Statement of Intent

·      Common to all community plans. Defines relationship to regional elements. Describes structure of the Community Plan document (this part written by county planners).

1.          Introduction

1.1         Location, Physical Characteristics, Population

·      The Escondido Creek extends from the eastern edge of Harmony Grove with tributaries in Eden Valley, and continues through Elfin Forest to the northern edge of Rancho Santa Fe.

·      The communities of Harmony Grove and Eden Valley (HGEV) are situated in two intersecting valleys, one running north-south, and the other running east-west.  Both valleys are cradled in dramatic brush-covered hills and granite formations.  The valleys, although physically close to urban areas, are isolated by the topography of the surrounding hills, and are rural in character.  The valleys are home to a diverse population of native plants and animals, including deer, coyotes, bobcats, golden eagles, hawks, and other raptors, Bells vireos, gnat catchers, ravens, and numerous species of plants. There are a multitude of species that thrive in this area that are on protected lists.

·      HGEV geographically sits to the south of Hwy 78, to the west of the western edge of the City of Escondido, to the north of Del Dios Hwy. where Via Rancho Pkwy intersects Del Dios Hwy., and to the east of Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve.

1.2         Historical Context  

·      The Harmony Grove area was named for the Spiritualist Association that incorporated there in 1896. Eden Valley was formed by an early HOA (no longer operating). The area surrounding Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association was first developed primarily as agriculture lands. In the past few decades significant rural residential development has occurred which has established its rural residential character.  Several agricultural operations are finding limits to their operations are leading them to consider re-zoning and re-development in the near future.

1.3        Community Character

·       [edit] The San Dieguito communities represent areas that are primarily single- family residential communities on large estate lots sprawling over the hillsides.

·      Harmony Grove is the oldest of the San Dieguito communities, incorporated in 1896 by the spiritualist association. Its residents, together with those of Eden Valley and Elfin Forest, value open space, quiet, dark nighttime skies, low traffic volume, and access to the abundant wildlife through protected nature trails. There are no street lights, lighted signs, or traffic signals.

1.4        Vision Statement

·      This area is rural in nature, extremely quiet, peaceful, and generally remains in its natural state. The dark night sky is an important aesthetic resource. The most scenic views in Harmony Grove / Eden Valley are of the hills, valleys, and riparian habitat and these visual qualities must be preserved. The area must remain non-industrial and low-density to preserve its rural character.

 2.            Land Use

The land use element identifies the proposed general distribution and intensity of uses of the land for housing, business, industry, open space, and other categories of public and private uses.

2.1         Existing Conditions

·        Large-lot, rural residential and agricultural uses, residential livestock keeping; no established trails; no commercial development; no street lights, no traffic lights, no curbs, no sidewalks, no extractive land uses, no commercial or non-agricultural industry, except for one concrete-pipe plant, and no dedicated open space. Urban areas of Escondido and San Marcos immediately adjoin several areas of HGEV.

2.2         General

·        Goals: A rural residential life style built in a fashion that is compatible with and sensitive to its natural setting; unspoiled views of intact hills, valleys, and creeks; a restored/protected watershed, mature native trees; dedicated open space; no noise pollution or air pollution.  An equestrian/multi-use trail system connecting to other established trails.

·        Policies: Restrict land use primarily to single-family residences; provide for lot sizes that will permit residents to keep leisure and market animals on their property; restore and maintain natural appearance of, and establish public access to portions thereof, watershed and creeks, and riparian areas; mitigation land for development within the community must be purchased within the community to create open space and trails; strictly limit noise and dust during development or operation of businesses; development should be designed to avoid the removal of mature trees; require developers to obtain community review and input of their plans prior to permit approval; maintain open-space buffer between urban areas and rural community to preserve character of unincorporated community; require linking trail systems as a condition of land development.

 2.3         Residential

·        Goals: Dark nighttime sky; open-access community design that fosters a feeling of "one neighborhood" despite multiple developments. An attractive equestrian community that encourages environmentally sensitive, responsible horse keeping.

