Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Dollars and nonsense in Chula Vista

Planning commissioner objects to adding 1562 more residences

Chula Vista is changing the general plan (again) to increase housing density (again) in eastern Chula Vista.

On November 4, the city council passed a resolution amending the general plan to increase the density for Village 2, which is located south of Olympic Parkway and west of La Media Road. Baldwin & Sons is the developer.

The amendment will allow an additional 1562 housing units to be added to Village 2.

The council voted for this amendment in spite of the fact that the planning commission voted it down in early October.

Mark Liuag

Mark Liuag, a member of the planning commission since 2009, said in a November 7 interview, “Rarely do we [commissioners] vote against projects, but we voted this project down 5-1, with one abstention.”

Liuag said the commissioners’ primary concern was traffic.

Sponsored
Sponsored

“Several of the commissioners live out in the area and experience the traffic that already exists first hand.

“There are not enough access roads in that area to support the increased density in the project,” Liuag pointed out. “The main access street is the two-lane road Santa Victoria. Traffic study estimates indicate there will be approximately 9700 average daily [car] trips, 6.7 trips a minute, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, at project completion on Santa Victoria.

“Folks in the morning have to wait through two or three signal lights to get out to the main streets [Olympic Parkway and La Media] today, and the project is only 25 percent complete.”

Liuag said, “I just found out yesterday that the city council voted to approve the project [November 4] and I was shocked. We asked to be notified when the project was going before the council. I would have gone before the council and spoken against it.”

To sweeten the proposal, Baldwin & Sons has offered to give the city $5000 per housing unit. The per-unit total would add up to about $7.8 million that could be spent at the city’s discretion. The money does not have to be spent in the impacted area.

But Liuag believes the project benefits don’t outweigh the problems. He said the planning commission did not even certify the environmental impact report.

Mary Salas
Pamela Bensoussan
Kevin O’Neill
Cheryl Cox
A big diamond ring

“Sometimes the city looks at things in terms of dollars and cents, but there are problems that can’t be mitigated and in the end the net financial benefit to the city will only be $480,000 after ten years.”

There were several arguments advanced in favor of increased density in Village II, which is projected to have a rapid-transit bus line.

Councilmember Mary Salas said the project spoke to “new urbanism.…We have a population that is getting married later, having fewer children, and they don’t want to encumber themselves with a huge house, and kids are getting their driver’s licenses later and are not so in love with their cars.”

Councilmember Pamela Bensoussan said the project is about “workforce housing and connectivity.”

Kevin O’Neill, a local contractor who spoke in favor of the project, stated, “Once it gets built and we get enough people in a tight area, they will use the buses.”

Another argument advanced in favor of the project was that, with the increased density, developers would commit to fast-tracking Heritage Road, a north-south connection.

Several councilmembers pointed out that Heritage Road would connect eastern Chula Vista to Main Street. The city’s auto retailers are located on Main Street and councilmembers felt it would be good for auto retail and repair businesses.

Mayor Cheryl Cox said, “When you think of the notion of shop, dine, invest in Chula Vista, if a car isn’t one of the single most sales-tax-producing-purchases that you can make in Chula Vista, I don’t know what it is, other than a bigger diamond ring than I have.”

Mark Rheaume, a Village II resident, spoke in opposition to the amendment. Rheaume said he did not see the fast-tracking of Heritage as a priority because it will not improve the traffic congestion on Olympic Parkway, which he called “a nightmare.”

Rheaume’s primary reason for opposing the change was inadequate infrastructure — such as secondary schools, parks, and fire services in Village II. “The infrastructure is not in place now and the increased density will only exacerbate the problems.”

David Danciu, president of the civic group Crossroads II, also opposed the plan. Danciu advised the councilmembers that they should keep jobs and housing in balance. He noted that the general-plan amendment reduces the commercial space in Village II, which will reduce employment possibilities.

The council voted 4-1 in favor of the amendment.

Councilmember Rudy Ramirez cast the dissenting vote. Ramirez opposed the amendment because there “is not a sustainable financial model in place for providing city services.”

A general-plan amendment must go before the city council twice. A second reading of the proposed plan will happen sometime this month.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Best Sports Betting Sites - 10 Online Sportsbooks Ranked for 2024

Best Sports Betting Sites (2024) - Reviews of TOP Online Sportsbooks

Chula Vista is changing the general plan (again) to increase housing density (again) in eastern Chula Vista.

