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Proposed Villages of Lakeview Project, Lakeview/Nuevo--Updated February 16, 2010:

Please take time to write, e-mail or telephone all of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors & let them know of your concerns regarding the Villages of Lakeview Specific Plan 342.

FRIENDS OF THE NORTHERN SAN JACINTO VALLEY
P.O. Box 9097
Moreno Valley, CA 92552-9097
e-mail: northfriends@northfriends.org
www.northfriends.org

February 16, 2010

Dear Friends Members –

The Friends of the Northern San Jacinto Valley have been following the proposed Villages of Lakeview Specific Plan 342 for more than five years. During that time we have submitted numerous comment letters and hired the legal firm of Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger to make extensive comments on the Villages of Lakeview project (VOL). We attended all of the county Planning Commission meetings and made comments. We attended the January 26, 2010 Riverside County Board of Supervisors hearing. The public was allowed three minutes each to make public comments and then the public comment period was closed.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to make a decision on the Villages of Lakeview Specific Plan 342 at their February 23, 2010 board meeting.

We are contacting you to ask that you please take time to write, e-mail or telephone ALL of the board of supervisors before their February 23 meeting and ask them to VOTE NO on this proposed specific plan.

As we have written in our newsletter, the Villages of Lakeview Specific Plan 342 proposes to build approximately 11,000 residential units in the rural communities of Lakeview and Nuevo. Approximately 1,800 units would be built on 300 acres that abut the southern boundary of the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, a 19,000 Department of Fish and Game facility.

Here are some of the concerns:

Light pollution disturbing sensitive & endangered plants and animals at the SJWA
Increased air pollution from increased traffic; the VOL will produce 15,000 commuter trips
Feral animals & invasion on the SJWA by domestic animals/pets increasing predation on SWJA species
Illegal entry by future homeowners onto wildlife area lands
Locating dwelling units adjacent to the flood plain of the San Jacinto River
Loss of prime agricultural lands
The buffer between the SJWA lands and homes would be a regional park with exotic, invasive plants, lights, noise
Building a city in the middle of a rural area
Loss of the rural nature of Lakeview and Nuevo and the loss of the rural way of life for current residents
The planning director’s vision of a ‘new city’ of Lakeview. The new ‘city’ boundaries were shown extending into the southern portion of the wildlife area
Water for 30,000 new residents if and when the ‘city’ is built
Transportation—the county’s roads are already crowded and not adequately maintained; project will produce 15,000 commuter trips
Lack of fiscal analysis for the project
Riverside County is in a financial crisis because of the loss of property taxes and over-dependence on development
Balance of jobs to housing ratio—where are the jobs for the new residents?
Poor land use planning!!! We want a compatible land use such as an agricultural reserve adjacent to the SJWA.

The San Jacinto Wildlife Area:

Was established in the mid-1980s as partial mitigation for the loss of habitat that occurred during the construction of the State Water Project (brings water from northern to southern California so we can live & work here)
Its lands provide habitat for the Stephens’ Kangaroo rat and it is an SKR reserve for the Riverside County Conservation Agency.
It is also a cornerstone reserve for the Riverside County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP)—the reserve system set up to protect the county’s endangered animals and plants in perpetuity.
The northern San Jacinto Valley is considered a Significant Natural Area by the California Department of Fish and Game
The northern San Jacinto Valley and Mystic Lake are considered Important Bird Areas by the National Audubon Society.
Provides extremely valuable wildlife habitat for endangered plants & animals
Provides habitat for tens of thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds that winter in the northern San Jacinto Valley
Is a known resting point and/or wintering site for migrating birds traveling the Pacific Flyway
Is known for the large number of wintering birds of prey (such as peregrine falcon, bald eagle, ferruginous hawk, prairie falcon)
Is considered one of the premier hunting areas in southern California; hunting fees help acquire lands throughout the state; the hunting community is a strong supporter of the SJWA
The San Jacinto Wildlife Area is not a park.

The San Jacinto Wildlife Area represents an $80 million investment of the taxpayers’ money.

