LOCAL VIEW: Merriam Mountains just wrong project, wrong time
By: Tom Kumura

The Merriam Mountains project is being crammed into an existing rural area abutting the west side of Interstate 15. Simple math shows that the proposed density of 2,630 homes on 538 acres is 4.9 dwelling units per acre. This is higher than the 0.8 dwelling units per acre as prescribed in the existing general plan, which calls for only 345 homes on 434 acres. The proposed update to the general plan reduces that number to just 64 homes on 2,200 acres, or a density of 0.03 units per acre

Hidden Meadows, one of the communities pointed out by the developers as being similar, has a density of 0.8 dwelling units with its 1,649 housing units in an area of 5,412 acres.

NPP-Stonegate would like the county Board of Supervisors to believe that referring to its extreme density of 4.9 dwelling units per acre is a gross overgeneralization, since it did not include the 1,729 acres of open space, most of which is composed of steep rugged mountainous terrain that is being set aside.

Stonegate officials claim those figures do not take into account the 110,000 square feet of commercial space to be built on 10.1 acres for a density of 10,811 square feet per acre. (Note: The existing General Plan and proposed update have the similar commercial density of 10,800 to 10,900 square feet per acre).

It is extremely confusing to follow the bureaucratic math where one can offset the true density by adding in open space. This type of political rationalization is just plain wrong. Using this illogical approach, one could even argue a lower density by simply setting aside more open space.

Should the Board of Supervisors approve the Merriam Mountains project, it would prove that anyone with enough money could purchase an exception to the general plan rules.

It is unfair to allow the developer to grade more than 13.3 million yards and blast away the quiet tranquillity of the area five days a week for the next several years. What other project moved that much earth in the county? What will become of much of the rubble that results from carving down the mountain? Will it be used to fill in areas unsuitable for buildings but set aside for parks? Is the lack of stable ground to build on the reason why there are no schools in this supposedly master-planned community?

Projects like Merriam Mountains should be placed where significant investment in smart growth infrastructure has already been spent. Why aren't there more projects closer to the Sprinter, for example?

Using faulty assumptions, one rationale for the project is that Deer Springs road improves from a Level of Service of F to a C. Without improvements to the Interstate 15 and Highway 78 interchange, more traffic will simply avoid the bottleneck and divert on the additional capacity of Deer Springs Road, making the Level of Service not C but a D or F, requiring the county to spend even more limited dollars to fix it, since there would be many more residents affected.

The "bait" of having the improvements to county infrastructures paid by such developments as Merriam Mountains would only lead to the realization of the "switch" when additional dollars have to be used to correct this misconception.

When 5 to 7 percent of our water comes from local rainfall and the rest is imported, it is nonsense to approve any large development projects. It is doubtful that the earlier water studies regarding Merriam Mountains took into account the potential of an additional 50 percent cut below the already-reduced water levels.

Despite the recent amount of rain, we are still in the fourth year of a drought and under water restrictions. Many of our reservoirs are still at their lowest levels. With more water restrictions to come, how could it be prudent to add such a massive high density of homes? Even if the additional homes have access to the estimated 1.3 million gallons of water per day, how much higher will the water fees be?

Huge urban building projects like the Merriam Mountains development should be put on hold until the drought is declared over, all water restrictions are lifted and the reservoirs are back at adequate levels. A clear determination of adequate levels of water using a current understanding of supply restrictions is needed. It is wrong to increase the demand for the limited amount of water by adding new homes when the current residents, farmers and businesses have taken dramatic steps to cut back their own water use.

A "will serve" letter from the water district is just a fancy service availability form. It does not guarantee delivery of water. The county Board of Supervisors should know before approving any new projects whether there will be enough water at a reasonable price for the current residents of the county.

Even if there was enough water, the Merriam Mountains project is just in the wrong place. How much more energy would be needed to pump 1.3 million gallons of water every day up the mountain?

The Merriam Mountains project would be a cancerous tumor to infect the rural unincorporated area of San Diego County and would quickly spread mass urbanization like that typically found in Southern Orange County. It is clearly the wrong project, at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

Given the proposed increase in population, it would naturally increase the level of threat of wildfires. Due to the significant impact on the safety of everyone in the immediate area, a detailed fire protection plan should be disclosed before the approval of the plan. If the developer is able to generate fancy drawings of the five clustered neighborhoods with surrounding parks and commercial retail space, then they should be able to post the plan for everyone to see. Why hide such an important document?

The Board of Supervisors should reject the Merriam Mountains project and not allow those who have enough money to buy their own variances to the general plan.

Do not allow the development of the unincorporated area to be up to the highest bidder. San Diego County deserves better. We demand no more and no less than having the rules applied equally to all residents.

TOM KUMURA lives in Vista