San Diego
Seeking to preserve a unique part of San Diego’s environment, the City Council agreed Tuesday to acquire through condemnation an 18-acre parcel on Lopez Ridge in north Mira Mesa that includes ecologically sensitive vernal pools.
The council voted 7 to 1, with Councilwoman Abbe Wolfsheimer dissenting and Councilman Wes Pratt absent, to acquire the land.
City officials say the site has been identified as one of the finest remaining examples of vernal pools, large depressions in the earth that fill with water during wet months and are home to several types of endangered plants.
The council’s decision to purchase the property, expected to cost about $1 million, represents a significant step for the city, which has been hit by sharp criticism from environmentalists for allowing about 80% of the vernal pools in San Diego to be destroyed by development.
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