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“The Merriam Mountains project will destroy the quality of life for area residents due to significant traffic, air quality, fire safety and water impacts. Merriam Mountains is bad for our community!”

- Twin Oaks Valley
   Property Owners
   Association Board

news updates


The proposed Merriam Mountains project has gained a considerable amount of media attention and opposition over the past few years. Below are only some of the news articles from local San Diego newspapers that demonstrate widespread public opposition to the Merriam Mountains project.

Merriam Mountains just wrong project, wrong time

North County Times - 2/26/2010
The Merriam Mountains project is being crammed into an existing rural area abutting the west side of Interstate 15. Simple math shows that the proposed density of 2,630 homes on 538 acres is 4.9 dwelling units per acre.   MORE>

Steve Gronke on Merriam Mountains

YouTube.com - 2/20/2010
Steve Gronke, candidate for San Diego County Supervisor 5th District, discusses the Merriam Mountains project. Video posting.   MORE>

Will Anyone Challenge Supervisors?

KPBS.org - 2/19/2010
The County Board of Supervisors is made up of five people and two of them are already in their fifth four-year terms. Two more of them are running for reelection in June, and if they win and the dynasty continues San Diego County will be run by the same group of supervisors for 20 years.   MORE>

What is Bill Horn racing for?

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 2/17/2010
On the front page of the Feb. 8 North County Times, the article titled "Horn way ahead in supervisor money race," doesn't sound too politically correct to me.   MORE>

Horn way ahead in Supervisor money race

North County Times - 2/7/2010
San Diego County Supervisor Bill Horn was re-elected in 2006 by fewer than 6 percentage points in a race in which former state Assemblyman Bruce Thompson of Fallbrook was faulted by political gurus for what they said was a lackluster campaign.   MORE>

No, no, no on Merriam Mountains

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 2/4/2010
Why do we keep seeing letters from Merriam Mountains supporters who are so oblivious to its long-term implications?   MORE>

Another no on Merriam Mountains

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 2/3/2010
Wayne Clark's letter to the editor (Jan. 31) brings to light that the "yes" folks are somewhat out of touch with the real issues. Actually, this is the first time I've seen a "yes" where the only issue brought up is dust and noise.   MORE>

No, no, no on Merriam Mountains

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 2/3/2010
Once again, I must call into question the prevaricated logic of another letter from Wayne Clark justifying a "yes" vote on the Merriam Mountains project (Jan. 31).   MORE>

Supes vote for reconsideration of Merriam Mountains project

The Village News - 1/28/2010
The proposed Stonegate Merriam Mountains development will have another San Diego County Board of Supervisors hearing on March 24.   MORE>

FORUM: Twin Oaks Valley can't afford risks of project

North County Times - 1/25/2010
I am a resident of the Twin Oaks Valley area, and I have been investing as much time as possible to make all those around me aware that the Stonegate Merriam Mountains mass development idea has always been the worst idea in the history of ideas.   MORE>

Hear us, Supervisor Roberts

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 1/20/2010
I am disappointed that the Merriam Mountains project will be reheard by the County Board of Supervisors.   MORE>

Stop the Merriam Mountains project

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 1/20/2010
I cannot believe the Merriam Mountains project is still alive. Is the plan to tire out the general public who have fought so hard and been so committed to ensuring this project doesn't ruin their home?   MORE>

Numerous unanswered questions

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 1/20/2010
Although I don't believe the Merriam Mountains project should be reheard, I would like to commend Supervisor Roberts for acknowledging that there are numerous unanswered questions on the Merriam Mountain proposal.   MORE>

New hearing makes no sense at all

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 1/13/2010
Re: "Supervisor seeks new hearing for Merriam Mountains," Jan. 9: The recurring nightmare of the Merriam Mountains project (aka Bill Horn's Folly) keeps getting "curiouser and curiouser."   MORE>

Odds are Roberts will approve Merriam Mountains

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 1/13/2010
So now it looks as if Ron Roberts may be riding to the rescue of the Merriam Mountains project after all ("Supervisor seeks new hearing for Merriam Mountains," Jan. 9).   MORE>

Supervisor seeks new hearing for Merriam Mountains

North County Times - 1/8/2010
Ending weeks of silence on the matter, San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts announced early Friday that he is seeking a new hearing for the controversial Merriam Mountains housing development north of Escondido.   MORE>

Merriam Mountains developer wants new hearing

North County Times - 1/6/2010
The developers who want to build the controversial 2,700-home Merriam Mountain housing project north of Escondido have asked the county Board of Supervisors for a new hearing.   MORE>

