Planning Commission grants Major Use Permit for Los Willows

San Diego County’s Planning Commission approved a Major Use Permit for Los Willows to hold outdoor weddings, special occasion events, and corporate or team building events.

The Planning Commission voted 5-2 May 20 to grant the permit. Commissioners Michael Beck, Leon Brooks, Adam Day, David Pallinger, and Bryan Woods voted in favor of the permit while Peder Norby and John Riess voted in opposition.

“I’m just so relieved after eight years,” said Cathie Ransom, who owns Los Willows along with her husband, Al. “I’m just so happy.”

The Los Willows site is on a 27.1-acre parcel. The Ransoms also own an adjacent property, which includes a bed and breakfast operation authorized under a 1997 Minor Use Permit. Although there is some overlap between the Los Willows facility and the bed and breakfast, as some wedding parties or other Los Willows event customers may stay at the bed and breakfast, the Major Use Permit for Los Willows does not authorize any expansion of the bed and breakfast facility.

Because the County Consolidated Fire Code limits for dead-end road length are based on the parcel’s zoning rather than on the actual parcel size, the 5,200-foot approximate distance from the nearest exit in multiple directions exceeds the 1,320-foot statutory maximum.

The North County Fire Protection District made the appropriate findings to allow for the project despite the dead-end road. “Access and water supply are the two main components we look at,” said NCFPD Fire Marshal Sid Morel.

Although the statutory maximum dead-end road length is for the parcel’s one-acre zoning, the allowable distance increases for parcels with sparser zoning.

“On the parcel size itself it’s pretty close to the standard,” Morel said.

The lack of secondary access caused Riess to vote against the project.

Norby voted against the permit for the same reason. “We wouldn’t be able to add one residential unit on that parcel,” he said. “We’re not willing to put a house on there.”

Morel explained that residential occupants could choose to stay if told to evacuate. The shelter-in-place option is only if a fire occurs too quickly and too close to an occurring event.

“I don’t think it’s going to work,” Riess said. “I can’t see how I can make the findings.”

Only seven acres of the 27-acre parcel are used for Los Willows activities.

“It’s a very isolated site,” said Wes Peltzer, who represented Los Willows.

Peltzer noted that the nearest off-site structure is a quarter of a mile away, that the four closest residents support the project, that the 90 parking spaces exceed the county requirement of 84 places, that the 40 dB loudest noise at any property line is within the county standard of 45 dB, and that the noise at most of the property lines is between 20 dB and 30 dB.

“I sleep with my windows open,” said neighbor Dennis Chaplin. “Rarely have I heard any noise from the facility.”

Kathryn Smith purchased her Stewart Canyon Road property in 1976. “I have had no problem with the traffic,” she said of Los Willows. “It’s really been wonderful living in Stewart Canyon.”

The Fallbrook Community Planning Group voted 14-0, with one abstention, to recommend approval of the permit.

“The commercial operation is compatible with surrounding community character,” said county Department of Planning and Land Use project manager Amber Griffith.

Morel noted that Los Willows didn’t wait for approval of the permit with its conditions before implementing the fire department’s recommendations.

“The Ransoms have come into compliance with every recommendation,” Morel said. “Not only have they complied, they’ve taken it to the next level.”

Because the permit legalizes existing structures, the only new construction which would be involved would be that required to obtain the necessary building, electrical and plumbing permits and to retrofit structures to meet current fire code standards.

“They’re brought up to standards no matter what,” Brooks said.

“It has the preponderance of public support in that area, and I know they’ve been very good community members,” Pallinger said.