Policies: Residential lighting should preserve dark nighttime skies, no street lighting or lighted signage; perimeters of large developments should not restrict visual or physical pedestrian/equestrian access to community features; developers should design with a rural, country theme as suggested by community brochure; allow for the keeping of equestrian and market animals. Encourage proper maintenance of fences and animal enclosures. Require commercial equestrian facilities to strictly conform to county regulations to ensure maintenance of attractive facilities that enhance the community and promote the health of the animals. Reduce front setback requirements to allow grazing of leisure and market animals in residential front yards. Support the opportunity for home horse keepers to board a very small number of horses to help defray costs of keeping their own animals. Encourage the use of cross-fencing to promote healthy grass pastures and reduce dust, mud, and erosion. Strictly enforce manure and odor control. Promote use of a trail system for the enjoyment of both horses and riders.

2.4         Commercial

·        Goals: Small-town feeling for limited commercial developments; land use and business to be compatible with community character and general goals

·        Policies: Minimal use of land for commercial development; no large aggregation of commercial businesses; restrict signage and lighting to minimum required for operation and safety, preference given to businesses serving the local community.

2.5         Industrial

·        Goals: No industrial uses; no extractive land uses

·        Policies: Disallow industrial and extractive land uses

 2.6         Specific Plans

·         (blank)

 3.         Circulation

The Circulation Element identifies the general location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, and other local public utilities and facilities. It serves as an infrastructure plan and must correlate with the land use element.

3.1         Existing Conditions

·        There are three main roadways in HGEV: Country Club Drive, which extends primarily north-south throughout the length of the community; Kauana Loa Drive, which begins at Country Club Drive and heads east, curving to the south to run together with Harmony Grove Road in Escondido; and Harmony Grove Road, which continues from Escondido in a south-easterly direction through the community. Non-local East-West commuter traffic creates excessive traffic congestion on Harmony Grove Road during rush hours.

3.2         General

·        Goals: Quiet residential streets safe for pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian use; Low traffic volume and low traffic speeds and commercial weight limits; traffic calming areas; scenic highways

·        Policies: Limit roads to 2-lane, undivided, curving streets; establish speed and weight limits commensurate with residential equestrian neighborhoods; use traffic calming strategies where necessary; restrict truck traffic to local deliveries; no thruway from major commuter routes; designate existing main roadways as "Scenic Highways."

3.3         Road Network

·        Map – for reference only

 4.         Housing

The Housing Element identifies and analyzes existing and projected housing needs and includes goals and policies, quantified objectives, and scheduled programs for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing. The housing element must address the housing needs of all economic segments of the community.

4.1         Existing Conditions: One- and two-story single-family homes on large lots; large-animal facilities on residential properties; no "cookie-cutter" developments; no walled developments.

4.2         Goals and Policies: Housing developments integrate seamlessly into rural community environment and do not appear to be mixture of walled individual developments. Area has rural "small-town" feeling. Developments do not display signage. Leisure and market animals may graze in fenced front yards. Limit “footprint”-to- lot size, of residences to an appropriate ratio that reflects the community’s rural/small village character. 

 

5.         Conservation/Open Space*

The Conservation/Open Space Element addresses the identification, conservation, development, and use of natural resources including water, forests, soils, waterways, wildlife, and mineral deposits, as well as the comprehensive and long-range preservation of ‘open-space’ land.

5.1         Existing Conditions: The area falls within the San Diego Air Basin and is located in an area of high air pollution potential.  The topography is characterized by open valley floors associated with Escondido Creek surrounded by gently to steeply sloping hills and by sharp granitic escarpments.  A significant portion of the valleys, hills, and ridgelines are in their natural condition, providing natural open space and scenic vistas.  Habitats include: sensitive riparian wetlands, oak woodlands, native grasslands, chaparral and coastal sage scrub.  The Escondido Creek wildlife corridor runs through the center of Harmony Grove.   The area is home to a plethora of rare, sensitive, threatened and endangered plant and animal species.

5.2         Water Resources

·        Goals: A rural residential and agricultural community with natural creeks and riparian areas preserved.  This community has enough water supplied by water agencies to meet the needs of its citizens. 

·        Policies: Preserve Escondido Creek in its natural state and ensure that any residential development be adequately separated and buffered from the creek.  Integrate any development plans with the native habitat in such a way as to preserve vast amounts of open space and continuous wildlife corridors.  Harmony Grove/Eden Valley shall not be overbuilt with respect the available water to serve its residents.

