Silvergate Does Not Belong in Historic Rancho Santa Fe
My name is Susan Clotfelter Winnett, and I was born and raised in Rancho Santa Fe. My family’s roots here run deep. Since 1931, four generations of my family have lived and worked in this community. My uncle, U.T., worked for the Santa Fe Railroad, and my father, Reg, sold lots for the Santa Fe Land Improvement Company. My father also managed The Inn, and served on the boards of the RSF Association, the RSF Art Jury, the Santa Fe Irrigation District, and the RSF Rotary Club.My mother, Connie, author of “Echoes”—one of the first books written about Rancho Santa Fe’s history—was a founding member of the RSF Library, the RSF Book Club, and the Garden Club. She was also instrumental in founding the RSF Historical Society. My brother Tom, my two nephews, Cutter and Chaco, and I have all served as presidents of the RSF Historical Society. I’ve also had the honor of advising the Art Jury as part of the historical society committee, working to help preserve Rancho Santa Fe’s historic integrity. We grew up with a great respect for the Covenant and the vision of the Ranch’s early residents—to safeguard the area’s spaciousness and unique character. It is with this sense of stewardship that I strongly oppose the proposed Silvergate RSF project. It simply does not belong in the Covenant.
The proposed site lies within a floodplain. When we were growing up, my brothers, Tom and Dick, and I witnessed firsthand how the San Dieguito River Valley would fill with water after heavy rains. On several occasions, Tom and his friends paddled down the valley, sometimes traveling from Lake Hodges all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This lowland has always been intended for horses, not large permanent buildings. The threat of a rainy winter—or the potential failure of the Lake Hodges Dam—is deeply concerning, as floods could come swiftly and put the community at serious risk.
Another urgent issue in Rancho Santa Fe today is traffic congestion, which has reached a critical point. Daily backups on Paseo Delicias, Via de la Valle, Via de Santa Fe, and Del Dios Highway are severe, consistently disrupting residents’ lives. Adding a massive project like Silvergate would only make this worse and would bring more light and noise pollution that can’t be ignored. Rancho Santa Fe has always protected its rural character and genteel architecture. Homes were modest and designed to blend gradually into the land. Massive commercial developments were never part of the Covenant’s vision. Silvergate is simply out of scale—it looks like it belongs in Rancho Bernardo, not among the “gentleman estates” and quiet, dark skies of RSF. There are several excellent retirement communities nearby already. Why Silvergate, and why here? If built, this project would erase the cherished dark skies, rural ambiance, and threaten the tranquility we treasure.
Rancho Santa Fe’s genuine needs have never required oversized development. Over the years, my family has created more than 25 retirement units in the Village, allowing residents to downsize while staying within easy walking distance to shops, the post office, the pharmacy, and restaurants. There are always one or two units available for purchase or rent, ensuring ongoing accessibility for the community. This supports Lilian Rice’s original vision for smaller “step-down” dwellings. In contrast, Silvergate is designed for a transient market—and in just 20 years, when baby boomer demand declines, Rancho Santa Fe could be left with a massive complex that never fit the community’s character. Please do not sacrifice our community’s legacy, character, and long-term well-being for a developer’s short-term gain. – Susan Clotfelter Winnett