CARLSBAD —— Dueling definitions of the term "Flower Fields" have created a public relations problem for the city.

City officials define the flower fields as the 53.4-acre plot of sloping land striped with a rainbow of ranunculus every spring at the northeast corner of Palomar Airport Road and Paseo Del Norte —— a popular tourist attraction with a trademarked name.

But a group of open-space activists called Concerned Citizens of Carlsbad has extended the term to include both the 53.4-acre field of ranunculus and another 321.6 acres spread out over three nearby sites zoned for agriculture and open space. Those sites have been used to grow flowers and strawberries in recent years.

The distinction is important because the city has said repeatedly it's not going to develop the 'The Flower Fields' —— meaning the popular fields of ranunculus —— while the activist group says it's concerned the city is preparing to allow development on its more expansive definition of the flower fields sites.

The situation has confused some city residents.

"We have people calling the city who think that the 'Flower Fields' are in danger of being developed," city spokeswoman Denise Vedder said. "So we'd like to get the point across that the land that 'The Flower Fields' is on is not for sale and cannot be developed."

City Planning Director Marcela Escobar-Eck puts it another way: "When the city says, 'Relax, (the Flower Fields) are not going to be developed,' we are specifically talking about the 53.4 acres."

Concerned Citizens spokesman Ronald Alvarez said his group has dedicated itself to preserving the last of the city's open spaces, including the flower and strawberry fields.

"It is our heritage," Alvarez said. "It's what everybody thinks of as Carlsbad —— the flowers fields, the strawberry fields —— and people come from all over the world to see (them)."

Alvarez said he believes the public at large also sees all four properties as "the flower fields," adding that any development on any of the four properties would jeopardize Carlsbad's flower-growing legacy for future generations.

The issue for Alvarez is whether Carlsbad will remain a world-renowned center for floriculture, or just another overdeveloped Southern California coastal town.

"That land should be preserved as open space and parkland," he said.

Working from south to north, "The Flower Fields" tourist attraction sits on a slope wedged between Armada Drive and the Geological Institute of America and Paseo Del Norte and the Carlsbad Outlet Mall. This property is owned by a subsidiary of Carltas.

Abutting that tract to the north is a 45.6-acre flower-growing field that ends at Cannon Road. That site, and a 26.45-acre flower-growing plot near Legoland to the east, are also owned by Carltas.

A fourth property of 250 acres on the north side of Cannon Road is owned by SDG&E. Those acres have been planted with strawberries for many years. Locals descend on the fields in spring to pick their own strawberries.

Alvarez said he's concerned that city officials have already decided to allow development on three of the four properties.

Cynthia Haas, Carlsbad's manager of economic development and real estate, confirmed that the city has met with organizations, including Lennar Corp, Legoland, the Gemological Institute of America and Grand Pacific Resorts. But, Haas said, she could not be specific about city and developer plans for the region because talks haven't progressed to that stage yet.

Lennar spokesman Bernie Rhinerson said Lennar is investigating three properties in the area, but declined to provide details. Carltas spokesman Scott Maloni said Lennar has approached Carltas about the two Cannon Road properties. SDG&E spokeswoman Anne Silva said Lennar has signed an "option agreement" to investigate uses for the 250-acre strawberry field property.

Lennar is known for its large, mixed-use developments —— projects such as Bressi Ranch. Now under construction, the Bressi Ranch project includes offices, commercial buildings and upscale housing on a 585-acre site at Palomar Airport Road and El Camino Real.

"Lennar is the third largest builder in the United States," Alvarez said. "They build homes. They're not going to build parks."

Alvarez said his group has begun the process of placing an initiative on the 2006 ballot to save roughly 375 acres of agricultural property that includes the popular strawberry and flower fields off Interstate 5 from residential development.

Alvarez said his group will begin gathering signatures to place the issue of the fields on the ballot in November 2006. To do that, he said, his group will need about 6,000 signatures —— 1/10th of the city's registered voters.

Contact staff writer Philip K. Ireland at (760) 901-4043 or pireland@nctimes.com.