Fallbrook CPG recommends reversion to acreage for Dougherty Grove

The Fallbrook Community Planning Group recommended in favor of a reversion to acreage for the Dougherty Grove property.

An 11-0 vote July 20, with Bill O’Connor abstaining and two members absent – one seat is currently vacant – approved the recommendation for the reversion to acreage, which would eliminate the previously approved subdivision map.

“We agreed with that,” Jack Wood, chair of the Fallbrook Community Planning Group, said.

Dougherty Grove would have subdivided 22.02 acres on the south side of Dougherty Street at Shady Lane into 28 single-family residential lots with ancillary recreation facilities. The land is owned by Dougherty Citrus Inc.

“The applicant that owns the property is a citrus company out of Carlsbad,” Wood said. “They have now asked to revert back to one property, one lot. We didn’t object to that request.”

In December 2005, the county’s planning commission approved the tentative map for the project and also approved a major use permit for a planned development with variable setback regulations. 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. In January 2016, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to approve the final map and security agreements for the Dougherty Grove subdivision and also to accept open space easements on portions of 14 of the lots and accepted as public a portion of Dougherty Street along with the right to extend and maintain drainage facilities, excavation, and embankment slopes beyond the limit of the dedicated street right of way.

“It’s a difficult piece of property,” Wood said.

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 improvement agreements cover completion of road, water, sewer and other infrastructure improvements but do not require completion of the homes or other lot improvements themselves.

The property currently has lemon trees.

“It lends itself more to citrus growing than it does to housing development,” Wood said.

The tax assessment would be lower, and the land could obtain non-potable water.

“There are advantages from that perspective if you’re not going to develop it as a subdivision,” Wood said.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].