by GuARD | Jun 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
In February 2022, the Vista City Council amended the General Plan to rezone a 17-acre property on Vista Grande Drive (off of Warmlands Avenue). The original zoning of 1 acre lots was changed to ½ acre lots, allowing for 25 homes instead of 14 homes. This is a terrible precedent that will lead to the loss of more rural land, because all future land owners will request (and receive) the higher density zoning. And this land is adjacent to the Strawberry Hill Farm, putting it very much at risk!
This is a suburban subdivision, not a semi-rural housing pattern.
We opposed this General Plan Amendment because doubling the density on this high-fire-risk land will:
- Increase risk from wildfires and evacuations
- Cause loss of open space and semi-rural community character
- Facilitate the conversion of adjacent prime farmland (Strawberry Hill) to sprawl housing development
- Increase traffic congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gasses
- Cause loss of views (and dark night skies) by allowing building on ridgelines
Clearly, the City’s General Plan has no meaning for the majority of City Council members. As soon as a developer comes along and asks for an amendment, the three longest-serving Council members are happy to oblige. One could conclude that developer profits are of primary importance to them–not the interests of the greater surrounding community.
by GuARD | Apr 15, 2020 | Uncategorized
Strawberry Hill Farm will be destroyed if annexed by the City of Vista
Strawberry Hill Farm, over 300 acres just north of the Vista city limits, will fall to the developer’s bulldozer if the proposed annexation by the City of Vista takes place. The city is currently conducting an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). GuARD is working to monitor the progress of the EIR and is reaching out to other organizations and groups that can help ensure that a fair and honest EIR is developed.
GuARD opposes this annexation which destroys prime farmland for a sprawling development of 153 “estate homes” (McMansions). This proposed project:
- Destroys farmland that has a special microclimate and is designated as Prime Farmland, Farmland of Statewide Importance, Unique Farmland, and Farmland of Local Importance.
- Increases traffic, which is already gridlocked in the morning and evenings.
- Is incompatible with the semi-rural community character and the goals of the Bonsall Community Plan and the San Diego County General Plan.
- Increases greenhouse gases and is counter to Smart Growth principles.
- Endangers biological species and riparian habitat—destroys a large wildlife corridor that extends into a bordering large area of open space.
- Builds homes in a Very High Fire Danger zone.
- Will be growth-inducing in the East Vista Way corridor which is currently a scenic road.
by GuARD | Sep 24, 2019 | Uncategorized
San Diego County’s Climate Action Plan is, so to speak, bearing fruit. The County is taking steps to preserve agricultural land, based on a recent CAP monitoring report, which verified that “keeping agricultural land in production helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating the increased traffic, heating, and air conditioning that comes with development.”
Utilizing the Purchase of Agricultural Easement (PACE) program, the County pays agricultural landowners to place a permanent easement on their properties, so that it can be used for farming or ranching only–no future development. The County has acquired more than 2,000 acres, and new rules will be expanding eligibility to all agricultural land in unincorporated areas. County Supervisors recently voted to pay $690,000 to save roughly 300 acres–143 acres in Fallbrook and 155 acres near El Cajon–from future development.
Those of us who value our rural and semi-rural areas, have always maintained that the significant value of agricultural land has always been ignored. Instead, the dollar signs in the eyes of developers looking for profit, and government officials looking for more tax revenue, have always taken priority. Thank you, Climate Action Plan activists, for beginning to make a change in the values we live by.
For more information, check out this article from the County News Center (9-11-19).
by GuARD | Jul 11, 2019 | Uncategorized
An all-way STOP at the intersection of Osborne Street and Hutchison Street was installed on July 11, 2019. At last!
This dangerous intersection has been the focus of GuARD’s efforts for many years, and with the additional help of several neighbors and the Bonsall Sponsor Group, this life-saving all-way stop is now a reality.
Due to GuARD’s years-long efforts, many Osborne Street improvements were made including lowering the speed limit, “shaving” the hill to improve line of sight at the intersection, limiting heavy truck traffic, adding signage for safety, and improving paving, curbs, and striping.
