Tomorrow, August 11th, at 5:30 pm, the Vista City Council will hold a Public Review of the property at 650 Sycamore Ave. (the former Burlington Coat Factory site) and consider declaring the space a public nuisance.
Over the past six years, the property has fallen into serious disrepair. The roof has collapsed, the landscaping has overgrown, windows have been broken and boarded up, the parking lot lights have been knocked down and stripped, and individuals have been occupying the property without authorization. While the site has been cleared and cleaned on multiple occasions, each time it has fallen back into disrepair soon after.
A number of factors have contributed to the property’s condition, but it’s clear the site can’t continue as it is. As your representative for this area, I have personally been in contact with the property management team for over three years. I’ve hosted town halls for community feedback, invited them to attend and hear from residents directly, taken phone calls and held in-person meetings with their team, and worked with them to develop a proposal residents would support. Unfortunately, one did not come to light.
I’ve heard from many of you about the concerns this property raises, including safety, drug activity, and other issues that have affected the surrounding area and quality of life.
Declaring the property a public nuisance would allow the city to move more quickly to repair or demolish it. If the owners don’t act, the city would fence and secure the site, arrange for demolition if needed, and bill the property owners for the costs.
This is a significant step, and one I don’t take lightly. I encourage everyone to submit public comment to the City Council ahead of Tuesday’s meeting to share your thoughts. You can do so by emailing me at dodonnell@vista.gov, Public Comments at publiccomments@vista.gov or by showing up in person to give public comment at 5:30 PM at 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista, CA 92084
If you have any questions, I can be contacted at 760-650-2598
Thank you for your support and I will look forward to hearing from all of you.
Kind regards,
Dan O’Donnell
Deputy Mayor
City of Vista
