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Please see details on Home Page Guejito.Com The story about road construction and grading is still unfolding.

 

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County officials investigated a report of illegal road work at Rancho Guejito. Results not available. Ranch claims road has existed for decades.

 

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Guest editorial by Rusty Harris suggests the Guejito is being unfairly persecuted by environmentalists.New major road construction without permit suggests there may be reason to question ranch practices. If others are required to follow government regulation the Guejito should be required to follow it as well.

 

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Claims that cattle on the ranch were neglected were dismissed as overgrazing by state inspectors. Rancho Guejito bulldozes in new road down Guejito Creek without permit. The new road would connect the suggested Guejito development area to Highway 78 in San Pasqual.

 

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Rancho Guejito bulldozes in new road down Guejito Creek without permit. The new road would connect the suggested Guejito development area to Highway 78 in San Pasqual

 

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Hank Rupp, representative of Rancho Guejito, Reacts to new 2020 Zoning Plan by filing suit against San Diego County. Rancho Guejito receives lowest density possible zoning in GP 2020, 1 home per 80 acres.

 

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Ballot measure and various scenarios for housing development are being floated in opinion research poll

Logan Jenkins Column

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Logan writes well about the Guejito and without grinding an obvious axe.

Logan Jenkins Column

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Logan comments about the rejection of the Merriam Mountain development by the Board of Supervisors and the implications that may have for development on the Guejito.

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Fat chance of any development "working for everyone" with what will be monumental opposition by activists. Rodney Co's objection to the 160per d.u. is understandable and may have resulted in their effort to maintain property value by gaining building entitlements. If so it would be a real backfire for County planners who thought up this in your face open space zone.

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An advocate for preservation Mercurio says the Rodney Co's suggestion that the 13,000ac original Mexican Land and Grant be preserved in exchange for development rights is a disingenuous gesture. Unfortunately a number of Mercurio's arguments also sound a little disingenuous

A guest editorial by Planner Howard Kozloff

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Kozloff promotes an idea he worked on as master planner for the 20,000 acre Santa Lucia property in northern California. The site is being developed for 280 exclusive homes and 18,000 acres of preserve. The development is scattered around the property including many facilities and a golf course. You can view the general layout used at the Santa Lucia Preserve here

"Consultant says no plan in works"

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I am attending these meetings and will try to update this site with current info. The attending rep was busy denying the validity of reports using the10,000 home figure . No plan means nothing was submitted to the County. That is expected several months or more after the Guejito subcommittee is seated. All agree it will be a long process.

Joe Chisholm, chair of the planning group, says, “It’s hugely important for the whole region,” he said. “It’s the last remaining Spanish land grant. It’s got this historical character and the environmental factors. It’s a lot of land, in fact I think that the community, let alone the neighbors, need to get their hands around just how big this is."

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Good comment Joe. I placed an image of the Guejito over the Escondido-Vista area to help understand the size. Click to see map

"In initial talks, owners of tract say two-thirds would be preserved"

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That is a lot of homes. Bigger than Ramona and Valley Center and many other communities. Census says 2.6 people per household so that translates into a town of 26,000 people. I think they will need a commercial center and jobs too.This comment is a more pleasant way of saying development would be in the southern portion nearer to Hwy 78 and mitigation for the development would be in the more environmentally sensitive and area of the land grant.

"Rancho Guejito, last intact land grant, is in play"

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Some good fundamental information

"Community planning group gets first briefing on backcountry housing plan"

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Report of first meeting with Pauma-Pala Community Planning Group which was well attended.

Ranch's owner insists it's not for sale. Supervisor Horn flew to the nation's capital last week to lobby federal legislators for money to buy and preserve 23,000-acre Rancho Guejito. Horn has said he hopes to raise $100 million from the federal government, $50 million from the state and $35 million from the county to help acquire the ranch

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Supervisor Horn is more often thought of as a pro-development politician but is against development on the Guejito.

OUR VIEW: Plan what you will, but rancho still privately held

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Supervisor Horn is more often thought of as a pro-development politician but is against development on the Guejito.

: Pristine ranch nearly the size of Escondido is a saga of money, intentions

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"The legacy of a bon vivant worth billions depends on how his heirs, biological or honorary, act on future development or preservation of a ranch that dates back to the days of Old California"

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A good story all the way from Seattle, Washington

"Untamed acres in San Diego County belonged to an Old World empire builder. A bitter feud concerns their future."

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A story from the LA Times, I guess it's not just a local story.