Oceanside Emerging Issues Meeting – Are you in the KNOW?

Brian Rupp discussed the Park Villas Project Proposed for El Corazon

There’s a great deal a foot in Oceanside.
If you haven’t heard, Michelle Lawrence is the new City Manager.

Deputy Mayor Chuck Lowery, gave us updates on the SR78 / I-5 interchange…
When, what, and who’s on first? Comes to mind… If you’re confused, like we are, ask CALTRANS!
4 scenarios have been presented to the public, but 17 scenarios are being considered.
To sum it up in one word, BLURRY! The scenarios are very confusing!

East bound 78 to north bound 5 could be closed – Cassidy bridge might be widened – California Street on-ramp might stay – 50, 60ft fly-over ramps, maybe – maintaining the southbound I-5 exit onto Cassidy is possible –Environmental impacts to the lagoons are plenty – who has the answers? No one.

And, the big take away… drum roll please,
As a community, we need to get involved and weigh in. The SR78 / I-5 interchange is one of the worst in the state of California, as a community we need reach out to CALTRANS.  Make sure your voice is heard.

Are you familiar with El Corazon? If not,  it’s a large specific plan with open space on the west, soccer fields on the interior and mixed use (300 homes, retail and hotels) on the east side of the. At the Emerging issues meeting, we heard from Brian Rupp on one of the residential components, Park Villas.

Brian Rupp – Oceanside native and entitlement guru – spoke to the Emerging Issues Committee about El Corazon and Shopoff’s role. Shopoff buys land and creates entitlements. They don’t build houses. This business model reduces uncertainty for home builders.  Once maps are approved they sell to a builder.

What’s the vision for El Corazon? Make it open to the public. But there are lots of challenges.  Namely, the BIG price tag. Estimated costs $170M – future commercial is not enough to support the ongoing operation of the master plan, the soccer fields are not creating enough revenue resource.

Park Villas sits on a 4.7 acre parcel, at the entrance of the community.  The project will be for-sale town homes in the $400-500K range.

Legislative Updates
Transportation bills = new taxes unless the business community speaks up. The legislature is not looking to recover the transportation funds that were diverted to other uses; they are looking to raise more taxes.

Stay tuned for Federal drought legislation…
SDG&E’s helicopter is here and ready for fire season, that will help, and so should El Nino!
And if you’ve made it through this entire blog, I’ll leave you with an action item.  GO get your flu shot.
Cheers!
Amber
 
 
Amber J. Ter-Vrugt
Director, Community Relations
Scripps Health