What can we as communty members do to help?

Please take a moment to complete this brief survey about Ramona. This survey’s goal is to gather information about local resident’s preferences toward the incorporation of Ramona as a city. Your involvement and selections are confidential. You may indicate your responses by placing a clear mark in the box corresponding to your choice below each statement or question. Please use the self addressed stamped envelope to return this questionnaire via mail to:

City of Ramona, Now!, Inc.
P.O. Box 3762
Ramona, CA 92065

or send it to pauldtarr@yahoo.com. We know your time is valuable; thank you for participating.

General Plan 2020

Maybe the highest concern of the citizens of Ramona is the arbitrary defining of what one may or may not do with their property. The County of San Diego, under the current proposed map for General Plan (GP) 2020, allows density of up to 24 dwelling units (DU) per acre in the town core, while vast tracts of outlying private property is down zoned to 1 DU per 40, 80, and 160 acres. This is called "Smart Growth," or "Clustering." The vision is 3 story buildings around Main street with apartments above shops. This will relieve the burdon of traffic on our highways as people will now walk to work. This "City of Villages" idea will mitigate the need for major road improvement projects. A mastermind idea for controlling this future expense. At the same time, this stratigy provides lots of vacant outlying land for future "smart growth."

Many feel that this vision for the future of Ramona is not in alignment with the desires of the people of Ramona. We share this feeling.

Here are the proposed County 2020 maps for Ramona, they are not representative of what we believe most people in Ramona want.  The current map of the proposed zoning changes under GP2020 can be viewed at the Ramona Pharmacy or viewed at http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/cnty/cntydepts/landuse/ planning/GP2020/pubs/draft_lu/ramona.pdf

Also, here is the lick to the General Plan 2020: http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/cnty/cntydepts/landuse/planning/GP2020/index.html

October 17-18, 2007: News Flash!  Todays Union Tribune has an interesting headline article in the North County section on the purchase and yesterday's closing of the Gildred Ranch by the Nature Conservancy.  In it they quote the Nature Conservancy as saying that the owners were considering developing the property, and that they might make more money by developing, but the N C can offer the owners cash a lot faster.  The negotiations took 3 years.  Sale price $11 million. An article in the Ramona Sentinel a few weeks ago stated that the N C was able to get a $2.5 million grant to enhance the Santa Maria river park as a result of the intended purchase.  Did those funds go toward the purchase?They also state in the article that the N C intends to deed all of the 4,000 acres it is acquiring in Ramona to the County of San Diego in the near future as open space preserve. I have big concerns with this deeding to a local municipality.  If the intent is to preserve the land, wouldn't it be stronger to deed it to the Federal Government BLM with a covenant that the land will be open space in perpetuity, and include a reversionary clause?  That way, if there were ever an attempt at mitigated conversion of land use, the property would automatically revert back to the Gildred Family.  Were I an attorney for the Gildred Family, I would push for that in the deal to confirm intent.  Hmmm......

Thought you might be interested in a little research I did today. I searched county records for property owned by the Nature Conservancy. Sitting down? Countywide, the Nature Conservancy owns at least 7840 acres. That is 12.25 square miles. Of that, 6573 acres are in the Ramona planning area or Bandy Canyon.  10.27 square miles. 1267 acres are outside Ramona.  I noticed some aquisitions going back to 1998.  The N C appears to hold property. When I say "at least", I am unaware of any other methods the Nature Conservancy holds title.  These records are from Dataquick.

Paul Tarr
Director
City of Ramona, NOW!

October 12, 2007: DPLU has sent the following announcement regarding GP2020: October 12, 2007 TO: Community Planning and Sponsor Group Chairs, and Interested Parties FROM: Devon Muto, Interim Chief, Department of Planning and Land Use RE: GENERAL PLAN UPDATE — Steering Committee Meeting A Steering Committee meeting has been scheduled for October 25, 2007. The focus of the meeting will be to introduce our new team members and provide a status on the general plan update. There will be time for questions and answers after the presentation. What: General Plan Update Steering Committee When: Thursday, October 25, 2007 1:00 – 2:30 pm Where: Department of Planning and Land Use DPW Conference Rooms 1 & 2, located next to Cartography 5201 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA 92123 If you have any questions about the upcoming meeting please call Stephanie Gaines directly at (858) 694-3493. You can also check our website at www.sdcounty.ca.gov/dplu (select GP2020). A message will be left on the voice mail of (858) 694-3493 to confirm that the meeting time and place. Thank you for your ongoing input and participation in the General Plan Update process.

– Paul Tarr

September 6, 2007: Tonight there was a Chamber of Commerce meeting held at the new Community School.  Carol Fowler directed a quality circle format to brain storm on Ramona's Business direction.  Several NOW! committee members were present.  Some topics covered were: