developer.
The whole project and the rat’s nest of complications fully fits Dr. Montgomery’s description: “It’s a conundrum!”
The County’s ability to review the Orchard Run project is very narrow, and limited to things such as setbacks (how close houses are to the road).
Things like roads, number of lots, design, are all approved— all things that the current planning group, and design review board, want to review again.
Planning Group Chairman Simpson concedes “I believe that it is probably true that after the TP (tentative plan) was approved (2002), the County has very limited discretion to deny the project as proposed.”
He has been getting an education about this process over the last few months.
In spite of the group’s handicaps in dealing with the developer it has made some progress, Simpson feels.
There was a tussle with the developer, D.R. Horton, when the Specific Plan called for a community barn for equestrian and 4-H activities.
“D.R. Horton’s idea was to put in a horseshoe pit to comply with that provision. (No kidding!) Now there are apparently plans for a barn and an expanded trail system that will connect the north and south developments. I am reasonably sure those changes/improvements would not have materialized without the planning group’s actions recently,” said Simpson.
The group just received the newest site plan submission from the developer.
It plans to address that plan in a special meeting to be held March 27, 7 p.m., in VC Hall.
Simpson concedes that the planning group has little wriggle room to make recommendations. But adds, “I believe it is important to provide clear recommendations to the County concerning the project as a ‘whole.’ Our value is not that we provide technical feedback that duplicates or mirrors county processes.
“Our role and value is that we communicate clearly to the County what the community is thinking in a grass roots way. My sense is that most residents don’t support the project as it now exists.”
Lael Montgomery, DRB chairman, has problems with the process, rather than the developer, the County, or anyone else.
The process prevents people, none of whom, in her view, actually like the project as approved, from working together to fix it.
“The biggest general complaint is about the system. Because the law is that each of these levels of detail are supposed to be implementing the level of detail before it. The specific plan sets up the broad guidelines of the development. And then the tentative map, as I understand it, is supposed to implement in finer detail those broad guidelines. Then the site plan is supposed to be even finer detail implementing that map.”
That’s the theory. In Orchard Run’s case the reality is that although the specific plan calls for implementing the design guidelines, the tentative map only allows the Design Review Board to review one tenth of the project, leaving most of the houses outside of its purview.
It is inaccurate to say that the project doesn’t conform to the Community Plan, adopted a dozen years ago, because it is part of the plan. However, says Dr. Montgomery, it does not conform to the goals of community plan, nor what the planners have worked to adopt in recent years.
“It may be part of the community plan, but it’s not in accord with what the community’s goals and policies are,” she says.
She sympathizes with the land owner, John Belanich. “It’s really frustrating, because he has got a whole lot of dough invested in the various steps. He’s been doing this for 23 years. He has 130 acres in the middle of town, that has the value of raw land but has an extra value because of his investment.
“He’s got these entitlements that travel with the property that have value. Horton has a business plan that calls getting X number of units built in next 18 months. They find this piece of land and they put an option. They say to themselves, ‘We can get 300 units built in under three years that’s our business plan.’ ”
But then the planning group and DRB see the plan, and see that it’s going to provide a dense development served by cars, rather than the pedestrian-friendly town center they have been planning.
“The highest density is furthest from the commercial area, the flip flop of what it should be,” she says.
Since the specific plan is very, well, “specific,” about the project following rules set down by the Design Guidelines, Dr. Montgomery wonders why the County didn’t force it in the tentative map and site plan.
“It’s changing the rules after the project has been adopted,” she says.
“If they are not going to allow the community to review all of the different neighborhoods, who then is responsible for enforcing the specific plan?”
The disconnect between the Design Guidelines and the project include infractions such as the developer building block walls when stone is called for, to the amount of open space available to residents.
The specific plan calls for 40% open space, which was in the site plan originally. But then the developer was forced by new environmental regulations to put almost all of that open space into specially protected land that no one is allowed to use. It will be cordoned off and signs will forbid anyone to trespass.
“You have open space in a highly dense development where people can’t visit,” says Dr. Montgomery.
“It does seem kind of nutty to have a postage stamp that’s going to be a habitat for nothing. It’s not fulfilling a natural habitat. Yet it’s not available to people who will be living in a dense development.”
There will be two small recreational areas.
Although the project does get pretty dense, with 52 units of apartments, it’s not the density that bothers the DRB. It’s the design.
They have a problem with where the garage doors are going, on setbacks and how the units are clustered.
“If they were to follow the design guidelines on this issues they would have to redesign their town homes,” she says.
But the process is so far down the road, that’s not likely to happen.
Dr. Montgomery says she doesn’t know anybody who wants to actually kill the project.
