The Issues

The Merriam Mountains project will bring 2,700 new houses to an area that is currently zoned for 345 houses in the existing General Plan and 64 houses in the General Plan Update.

The County is currently working on an Update to the General Plan which should appropriately balance land uses according to community character while taking into consideration environmental preservation and quality of life standards. If approved, the Merriam Mountains project will destroy a predominantly rural and agricultural area of North San Diego, including valuable cultural resources and beautiful ridgelines characteristic of the area.

The Merriam Mountains proposal fails to include a fire evacuation plan despite the area’s susceptibility to wildfires.

The Deer Springs Fire Protection District has rejected the 2,327-acre project’s fire protection plan because it compromises the region’s safety. After witnessing the 2007 wildfires, we cannot support projects that disregard fire concerns and put thousands of lives at risk as does the Merriam Mountains project.

The Merriam Mountains project proposes to use more than one million gallons of water per day when we are all being asked to conserve.

Projects of this magnitude must be required to provide evidence that water and wastewater infrastructure needs are met, water supply will be available and that existing residents and business will not be impacted.

The Merriam Mountains project will add more than 35,000 daily trips to our roads including Interstate 15 and State Route 78, which will impact the greater San Diego region.

Currently, there is no plan for how the mitigation for these impacts will be financed. GOOD PLANNING NOW! believes that all projects contributing significant traffic to the region must adequately assess how that traffic will be mitigated, including identifying funding sources.