Spring is at its height. This is a wonderful
time to be on the foothills.
Development Proposal The
San Marcos Foothills faces yet another development proposal. This time, developer
Jeff Bermant, and the landowner, David Tallichet, offer us 15 mansions and 5 affordable
homes on the San Marcos Foothills. The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on Bermant
Development Corporation's proposed Preserve at San Marcos may be released to the
public near the end of April 2004.
The decision on this project will either
keep San Marcos Foothills alive and available to the public or begin its unraveling.
The community's input to the decision-makers - our County Planning Commissioners
and Supervisors - will strongly influence the future of San Marcos Foothills.
It is more important than ever to be involved! Project
Has Tripled in Size We have studied
the property for more than five years, and have closely monitored the proposed
project. Originally, Bermant sought to build four relatively modest homes, on
the less sensitive sections of San Marcos Foothills. He argued that these would
be needed to offset the preservation cost. However, this modest proposal has morphed
and mushroomed significantly. Specifically:
| | Since
2000, the purported value of the land has tripled. | | | The
"preserved" area has shrunk to 40% of that originally proposed (200
acres vs. 338 acres). | | | The
number of houses proposed has tripled. | | | Five
of the mansions will be on the West Mesa, which is the most sensitive part of
the property. | | | These
mansions will be about half the size of a Von's Market (up to 9500 square feet),
and that does not include land covered by guest houses, pools, cabanas, stables,
terraces, driveways, courtyards and storage buildings. | | | The
whole project calls for more than 70,000 cubic yards of cut and fill. This means
that, on average, each house proposed requires more than seven times the earth
moving needed for the average house. | While
the Preserve at San Marcos will set aside 200 acres, most of this
land is unbuildable. Although the San Marcos Foothills Coalition hoped this developer
could assist in preservation, we find that the footprint alone will eliminate
those natural and scenic resources that our studies indicate are most sensitive
and precious.
We will use this web site to update you on the contents of
the EIR and the public hearing that will follow, probably in mid-summer. Thank
you for your interest and concern that we use the EIR to achieve the best possible
outcome for San Marcos Foothills. San Marcos Foothills Coalition Board of Directors
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