The Silvergate concept is on the path of a grand subterfuge. A suckering in of the bulk of the local electorate and naïve leaders — his target audience. Since they have not yet submitted a set of General Plan Amendment permit and related Rezone and Major Use Permit applications to the County of San Diego, it clearly is their hope and hypothesis that if they first get the naïve endorsement of this massive high-density monstrosity by the private, volunteer-led RSF Association, they can then waltz in to the County Board of Supervisors, the real power authority, and get a greased money pass through the gauntlet of County, State CEQA, Federal EPA, Corps of Engineers, et al, permits.
Silvergate is not likely surprised that the current political demographics of the County Board of Supervisors, more D’s than R’s, is a far cry from past decades of control by “concrete Bill Horn,” who never saw a high density development he would vote against. Horn, in his 24-year reign, methodically gutted the County of a whole range of land use policy tools to the joy and financial largesse of developers, and the detriment of communities trying to preserve rural character, like Valley Center, Fallbrook, Bonsall, and Pala-Pauma. “Mr. Silvergate” knows this, and that his only path to success for this giant urban orphan in our rural paradise is to first get the imprimatur of a land use law-ignorant private volunteer body … then go to the County — the real power authority for this type of project.
He certainly knows that the private RSFA, the bulk of appointed Art Jurors, and honorary elected seat holders of the RSFA Board, are not trained or educated in State, Local and Federal land use environmental regulations, including the myriad EIR studies needed, including hydrology, geology, liquefaction, emergency evacuation management, water course alteration law, floodway/floodplain law, traffic, infrastructure, dark skies, community character, proof of market economics, site alternatives, etc.
He surely believes this humbuggery is his best path to success in later winning approvals by the County and all the required State and Federal laws, because he will have the powerful Ranch Covenant imprimatur, and political and financial contribution power to sway the real authorities — the publicly-elected County Board of Supervisors. Rest assured, the developer’s past statements that he requires no General Plan Amendment, Rezone, and Major Use Permit are utter baloney. He might not need such permits for private antediluvian Covenant contract compliance, 100-year old deed language scribed with quill when nothing existed here but pristine land with a grove of imported seedling trees. However, he darn well needs permits from the County, our ONLY municipal government authority with police powers of public health, welfare and safety.
Albert B. Frowiss is a longtime resident of Rancho Santa Fe, served as chair of two local HOAs, and led 25 task forces and committees engaged in San Dieguito River Valley land use and preservation.