The Valley Center Planning Group on Monday opposed allowing a developer to pursue a general plan amendment to build a 1,746-unit project on Valley Center's western end.

The project proposed by Accretive Investments Inc. needs a "plan amendment authorization," or an official request to pursue the general plan amendment it needs to build on the 416-acre site, which is zoned for less density.

"General plans are just blueprints for growth," Accretive CEO Randy Goodson said. "They're expected to change."

Goodson said San Diego is the only county in the state to require developers to get approval just to request a general plan amendment.

Members of the Planning Group on Monday said that they needed to hear more about how the project would affect Valley Center before they would approve the request.

The board's argument against the request resulted in a Catch-22 for Goodson, who told the members that they could get the details they wanted about the project only by supporting his request.

Pursuing a general plan amendment, he said, would require the developer to work with the county's Department of Planning and Land Use, the state Fish and Game Department and other agencies that would iron out details about water use, roads and other issues.

"The best way to give you all these details is by working with all those agencies and coming back to you," Goodson said.

The developer's request next will go before county Planning Director Eric Gibson, who will consider the Valley Center Planning Group's recommendation before making his own decision sometime before Dec. 17.

If denied, Accretive can appeal to the county's Planning Commission and then the county's Board of Supervisors.

In a presentation before the Planning Group on Monday, Goodson described the project, called the Valley Center Sustainable Community, as a responsible way of preparing for growth projected in Valley Center.

The community would include commercial elements and be built near existing and planned infrastructure, he said.

Goodson added that the project would preserve Valley Center's agricultural characteristics and environmentally sensitive areas such as Moosa and Keys creeks.

The development would connect roads, and its center would have parks, schools and affordable townhouses for young families and older residents who don't want to move from Valley Center but no longer want to tend to larger properties, he said.

Planning Group members, however, said Goodson's presentation was too short in details for their comfort.

"I want you to be successful," Planning Group member Brian Weaver said. "I'm not here to stop development. If it's what's best for Valley Center, I want it."

Planning Group President Oliver Smith also questioned whether the project would remain at 1,746 units or would the number of units increase as it went through the process.

Although Goodson said any increase would require him to make another request for a plan amendment authorization, Smith questioned whether the project could bring the infrastructure Goodson was promising.

Specifically, Smith recalled that county planners had estimated that the amount of money needed to build a proposed 2-mile road would require the developer to build 3,000 homes.

"I don't see the numbers adding up," Smith said.

Call staff writer Gary Warth at 760-740-5410.

 

CORRECTION: Quote incorrectly attributed

The original version of this story incorrectly attributed a quote from Brian Weaver of the Valley Center Planning Group.

At a Planning Group meeting Monday night, Weaver told Accretive Investments Inc. CEO Randy Goodson: "I want you to be successful. I'm not here to stop development. If it's what's best for Valley Center, I want it."

The quote was incorrectly attributed to fellow group member Hans Britsch, who recused himself from the discussion and vote on the proposed Accretive development because he owns property near the project.

We apologize.