Horn denies wrongdoing in Merriam Mountains communication

North County Times - 12/21/2009
County Supervisor Bill Horn said through an aide Monday that he didn't communicate illegally with Merriam Mountains developers in the days leading up to a hearing on the proposed 2,700-home development north of Escondido.   MORE>

Let Merriam Mountains project die

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 12/21/2009
At the Board of Supervisors meeting on Dec. 9 concerning the proposed Merriam Mountains project, the lack of a fire protection/evacuation plan is admitted, but Department of Planning and Land Use says it will waive that requirement if the developer makes a "good faith effort" to provide one.   MORE>

Huge Development Gets Split Vote

NBCSanDiego.com - 12/10/2009
In a split vote, the county Board of Supervisors rejected the Merriam Mountains housing project on Wednesday. But the proposed development isn't dead just yet.   MORE>

Merriam Mountains project turned down

San Diego Union Tribune - 12/10/2009
A divided county Board of Supervisors yesterday rejected the huge Merriam Mountains housing development proposed for rural North County, but the project may not be dead yet.   MORE>

Supervisors deny permits for huge North County development

Fox5SanDiego.com - 12/10/2009
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Wednesday tentatively denied permits to a high-density housing project across Interstate 15 from Lawrence Welk Village.   MORE>

Tie vote sinks Merriam Mountains

North County Times - 12/9/2009
A controversial proposal to build 2,700 homes in the Deer Springs area north of Escondido was derailed Wednesday when the county Board of Supervisors split its vote.   MORE>

Supervisor's absence threatens North County development

San Diego Union Tribune - 12/9/2009
An interesting situation is developing with the county Board of Supervisors who are in the middle of a hearing Wednesday concerning the proposed Merriam Mountains development north of Escondido.   MORE>

"Merriam Mountains" housing project fails on tie vote

CBS8.com - 12/9/2009
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today tentatively denied permits to a high-density housing project across Interstate 15 from Lawrence Welk Village.   MORE>

E-Mail News Alerts

10News.com - KGTV - 12/9/2009
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Wednesday tentatively denied permits to a high-density housing project across Interstate 15 from Lawrence Welk Village.   MORE>

Merriam Mountain Development Fails To Get Approval

KPBS.org - 12/9/2009
A development that would bring thousands of new homes to rural north San Diego County failed to get approval from the San Diego Board of Supervisor yesterday. But the Merriam Mountain project near Interstate 15 may be back on the agenda in January.   MORE>

Proposed Escondido housing project faces opposition

KUSI.com - 12/8/2009
Video segment from KUSI news.   MORE>

Merriam Mountains project is a bad idea

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 11/2/2009
The proposed construction of 2,700 homes in the Merriam Mountains project is one of the worst ideas I have ever seen. It is unbelievable that the Planning Commission would approve this ridiculous plan and allow homes to be built in a fire trap, also ensuring megatraffic and other explosive-growth problems will occur.   MORE>

Hold firm on fire plan

North County Times: Editorial - 11/1/2009
With the San Diego County Planning Commission having approved the Merriam Mountains development north of Escondido, it is now incumbent upon the county Board of Supervisors to publicly hold developer NNP Stonegate to the commission's requirement for a fire evacuation plan for the new community.   MORE>

Planning commission approves Escondido development

SDNN.com - 10/24/2009
The San Diego County Planning Commission approved a 2,700-home master-planned development north of Escondido, it was reported Saturday.   MORE>

Commission gives nod to Merriam for 2,700 homes

San Diego Union Tribune - 10/24/2009
A huge housing development proposed for a mountainous, undeveloped area north of Escondido just west of Interstate 15 won the support of the county's planning commission yesterday.   MORE>

County planning commissioners endorse Merriam Mountains project

North County Times - 10/23/2009
County planning commissioners voted 5-2 Friday to recommend approval of the controversial, 2,700-home Merriam Mountains development north of Escondido after nearly 12 hours of public hearings spread out over two weeks and two hearings.   MORE>

Merriam Mountains Project Remains On Track

KGTV 10News.com - 10/23/2009
A development project north of Escondido along Interstate 15 is still on track, but faces several changes in order to obtain final approval, 10News reported.   MORE>

Water & sewage issues swirling on Merriam Mountains

KFMB CBS8.com - 10/20/2009
There are new concerns about a proposed 2,700 home development in the North County called Merriam Mountains. Questions are swirling around water and sewage. Where will the water be coming from and where will the sewage go?   MORE>

Merriam Mountains threatens quality of life

North County Times: Editorial - 10/18/2009
Driving on Interstate 15 has been more pleasant since improvements have been made from Escondido down to the 163. It is refreshing to see our tax dollars spent on a meaningful project that has a positive impact on our daily lives, and it is refreshing to know that our elected officials and leaders helped make these projects become reality.   MORE>

Silence truly golden for big Merriam project foe

San Diego Union Tribune - 10/15/2009
Back in the Stone Age of the early '90s, Merriam Mountain auditioned as a landfill and then as a quarry. Locals just north of Escondido erupted with volcanic fury. Pastoral peace was preserved.   MORE>

Panel hasn't even visited site?