All of us have different reasons for visiting the San Jacinto Wildlife Area. You might want to state the reasons why the wildlife area is important to you, why you do not want to see homes next to the SJWA boundary, and/or why you think the wildlife area is a valuable natural resource for Riverside County. It does not matter how long or short your comments are, but it is important that the supervisors hear from all of us who value and enjoy the San Jacinto Wildlife Area.

Below is the contact information for each supervisor:

Supervisor Bob Buster, District 1
County of Riverside
P.O. Box 1527
Riverside, CA 92502-1527
Tel: (951) 955-1010
FAX: (951) 955-1019
e-mail: district1@rcbos.org

Supervisor John F. Tavaglione, District 2
County Administrative Center
4080 Lemon Street, Fifth Floor
P.O. Box 1646
Riverside, CA 92502-1646
Tel: (951) 955-1020
FAX: (951) 955-2362
e-mail: district2@rcbos.org

Supervisor Jeff Stone, District 3
County Administrative Center
4080 Lemon Street, Fifth Floor
Riverside, CA 92501
Tel: (951) 955-1030
FAX: (951) 955-2194
e-mail: district3@rcbos.org

Supervisor John J. Benoit, District 4
County Administrative Center
4080 Lemon Street, Fifth Floor
Riverside, CA 92501
Tel: (951) 955-1040
FAX: (951) 955-2194
e-mail: district4@rcbos.org

Supervisor Marion Ashley, District 5
County Administrative Center
4080 Lemon Street, Fifth Floor
Riverside, CA 92501
Tel: (951) 955-1050
FAX:
e-mail: district5@rcbos.org

You can also send an e-mail to each supervisor through the Board of Supervisors web site: http://www.countyofriverside.us/government/boardofsupervisors.html

The Friends THANK YOU for taking time to share your concerns about the Villages of Lakeview Specific Plan.

You can find our web page at: www.northfriends.org for newsletters and other information.

Sincerely,

Ann McKibben, President, and the Friends Board
e-mail: northfriends@northfriends.org

Proposed Villages of Lakeview Specific Plan 342--Updated information, September 6, 2009:

The Riverside County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on September 16, 2009, 9:00 a.m. at the Riverside County Administrative Center to consider certification of The Villages of Lakeview (Specific Plan 342) Final Environmental Impact Report.

PLEASE ATTEND THIS MEETING AND MAKE COMMENTS ON THE VILLAGES OF LAKEVIEW SPECIFIC PLAN 342:

Riverside County Planning Commission
Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 9:00 a.m.
Riverside County Administrative Center
Board Chambers, 1st Floor
4080 Lemon Street
Riverside, CA 92501
Information: Matt Straite, Project Planner at (951) 955-8631 or e-mail mstraite@rctlma.org or look for the agenda at: www.tlma.co.riverside.ca.us/planning/pc.html

The San Jacinto Wildlife Area faces continual threat from urbanization and encroaching development. On July 20, 2006 Riverside County issued a Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for a proposed project called The Villages of Lakeview (TVOL) Specific Plan 342. The proposed project is slated to put 11,350 dwelling units on 2,800 acres of agricultural lands in the rural communities of Lakeview and Nuevo. The project will be bisected by the Ramona Expressway, a two-lane highway. (The Ramona Expressway is slated for expansion by Riverside County to a six to eight lane highway, called the Mid County Parkway, from the city of San Jacinto to the city of Corona.)

The proponents of the Villages of Lakeview plan to locate approximately 3,000 units of their project on 300 acres of land on the southern boundary of the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, between the wildlife area and the Ramona Expressway. Locating high density urban residential units on the wildlife area boundary will certainly have devastating impacts to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area.

As a cornerstone reserve in the Riverside County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) reserve system, the wildlife area provides habitat for a great many of the 146 species of plants and animals protected under the MSHCP and the California Natural Communities Conservation Plan (NCCP).

The Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report on the project was issued on July 20, 2006.

1) An article on the threat to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area which was published in both the San Gorgonio Chapter newsletter, The Palm & Pine and the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society newsletter, The Meadowlark in July 2005, updated August 2006: DevelopmentThreatensSJWAUpdatedAug2006.pdf

2) Agency Notice of Preparation of an Draft Environmental Impact Report, The Villages of Lakeview Project: NOPSP342.pdf

3) County of Riverside, Environmental Assessment Form: Initial Study for The Villages of Lakeview Project: Final Initial Study 7-19-06.pdf

Riverside County held a second second Scoping Meeting for The Villages of Lakeview Project on September 21, 2006 as part of the Municipal Advisory Committee MAC) for Lakeview/Nuevo.

