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Update: March 24, 2010 Stonegate/Merriam Mountain Project Defeated !!! On March 24, 2010, there was
jubilation throughout North County when Supervisor Ron Roberts decided to vote with Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Pam
Slater-Price to deny approval of the Merriam Mountain project. A decade of tireless community opposition
was rewarded by no less than a paradigm shift in county policy toward dense development in fire-hazardous rural areas
of North San Diego County. Evacuation of residents in high-fire-hazard areas will now become a prime factor
in determining whether large developments can be built. We have left the remainder of this website intact as it appeared
before Ron Roberts cast his deciding vote. We would like to think that we inspired Supervisor Roberts to do the right thing. ____________________________________________________________________________ .
♦ 2010:
The Stonegate/Merriam Mountain Project ♦ .
This website was originally launched to oppose the proposed 2,700-home Stonegate/Merriam
Mountain housing project in rural North San Diego County. Of grave concern is the firetrap danger the project poses not only to its residents but also to the people living in surrounding areas
who will be unable to evacuate in the event of a worst-case wildland fire. The developers themselves have
admitted that timely evacuation will be impossible. This
website will now also be dedicated to exposing those County Supervisors who made the decision to ignore
public sentiment, state law, and common sense by voting to approve this ill-conceived project in exchange
for money from the project’s developers. . Supervisor Ron Roberts will be specifically targeted as the Supervisor who single-handedly resurrected
the Merriam Mountain project despite vehement public opposition. On Dec. 9, 2009, the County Board of Supervisors actually
voted to deny the project. Roberts was absent that day. After biding his time for 29 days with “no comment,”
Roberts came forward on the very last day of the 30-day time limit to ask for an unprecedented “re-vote”
on the project. Despite all the documented problems and concerns about the project, Roberts put down project
opponents as “NIMBYs” (a derisive term used by project advocates when they are unable to refute arguments and
facts in opposition to the project). . A
grassroots campaign against Roberts’ re-election is now under way to reflect the public’s anger and disgust of
Roberts’ apparent intention to approve the Merriam Mountain project. The campaign will involve contacting
the thousands of people throughout the County who have actively opposed the Merriam Mountain project. The week prior to the
March 24, 2010 Board of Supervisors' vote, project opponents will go to the Fourth District and distribute flyers about Roberts’
actions. At a time when dissatisfaction with incumbents is at an all-time high, Roberts will learn the
consequences of his decision to sell out to developers and defy public will. If you are interested in helping
out and have not yet been contacted by our group, send an email to StopStonegate@charter.net. We will provide the informational flyer to you
for distribution and help coordinate distribution efforts. Every single citizen of San Diego County who
participates in this grassroots effort will be another nail in the coffin of an incumbent who deserves to be un-elected.
There has never been a better time to send out this message.
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