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 10/14/2009
The North County Times article on the Merriam project ("County Planning Commission postpones vote on Merriam Mountains project," Oct. 10) quotes Planning Commissioner Bryan Woods saying, "And I for one would like to see the site before I render a decision."   MORE>

Project hearing raises questions

San Diego Union Tribune - 10/10/2009
It was a day of contradictory information being tossed around about a huge development planned in a rural area north of Escondido.   MORE>

County Planning Commission postpones vote on Merriam Mountains project

North County Times - 10/9/2009
The county Planning Commission postponed its decision Friday on the controversial Merriam Mountains development north of Escondido until Oct. 23, saying it needed time to digest nearly six hours of public comments from 54 speakers.   MORE>

Residents sound off about controversial development plan

760KFMB.com - 10/9/2009
Extreme fire danger, lack of water, traffic congestion - those are the arguments against a proposed housing development north of Escondido. After a decade of controversy over the Merriam Mountains project, it's finally coming to a public vote Friday.   MORE>

Reckless planning puts all in danger

San Diego Union Tribune: Editorial - 10/9/2009
It has become routine every fall to watch news of catastrophic wildfires in Southern California. As a result, the question constantly on our minds is “which community will be next?”   MORE>

Escondido Housing Development Could Be Fire Hazard

KGTV 10News.com - 10/7/2009
Some Escondido residents say a housing and business development in the Merriam Mountain area could be a wildfire   MORE>

Fire danger and insurance risks on Merriam Mountain

San Diego Union Tribune: Letter to the Editor - 9/25/2009
In early September, a North County editorial talked of the fire danger to would-be residents of a proposed development of 2,700 homes, plus retail development, to be located in a pristine wooded valley of Merriam Mountain, five miles north of Escondido.   MORE>

No water problem?

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 9/23/2009
Marijuana dispensaries do not make our communities a better place to live. I want businesses to strengthen and add to our neighborhoods. We need to care about the entire community, not just a few individuals.   MORE>

North County says no to Merriam Mountains

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - 9/21/2009
I commend Good Planning Now for joining the battle against Merriam Mountains. This group is helping area residents voice their concerns about the dangerous and fatally flawed project.   MORE>

Merriam Mountains a planning disaster

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - September 19, 2009
I am shocked that the developers of the Merriam Mountains project have proposed to build 2,700 new houses in an area that is zoned for only 64 homes in the draft General Plan Update. This project is more than 40 times larger than what is permitted to be in that area.  MORE>

REGION: Proposed development's fire evacuation ability questioned

North County Times - September 10, 2009
Area firefighters say they are worried about how residents would escape the proposed Merriam Mountains development if it's ever threatened by a rapidly spreading wildfire.  MORE>

Shelter in Place Unsafe Option

CBS National News - September 6, 2009
As the L.A. wildfires are finally being contained, some fire officials are supporting an idea that could allow people to remain in their homes during wildfires. Ben Tracy has more on 'shelter in place'.  MORE>

Group forms to fight Merriam Mountains project

North County Times - September 5, 2009
A coalition of residents has formed to fight the 2,700-home Merriam Mountains project proposed for west of Interstate 15 between Fallbrook and Escondido.  MORE>

MERCURIO: Battle of Merriam Mountain

North County Times - September 2, 2009
San Pasqual may lay claim to being the site of the largest battle ever fought in California. But on the other side of Escondido the newest big battle is looming: Merriam Mountain.  MORE>

Merriam Mountains flawed, misleading

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - August 28, 2009
When I received my flashy Merriam Mountains Community News, I had to read between the lines. I suppose the developer is betting on us North County folks being bad at math. Try again, guys. I had no problem calculating the project's 35,000 daily traffic trips.  MORE>

Fire code changes; County fire code move disappointing; and Leave fire safety in professionals' hands

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - August 20, 2009
The county Board of Supervisors made a disastrous decision this week when they stripped local fire agencies of their authority over the fire safety of new projects in the county.  MORE>

