Planning Commission approves Golf Green Estates

The county’s Planning Commission approved the proposed Golf Green Estates project in Bonsall.

The Planning Commission’s 6-0 vote March 1, with Michael Beck absent, approved a tentative parcel map and site plan to subdivide 29 acres into 94 residential lots ranging between 6,000 and 19,113 square feet along with eight homeowners’ association lots. The Bonsall Sponsor Group opposed the specific project but did not appeal the Planning Commission’s decision to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

“It does meet the goals of the community plan and general plan,” said Commissioner David Pallinger. “I think this is as good a development as there could be on this property.”

Golf Green Estates consists of 11 parcels owned by San Luis Rey Downs Enterprises, LLC. The property is at the intersection of Camino Del Rey and Old River Road. The county’s general plan designated the land for Village Residential zoning with a density of 7.3 dwelling units per acre. The site’s zoning is single-family residential and variable family residential.

Residential development north of the site includes multi-family units and single-family homes on lots of approximately 6,000 square feet. The area to the south is developed with single-family homes on approximate 10,000 square foot lots.

“Staff found the project would not conflict with the rural character of Bonsall,” said Kristin Blackson, the project manager for the county’s Department of Planning and Development Services.

Representatives for the project met with Bonsall Union School District staff and with the project’s neighbors. “There are no issues that remain with the adjacent school,” said consultant Pete Fagrell. “There are no issues with the existing neighbors.”

Decomposed granite pathways would be constructed along Old River Road and Camino Del Rey to provide an internal connection as well as to connect the project with Bonsall Elementary School. The pathways would be between six and 10 feet wide.

The project would be built in two phases. The first phase would construct the 60 residences on the east side of Old River Road and the second phase would build the 34 units on the west side of Old River Road.

A 1972 tentative map for the site was approved to allow 112 single-family homes on 6,000 square foot lots but expired before any improvements were made. A 1981 tentative map which included a Major Use Permit would have built 68 single-family lots on the east side and 80 condominium units on the west side, but after the property was sold that map also expired. The most recent tentative map was originally submitted in 2006 with 116 residential units and was revised to eliminate 22 residential lots due to potential flood plain impacts which resulted in increased setbacks from the floodway.

“It would not develop roads or other improvements that would limit access during flooding events,” Blackson said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the County Code both define “floodway” as the channel of a river or watercourse and adjacent land areas which must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without increasing the water surface elevation beyond a designated height. The County Code defines “flood plain” as a land which is adjacent to a watercourse and susceptible to flooding. The different floodway and the flood plain maps for Golf Green Estates led to concern from the Bonsall Sponsor Group. “FEMA and the county topography do not agree,” said Bonsall Sponsor Group chair Margarette Morgan. “This is a serious problem.”

Morgan notes that the 1993 flooding left several areas near the school under water. “All 34 of those homes would be at risk,” she said.

“There is a key distinction between the term flood plain and floodway,” Fagrell said.

The Bonsall Community Plan encourages development inside the Village boundaries centered around Mission Road/Olive Hill Road and State Route 76. Morgan noted that the project was not within the Village Core area. “It was never designated as part of the Village Core,” she said. “Village Core has commercial. This is only residential and school.”

Morgan noted that the density predated the August 2011 update of the county’s general plan. “We don’t dispute the density,” she said.

The design of the project in conjunction with Bonsall Elementary School pedestrian and vehicular traffic concerned the sponsor group. “With 94 homes being wrapped around the school we now have an interesting traffic pattern issue,” Morgan said.

“I don’t think it’s a project that can be mitigated properly,” said Bonsall Sponsor Group vice-chair Chuck Davis. “Development around a school is a problem.”

The sponsor group also felt that the pie-shaped lots would be detrimental to community character. “Where the cul-de-sac is there are homes that are looking into each other’s yards,” Morgan said. “There’s no privacy.”

Morgan added that the cul-de-sac designs themselves conflict with the county’s plan calling for road connectivity. Davis noted that Old River Road has narrow curves, blind spots, and a lack of compliance with the road’s 40 mph speed limit.

“We just think it’s poor planning. It doesn’t fit our community plan,” Davis said. “We consider the way it’s put together just another tacky Orange County development.”

The County of San Diego and the California Department of Transportation have been working with the Vessels Family Trust to acquire land for the future San Luis Rey River Park (Caltrans’ acquisition activities involve mitigation for the widening of State Route 76). The Golf Green Estates land has never been under consideration for the river park. “It wasn’t planned for the river park. It was planned for houses,” Fagrell said. “This specific property is not something that would have been a part of the river park.”

The December 2011 traffic impact study estimated that the subdivision would result in an average of 940 daily trips which would be distributed to State Route 76, Old Highway 395, South Mission Road, East Vista Way, and Camino Del Rey. The study identified cumulative traffic impacts for those five roads as well at various intersections and ramps. The mitigation measures required of the project include restriping and providing auxiliary lanes along Camino Del Rey and Old River Road to facilitate traffic movements, widening the northbound East Vista Way approach to allow for one left turn lane, one through lane, and one right turn lane, and signalizing the intersection of Camino Del Rey and one of the new streets to be built. A Traffic Impact Fee payment will also be made. “The project would not result in significant impacts to traffic,” Blackson said.

“It brings very useful traffic improvements to the vicinity,” Fagrell said.