This project is along the I15 Corridor
The developers have rights to build 345 houses. They do not own the development rights to build 2,700 houses. That many homes sure would help to turn a profit, so if I were them I would try to push for 2,700 houses too.It is up to our elected officials to remind the developers of their development rights and only grant upzones when a public need is identified first and when ensuring the taxpayer and the public come out ahead with the upzone.
Given that this project would be so clearly counter to smart growth happy talk you'd think the bar would be even higher than that. Ha haa haa...
This is the developer's rendering of the project. Like most Leucadians, I'd rather live in that neighborhood than on the 16th floor of a high-rise. I think we can agree that this is not the painting of Merriam Mountain that the kool-aid peddlers were handing out a few years ago.This upzone was reviewed by the San Diego County Planning Commission recently. Only two commissioners voted against it. One was Peder Norby. He writes:
If we are to have confidence as a society in these General Plans. we need to uphold them and adhere to them.
To the extent we do so, citizens gain confidence and trust in our government and our planning documents. To the extent we don't adhere to them, and upzone or do political favors, citizens (including planning commissioners) become skeptical and mistrust government and the planning documents. Done to an extreme, they can become worthless.
Like our constitution there is an amendment process call a General Plan Amendment Application...
[The Merriam Mountain project] results in in 35,000 vehicle trips a day. More vehicle trips on Hwy 15 during peak hour than the entire NCTD Coaster removes from I-5 all day at huge tax payer expense.
A population of around 8000 in a urban development pattern with approx 1700 school age children. No schools, No library, no post office, and only freeway serving commercial down by I-15 at the off ramp.
The nearest schools elementary middle and high school, are 8 miles to 12 miles away (the exception is twin oaks elementary where 1/3 will go, it is 2 miles away)
This is a development pattern that is typical of urban sprawl.
Here are the county sup's email addresses (just forget about Bill Horn):
greg.cox@sdcounty.ca.gov
dianne.jacob@sdcounty.ca.gov
pam.slater@sdcounty.ca.gov
ron.roberts@sdcounty.ca.gov
I'll be asking the sup's to explain their rational for giving the developer an extra 2,000 homes, how this particular upzone helps the county, and how this is the "smart growth" that our electeds have been peddling.
There are more back county projects in the hopper. Accretive's 1700 homes and Rancho Quiexto's 10,000 homes as well as several others with 500+ homes are all in process or being applied for at the county.
See Also:
SDR Play the Sneaky Development Game
voiceofdoom.org
cast.org
goodplanningnow.com
Accretive's local connection and their tie with Bill Horn.
We can take back our government from the intellectually corrupt.
ReplyDeleteNo. The voters are too stupid.
ReplyDeleteJust lets build thousand more houses for a few too profit and then tell the rest us their is no water so we must cut back our use. Then to really get us, raise our water rates because our use cut back.
Plus you don't mind an extra 10,000 cars a day on the roads and going to the beach do you?
but is the developer is a former local and world champion?
ReplyDeleteWe need Dr. Lorri and/or Gary Murphy to run for Encinitas City Council. They both have been consistant with identifying and fixing governmental problems.
ReplyDeleteYou both have my vote!
You need a council majority of community minded people.
ReplyDeleteRight now you have three guys with their hands out for developer money.
Jerome and Bill Horn are great buddies.
Stocks & Bond were just re-elected and Danny will be too if people don't wake up.
He is a good-old boy who will sell-out this town in a heartbeat.
Start a revolution speaks the truth. Too bad no one is awake to notice. The baby boomers will just vote in more of the same and go back to sticking there head in the sand.
ReplyDelete7:05- Hate to burst your bubble about Baby Boomers, but most of the activists in Encinitas are Baby Bomer age. We have Dr. Lorri, Fred, Donna Westbrook, Morgan, Wilder, Norbey, the list is endless. Tell me who the younger folks are that are such activists?
ReplyDeleteHow could 5 rational people vote for this?
ReplyDeleteBig ad in the U.T. today on this.
I really hope the Sups vote no, I imagine the project owner is flowing huge bucks to all of them to get them to vote yes, and reelected for the next few decades!
Our system is for sale tothe higgest bidder.
Although in vain, thanks Beck and Norby for your votes.
Small correction; this is suburban sprawl.
ReplyDeleteIt's this kind of green washing that has made "smart growth" such a bastardize phrase. Smart Growth is supposed to be about building denser within 4 blocks of transit centers.
