VISTA, CA – A small North County semi rural neighborhood sandwiched between Vista and San Marcos stands up against big money developer KB Homes to prevent high density development. KB Homes, a huge national development company, has targeted their rural valley and has requested the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for approval of a General Plan zoning change from 1/2 acre minimum lots to 15 units per acre, in order to build a high-density townhome project on 4.9 acres on Smilax Road. The stakes are high and the final vote is before the Board of Supervisors on March 3, 2021.
According to neighbor Celeste De La Victoria, although KB Homes has been working on this project zoning change for several years, it was not made known to the majority of the neighbors. “Last November, just days before the project went before the Planning Commission, one neighbor alerted another on the Next Door Neighbor app and went around with a petition to alert others. Since then, neighbors have since been scurrying to alert one another, sending out mailers, going door to door with fliers, posting area signs, arranging a protest, and setting up a website with a petition opposing the development.”
The residents say they were harmed by the lack of notice and this deep pocket developer that took advantage of relaxed County regulations. The County says it complied with minimum requirements to notify residences within 300 feet of the project site. But KB Homes didn’t comply with County regulations to post notice at the site within 10 days of its 2019 application. A small sign was posted in January 2021. Despite the lack of compliance with County posting regulations, KB Homes prevailed and the Planning Commission approved the project. While the County has now notified over 500 neighbors of the Board of Supervisors meeting, the residents hope it is not too late. As of 3/2/21 over 500 neighbors have signed onto a petition opposing the project at www.nosmilaxrezone.org
Neighbor Belle Hazlehurst expressed her frustrations with the County Planning Department and the entire process. “It appears that as long as the developer goes through the paces and provides reports meeting minimal outdated and regional standards, the County Planning Department recommends approval of something as major as a zoning change, WITHOUT first consulting the affected neighborhood.”
Neighbor Ken Knight, who has lived in the neighborhood for over 40 years, also expressed frustration that the very valid concerns of the neighbors are over and over again diminished by the “reports” with the County Planning Department. “The neighbors expressed concerns about changing the community character, dangerous traffic that is not being mitigated, traffic backup due to the local school without bus service, increasing traffic onto our streets from a nearby Business Park, increased crime in the neighborhood due to overflow cars parking, and dangerous, narrow roads without sidewalks. Since the recent study done in the County to assess low and moderate income housing needs indicated that we have adequate capacity now WITHOUT General Plan zoning changes, WHY do this? This isn’t affordable housing anyway.”
Neighbor Maureen Hudson notes that residents are exasperated and feel that it is futile to try and fight big monied interests like KB Homes. “Neighbors tell me they lay in bed at night racking their brains trying to figure out how to explain to the County how awful this project will be for the community. Let’s see if our elected representatives stand up for the people living here and paying taxes who have a vested interest in keeping our neighborhood safe.”
The residents’ pre-recorded neighborhood presentation for the Board is available for viewing
https://northcountydailystar.com/efforts-to-oppose-a-high-density-re-zoning-project-in-vista/