PROPOSED VILLAGES OF LAKEVIEW SPECIFIC PLAN 342 : The McAnally Chicken Ranch project has been closely tied to Lewis Operating Corp’s project the Villages of Lakeview (TVOL). Since the chicken ranch project has been withdrawn, Lewis Operating Corp is moving quickly to seek approval of the TVOL project. Instead of releasing their draft environmental impact report (DEIR) during the summer 2009 as originally planned, Riverside County released the DEIR on February 19, 2009. It is possible that the project will go before the Riverside County Planning Commission this summer, and it may go before the Riverside County Board of Supervisors for approval before the end of the year. If approved, the Villages of Lakeview project would put 10,000+ homes in the rural communities of Lakeview and Nuevo. The project proponent plans to build 3,000 units of the project on 350 acres between the southern boundary of the San Jacinto Wildlife Area (Marvin Road) and the northern border of the Ramona Expressway. It is not good land use planning to put 3,000 housing units next to the wildlife area, a cornerstone reserve in Riverside County’s Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan, neither is it a compatible land use. Other issues of concern include: loss of prime agricultural lands, leap frog development, and creating a ‘divided city’ since the Ramona Expressway is slated to expand to a six to eight lane freeway as part of the Mid County Parkway. There is strong opposition to the project from Lakeview and Nuevo residents. For more information on the project, contact project planner Matt Straite, Riverside County Planning Department at (951) 955-8631. Planning Commission agendas can be found at: http://www.rctlma.org/planning/content/hearings/pc/current_pc.html

Please take time to submit comments and list your concerns about the project and the major significant impacts on the San Jacinto Wildlife Area when the DEIR is released.

If you would like a copy of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for The Villages of Lakeview project, please contact the Riverside County Planning Department, Planner Matt Straite. His contact information is listed below.

    Riverside County Planning Department
    4080 Lemon Street, 9th Floor
    P.O. Box 1409
    Riverside, CA 92502-1409
    Attention: Matt Straite, Planner
    Tel: (951) 955-8631
    FAX: (951) 955-3157

Proposed Motte Ranch Specific Plan (SP366):
Developers of the Motte Ranch Specific Plan (SP366) hope to locate 2,200 homes between the San Jacinto Wildlife Area and the Ramona Expressway. The project is located east of the Villages of Lakeview project along the Ramona Expressway. Dwelling units are planned adjacent to the San Jacinto River flood plain; the project area has serious geotechnical issues such as large ground cracks, soil compaction and close proximity to the Casa Loma Fault (part of the San Jacinto Fault Zone, one of the most active geotechnical areas in southern California.

Updated Information:
At this time the project is on hold and no new information is available.

Lead Agency for the project:
Riverside County Planning Department
4080 Lemon Street, 9th Floor
P.O. Box 1409
Riverside, CA 92502-1409
Attention: Matt Straite, Planner
Tel: (951) 955-8631
FAX: (951) 955-3157

