Lilac Hills — zombie project that just won’t die

Area designated for Lilac hills Ranch should it be revived by county supervisor vote./File

Talk about zombie development issues, this ghost of a project, rejected several times by voters and local planning commission members, Lilac Hills is back on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors agenda again.

A ballot measure seeking approval of the Lilac Hills project was soundly defeated by voters in 2016, but the proposal was different from what the San Diego County Planning Commission had approved a year earlier. The commission had placed a number of conditions on its approval, most of which were not contained in the ballot measure. It got rejected again in 2018.

Now this, scheduled for consideration on Wednesday, June 24:

NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING: RECOMMENDED DENIAL OF LILAC HILLS RANCH GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, SPECIFIC PLAN, ZONE RECLASSIFICATION, TENTATIVE MAPS, MAJOR USE PERMIT, AND SITE PLAN, LOCATED IN THE VALLEY CENTER AND BONSALL COMMUNITY PLAN AREAS (For eComments, select “Support,” if you support the recommendation to deny the Project (i.e. you are opposed to the Project). Or, select “Oppose,” if you do not support the recommendation to deny the Project (i.e. you support the Project).

If you want to comment about the project to county supervisors, follow this link.

OK then. Here are some of the Grapevine’s 2016 coverage of the issue…

Lilac Hills Ranch ‘Measure B’: ‘What a revoltin’ development this is…’

 It was a classic and pretty much forgotten today radio-then-TV show, “Life of Riley,” starring William Bendix as wing riveter Chester A. Riley, who tag-lined in outrage  “What a revoltin’ development this is,” when life, as it always seemed to on that venerable show, went wrong. It happened every week back then and it’s happening again around North County. Nobody in North County wants the…


San Diego GOP gets $50K donation from Lilac Hills developer after endorsement

The developer of the controversial Lilac Hills Ranch project contributed $50,000 to the Republican Party of San Diego County shortly after the party voted to endorse the development. LHR Investment Company LLC — a subsidiary of developer Accretive Investments — made the donation on Sept. 21. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/286185205″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] Tony Krvaric, chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego County, wrote in an…


Lilac Hills Ranch ‘Measure B’ is a scam

With the November election just weeks away, I am encouraging San Diego voters to vote No on the Lilac Hills Ranch Measure B. Measure B is a countywide measure on which all San Diego County voters – including residents of incorporated cities – will vote. Measure B would allow a deep-pocketed developer to build Lilac Hills Ranch, a development of more than 1,700 homes and 90,000…


Court leaves most of Lilac Hills Ranch opposition ballot statement standing

San Diego Superior Court Judge Eddie C. Sturgeon Wednesday told Lilac Hills Ranch supporters to forget about changing opposition ballot statements. Sturgeon denied the request of Lilac Hills Ranch advocates that opponents alter language in their ballot statement, in effect legitimizing the right of opponents to frame their arguments as they chose fit. “The court supported our concerns about Measure B,” James Gordon of the No on B…


What’s in a Lilac Hills Ranch ballot opponent argument?

What’s in a ballot measure opposition statement, Lilac Hills Ranch fans, should be settled by San Diego Superior Court Judge Eddie C. Sturgeon almost immediately following a Tuesday, Sept. 13 hearing. The ever-contentious, and litigious, question of placing 1,700 homes and 90,000 square feet of commercial space on agricultural land that is currently zoned to hold 110 new homes and no commercial space in very…


Countywide vote set for Lilac Hills Ranch

San Diego County supervisors Tuesday officially placed the proposed 1,700 home Lilac Hills Ranch project initiative on November’s ballot for a countywide vote. Supervisors voted 4-0 after hearing a County study outlining differences between the project ballot initiative that voters will consider and the project that County planners evaluated. Supervisor Bill Horn, whose district includes the Valley Center area where the project is proposed, recused himself after…


Accretive’s Lilac Hills ballot abomination

Accretive Investments LLC last month may have turned in enough signatures for their ballot initiative to qualify it for the November election. If voters approve, Accretive will be allowed to build Lilac Hills Ranch (LHR), an abomination of 1,746-home, 90,000-square-feet of commercial space, and an assisted living facility, in what is now pristine farm land and natural habitat, far from any existing infrastructure San Diego…


Escondido road closures and (Lilac Hills, Safari Highland ranches) developments

With all due respect to Bob Dylan, the Escondido roads they are a’closing this month “Due to the installation of new recycled water pipes, the City of Escondido advises motorists that Ash Street between Washington Avenue & Valley Parkway will be closed during nighttime construction,” said Escondido spokesman Randy Mann. That means from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Friday night, April 8. Detour signs…


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