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GP
2020 commercial and industrial plans reviewed by planning commission
By Christy Scott
The Alpine Sun
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego County Planning Commission gathered Friday, Feb. 25 for the first of three hearings to discuss land designation in a group of unincorporated areas of the county. The purpose of the hearings is to receive direction from county planners on commercial and industrial designations in the respective areas.
Commissioners heard reports from staff about several Back Country communities, including Descanso, Pine Valley, Boulevard, Jacumba, Potrero and Campo/Lake Morena.
Input from advisory groups, community planning and sponsor groups and county planners was compiled and presented to the commissioners.
Since the previous board of supervisors hearings, staff conducted or attended more than 60 community workshops to address land use map
revisions, according to a staff report presented by planner Chantelle Swayby. Information on community and land-owner preferences for special study areas, such as Cameron Corners in Campo were discussed and a map was drawn up based on these discussions.
Swayby said that a majority of Back Country towns are low impact residential and are often very spread out. Residents discourage excess commercial and urban development in their areas. She also said that conservation of natural habitat and the environment are a high priority for these residents and that lack of groundwater is a major issue for communities that fall outside of the county water authority line.
Two of the seven commissioners, Adam
Day and Michael Edwards, were absent. Present were Bryan Woods,
Michael Beck, Leon Brooks, Jr., Read Miller and Dave Kreitzer.
The
commercial industrial planning is the second phase in the
general plan update (GP2020). The motions and votes of the
planning commission will be forwarded to San Diego County Board
of Supervisors, to which the planning commission serves as an
advisory body.
The board of supervisors will hold its
own hearing in early spring at which the public, DPLU staff, and
commercial interests will have one more opportunity of testify.
For the sake of clarity, The Alpine Sun has included the full
motion and map for each community on a separate page. The link
is included below. Due to the heavy graphic content, the page
may load slowly for dial-up users.
Descanso
The Descanso Community Planning Group (DCPG) concurred with most staff recommendations for commercial changes within the area. Exceptions include one small area affected by the Forest Conservancy Institution (FCI), where staff did not agree with the DCPG's request to apply a C-4 designation.
"We only want to maintain what is already there," said DCPG Chair Joellen Hucker.
The plans were approved unanimously.
See
map and specific motion
Pine Valley
Commercial development in Pine Valley is located along Old Highway 80.
Most commercial uses are small-scale and reflect the area's rural character. In order to protect that character, those commercial uses were re-designated as C-4.
The plans were approved unanimously.
See
map and specific motion
Boulevard
Staff and the Boulevard Community Sponsor Group (CSG) recommended limiting commercial designations to the existing town. A major issue in Boulevard is groundwater, which is to be addressed in the public facilities portion of planning.
The plans were approved unanimously.
See
map and specific motion
Campo/Lake Morena
Campo/Lake Morena has three separate country towns within its planning boundary that together encompass more than 70 acres. The planning group re-designated most of the commercial land as C-4 because it will offer the most flexibility and suits the future plans for the area.
The county and planning group conducted workshops for over six months to determine the community’s preferences for Cameron Corners (Buckman Springs Road at Highway 94).
A property owner has applied for a 400- to 500-home development on Star Ranch, in and adjacent to the intersection — a proposal that has prompted considerable opposition in the Campo.
"From the point of good planning this just doesn't work in our little community," said Michael Thometz. "We need to take a look at all the commercial zoning and see whether they belong there."
Bill Slaff, Co-chair of the Cameron Corners Village subcommittee, claimed that the community wanted to keep the junction the way it is.
"There were a few people, or rather entities, that wanted a downtown core the likes of Los Angeles," he said. "I ask you to resist change and keep the hamlet the way it is."
Tom Dyke, a landowner in Campo, said that the plans left property owners out in the dark. "I think that we're not addressing the wants of the property owners," he said. "Why aren't you listening to us?"
The plans were
approved unanimously.
See
map and specific motion
Special study area –
Cameron Corners
The Campo/Lake Morena planning group
worked with residents for more than six months regarding the
special study area at Cameron Corners. Discussions included
future planning to accommodate rural growth, basic services and
amenities for local residents and the traveling public and
maintaining the natural boundary provided by surrounding
wetlands.
In
January 2005 the planning group voted to support a concept for
future planning. This concept includes the following approximate
land use designations: 27 acres C-4 rural commercial, 11 acres
VR-2 (2-du/acre), 25 acres SR-1 (1-du/acre), 25 acres SR-2
(1-du/2 acres), 85 acres SR-4 (1-du/4 acres).
The plans were
approved unanimously.
See
map and specific motion
Jacumba
Jacumba's village center has a commercial area centrally located along its main street. The retain the scale and rural character of the town, the CSG recommended changing general commercial designations to C-4.
The plans were approved unanimously.
See
map and specific motion
Potrero
Potrero's commercial uses, located along Highway 94, are primarily supported by the travelling public. The community determined that it would like to create opportunities for tourist-related businesses and services.
Rather than build up the area along 94, they requested new C-4 on Potrero Valley Road.
The plans were approved unanimously.
See
map and specific motion
GP2020 Commercial and Industrial land use designations
C-1 General commercial allows for a wide range of retail uses and buildings including larger developments such as strip malls.
C-2 Office professional is intended for areas dedicated to office and administrative services and secondary businesses such as a coffee shop or convenience store within the building.
C-3 Neighborhood commercial allows for small-scale businesses intended to meet the convenience needs of local residents. A corner store or car repair shop would fit into this category.
C-4 Rural commercial is intended for use in small, rural communities and allows for specific rural development that would address community character. It would also allow for small-scale developments outside of the village core for residents and visitors, such as a gas station and store at highway off-ramps.
C-5 Village core mixed use is intended for town center planning which would include commercial and residential uses. A town core or main street would be designated here: pedestrian friendly shopping and living within a small area.
I-1 Limited impact industrial encompasses light manufacturing, processing and assembly is permitted here, with few or low nuisance levels and environmental impact. Wholesaling and warehousing are included here as long as they are within enclosed buildings.
I-2 Medium impact industrial allows for light industrial and heavy commercial uses that might require outdoor storage or activities.
I-3 High impact industrial provides for heavy industrial and commercial uses related to manufacturing, processing and assembly activities that may take place outdoors.
Alpine's plan will be discussed at a meeting to be held Mar. 18. For more information about GP2020 planning, visit
San
Diego County GP 2020.
 E-mail
Christy Scott
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