On Wednesday, Oct. 9, the Santee City Council in a split 3-2 vote, decided to annex the Castlerock community into the city of Santee. Mayor Randy Voepel said he opposed the San Diego project for 10 years, but with San Diego City Council approving the project it was inevitable that this was moving on with or without Santee.
On Wednesday, Oct. 9, the Santee City Council in a split 3-2 vote, decided to annex the Castlerock community into the city of Santee. Mayor Randy Voepel said he opposed the San Diego project for 10 years, but with San Diego City Council approving the project it was inevitable that this was moving on with or without Santee.
City Manager Keith Till echoed the city’s disapproval, but pointed out that Santee has no authority over its approval or rejection. He recommended that the city annex (incorporate) Castlerock into the city. He said after 10 years, the city had done everything to keep this project from impacting the community and his conclusion was that if the city annexed, and the project faltered, they lose nothing. If the project goes through, the city misses out on approximately $100,000 annually.
Located off State Route 52, just north of Mast Blvd., this 204 acre site will bring in a 430 single and multi-family units.
For more than two hours, opponents and supporters of the project spoke. There were more there to oppose the project than support it, and many had good reason. They live in the area adjacent to the project and already face many obstacles in their daily lives, just because of location.
Preserve Wild Santee was there in force, concluding that the Environmental Impact Report was flawed, but it was the residents of the area that had the most to say.
Citizens that live at Mast Blvd. and Medina Dr. reminded the council during the Cedar Fire, the proposed site was in flames and headed towards their homes. The community was told to evacuate, because there was no help coming from police or firefighters to battle that region. It was the residents that stayed and battled that fire. Every time East County gets a good rainfall, the residents on Medina Dr. are at flood risk, sand bag ready in a constant struggle to keep water and mudslides from entering their homes. With West Hills High School and the direct route to SR 52, this community is gridlocked morning and evening with traffic. And this is just the tip of the discussions.
Till’s logic makes sense and in almost any other scenario, I would be blasting a city council that let this type of project affect its community. But there lies the problem. It is not Santee doing this to the community. It is the city of San Diego.
People often wonder why I take such interest in the next mayor of San Diego, or who is representing the city on its council when I do not live there and am unable to vote on any of its issues. The reason is simple.
Just about everything that San Diego does, every decision it makes, every project it approves has an affect on the outlying communities. And the city has been dollar smart, controlling land around most, if not all of the neighboring cities and communities in San Diego County. One day, where I live, I expect San Diego to lock my community behind high rises and commercial buildings. They own or control some of the best real estate in the county and are not going to relinquish it.
Pardee Homes owns the proposed site and has every right to develop it when given the green light. You can protest all you want, but it is still going to be built.
Santee did the right thing here, even when unwanted. It is fiscally responsible. It is a no win situation.
But hope is never lost. Voepel said he would not be surprised to see this back at council again and not to underestimate the power of the community or organizations like Preserve Wild Santee. That is where the power lies to make the change wanted here, and it has to be heard from Santee to San Diego. You never know, I’ve seen larger projects fall because smart environmentalists examined a location after a good rain finding the existence of vernal pools, which can turn a stellar Environmental Impact Report into a pile of rubbish.
