COMMENT DEADLINE ON ALPINE COMMUNITY PLAN EXTENDED TO MARCH 5; RESIDENTS FEAR FIRE DANGER

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By Miriam Raftery

Photo: 2020 Valley Fire in Alpine by Ryan Grothe

February 11, 2022 (Alpine) – The deadline for public comments has been extended to March 5 for the Alpine Community Plan Update and a proposed General Plan Amendment that would allow increased density on formerly protected lands in close proximity to Cleveland National Forest lands. A Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) has been prepared to analyze and disclose the environmental impacts of the project.

The proposed changes have sparked some controversy.  The Eastern Alpine Association states in an email sent to media and community members, “Let ACPG (Alpine Community Planning Group) and the County know that our lives are at risk unless new building in Eastern Alpine is either non-existent or minimal.”

Community members have raised concerns particularly about wildfires. The SEIR notes those objections include “concerns regarding evacuating people from remote development when wildland fires occur in the Cleveland National Forest (CNF), increased wildfire risk from increased density and number of homes; incorp oration of buffers and setbacks between future development and wildfire-prone areas; increased Wildland/Urban Interface area; and secondary effects…” such as on ecosystems, water and air quality.

The SEIR section on wildfire notes that “almost the entirety of the seven subareas within the Alpine CPA include areas that are designated as a Very High FHSZ (fire hazard severity zone).” The SEIR further warns that the proposed project would “would substantially impair an adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan” and further finds that “impacts would be significant and unavoidable.”

Alpine has previously suffered major losses of homes from wildfires including the 2003 Cedar Fire, the 2007 firestorms, and the 2020 Valley Fire.

The Draft SEIR also identified potentially significant environmental impacts to the following issue areas:

Aesthetics, Agriculture, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change, Wildfire, Hydrology and Water Quality, Mineral Resources, Noise, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation and Traffic, and Utilities and Service Systems.

View the environmental review documents: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/pds/

Direct any questions or formal comments to the project contacts below.

Project Environmental Coordinator: Regan Watt | Regan.Watt@sdcounty.ca.gov

Project Contact: Tara Lieberman | (858) 505-6677 (General Project Questions)

 


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