PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92025 PERMIT NO. 94
The Coast News
INLAND EDITION
.com
VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 3, N0. 2
JAN. 27, 2017
Endangered Habitats League files a lawsuit against the city of San Marcos challenging the council’s approval of the 189-unit San Marcos Highlands project. File photo by Tony Cagala
Environmental group files lawsuit to block Highlands project
On the march
Abel Valls’ sign is a popular draw for marchers wanting to take their photos in the mirrored sign last week during the San Diego North County Women’s March. See full story on page 5. Photo by Tony Cagala
Escondido hears on proposed skate park By Tony Cagala
ESCONDIDO — Anthony Delgado launched off the ramp, catching his skateboard mid-air with his feet before landing the trick and rolling off to one side of the basketball courts that had become an impromptu skate park at Washington Park. He received a couple of fist bumps from friends after pulling up on the sideline. If Delgado, 18, and his friends weren’t skating there that day, they’d be skating out front of a busi- A skateboarder attempts a maneuver on one of the ramps set up at ness or somewhere else in Washington Park where city staff is proposing to build a new skate park. the city where skateboard- Photo by Tony Cagala
Hawthorne’s Homestead Arts Fair
ing wasn’t allowed — all the while keeping an eye out for security guards and trying to avoid police that could kick them out or issue citations. A new skate park would definitely be a good thing, he said, adding that there aren’t very many places to skate in the city. This week, city council heard a staff report on the proposed development of a new skate park at the cityowned Washington Park. “The whole purpose is to get those kids off the streets and to get them in TURN TO SKATE PARK ON 15
By Aaron Burgin
SAN MARCOS — An environmental group has filed a lawsuit challenging San Marcos’ approval of the 189-unit San Marcos Highlands project. The 40-page lawsuit, filed by the Endangered Habitats League, contends that the city’s approval of the project and its companion environmental report didn’t adequately address the environmental issue, potential fire hazards, drought concerns and other issues created by the project. EHL, which served the city on Jan. 12, is calling for the courts to void the approvals and prepare a new environmental impact report, among other things. “The project must be modified so that San Diego’s wildlife can continue
to move across the landscape,” EHL Executive Director Dan Silver said in a prepared statement. “There is no excuse for not doing so, and we are ready and able to work with the City and applicant to achieve this goal.” The Coast News has reached out to representatives of the property owner, Farouk Kubba, for comment and will update the story when it is received. The City Council voted 4-1 on Nov. 15 after a four-hour public hearing in which most of the speakers railed against the project, citing environmental, traffic, open space preservation, wildlife protection and school overcrowding as flaws of the current project. Councilman Chris OrTURN TO HIGHLANDS ON 7
• Gardening • Water reclamation • Raising of livestock • Sewing Permaculture • Vermiculture • Food preserving • Leather craft • Fiber arts • Handmade soaps and beauty • Cooking and baking • Wildlife conservancy • Composting and soil building • Vigneron • Orchard Keeping Brewing • Animal training • Knot tying • Foraging for food and medicine Fencing and home protection • Hunting and fishing Horseback riding and care • Carpentry • Apiary from bee to honey Repurposing Aquaponics
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