Quarry Creek - Save the Panhandle Fact Sheet
McMillin proposes to build 656 homes in the Buena Vista Creek Valley- a development they call Quarry Creek. It is located on the south side of # 78 between College and El Camino Real. The eastern 100 acres was mined for years and is currently undergoing reclamation. The western 56 acres, called the panhandle, was not mined, is part of the regional wildlife movement corridor, and is opposite the historic adobe.
Key Concerns :
In 2008 the Carlsbad Citizen’s Committee ranked this the # 1 priority property to preserve in the entire city. It includes the sacred El Salto waterfall and regional wildlife corridor and is adjacent to the 134 acre Buena Vista Creek Ecological Reserve- an area we all worked so hard to acquire as permanent open space. If we don’t preserve the most important lands, what will we have left to preserve?
Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO) identified this area as one of the 12 most endangered historic sites in all of San Diego County. It includes Native American village sites dating back 9,000 years and the historic Marron Adobe and is a key focus of local history. Nowhere else has this unique combination of historic, cultural and natural resources. Homes can be built anywhere- but this area can’t be replicated.
100% of the project traffic will use College Blvd, causing traffic failures in both Oceanside and Carlsbad. Real traffic mitigation will require reducing the number of units, funding for expanded public transit service, and extensive bicycle/pedestrian trails.
Current zoning allows a maximum of 293 housing units- less than half what this developer is proposing. Why does the developer get windfall profits through additional units and we get traffic congestion, noise, air pollution and lose our open space? There needs to be some balance.
This is not “Smart growth” per SANDAG’s criteria. It is just dense development and more urban sprawl that is a step backwards from sound land use planning.
The City of Carlsbad wants to put 506 affordable housing units here. They would all fit on the eastern part of the site- leaving the panhandle intact.
Recommendation:
Save the panhandle. Reduce/move development to the eastern part of the site and keep the panhandle as open space.
Contact us at info@preservecalavera.org or 760 724-3887
Here is what you can do:
1. Go to www.preservecalavera.org and subscribe to keep informed about this project and get notices of key hearings.
2. Call or email Mayor Matt Hall and Carlsbad Council members at council@carlsbadca.gov or 760-434-2808 and tell them why they should save the panhandle of Quarry Creek.
3. Call or email the Mayor and City Council of Oceanside 760-435-3065 or council@ci.oceanside.ca.us and tell them you don’t want traffic failures in Oceanside from this Carlsbad project; they need to require reduced units, a subsidy for expanded public transit and extensive improvements to pedestrian/bicycle trails. This traffic is a huge safety issue for all of the seniors that now live along Lake Blvd.
4. Send a Letter to the Editor alerting the public about the potential loss of this area and why it is important to preserve the panhandle. Limit letter to 200 words, include your name, address and phone number (for verification- will not be printed). Send to both letters@utsandiego.com and letters@coastnewsgroup.com. Note: Be sure to change the subject line and first sentence so it doesn’t look like the same letter.
5. Take everyone you know to the cul-de-sac on Haymar to see the valley, and to the sign-post behind Kohl’s to see the waterfall. Show them the treasure we have in our backyard.
6. Spread the word however your can- pass on this summary, schedule us to speak before any group you are involved with, tell your friends and neighbors.
“Alone we’re a ripple, together we’re a wave. In silence no one hears us. But mountains are moved when our voices are raised.” Please raise your voices for Quarry Creek. Contact us at info@preservecalavera.org or 760-724-3887
