A new neighbor

The politics and bashing of Stonegate Merriam Mountains project has been featured in many newspapers around the county, talk shows, and letters to the editor. I think I’ve read them all and invariably the complaints are the condemning of the slicing of hills, filling of canyons and grading for level building, and NIMBY. Living in Fallbrook is not the same as the flatlands of Iowa, Nebraska or any other constantly sloping area we drive and live on.

My nearly seven decades in San Diego county have seen vast areas graded to accommodate new developments in recent years by proper planning for roads, parks, schools and homes.

The steep slope on Elder, where Elbrook requires real caution before entering to go left or right, is similar to dozens of others all over the county. This community, like so many, did not have master planning that is a recognized necessity today. Rancho Bernardo was one of the better, post war plans after much haggling with planning. I like Fallbrook just like it is but “Jees Loees’ some of these steep hills!

Merriam Mountain is still at the mercy of Supervisor Ron Roberts. I don’t envy him. We should not begrudge how Jacob and Slater-Price voted. It is their job. Safe to say Stonegate has invested millions in planning and close to decades in meetings.

Supervisors have real responsibility of decisions that the developer, as well as the planning department, has at hand.

Merriam will be a not-too-distant neighbor, if it goes.

Bob Limpu