VISTA: Council approves RV storage lot on high-profile corner

By CRAIG TENBROECK - Staff Writer | Tuesday, December 9, 2008 11:01 PM PST ∞

VISTA ---- A vacant but high-profile property near Vista's southern border can be used as a storage lot for up to 400 RVs, trailers or boats, the City Council decided late Tuesday.

Rejecting the pleas of about a dozen neighbors, the council voted 3-2 to grant a permit for the project at the northeast corner of Sycamore Avenue and busy South Melrose Drive.

The permit is good for 15 years.

The property owner, businessman Arie DeJong, had asked for a 30-year permit. But he said after the meeting that the shorter term wouldn't stop him from moving forward.

Mayor Morris Vance and Councilman Bob Campbell cast the dissenting votes.

"I think it's the wrong project in the wrong place," Campbell said, adding that "it's not really in keeping with the vision we've had for years."

DeJong's property fronts a major intersection that accommodates more than 32,000 vehicles a day. Plans for 93-room Marriott hotel have been approved for the property across the street.

The Planning Commission denied the storage lot proposal last month, but DeJong appealed the decision to the council where he found a more favorable audience.

With the economy in a recession, Councilwoman Judy Ritter said she was afraid the roughly 9-acre property would sit vacant if the permit wasn't approved.

Councilman Frank Lopez said RV storage would be less intrusive on the neighbors to the north than a shopping center or other heavily trafficked use.

Several of those residents disagreed. They said a storage lot would be an eyesore in their backyards.

"This street ---- especially this corner ---- sets the tone for what Vista is all about," said resident Jacki Johnson.

Representatives from the Vista Chamber of Commerce and the South Vista Communities backed the project. DeJong and his representatives, including former San Marcos City Manager Rick Gittings, said the storage lot would be high quality and well-screened.

"I'm cognizant, believe it or not, of being a good neighbor," DeJong said.

When DeJong broached his proposal with city leaders in late 2007, the city code allowed him to build an RV storage lot there. A few months later, however, the council tweaked the rules, requiring people who want to operate RV storage lots and other outdoor businesses in a handful of commercial areas (including DeJong's property) to get a permit.

That gave the city the power to impose special conditions on projects, or reject them altogether.

DeJong sued over the change, accusing the council of tweaking the laws so it could eventually deny his project.

Over the summer, he started storing trucks, RVs and a boat, on his property without city permission, prompting the city to file a lawsuit of its own.

The litigation was on hold pending Tuesday's decision.

As a condition of approval, the council imposed several conditions on the project, including more trees near the closest homes.

Contact staff writer Craig TenBroeck at (760) 901-4062 or ctenbroeck@nctimes.com.