Supervisors grant time extension for Brook Hills development

The San Diego County board of supervisors approved a time extension for the Brook Hills Unit 2 development.

The supervisors’ 4-0 vote, Sept. 25, with Greg Cox in Washington, extends the date by which the infrastructure must be completed to Sept. 25, 2021. The time extension covers completion of road, water, sewer and other infrastructure improvements but does not require completion of the homes or other lot improvements.

A tentative parcel map becomes a final map after all conditions of the tentative map, other than those for which permits cannot be issued until a final map is recorded, are fulfilled. A final map is required for grading and building permits.

The conditions of a final map include secured agreements to ensure that the infrastructure will be built and that payment for labor and materials used to build the infrastructure will be made. Improvements identified in a secured agreement are required to be completed within two years of the approval of the final map, although if circumstances prevent the improvements from being completed by the agreement’s expiration additional time may be requested to complete the infrastructure.

The first two-year time extension may be approved administratively, although subsequent time extensions require board of supervisors’ approval. If an application for a time extension is filed before its expiration, the owner is not in default if the extension is granted.

The Brook Hills Unit 2 development off Via Monserate will subdivide 105.2 acres into 34 single-family residential lots, three open space lots and two private street lots.

Appleton Brook Hills was granted a final map in December 2005 and construction began in 2009. The economic downturn caused a multi-year pause in construction and time extensions were issued in March 2010, July 2012, May 2015 and May 2017.

A final map only creates legal lots, and the actual building and grading permits must comply with current stormwater, drainage and other environmental requirements.

Construction on the infrastructure for Brook Hills Unit 2 is more than 90% complete, and a two-year time extension was requested to secure the necessary permits as well as to complete the improvements.

The county’s Department of Public Works reviews existing agreements and their bonding requirements to determine if time extensions are warranted. The Brook Hills Unit 2 subdivision map has adequate security to guarantee completion of the remaining work, and DPW determined that a time extension was appropriate.