Big money wins…a warning to others
The County Board of Supervisors and Developers are targeting pre-existing County neighborhoods with services (ie water, sewer) for “in fill” development to meet their housing quotas. Never mind that the road infrastructure doesn’t support it. Never mind that it requires changes to the General Plan zoning…
On 3/3/2021 The Board voted unanimously to approve a high-density Townhome project in a previously zoned low-density older neighborhood off of Smilax. This small County “island” sits south of Highway 78 and is bordered by the City of Vista and the City of San Marcos. Over 500 neighbors signed a petition in protest of the zoning change, citing the change to the rural character, problems with small 2 lane roads already stressed, lack of overflow parking available, safety problems, stormwater drainage problems, and lack of sidewalks. Over 50 neighbors wrote in comments objecting to the approval, and many neighbors called in to the Board meeting. The concerns were addressed with video and photos in a 15 minute presentation, but none of the neighbors’ concerns were considered.
There are many upset neighbors. “Our neighborhood concerns were listened to and seemingly dismissed” according to Belle Hazlehurst. “Jim Desmond, our district representative, asked KB Homes to donate $250K to go into a County fund that could perhaps go towards a future traffic light at Poinsettia & Oleander. That’s it. None of our very real concerns were addressed. The Board instead seemed enamored with the ability to approve ‘entry-level’ housing via Townhomes selling for $550,000’s that are energy efficient homes.”
“We feel completely betrayed, especially by Jim Desmond, our district representative”, relays Celeste De La Victoria. “It appeared that their votes were firmly established before we ever spoke. Because the County is looking for ‘in-fill’ options to meet housing needs in already established neighborhoods with services, we will be in for more of these high density projects being approved throughout our little valley, as we are clearly being targeted. Every other County area needs to be alerted to this threat, before it’s too late. Everyone must be on the lookout, because these projects are being slipped in without even alerting the area neighbors.”
