Rehab home plan denied MUP

Fifteen months after the Fallbrook Community Planning Group voted to advise the County of San Diego to deny a major use permit for the Rabuchin rehab home on Peony Drive, the county's planning commission denied the request for that MUP.

The decision was given at the planning commission's meeting held Dec. 14. Attending the meeting were 30 Fallbrook area residents who opposed the permit and seven staff members of the Rabuchin Group Care Home who were there in support of the application.

In the state of California, any homeowner can make their house a rehab center for up to six patients without getting a license or any oversight. The owners of the Peony Road rehab house applied for the major use permit which is required to increase the number of rehab patients from the six it currently has to 14.

The staff of the planning commission recommended approval of the permit as the house is not being added on to or changed in appearance and the applicant has addressed issues with parking and the septic system in its plans.

Among the 28 people who spoke against the proposed plan, concerns ranged from the traffic already on the private roads, which affects safety as well as road conditions, to their personal safety in regard to the residents of the rehab home.

Chair Jim Russell spoke on behalf of the FCPG, saying that they voted unanimously to deny the permit. It was also pointed out that the residents of the rehab home generated three sheriff's department calls and six visits from North County Fire paramedics this year. If the occupancy increased to 14, there would be at least seven sheriff's calls and 14 paramedic calls, both well beyond any normal call out according to Jack Wood, co-administrator of the Sheriff's Senior Volunteer Patrol.

Now that the planning commission has denied the MUP, the Rabuchin Group Care Home can appeal the decision to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.