The Coast News INLAND EDITION
.com
VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 7, N0. 26
DEC. 23, 2022
Vista council battles over SANDAG rep
Land purchase closes door on Newland bid By Laura Place
SAN MARCOS — A 2,000-acre site previously designated for a controversial housing project has been purchased by luxury spa Golden Door in San Marcos, prompting celebration among environmental activists that have long fought against the area’s development. The legendary spa — a favorite SoCal destination among the rich and famous — completed the purchase of the site just north of Deer Springs Road and west of Interstate 15 in November. The area is in the rolling hills north of Escondido known as the Merriam Mountains, and just across the street from Golden Door. While details about how they will use the land remain to be determined, Golden Door leaders said they plan to identify a “highly qualified land stewardship organization” to oversee the protection of the open space and its wildlife. “We are excited to finally secure this remarkable benefit for climate action initiatives,” said Kathy Van Ness, Golden Door’s general manager and chief operating officer. “Protecting this property reflects our deep commitment to sustainability, which we believe is part of our responsibility to our community and beyond.” The land purchase appears to be the final nail in the coffin for Newland Community’s planned housing project, which developers spent over a decade fighting to make a reality. The project, which included plans for around 2,100 homes, was approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2018 but quickly garnered opposition from Golden Door and environmental groups like San Diego Sierra Club. Opponents of the controversial development near Merriam Mountain submitTURN TO NEWLAND ON 5
By Steve Puterski
HAT’S THE SPIRIT!
Creative and colorful garb was on display at the 64th annual Vista Christmas Parade in downtown Vista on Dec. 3. The theme this year was “A Toy Stories Christmas.” Photo by Karli Cadel
VISTA — A heated debate over the future of transportation and who represents the city on the board of directors of the San Diego Association of Governments ended without a selection during the City Council’s Dec. 13 meeting. Newly elected Mayor John Franklin presented a slate of selections for the City Council members to represent the city, with the big fight being over SANDAG and its controversial $172 billion Regional Trans- FRANKLIN portation Plan. Franklin appointed himself as the primary representative, but the three Democrats — Corinna Contreras, Katie Melendez and Dan O’Donnell — wouldn’t sign off, leaving the city without representation for the time being. Prior to Franklin’s slate presentation, Contreras tried to nominate Melendez as the primary. However, Franklin said under the city’s charter and state law, only the mayor has the authority to put forward a slate. However, the three Democrats are expected to bring back an ordinance in January to override the mayor’s authority to determine who presents the slate. Vista is likely to not have a representative through at least January. “I am deeply concerned about a 5 cent-per-mile charge and what that would mean for the poorest members of our community,” Franklin said, TURN TO VISTA ON 14
Supervisors bring Harmony Grove housing project to halt By City News Service
REGION — County supervisors voted unanimously Dec. 14 to rescind the permits for a contested North County housing project near Escondido and the Elfin Forest Recreation Reserve. A previous board in July 2018 approved the
Harmony Grove Village South proposal, which involved rezoning land near the intersection of Harmony Grove Road and Country Club Drive. Along with the General Plan amendment that originally cleared the way for the project, supervisors also voted to rescind the re-
zoning designation, specific plan, major use permit, environmental impact report and site plan. The project was planned on 111 acres between Escondido and San Marcos. According to the county, it would have included 453 single-family and
multi-family homes, 5,000 square feet of commercial or civic uses, 4 acres of private and public parks, multi-use trails, and 35 acres of biological open space. In August 2018, the Sierra Club, Elfin Forest Harmony Grove Town Council, Endangered Habi-
tats League and Cleveland National Forest Foundation filed a lawsuit challenging the project, claiming it violated the California Environmental Quality Act. In February 2020, a trial court sided with the plaintiffs. According to the TURN TO HARMONY GROVE ON 5