On November 4, the city council passed a resolution amending the general plan to increase the density for Village 2, which is located south of Olympic Parkway and west of La Media Road. Baldwin & Sons is the developer.

The amendment will allow an additional 1562 housing units to be added to Village 2.

The council voted for this amendment in spite of the fact that the planning commission voted it down in early October.

Mark Liuag

Mark Liuag, a member of the planning commission since 2009, said in a November 7 interview, “Rarely do we [commissioners] vote against projects, but we voted this project down 5-1, with one abstention.”

Liuag said the commissioners’ primary concern was traffic.

Sponsored
Sponsored

“Several of the commissioners live out in the area and experience the traffic that already exists first hand.

“There are not enough access roads in that area to support the increased density in the project,” Liuag pointed out. “The main access street is the two-lane road Santa Victoria. Traffic study estimates indicate there will be approximately 9700 average daily [car] trips, 6.7 trips a minute, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, at project completion on Santa Victoria.

“Folks in the morning have to wait through two or three signal lights to get out to the main streets [Olympic Parkway and La Media] today, and the project is only 25 percent complete.”

Liuag said, “I just found out yesterday that the city council voted to approve the project [November 4] and I was shocked. We asked to be notified when the project was going before the council. I would have gone before the council and spoken against it.”

To sweeten the proposal, Baldwin & Sons has offered to give the city $5000 per housing unit. The per-unit total would add up to about $7.8 million that could be spent at the city’s discretion. The money does not have to be spent in the impacted area.

But Liuag believes the project benefits don’t outweigh the problems. He said the planning commission did not even certify the environmental impact report.

Mary Salas
Pamela Bensoussan
Kevin O’Neill
Cheryl Cox
A big diamond ring

“Sometimes the city looks at things in terms of dollars and cents, but there are problems that can’t be mitigated and in the end the net financial benefit to the city will only be $480,000 after ten years.”

There were several arguments advanced in favor of increased density in Village II, which is projected to have a rapid-transit bus line.

Councilmember Mary Salas said the project spoke to “new urbanism.…We have a population that is getting married later, having fewer children, and they don’t want to encumber themselves with a huge house, and kids are getting their driver’s licenses later and are not so in love with their cars.”

Councilmember Pamela Bensoussan said the project is about “workforce housing and connectivity.”

Kevin O’Neill, a local contractor who spoke in favor of the project, stated, “Once it gets built and we get enough people in a tight area, they will use the buses.”

Another argument advanced in favor of the project was that, with the increased density, developers would commit to fast-tracking Heritage Road, a north-south connection.

Several councilmembers pointed out that Heritage Road would connect eastern Chula Vista to Main Street. The city’s auto retailers are located on Main Street and councilmembers felt it would be good for auto retail and repair businesses.

Mayor Cheryl Cox said, “When you think of the notion of shop, dine, invest in Chula Vista, if a car isn’t one of the single most sales-tax-producing-purchases that you can make in Chula Vista, I don’t know what it is, other than a bigger diamond ring than I have.”

Mark Rheaume, a Village II resident, spoke in opposition to the amendment. Rheaume said he did not see the fast-tracking of Heritage as a priority because it will not improve the traffic congestion on Olympic Parkway, which he called “a nightmare.”

Rheaume’s primary reason for opposing the change was inadequate infrastructure — such as secondary schools, parks, and fire services in Village II. “The infrastructure is not in place now and the increased density will only exacerbate the problems.”

David Danciu, president of the civic group Crossroads II, also opposed the plan. Danciu advised the councilmembers that they should keep jobs and housing in balance. He noted that the general-plan amendment reduces the commercial space in Village II, which will reduce employment possibilities.

The council voted 4-1 in favor of the amendment.

Councilmember Rudy Ramirez cast the dissenting vote. Ramirez opposed the amendment because there “is not a sustainable financial model in place for providing city services.”

A general-plan amendment must go before the city council twice. A second reading of the proposed plan will happen sometime this month.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Navy solves San Diego homeless crisis by retiring four locally moored ships

Decommision Accomplished
Next Article

San Diego Reader 2024 Music & Arts Issue

Favorite fakers: Baby Bushka, Fleetwood Max, Electric Waste Band, Oceans, Geezer – plus upcoming tribute schedule
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.