“Among all the people that I know, there’s a general feeling of wanting more commercial development and to have smaller residential development for our kids and old people. Mostly the issues are design issues. We are not using design issues to just try to kill the project.”
More than 300 homes were left without power after a heavy storm over the weekend dumped as much as four feet of snow on top of Palomar Mountain.
Snow levels were low, around 2000 feet in some areas and residents at Skyline Ranch Mobile Home Park on Paradise Mountain in VC reported some snow flurries Saturday morning.
Kristy Heyser of San Diego Gas & Electric reported Monday that there were 328 customers without electricity.
The problem in fixing lines that felled trees and winds took down was that crews couldn’t get to the scenes since they would have had to hike in.
Winds also kept helicopters from dropping crews until Monday, when they began flying over to evaluate the situation.
SDG&E restored power to most residents by early Tuesday morning.
One resident, Bonnie Phelps, commented on her Web site: “Hot showers never felt so good and for those who rely on electricity for heat or cooking, it is wonderful! No complaints about our electric bills—just keep that current coming!”
SDG&E crews in cars and a snow cat were on State Park Road Monday morning.
Phones were out on the entire mountain beginning Sunday morning, but Pac Bell crews worked around the clock and restored some service by Monday.
They brought in generators to restore some of the phone service.
Difficulties tend to bring the people of Palomar Mountain together, and several residents with plows began clearing driveways and roads, working from morning until night.
In some places the snow was too deep to plow.
Fire Chief George Lucia and members of the Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Dept. were out checking on neighbors, helping some to get out.
People were housed in the Fire house until family and friends could pick them up.
To many residents the storm underscored the need for a community safety center.
Many people worked hard to help get people dug out, supplied with firewood, food, and keeping their spirits up with no power or phones.
By Tuesday, with things more under control, entrepreneurs with skip-loaders were out, offering to clear parking spaces for residents at $30 a pop.
Since this is March and the full sun is blazing, the snow should probably begin to melt quickly. However, more snow is predicted at the end of the week.
Of course, some old hands on the mountain report that one year in the 1990s snow piled up to six feet.
Lance Henriksen confronts pirates over “booty,” or treasure as one of his men draws two guns up under his arms, pointing them menacingly at the pirate challenging his captain.
All at once, everyone on the set fires their period flintlock guns.
Flashes and gunpowder smoke fill the set. In an unexpected moment pirates on both sides assess the bodily damage and much to their dismay, not one has been shot.
Long John Silver (Henriksen) draws his sword and a full-on running sword fight between all ensues.
The reenactment is complete with “real” blood as one pirate is actually sliced on his hand with a sword, almost requiring stitches. Another takes two kicks to the thigh, causing a charlie horse and definite limp.
When it’s done Henriksen walks away with a broad smile, chuckling. “I loved that scene, the irony of no one getting shot is going to be a highlight of the film.”
Henriksen, best remembered for his role as Bishop in Aliens with Sigourney Weaver, has been in many productions, including the role of Frank Black on the television series Millennium.
The New York native was born in May 1940. His deep, raspy vioce, steel blue eyes, engaging smile, flawless skin show that the 66-year-old actor has aged gracefully, actually looking younger in person than in several productions.
This humble actor came from little means and created quite a career for himself, with over 210 movies to his credit.
“I think no one brings you into this business,” he says. “You make it happen. I began my acting by building sets, doing lighting and painting. Opening night I found out I had the lead.”
Henriksen was reflecting about Eugene O'Neil's Three Plays of The Sea.
“I did theater until my first film but found film to be much more intimate. Acting to row 35 in the theater setting is taxing. Film becomes a complete state of being as you fully immerse and develop the character you are playing,” he says.
Immersed is exactly what Henrikson does, as he changes from the neighbor next door into Long John Silver.
The transformation includes make-up scar, earring, a ragged gray haired wig with a braid in the back, a black head band, skull rings on various fingers, pirate garb and boot to match.
Complete with an Irish brogue, he forges through the blustery, winter weather conditions of rain, snow, sleet, wind and extreme cold to complete multiple “tropical” jungle scenes at the set in Valley Center’s Pikake Gardens.
“I love the Irish of the era (pirates 1715 to 1800s), their colorful language and beautiful sentences of 31 words or more,” says Henriksen.
Examples of dialogue include words like, grog and swag.
As Henriksen rehearses lines and coaches fledgling actors he defines his character, “He (Silver) knows where the treasure is. But he needs a ship under his feet. So he cons the captain and crew, gets his guys aboard under the guise that he will help and takes over the ship at sea.”
During the run through of lines, he comments, “This is the first time we’ve sat down together on a relational level. I thrive on this.”
