West Lilac Farms subdivision to undergo ag study

An agricultural study for the proposed West Lilac Farms development will be completed before the project returns to the Bonsall Sponsor Group and the county’s Planning Commission.

On August 24 the Planning Commission heard debate for a proposed tentative map but deemed information to the Bonsall community inadequate and sent the proposal back to the Bonsall Sponsor Group rather than approving or denying the tentative map. During September and October meetings with the sponsor group, the applicant requested a continuance in order to perform an agricultural study.

On October 19 the Planning Commission officially withdrew the tentative map proposal, which means that the project itself is not withdrawn but that the tentative map request will return to the Planning Commission at an undetermined date after a new public noticing process.

“There are a number of environmental issues,” said Planning Commissioner David Kreitzer. “There’s more environmental work to do on it.”

The project would be located west of Aqueduct Road between Via Ararat Drive and Lilac Road. An orchard now stands on the 93.2-acre site with A70 agricultural zoning.

“It’s basically remanded back to staff for a further agricultural study,” said Bonsall Sponsor Group chair Margarette Morgan.

Property owner James D. Pardee Jr. has proposed to subdivide the property into 28 single-family residential lots which would range from two to four acres. The intensive agriculture (19) land use designation permits parcels of two, four, and eight acres.

Two-acre parcel sizes are allowed when at least 80 percent of the land does not exceed 25 percent slope, the land is planted or has been planted for at least the previous year in at least one crop which would be commercially viable on two acres, a continuing supply of irrigation water is available, the land has access to a publicly-maintained road without a significant amount of grading, and two-acre parcels will not have a significant adverse environmental impact which cannot be mitigated.

Most of the 93.2 acres have citrus and avocado crops which can be profitable on a two-acre parcel, and none of the parcels have average slopes which exceed 25 percent. The zoning would allow for up to 41 units on the site.

The study is expected to be complete by early 2008, at which time the proposal will return to the Bonsall Sponsor Group for comment and then to the Planning Commission for approval or denial of the tentative map.