Riverside County is currently updating its General Plan. The General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) has been meeting since the fall of 2008 to discuss updating Policy Areas within the General Plan. The GPAC is composed of interested parties (landowners, developers, water interests) with one representative from the environmental community. One of the areas slated for change is called the Northeast Dairies Conversion Policy. The area includes lands which include two proposed but not yet approved specific plans (Villages of Lakeview Specific Plan 342 and the Motte Ranch Specific Plan 366) which are located on lands north of the Ramona Expressway in the community of Lakeview. It continues east along the north portion of the Ramona Expressway and ends at Bridge Street in San Jacinto. Although the two specific plans have not been approved by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, the zoning in the policy area reflects the land uses proposed by each specific plan. The proposed changes will zone land adjacent to the floodplain for residential, will zone land adjacent to the Alquist-Priolo Zone of the San Jacinto Fault (the most active fault in California) as residential, and will zone land with collapsible unstable soils as residential. The lands in within this policy area are considered prime agricultural lands and largest contribution to Riverside County's economy is agriculture. The loss of the prime agricultural lands will certain have an effect on the county's economic health. Unfortunately, the two specific plans in question, The Villages of Lakeview and Motte ranch plan to put high density dwelling units adjacent to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area. This, in turn, will threaten the viability of the wildlife area as a Riverside County Multi-Species Habitat Plan reserve, a Stephens' Kangaroo Rat reserve for the Riverside Conservation Agency, and as mitigation lands for the State Water Project. California is suffering its greatest drought and one has to question the how water will be provided to these homes. As the State of California goes through its roughest economic times, one has to wonder how transportation issues will find funding. The GPAC committee will meet on September 9 to discuss the Northeast Dairies Conversion Policy Area. Agendas and information on the general plan update can be found at: http://www.rctlma.org/planning/content/hearings/gpac/gpac.html Planner for the project is: Mitra Mehta-Cooper, Riverside County Planning Department, (951) 955-8514.

PLEASE ATTEND THIS MEETING AND MAKE COMMENTS ON THE NORTHEAST DAIRIES CONVERSION POLICY AREA:

Riverside County General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting
Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Riverside County Administrative Center, Room 5C
4080 Lemon Street
Riverside, CA 92501

Highland Fairview Corporate Center, Moreno Valley:
The proposed Highland Fairview Corporate Center would be located on the south side of Highway 60 between Redlands Boulevard and Theodore Street in Moreno Valley. The proposed project would be a 2.4 million square foot warehouse for Skechers Shoes, a building a half mile long. The project would generate hundreds of truck trips per week. The city held a pubic scoping meeting on November 26, 2007. Public comments given at the meeting included concerns that Moreno Valley could become another Mira Loma with unhealthy levels of diesel particulates polluting the city's air. Other concerns included: lost of prime agricultural lands, light and noise pollution, availability of water and water quality issues, global warming issues, the abandonment of a planned city trail, and cumulative impacts when the project is considered with other projects in the region.

Two other warehouse projects (ProLogis Park and Ridge Property Trust) are proposed to be located along Highway 60.

The Friends are concerned that the project, along with similar projects, would cumulatively degrade the ability of the San Jacinto Wildlife Area to function as a reserve in the Riverside County Multi Species Habitat Conservation Plan since it is located close to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area.

Please take time to forward your comments and concerns about this project to the contact listed by the September 19 deadline. The Inland Empire already has the worst air quality in Southern California; multiple facilities with 100s of diesel trucks clogging our highways and polluting our air will worsen our existing air quality problems and endanger the health of children with asthma and those with health issues.

Updated information:
The draft environmental impact report (DEIR) was released in August 2008. Comments on the project were due: September 19, 2008.
The DEIR is posted on the city of Moreno Valley web page at: www.moreno-valley.ca.us/

The Moreno Valley City Planning Commission may have public hearing on the project in November or December. The project may appear before the Moreno Valley City Council about a month and a half after it is considered by the planning commission.

The Moreno Valley Planning Commission and city council meeting agendas can be found on the city's web page at: www.moreno-valley.ca.us/

>>>>Updated Information--December 18, 2008:
The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) on the Highland Fairview Corporate Center will be released by the city of Moreno Valley on December 19, 2008. The city has decided to give the public the minimum amount of time to comment on the project, 20 days. All comment on the FEIR are due: January 8, 2009.

A hard copy of the document will be available at the Moreno Valley Library, Alessandro Blvd, Moreno Valley; the Moreno Valley City Hall; and also posted on the city's web page at: www.moreno-valley.ca.us/

Please call planner Mark Gross at (951) 413-3215 if you would like more information or a CD of the document.

Lead agency for the project:
City of Moreno Valley
Community Development Department
Planning Division
14177 Frederick Street
P.O. Box 88005
Moreno Valley, CA 92552-0805
Planner: Mark Gross
Tel: (951) 413-3215
FAX: (951) 413-3210

    Friends of the Northern San Jacinto Valley
    P.O. Box 9097
    Moreno Valley, CA 92552-9097
    e-mail: northfriends@northfriends.org