RECENT SOFAR SUCCESSES

TM 4844 (RAMONA)

The Planning & Environmental Review Board denied a request for a time extension for this project. The project divided 133 acres of backcountry farmland, much of it located in Land Use Designator Ag 19 – Intensive Agriculture – and containing prime soil, into 45 estate housing lots. The project was located in Goose Valley, a bucolic farming valley just east of the country town of Ramona. SOFAR had suggested that this project be denied based on its outdated and inadequate biological studies, inconsistency with General Plan and Community Plan goals, growth-inducing and cumulative impacts, and significance of the loss of prime agricultural soil.

LAKE SAN MARCOS ESTATES

The County has required the developer of this proposed project to complete an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) before the project will be considered. This project would put 105 homes on a 126-acre productive avocado grove. SOFAR had recommended that an EIR be completed on this project due to its impact on agriculture, inconsistency with the General Plan, growth-inducing and cumulative impacts, and inability to meeting the findings for a major use permit.

JACUMBA VALLEY RANCH HEARING SCHEDULED

June 14, 2000 is the hearing date before the Board of Supervisors for the Jacumba Valley Ranch project. This ill-conceived proposed project would put 1,048 homes, golf course, hotel, congregate care facility, and commercial space on 1,250 acres of farmland. The majority of the property is river bottom prime soil and has been farmed. A portion of Round Mountain, sacred to Native Americans, occupies the northwest corner of the project site. SOFAR adamantly opposes this project and has engaged experts to review and comment on it.