San Diego

The battle over how much sand mining should be allowed in the San Pasqual Valley in the northern reaches of San Diego apparently will continue. The San Diego City Council Monday voted to send the community plan developed for the valley and Lake Hodges area back to a committee for further work.

The vote came on a recommendation by newly elected Councilwoman Abbe Wolfsheimer, who wants changes that she and her staff say would allow more and faster sand mining in the area. Allowing for speeded up sand mining would enable the city to engage in an accelerated landscaping of the valley, Wolfsheimer told her colleagues Monday.

The proposed plan emphasized preserving agricultural interests in the valley and is the work of Wolfsheimer’s predecessor, Bill Mitchell, who was considered an ally of environmentalists. But Mitchell, fighting a losing battle for reelection, was unable to push his version of the plan through the council during the waning weeks of his term.

Wolfsheimer has recommended widening the boundaries for sand mining along the valley floor from 300 feet apart to 600 feet apart, and that mining be allowed to a depth that would create a permanent lake, landscaped to create an outdoor performing arts center. Other possibilities include a water reclamation plant and hiking trails.

Deputy Planning Director Allen Jones said Monday that Wolfsheimer’s recommended changes would shift the emphasis from agriculture to sand extraction in the valley. At one point, Jones said it would take a year to have a revised San Pasqual Valley plan ready, but council members said they would like the work completed sooner.