Will Chinese Church Project Have an Impact on Santa Fe Valley/4S Ranch?

PUBLIC HEARING: There is a community meeting this Thursday evening March 29 at the RSF Fire House 16930 Four Gee Road where County of San Diego elected officials will vote on approving a large church and school project in Santa Fe Valley. The development will be adjoining the gated communities of Bel Etage, Savannah and Salviatti. If you want a say in the future of the area and either support or prevent this proposed project, you should make the time to attend. Details on project: http://www.4ssfvmpac.org/

I remember in late 1999, Theresa, myself and our newborn son Troy, (who yes, Oak Valley girls, was in diapers) were sitting in the sales office at the Colrich home development at Bel Etage. At the time, I was the SDPD SWAT Commanding Officer. I had been up most of the night on a tactical operation and decided to take the next day off to visit the new home developments in an area called 4S Ranch and Santa Fe Valley.

With Troy on her lap, Theresa wrote a check for $5,000.00 to hold a Bel Etage home, which was under construction. When the saleswoman stepped out of the sales office, Theresa nervously looked at me and mouthed the words, "We don't have five thousand dollars". I whispered back, "Don't worry they won't cash it. It just holds it". We then hurried back to our Rancho Penasquitos home and put a, "for sale" sign in our front yard.

The following year we moved into our new Bel Etage home. We loved living in Santa Fe Valley and have sometimes reminisced that we never should have left. The three gated guarded communities, Bel Etage, Salviatti, and Savanneh are terrific homes with amazing floor plans on big lots. Always a winning combination.

I mention this background information because during that time, I walked every one of the developments on a weekly basis. I also made a trip to the County of San Diego where at ten cents a copy, I made a copy of every page of the County of San Diego Area Plan. I had it committed to memory. I even kept a copy of the plan in my desk drawer at home. I never recall reading anything about a planned large development across from the fire station. The plan was a promise. It was one of the reasons we bought the home. I guess, I mistakenly believed our elected officials and their plan.

Now, twelve years later, the County of San Diego wants to change our plan. The changes they are proposing will impact the community and the value of homes in the area. We are at the point where this, "new plan" or marriage, is about to happen. So as they say in church, "Speak up now or forever hold your peace". I suggest if you do not know the details, attend the meeting and voice your opinion, pro or con. It is all part of the democratic process.


Have a great week,