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Volume 31 Number 42
Rancho Valencia set to open in September BY KAREN BILLING The Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa upgrade is about at the midway point, set for a grand reopening in September. Everything is getting an overhaul at the Rancho Santa Fe destination, down to their logo and branding colors, from deep orange to fresh blues and chevron patterns. “To call this a renovation is an understatement,” said Nicole Sharp, director of marketing, who led a tour of the still under-construction resort this week. An investment group headed up
by Jeff Jacobs purchased the resort in May 2010 and since then have been planning to bring in only the “best of the best,” laying out a detailed plan of exactly what they wanted. The resort shut down in January for the $30 million renovation. All of the resort will be touched by the new design from the landscaping and public areas to the hacienda and guest rooms. The resort will be getting all new amenities, such as a new restaurant, new bar and new fitness offerings at the spa. Even the tennis courts will be resurfaced and given
new windscreens. Tennis players will additionally be spoiled by a new clubhouse and pro shop. The property is also home to two pools, a walking trail around the resort and a croquet lawn popular for weddings. “It’s going to be a destination within a destination,” Sharp said. See VALENCIA, page 22
The window of the Rancho Valencia’s bar, The Pony Room.
Marvin Hamlisch at The Bridges
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN DIEGO, CA PERMIT 1980
July 5, 2012
Resort to hold job fair, plans to hire over 200 Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa will hold a four-day job fair July 13-14 and July 16-17. The Rancho Santa Fe resort plans to hire more than 200 new workers as it is close to completion of a $30 million renovation. Schedules, applications and more can be found at www.RanchoValencia.com.
PHOTO: KAREN BILLING
CV planners: Antennas should not be placed on CCA campus City group approves antenna location at CCA
The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe and the San Diego Symphony featured acclaimed composer Marvin Hamlisch at its Legends at The Bridges event June 27. Pictured are Barbara Gladden, Herb Chasman, Rosalind Chasman, Marvin Hamlisch, Jo Gladden and Dick Gladden. See pages 14 and 16. PHOTO: JON CLARK
Review writers win more journalism awards Rancho Santa Fe Review writers recently earned more journalism awards at the Society of Professional Journalists San Diego Professional Chapter contest. Reporter Joe Tash won first place and
second place awards in the “Non-Deadline News Story” and “Multicultural Story” categories respectfully, and Arthur Lightbourn won a second place award in the “Feature Story” category.
This newspaper and its writers have won numerous local, state and national journalism awards over the years, including three first place national “General Excellence” awards.
BY KAREN BILLING Despite the Carmel Valley Community Planning Board’s strong message to Sprint last week that they did not want antennas on schools in the community, the city’s development services staff approved a wireless communication facility on a building at Canyon Crest Academy (CCA) on July 2. At its June 28 meeting, the CV board denied the 12 antennas hidden on a campus building because board members felt that the school parents weren’t properly notified and the location was not acceptable. “Prudent avoidance dictates they diligently explore other sites off the school,” said board member Laura Copic. In April, the board wanted assurance from Sprint representative Becky Siskowski that Canyon Crest Academy parents were notified of the potential installation and also asked her to consider alternative sites off the campus buildings. Siskowski said they held a meeting on the topic on June 1 at CCA but only three people attended, all CCA students and no parents. She was told the district made the meeting known through its website. Copic said she is on the CCA website often and receives the newsletter and never saw any notice. As far as considering other alternatives, Siskowski said there weren’t any suitable options.
“The San Dieguito Union High School District and the city planner consider this option the only option,” Siskowski said. Sprint looked at co-locating on a nearby AT&T tower but it was too short, as were the 27-foot tall light standards in the parking lot. Siskowski said they also approached the Pacific Highlands Ranch Homeowners Association who were not interested and they asked about placing antennas on the parking lot solar panels, but the solar company said “no.” “I don’t think we know enough to put antennas that close to where our children are going to be for an extended period of time,” CV planning board member Christian Clews said. “We’ve never had a cell tower this close to kids at a school. You will never get my vote to put it in that wall.” Last year the board also voted to deny a cell site location at Sage Canyon Park for the same concerns about the proximity to children. The deadline to appeal the city development services staff’s decision is July 18. Appeal procedure information is available at sandiego.gov/development-services. Appeals can also be made in person at the development services department at 1222 First Avenue, 3rd Floor. The matter will eventually go to the city’s Planning Commission for final approval.
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