5.3        Forests

·        Goals:  Open space preserves of coast live oak riparian forests, oak woodland chaparral, native grasslands and coastal sage scrub

·        Policies: Require potential land uses to be integrated into the community plan.  Preservation of open space banks of native habitat is a key element of this plan.  Developers are required to mitigate for damages by purchasing open space in the area in conjunction with local preservation groups.

5.4        Soil Resources

·        Goals: Native soil and topography moderately interspersed with low impact residential and agricultural uses

·        Policies:  Development of the Harmony Grove/Eden Valley area could significantly impact the establishment of a sensitive lands open-space system because the site contains the Escondido Creek floodplain and riparian vegetation, wetlands, woodland resources and steep slopes.  Any development is required to be consistent with the community plan and to only minimally impact soil resources.  Topography is to be maintained wherever possible.

5.5        Habitat and Biodiversity

·      Goals: A community where all living things including humans, invertebrates, fishes, amphibians and reptiles, birds, mammals and native vegetation live together in harmony

·      Policies: Any developments will be in compliance with MSCP, MHCP (Multiple Species Conservation Plan, Multiple Habitat Conservation Plan).  Development will comply with the community plan wherein large banks of open space including ridgelines are preserved in their natural habitat.  The riparian continuous corridor is preserved and protected.  Any possible runoff into the stream is to be abated.  Any land developers are required to mitigate loss of habitat and impact to a critical population of sensitive species by purchasing mitigation land to be enjoyed as open space for all in conjunction with local public land trusts.  Sensitive habitat shall be preserved through designation as open space and through dedication of open space easements prior to development.  A habitat management plan shall be prepared that defines management activities and responsibilities for all designated open space lands and sensitive habitat.

5.6        Mineral Resources

·      Goals: Preservation of natural mineral resources. 

·      Policies: No extractive land uses shall be allowed; site preparation for development shall minimize destruction of natural mineral resources.

5.7        Agricultural Resources

·      Goals: Significant agricultural resources including egg ranches, horse ranches, avocado, citrus and deciduous fruit growing operations exist and uphold the rural community character

·        Policies: Ensure that agricultural resources be preserved and protected in accordance with community plan.

5.8        Air Quality

·      Goals: A clean, safe community with fresh air to breathe

·      Policies:   Ensure that any developments do not conflict or obstruct the implementation of the San Diego Regional Air Quality Strategies:

o       Do not violate any air quality standard or contribute substantially to an existing or projected air quality violation;

o       Require that the study of the cumulative traffic effects of any proposed development not exceed any of the following daily emissions at a minimum:

§         Carbon Monoxide (CO)                        550 lbs./day

§         Reactive Organic Gases (ROG)             55 lbs./day

§         Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx)                        55 lbs./day

§         Fine Particulate Matter (PM10)            150 lbs./day

 Do not expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations;

Do not create objectionable odors affecting a substantial number of people.            

5.9        Cultural Resources

·      Goals: A community of significant prehistoric,  and historic cultural resources.  Prehistoric resources include petroglyphs, pictographs, some habitation sites, bedrock milling sites, a lithic scatter and a private artifact collection.  This area may have housed the prehistoric village of Japatul. Luiseno and Diegueno occupation is evident.  In addition, there are several buildings that appear on the 1889/1891 San Luis Rey 15’ topographic map, some of these are still standing.  The remains of an adobe structure stand near Country Club Drive and Cordrey Drive.  Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association and its many associated buildings and residences stand at the heart of Harmony Grove.  This association was formed in the late 1800s and is a cultural historic resource. 

·      Policies: Any development must incorporate the prehistoric and historic rural theme of this community.  All cultural resources are valued by the community; they remind the residents of the continuity of the past and the present and provide an invaluable educational and societal resource.  These resources will be preserved.

5.10    Dark Skies

·      Goals: A community with dark, open nighttime skies.

·      Policies: Any development must conform to preserving dark nighttime skies.  Limit residential lighting, no street lighting or lighted signage.

5.11    Energy Conservation

·      Goals: A rural residential and agricultural community with enough power to meet the needs of its residents.

·      Policies: Harmony Grove/Eden Valley shall not be overbuilt with respect to the amount of power required to fuel existing development.

5.12    Scenic Highways

·       Goals: Harmony Grove Road as a California scenic highway.

