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Campo
residents feeling pressure
of commercial and industrial proposals
By Christy Scott
The Alpine Sun
CAMPO – Plans for expanded commercial use of the railroad stop in Campo and airport authority studies unde4rway that include a substantial portion of Boulevard were among the topics of concern by members and residents at March 28 meeting of the Campo/Lake Morena Community Planning Group.
The railroad station, long operated only by the railroad museum, has been used to offload sand to be trucked to town and used to make concrete products, will shortly also be used to load and unload goods to travel between Mexican and U.S. markets.
It’s use as a port of entry on the Carrizo Gorge Railroad line, running between Mexico to the west and desert communities and Arizona to the east,
will also grow.
"We’re trying to be good neighbors and to open up a dialogue with the community," said Byron Wear, director of strategic planning for Carrizo Gorge.
Wear gave a presentation and answered questions from the board and area residents, many of whom have reservations about an international transportation hub in their town. Chief among ongoing complaints about railroad activities are the trucks that already impact Buckman Springs Road and Highway 94 between the railroad station and I-8.
In defense, Wear said a set of rules govern truck drivers, who must observe them in order to operate at the proposed Campo station.
The Superior Concrete truckers are eschewed from using jake brakes, passing school buses, forming convoys, and speeding. They are also supposed to water their loads before departing and headlights must always be on.
"No offense to you, but every person who has come up here has told us that they’re going to regulate their trucks," a resident told Wear. "But it’s just been good one day and then gone the next."
"We are all taxpayers here and you have an obligation to us," said another agitated resident, "and the trucks on Buckman Springs are a big problem."
Another resident voiced her concern about a curfew for the drivers.
"In order to be good neighbors – we don’t want to be loading and unloading in the middle of the night," Wear said. However, he continued to say that no curfew was in place for drivers at the moment.
"Drivers often have set schedules that they have to follow," Wear said, "and Customs has a certain schedule that we must adhere to."
"The railway has been here for quite some time," said planning group vice chairman Larry Johnson, "but it was never a major off-loading area."
Train runs in both directions from Campo have
increased drastically in recent weeks.
Wear said the railroad is dedicated to working with communities. "We’re willing to come back here every three months to talk to residents and get input," Wear said.
Group member Bob Shea was appointed to be a liaison between the planning group and railroad officials, to report monthly.
Airport site selection
Planning group members also discussed the San Diego Airport Authority’s site selection process and the possible placement of a new international airport in Campo, known as the Boulevard site.
Board members and residents voiced concerns about the lack of information being provided to communities about the planning process.
"They don’t want to tell you much that’s for sure," said Shirley Driscoll, planning group member.
"It’s hard to take seriously, it really seems so stupid," said one resident, "but you really need to keep your eyes and ears open."
The group discussed how to succeed in giving input in the planning for a new international airport in San Diego county.
"We have a lot of good arguments: Water, power, sewer," said Donna Tisdale, "the list goes on and on."
The board voted unanimously to form a sub-committee to work with other planning groups (Boulevard, Descanso) to investigate the airport site selection process and the proposed Campo site. Driscoll and member Bob Kreger were chosen to co-chair the new sub-committee.
Campo residents interested in participating in the airport sub-committee should attend the next Campo/Lake Morena Planning Group meeting on April 25 to add their names to the sign-up sheet.
San Diego County residents will be asked to vote on a proposal for a new airport in November 2006.
Campo landfill
Chairwoman Donna Tisdale of the Boulevard Community Sponsor Group reported that the Campo Band of Kumeyaay Indians has found a new builder for a landfill proposal that has been more or less dormant since Mid-American Waste dropped out of the project.
In December of 2004, the tribe finalized its lease with BLT Entrtprises of Oxnard.
They receive $250,000 from the company when the lease was signed and it must now be approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs or Secretary of the Interior, Tisdale said.
Backcountry Against Dumps, a local organization formed in 1989 to contest the tribe’s first proposal, is seeking to have the project reviewed directly by the secretary, rather than the BIA, she added.
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CHRISTY SCOTT
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