Environmental concerns, conflict of interests by Lightner raised

By Miriam Raftery

September 16, 2013 (San Diego) – San Diego’s City Council will hold a hearing today at 2 p.m. on the controversial Castlerock housing project.  The project is proposed by Pardee Homes near the boundary between Santee and San Diego.   The Planning Commission previously recommended annexing land for the project to Santee. Council has the option to approve, modify or disapprove the project and if approved, to determine whether or not it should be transferred to Santee’s jurisdiction.

Campaign contribution forms reveal that Council President Sherri Lightner accepted $4300 in donations from 12  Pardee Homes employees during her primary challenge. “If Pardee reimbursed its employees, the contributions would be illegal. Regardless of the contributions legality, we believe Pardree’s contributions are an inappropriate attempt to purchase your vote for a quadruple up-zone on Castlerock,”  wrote Van Collingsworth, executive director of Preserve Wild Santee, in a letter to Lightner.

Comments submitted jointly by the Chaparral Institute and Preserve Wild Santee raised serious concerns over water supplies, traffic, environmental and public health impacts if the project is built near Mission Trails Regional Park.

By Miriam Raftery

July 7, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – A controversial housing project that could include up to 430 residential units on 204 acres will be heard by the San Diego Planning Commission on Thursday, July 11 at 9 a.m.  The public can attend and testify at the hearing, which will be held at Council Chamber, 12^th Floor, City Administration Building, 202 C Street in downtown San Diego.

The project proposed by Pardee homes has sparked substantial opposition from environmentalists and residents.  A 925-page environmental impact report details significant negative impacts on wildlife and the environment.  ftp://ecity.ci.santee.ca.us/DDS/FinalEIRCastlerock062013.pdf

Preserve Wild Santee’s Facebook page describes Castlerock as “a monstrous housing development in San Diego and Santee” which “proposes to destroy four vernal pools and fairy shrimp, without examining the cumulative impact of these projects …”