·      Policies: Harmony Grove Road and Country Club Drive shall be maintained as 2-lane roads and the cumulative traffic effects of any future developments shall not significantly increase the traffic level and over all quality of life of the community. 

 *Escondido General Plan Update, First Screencheck Draft Program EIR, City of Escondido, February, 2000, is quoted from loosely in this section. 

 6.      Safety

The Safety Element establishes policies and programs to protect the community from risks associated with seismic, geologic, flood, and wildfire hazards.

6.1        Existing Conditions: San Marcos and Elfin Forest (volunteer) fire departments provide emergency medical and fire fighting service; California Highway Patrol provides traffic control and the San Diego Sheriff’s Department provides local law enforcement.

6.2        Law Enforcement

·        Goals: Safe environment through community design, and participation.

·        Policies: Ensure community design is consistent with overall safety and crime prevention theme; encourage formation of neighborhood watch groups; establish close, regular contact between citizen's groups and both county sheriff department and California Highway Patrol

6.3        Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services

·        Goals: Timely response to fire and medical emergencies

·        Policies: Support volunteer fire department by special taxes and fund raising activities, develop additional fire/police stations in community

6.4        Seismic Safety

·        Goals: Structures that withstand reasonable seismic activity

·        Policies: Follow county guidelines

6.5        Flood Hazards

·        Goals: Unspoiled floodplain to function as regional open space resource; safe ingress/egress to community during heavy rains; control of path/volume of drain water

·        Policies: Restrict floodplain development to that supportive of the rural lifestyle such as stables, equestrian facilities, agriculture, or recreational uses; use types and patterns of development that minimize water pollution, soil erosion, silting, slide damage, flooding, and hillside cutting and scarring; prohibit excessive and unsightly elevation of pads in floodplain; construct a traffic bridge over Country Club Drive where it crosses Escondido Creek; enforce county regulations regarding grading. 

7.      Noise

The Noise Element identifies and appraises noise problems in the community. To the extent possible, current and projected noise levels are calculated and mapped for roadways, railroads, airports, industrial plants, and other major noise sources.

7.1        Existing Conditions: The local agricultural industry produces limited mechanical or other noise, area is mostly quiet.

7.2        Goals and Policies: Quiet area, free of excessive or objectionable noise. Establish noise standards especially for a rural, as opposed to urban or suburban, community. Allow no industry associated with excessive noise, such as extractive land uses or airports; restrict traffic volume. 

8.      Public Facilities

The Public Facilities Element is an optional element which provides the policy basis which will guide shorter term documents such as the capital improvements program (CIP) and annual capital budget. This element should also discuss the location of future facilities and improvements, acceptable levels of service, funding priorities, and the timing of availability.

8.1        Existing Conditions: There are no public facilities in the HGEV area. The area has no sewer system and uses mainly septic systems for waste disposal. Some areas have well water, others use water supplied by various water districts (Rincon Del Diablo, Olivenhain)

8.2        Parks and Recreation

·        Goals: Small neighborhood park, preferably on floodplain near creek, that is accessible by trail system; park should have mature native landscaping, picnic tables and minimal playground equipment, no active recreational facilities or lights and only a small parking area.

·        Policies: Acquire open space for small park on trail route.

8.3        Trails

·        Goals: A multi-use trail system linking the HGEV community to major recreational areas such as Lake Hodges, Elfin Forest Preserve, and Jack's Pond.

·        Policies: Acquire open space along proposed trail routes; make dedication of linking trails a condition of development; require developers to consult current county trail maps for the area before submitting permit applications; establish a staging area.

8.4        Schools

·        Goals:

·        Policies:

8.5        Libraries

·        Goals:

·        Policies:

8.6        Fire, Emergency Medical Services and Law Enforcement

·        Goals

·        Policies

8.7        Water

·        Goals

·        Policies

8.8        Wastewater

·        Goals

·        Policies

8.9        Solid Waste

·        Goals

·        Policies

 References

 Elfin Forest / Harmony Grove Community Guide, 4th ed. Evelyn Alemanni, editor. Elfin Forest, Calif.; Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove Town Council, 2000.

 Escondido General Plan Update, First Screencheck Draft Program EIR, City of Escondido, February, 2000

 Harmony Grove / Eden Valley Web site. URL: www.hgev.go2click.com. Accessed 10/19/01.