S.D. Approves Controversial Escondido Land Deal

Despite vehement opposition by a San Diego city councilwoman and an Escondido councilman, property flanking the North County Fair shopping center will be used for housing and a public golf course, the San Diego City Council decided Tuesday.

The controversy, which has delayed the sale of the property owned by the City of San Diego to the City of Escondido for several months, centers on Escondido’s commitment to sell some of the property to the Lomas Serenas Co., which has won approval to build 539 houses on the land.

Under an opinion by the San Diego city attorney’s office, city land must first be offered to governmental agencies at fair market price to be used for public purposes such as low-cost housing, parks and open space--including golf courses.

San Diego Councilwoman Abbe Wolfsheimer charged that the negotiated sale of the city property to Escondido without competitive bidding would cost San Diego more than $10 million. She pointed out that half-a-dozen major developers have sought to purchase the city-owned land, but have been told that it was already committed.

Deal Approved Tuesday

Under the deal approved, 5-1, by the San Diego City Council on Tuesday, Escondido would buy the land to the east and west of North County Fair, then sell it to Lomas Serenas, which already has permission from Escondido to build the 530 homes on the property.

In return, San Diego would receive about $10.6 million for the property, rights to half the revenue from a jointly owned public golf course and an additional 300,000-gallon-a-day capacity in the Escondido sewage treatment plant.

Escondido Councilman Jerry Harmon unsuccessfully asked the San Diego council members to demand, “in the public’s best interests,” to have competitive bidding on the land that belongs to San Diego but lies within the Escondido city limits. Harmon warned that San Diego residents will question their council’s action if competitive bidding is not pursued.

Another Escondido resident, W.F. Bradley, said that the North County city’s sewage system was reaching capacity and its outfall situation was “critical.” He predicted that Escondido will face a building moratorium within six months to a year because of the lack of sewage capacity. Bradley is a member of the Escondido task force reviewing the city’s general plan revisions.

San Diego city officials declared four parcels of city-owned land within Escondido as surplus property in 1978 and offered them to surrounding governmental agencies before putting the land up for sale on the open market. Escondido and other jurisdictions, including the county and the state, turned down the property at that time.

Increased Value

Then, when shopping center magnate Ernest Hahn announced plans to build a regional shopping center at the site on the northern shores of Lake Hodges, San Diego property management officials recommended that the city hold on to the land until its value increases because of its proximity to the major shopping mart.

The San Diego council, over Wolfsheimer’s objections, agreed to negotiate a sale with Escondido several months ago and Tuesday gave conceptual approval to the sale.

Wolfsheimer voted against the majority; Mayor Maureen O’Connor and Councilmen Mike Gotch and William Jones were absent.

Escondido Mayor Jim Rady promised San Diego council members: “Whatever the land is worth, you will get.” He denied that Escondido would receive any profit from the transaction and stressed that San Diego’s increased sewage capacity would allow for job-creating development in Rancho Bernardo.

Some opponents of the sale argued that the property, which lies at the south edge of Escondido and the eastern end of Lake Hodges, should be retained until a master plan is completed for a 43-mile-long regional park along the San Dieguito River. Lake Hodges is part of the river system.

Pollution Concerns

Other opponents were concerned that construction of a golf course would pollute the water with pesticides and fertilizers draining into the reservoir, which provides water for Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach and other north coast areas.

Rancho Bernardo residents at the hearing held mixed opinions about the land swap.

Some praised the two cities for their cooperative efforts in creating a public golf course that will be on a par with the city’s Torrey Pines and Balboa Park courses, offering low-cost golfing to residents of both San Diego and Escondido. Others urged a delay in the land swap until the river valley regional park plan is completed.

San Diego council members, in endorsing the plan, expressed pleasure that the two cities were finally cooperating after several decades of political boundary wars.