The Valley Center Planning Group at
its April meeting:
• Welcomed new member Ann Quinley, nominated three months ago
and recently approved by the Board of Supervisors.
• Heard an update from Barbara Rohrer, the group’s representative
on the I-15 Design Review Board.
• Heard from planning group Chairman Oliver Smith on the San Pasqual
Tribe’s response to public input on its plans for a 12-story hotel
at the site of the Valley View Casino.
• Heard from Smith on the LRC Development on Fruitvale.
• Voted to nominate Paul Herigstad to a vacancy on the board.
His name will be forwarded to the Supervisors.
In her report Mrs. Rohrer, a resident of Circle R, noted that I-15 Design
Review Board is advisory to the County and reviews all projects visible
from I-15.
The seven member board meets the Third Thursday of the month in Bonsall.
Although it has no legal power, Mrs. Rohrer noted that so far she has
not seen one of its recommendations rejected.
One of its biggest responsibilities is to see that no two-story buildings
are put up on ridgelines in the I-15 “viewshed.”
She spoke about a new proposed rock quarry that has not become a big
issue in San Diego County, but may.
Called the Liberty Quarry, it would be in Riverside County, just past
the Border Patrol checkpoint on I-15. Its entrance/exit would be Rainbow
Valley Boulevard in San Diego County.
It would be a 1,000 ft deep, one-mile long open pit hard rock mine.
According to Mrs. Rohrer it would generate 1,600 daily gravel truck
trips. It would blast, crush and remove 300 tons of aggregate per day.
According to Mrs. Rohrer the same people developing the Rosemary’s
Mountain quarry are also proponents for this project.
Opponents say the project would throw silicon dust into the air ten
miles away.
That, said Mrs. Rohrer, would bring it into Valley Center’s backyard
and that’s why the planning group should be interested.
Casino Hotel
In Smith’s report on the San Pasqual Tribe’s response to
public comment on the tribe’s environmental document on its proposed
hotel, he said dryly: “They revised their traffic concerns and
came out with the same answer: that they didn’t have to do anything.
I would claim that is not intuitively obvious.”
Regarding public comments and the County’s comments on aesthetic
considerations, Smith commented: “They don’t care.”
He noted that to address concerns about its lights affecting Palomar
Observatory the tribe plans low sodium lights (which affect the telescope
less than other lighting) and no additional outdoor signage.
“I think that’s positive,” he said.
The tribe also plans to build an eight foot fence to provide relief
for some neighbors impacted by its outdoor lights.
“One lady told me she had double blinds in her bedroom window
and she can still see the lights blinking,” said Smith.
He concluded: “Our comments were duly reported and the project
is going forward. They are going to start building in July. They rejected
one planning group suggestion for making the hotel lower to the ground
by building it over the casino. But they gave no reason for it.”
Planner Leon Schwartz, who attended the meeting hosted by the tribe
last month said: “The impression I got was that they had an obligation
to receive comments, and then they said, ‘Thank you very much,
you’re free to leave.’ ”
Asked if the group has “any juice whatsoever to challenge this,
Smith answer: “We don’t and neither does the County.”
LRC Development
In Smith’s report on the LRC Development (98 homes on 38 acres
on Fruitvale west of Twain) he noted that the Planning Commission last
month gave the developer permission to proceed with its proposal to
amend the VC Community Plan. This is called “approval to try.”
The developer wants to change the density from the one dwelling unit
per acre that is now part of the proposed community plan to 2.9 units
per acre.
The commission vote went against DPLU staff, the planning group, and
various neighbors.
Many roadblocks stand in the way of the development, not least is that
it would require a sewer to serve the development.
Planner Appointed
Paul Herigstad was approved for the seat vacancy created by the resignation
of Lael Montgomery. He defeated another candidate, Bill Brodhag eight
votes to two, with an abstention.
Herigstad had 35 years in the building industry from Orange county to
Riverside. He has lived in VC for 11 years. “I’m a fiscal
person. Everything has to be paid for,” he said.
Although Brodhag was defeated, he automatically becomes a candidate
for another vacancy, along with Gunnar Hanson, and two other candidates.
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