He takes out a coin and tells the others, “A doubloon was worth a lot of money back then. You can act to create a relationship, create meaning, a subtle touch, an inflection in the voice on delivery of a certain piece will translate (look good) in the end.”
Asked about his craft and least favorite role he answers, “None. It’s all an adventure. In life there are bad actors and it’s the same in film. My personal motto is ‘If you can't use it then lose it. If you can't lose it, use it.’
“I just don't play the Hollywood game. I loved Powder, in which I played Bounty hunter Cole Wilson and since you haven't seen it, you need to go rent it," he told me.
“My favorite was Near Dark, directed by Catherine Billago, starring Billy Paxton and Janette Goldstein, both colleagues from Aliens. I like John Woo (director), fun guy—he did Hard Target. Jim Cameron (director of Titanic) is one of my good friends.”
Yet most of his friends are from the world of pottery.
“Since the 60s I've created pottery. I make 30 inch platters and paint them. When I traveled in Europe, I’d paint murals on walls for food. Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It’s my meditation."
Asked about his dreams, desires, goals, retirement, he grins and says those “are secrets.”
His children, he says, “are a piece of heaven. The only heaven on earth I will really know.”
His oldest daughter, Alcamy, from his first marriage, is now 18 and ready for college.
His youngest, Sage, from wife and artist, Jane Pollock, is 6.
He lives on his 16 acre valley estate and relishes creating pottery, painting and being with his family.
During breaks, while on set, he stops and talks with neighborhood children and poses for pictures
He speaks with Clyde Childress's, grandson Cameron, 6, long distance in Florida (the Childresses own Pikake Gardens).
In the personal call, he said “This is Bishop.” Cameron thinks grandpa Clyde is a hero and Bishop is one of his all-time favorite movie characters.
Henriksen is in his glory with the children. Clearly he genuinely enjoys people of all walks of life but especially the little ones.
In previous interviews he has said that he does voice-overs, as he did for Disney’s Tarzan, for his youngest daughter, so she knows his craft. She has not seen any of his movies.
Of Pikake Gardens the actor says, "It reminds me of the best parts of Hawaii."
A gardener, Henrikson grows cycads, similar to Sago Palms. He is a member of the Palm Society.
This multifaceted/multitalented man, is one of insight, thoughtful retrospect and mystery. And he is definitely Long John Silver.
The Asylum studio production wraps in two weeks and the video will be released to Blockbuster Video in May.
Watch The Roadrunner for a profile and photos of the pirate reenactors and era accuracy advisors: "No Quarter Given Buccaneers."
The Miss Valley Center Pageant is a little more than a week away.
This year six young women are competing for the crown.
All six will be at the Irish Stew cookoff this Thursday (see story, Page A5) and all look forward to meeting the community.
They are Gina Sannipoli, Whitney Bisplinghoff, Melyssa Dube, Holly Hart, Malia Javier, and Jennifer Ensign.
They have been working hard learning their speeches, learning to walk in high heels, and learning the dance.
You are invited to attend the pageant March 25 at the Maxine Theater.
Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. You can buy tickets from the six contestants or call Debra Jockinsen at 751-1051.
If you would like to donate to the scholarship program give Mrs. Jockinsen a call.
Two VC-Pauma school principals will be switching assignments next year it was announced Thursday at the school board meeting.
Ron McCowan has been named as high school principal for next year. He is currently principal of the upper elementary school.
Lucy Haines has been named principal of the upper elementary school. She is currently principal at the high school.
With the district for 16 years, Mrs. Haines has also been principal at the lower elementary school and middle school.
Mrs. Haines has also served as director of special projects at the district. She has been in education for 24 years and previously was in the Fallbrook, Santee and San Marcos districts.
For McCowan the assignment will be something of a homecoming.
Although he has been the upper elementary principal for the last two years, he spent six years before that as assistant principal of the high school.
Before that he was a biology teacher and head wrestling coach and a football coach at Orange Glen High School. The year before that he helped open the Escondido Charter High School with Denny Snyder.
Born and raised in Escondido, he has been in education since 1991. He and his wife, Nell Rose, have three boys.
It’s not too late to donate an item or service to the eighth annual Jaguar Auction, which will be held on Saturday, April 1, 6 p.m. at the Valley Center High School gym.
This fund-raiser is a live and silent auction complimented with appetizers, desserts and beverages.
This is the largest fund-raiser for VCHS and the community. Tickets cost $10 and purchaser will be entered in a drawing for a big-screen TV system.
This event provides a fund-raising venue for the various VCHS clubs and teams as well as the VCHS Foundation endowment.
You’ll find your friends and neighbors seeing what deals can be had on a wide variety of goods and services.
If you have any questions or want to donate an item or two, call Jolyn Duff at 749-6156 or Julie Stroh at 749-7863.
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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