What we can do is pressure our County Supervisor, Pam Slater, to oppose this development and others like it. Here is her e-mail: pam.slater@sdcounty.ca.gov
And we also need prevent similar projects from happening here locally with the General Plan Update.
700 apartments in a less than 15 acres is an urban development pattern.
ReplyDeleteexactly how does this effect Encinitas or Leucadia?
ReplyDeleteBuild it and we will tax it.
ReplyDeleteYour friends at BIG Govt.
(Mooouuuuaaaahhahahahahahahahahah)
December 07, 2009 2:18 PM
ReplyDeleteexactly how does this effect Encinitas or Leucadia?
Spend a few hours at http://www.sandag.org/
Everything that is going to get shoved down our throat is in the name of smart growth.
A few dozen activists doesn't offset the massive quantities of boomers that vote without knowledge.
ReplyDeleteAs for the activist boomers.... if they voted for any of the past republicrats like Obama, McCain, or Bush they are part of the problem and continue to damage the country.
Why can't they just build this on Pacific View? Now is the time to sell at the lowest point in the market. They have already lost about 1 mil. and a half -by not renting it out for storage-just as all the other school districts have done.you care about this,but not what is happening in your own historic backyard.
ReplyDeleteAnon:4:04- So please tell me who the young activists are in this community besides J.P. and Kevin. And who were we supposed to vote for for President this time while your at it?
ReplyDeletethere are many young and many old people who care and help the community.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to know who you should have voted for, you need to do more research next time.
Who believes in the constitution and not selling out the future of this country?
who believes in liberty and transparency, not back room deals to keep the corporate and union bosses all making billions of dollars at the expense of the tax payers?
Next time please vote for people that will make a positive difference not just more of the failing status quo?
No more Republicrats and vote out all incumbents!
Encinitas is impacted by:
ReplyDeleteRegional resource issues,
Regional planning policies,
and
Regional good ol boy networks.
Follow the money. The owners of Merriman Mountain have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to lawyers and consultants to make sure this project gets approved. This is a big investment on their part with a huge profit potential. They have stalled the General Plan 2020 for years because in it these vast tracks of land will be barred from intense development. Like delay to the tune of 10-12 years. The supervisors have accepted campaign contributions from investors for years and they will approve this project unless thousands of citizens write, e-mail or show up at: 9 a.m. Dec. 9, 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 310 (County Administration Center)
ReplyDeleteSo stop complaining and doing nothing and show up and let your voice be heard.
There are two ways to prevent urban sprawl: ban all new construction or go to higher rise apartments. The first one will eliminate even the possibility of affordable housing. The second is not popular because it spoils a lifestyle, the environment, etc. There is no such thing as smart growth that will maintain the character of Leucadia and the surrounding cities. So why not just come out and say no growth period. There are reasons whey that's bad but then if you already have yours who cares.
ReplyDeleteFailed logic: : ban all new construction or go to higher rise apartments.
ReplyDeleteSo if we have high rise apartments people will leave the backcountry and Merriam Mountain into a ghost town... Ya Right!
How about we just build high rise apartments all across the county. High rise sprawl. That is what we are doing now.
John,
ReplyDeleteI'm against the current plan to reduce the density at merriam mountain in the GP update. I am for following the rules that apply to everyone equally.
Being opposed to an upzone is a far far cry from being for stopping all construction. It is a quantum leap.
Do you think that anyone against upzones is pulling up the drawbridge? You realize that Merriam Mountain is clear across the county from Leucadia?
Also, please note that the government is in the process of spending billions of dollar to PROP UP the prices of residential real estate right now.
"You realize that Merriam Mountain is clear across the county from Leucadia?"
ReplyDeleteMore like a third of the way across the county. Picky, picky.
Smart Growth...
ReplyDeleteArmy Intelligence...
Hot Water Heater...
Forensic Expert...
Obama the Nobel Peace Prize Winner...
and the beat goes on....
Dear Author www.theleucadiablog.com !
ReplyDeleteYou commit an error. Let's discuss it.
no growth or people moving out sounds really good to me.
ReplyDeleteTell it like it is......
this place is overpopulated. I love it when people leave.
The Truth!
Whoever said we need Gary Murphy as city council is an idiot. Thats like saying you need tits on a bull. He's a friggin KOOKSTICK.
ReplyDeleteOh, and by the way, he wants to develope his property into loft/ business coversions
ReplyDelete