Climbing Monserate Hill to remember 9/11 B-1
Preparing for an El Nino C-1
Girls golf scores a win D-1
Village News Fallbrook & Bonsall
a l s o se rv i n g t h e c o m m u n i t i e s o f
a nd
Pau m a
www.VillageNews.com
September 17, 2015
LAFCO rejects FPUDRainbow merger
D e L u z , R a i n b ow , C a m p P e ndl e t o n , Pa l a ,
50¢ Sales tax included at news stand
Volume 19, Issue 38
Abbott named new NCFPD fire chief
Joe Naiman Village News Correspondent
San Diego County’s Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) voted 5-3 Sept. 14 to reject the proposed consolidation of the Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD) and the Rainbow Municipal Water District. County Supervisor Bill Horn, County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, Carlsbad City Council member Lorraine Wood, San Diego City Council member Lorie Zapf, and Vista Irrigation District board
see LAFCO, page A-8
Killgore murder trial begins DA says BDSM sex ring trio responsible Debbie Ramsey Managing Editor Deputy District Attorney Patrick Espinoza introduced several highimpact items of evidence in his opening statements Monday, Sept. 14, as the trial began in Vista Superior Court for a trio of suspects accused of killing Fallbrook marine wife Brittany Killgore in April of 2012.
Stephen Abbott, left, has been selected to be the new North County Fire Protection District fire chief when current fire chief Bill Metcalf, right, retires at the end of this year. Joe Naiman Village News Correspondent Stephen Abbott has been selected to be the new North County Fire Protection District fire chief when current NCFPD fire chief Bill Metcalf retires at the end of the year. “I’m honored. I’m excited. It’s
something that I’ve been working for with a lot of support from my family and a lot of mentors here,” Abbott said. The NCFPD board of directors held a special meeting Sept. 8 which included the unanimous decision to name Abbott as Metcalf’s replacement. “I think he’s an excellent choice
for the organization,” Metcalf said. “He’s very well-qualified and capable.” Abbott was given the title of Deputy Fire Chief in July after being the division chief for administration from September 2014 to July 2015. He had been a battalion chief for eight and a half years before taking his division
Ken Seals photo
chief role and also oversaw emergency medical services during his battalion chief years. Abbott has been with the North County Fire Protection District since 1990. “I’m proud to call Fallbrook home,” Abbott said. “It’s truly a
see ABBOTT, page A-12
Victims of 9/11 remembered at special event
see KILLGORE, page A-12
thisweek
Announcements �������������������������A-2 Business ���������������������������������������D-4 Classifieds ������������������������������������D-6 Dining.............................................B-4 Education �����������������������������������C-10 Entertainment ������������������������������B-6 Health & Fitness ��������������������������B-2 Home & Garden �������������������������C-1 Legals.............................................D-7 Obituaries �������������������������������������C-8 Opinion �����������������������������������������A-5 Real Estate �����������������������������������C-1 Sports.............................................D-2
Larry Grossman performs “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes during the 9/11 memorial at North County Fire Station 1 hosted by the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Sept. 11. See more photos on page A-6
Christine Rinaldi photos
Village News
Planning Comm. votes 4-3 in favor of Lilac Hills Ranch Joe Naiman Village News Correspondent
A 4-3 vote September 11 by the county’s Planning Commission recommended the approval of Accretive Investments’ proposed Lilac Hills Ranch development. Leon Brooks, Doug Barnhart, David Pallinger, and Bryan Woods voted to recommend with conditions the general plan amendment, specific plan, rezone, tentative map, major use permit, and habitat loss plan for 608 acres on the Bonsall/Valley Center/Escondido border. Michael Beck, Peder Norby, and Michael
Seiler voted to recommend denial. Because a general plan amendment, specific plan, and rezone are involved, the proposal must be approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors; the county’s Department of Planning and Development Services (PDS) is targeting an October 14 Board of Supervisors hearing date. “I think we need the housing in San Diego, but I think the housing and the development has to pay the cost,” Barnhart said. “I’m generally in favor with the project as long as we condition it,” Barnhart said. “I don’t have a problem putting a lot of conditions
on the project.” The Planning Commission’s conditions included the necessary funding to build a new fire station or expand the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s existing Miller station, a community facilities district to fund a three-person crew at the fire station, providing the land and funding construction of a new elementary school at a location to be determined, a 30-foot buffer on West Lilac Road with a 2.2C Mobility Element classification (2.2C has an eight-foot shoulder, 2.2F has a two-foot shoulder), treatment plant improvements to
be made no later than the first 100 homes, the commercial village to be built no later than completion of the first 1,000 homes, and a 25 mph design speed on Mountain Ridge Road. The vote at 6:22 p.m. followed a hearing which lasted approximately nine hours. “Every project has its challenges,” Barnhart said. “The developer can work out the details.” “There’s a better way to do this,” Norby said. “I think the project is a beautiful project in isolation,” Norby said.
see VOTE, page A-10