Fire code changes threaten safety

North County Times: Letter to the Editor - August 14, 2009
On Aug. 5, the county Board of Supervisors approved amendments to the county fire code and public facility element that threaten the community's safety. While the action taken may seem a matter of semantics, it actually is a matter of life and death.  MORE>

TRAGESER: Art of spin hits new high

North County Times - August 9, 2009
If politics is the art of the possible, then perhaps public relations is merely the art of the plausible. That, at least, would explain the recent mailer sent out by the developer proposing a 2,700-home community for the avocado groves of the Deer Springs area north of Escondido.  MORE>

FORUM: County should let experts retain fire safety authority

North County Times - August 5, 2009
As county firefighters prepare to head into the thick of the 2009 fire season, the county Board of Supervisors is about to vote on a proposal that threatens the fire safety of future generations. Submitted by the county Department of Planning and Land Use, it would strip fire districts of the approval authority they now hold over proposed land-use projects' Fire Protection Plans.  MORE>

Merriam Mountains project is flawed

North County Times: Letters to the Editor - June 18, 2009
The article "Foes of Merriam Mountains focus on traffic with recent mailer," June 9, highlighted only a few of the major problems with the project. Among the most significant are fire hazards and traffic; however, what about the impact on our environment?  MORE>

Reject Merriam Mountains project; and Spa won't survive project's construction

North County Times: Letters to the Editor - June 17, 2009
I am writing in response to the June 9 article, "Foes of Merriam Mountains focus on traffic with recent mailer." As an employee of a business located near the proposed Merriam Mountains project, I too am significantly concerned with the negative traffic impacts expressed in the Citizens Against Stonegate Traffic flyer.  MORE>

Merriam Mountains project will destroy spa

North County Times: Letters to the Editor - June 16, 2009
I have worked for the Golden Door Spa for more than 27 years. My job provides me a unique opportunity to help our guests find inner peace and improve their health. Our environment here in the nearly vacant canyon lands of North County allows our visitors the quiet, rest and relaxation they come to the Door to achieve.  MORE>

Merriam Mountains analysis inaccurate

North County Times: Letters to the Editor - June 15, 2009
According to the Merriam Mountains Environmental Impact Report, several of the project's traffic impacts were measured assuming that planned improvements are in place. However, they are not and the project's traffic analysis is inaccurate.  MORE>

Amazingly, a hotel will probably come out of all this

North County Times - June 10, 2009
When I come across any sort of tricky finance -and who doesn't? - I know at the outset that I am in over my head. To save face, I am tempted to add, "and who isn't?," but I know better. There are people who grasp the complexities of finance with no trouble whatsoever, as if it were a simple game of Johnny On The Pony.  MORE>

SAN MARCOS: Foes of Merriam Mountains focus on traffic with recent mailer

North County Times - June 8, 2009
Local residents who oppose the idea of allowing a developer to build thousands of homes in the hills along the west side of Interstate 15 north of Escondido have taken aim at the amount of traffic the proposed "Merriam Mountains" development would generate.  MORE>

Peaks no place for 2,700 homes

North County Times - May 6, 2009
Escondido and San Marcos drivers, and all those who travel on Interstate 15 or Highway 78, wake up! San Diego County supervisors will dump more than 10,000 car trips a day onto these highways when the Merriam Mountains Specific Plan/Stonegate Development is completed. MORE>

Merriam Mountains project making progress, still irking opponents

North County Times - May 2, 2009
BONSALL ---- A massive housing development proposed for the west side of Interstate 15 between Fallbrook and Escondido appears to be moving forward again, as opponents last week had their last chance to comment on the project's environmental impact report. MORE>

Housing project in hot seat again

San Diego Union - March 19, 2009
The public will again have a chance to weigh in on a controversial housing development proposed for Merriam Mountains just north of Escondido. MORE>

Merriam Mountains impact report out

North County Times - September 7, 2007
DEER SPRINGS -- Building 2,700 homes and a shopping center northwest of Deer Springs Road and Interstate 15 north of both Escondido and San Marcos would transform the rugged area and increase traffic as far away as Sycamore Avenue in Vista, a draft environmental report from county planners says. MORE>

Residents challenge housing project: Wildfire concerns dominate meeting

San Diego Union - January 26, 2007
TWIN OAKS VALLEY - Opponents of a proposed housing project along Interstate 15 angrily confronted the developer at a community meeting, but little was resolved. MORE>


The following are additional links to various organizations throughout the County that have expressed opposition to the Merriam Mountains project:

Click here to view the Merriam Mountains Re-circulated Environmental Impact Report on the County's Web site.

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