Garden advocate wants Ramona Street completion off priority list

In addition to considering proposals for a wedding event center and a botanical garden, Ramona Community Planning Group members listened to concerns about possibly routing traffic onto Royal Vista and approved a letter of endorsement for adding the eucalyptus colonnade to the National Register of Historic Places.

The proposed Lavender and Olive wedding event center will be on a portion of land formerly used by Copper Meadows event training and horse park at 633 Montecito Way. The project requires a major use permit.

Lauren Schulte, the project’s representative, said at the meeting last Thursday that 5 acres of land is planned to be converted to a wedding event venue mainly by improving landscaping. The facility would be available to rent seven days a week during the hours of 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Lavender and Olive would hold a maximum of 225 people, including employees and subcontracted staff. Schulte said the venue would have an equestrian theme and the project does not involve building any structures.

RCPG member Robin Joy Maxson said the West Subcommittee reviewed the project for fire truck accessibility, Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility and compliance with the dark sky policy to minimize light pollution. She said a decibel test was done to evaluate the level of music emanating from Lavender and Olive, and atmospheric conditions vary.

RCPG member Richard Tomlinson objected to the volume of cars that could be funneled from the 121-space parking lot onto the narrow Montecito Way. Tomlinson added he knows someone who lives near the proposed event center who is concerned with the dust that is generated mostly from the dirt parking lot.

Schulte responded that the driving area will be paved with gravel.

RCPG member Jim Cooper said the Trails and Transportation Subcommittee members were impressed with the project during an informal presentation. But, he said, he would like a full report on potential neighborhood impacts when the project returns to the RCPG as an action item next month.

A separate proposal for a botanical garden southwest of the corner of Boundary Avenue and Ramona Street and north of Royal Vista and about one mile from Main Street was presented to RCPG members by Ramona resident Ken Brennecke. His interest in developing a botanical garden on the 10-acre site he purchased in 1980 stems from his lifelong passion for plants.

Brennecke currently operates Bamboo International Growers. He was one of the founders of the American Bamboo Society and has been on its board of trustees for 13 years. He created the Journal of the American Bamboo Society, created the Mardy and Cherie Darian Foundation to preserve a 3-acre private garden in Vista, and was trustee of the Quail Botanical Garden (now the San Diego Botanical Garden) in Encinitas.

Brennecke said the proposed site is ideally suited to a botanical garden. It is at the summit of a hill that offers acceptable temperature extremes, water availability and has 1 to 3 feet of topsoil with almost no rocky areas.

His vision for the botanical garden is to create plant research facilities, which would include a herbarium, tissue culture facilities, a nursery and greenhouses complemented by a library and computer/internet accessibility. He said he envisions the garden including public plant displays and allowing children under 17 to be admitted free.

His next step would be to form a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to coordinate fundraising for the project, which he estimates at $10 million to up to $25 million to fully endow the project with employees and free admission for youths. Brennecke said he plans to present his proposal to the Ramona Chamber of Commerce and Ramona Garden Club within the next few months.

“No one person can do this,” Brennecke said. “It’s going to take a village.”

He said one of the obstacles to creating the botanical garden is the Ramona Street extension project, which would continue Ramona Street from Boundary Avenue to Warnock Drive. Extending Ramona Street would interfere with building a botanical garden, said Brennecke.

He said the county Department of Public Works has prepared four plans for the road extension at a cost of nearly $900,000 for engineering studies, but he said all the plans have had inherent difficulties.

“The botanical garden is more viable than a road on the property and it will preserve the rural nature of the southern valley,” Brennecke said. “Until you get on site and see the views and see the possibilities for the community, you’ll be voting blind.”

Brennecke asked the RCPG to place an item on the agenda to discuss the Ramona Street extension and its removal from the Capital Improvement Project Road Priority List in favor of a botanical garden.

In an unrelated item, several members of the public spoke against a recent proposal to create a connection from Hanson Lane to Warnock Drive via Keyser Road, Equestrian Trail and/or Royal Vista. Supporters say the connection is intended to alleviate traffic congestion in the vicinity of Hanson Lane.

Royal Vista resident Cathy Liles said that when she moved to Ramona she bought her property because it was on a private road. She said she has since been inconvenienced by cars parked along the street and by damage to the road caused by traffic to and from the nearby Hanson Elementary School on Boundary Avenue.

“I feel the money should be used to make a parking lot for the school,” Liles said. “It’s a private road and I feel money should be used to take care of it.”

Royal Vista resident David Adams said he is concerned about the prospect of moving power lines and wells and cutting down the trees he planted 20 years ago if a street connection is made on Royal Vista. He also cited traffic concerns with cars speeding on Royal Vista, which is a dirt road maintained locally and not by the county.

“The road was not like this before the school went in on Boundary,” Adams said. “Some people whiz around the turn. Something needs to be done, but not on Royal Vista.”

Royal Vista resident Linda Ecclesine said she is opposed to using Royal Vista as an alternative to the Ramona Street Extension Project because it would create the same 90 degree angle connection danger on Royal Vista as already exists at the Warnock and Ramona Street connection.

“When I moved here I was assured Royal Vista would remain a private road due to the Ramona Street Extension,” Ecclesine said. “I oppose Royal Vista rerouting as opposed to the Ramona Street Extension.”

At this stage, the RCPG board is only considering whether to ask the county to do a General Plan Amendment so that a feasibility study can be done in the future.

RCPG Chairman Dan Scherer told the speakers he appreciated their input and suggested they attend the next Trails and Transportation Subcommittee meeting where the item will be further reviewed. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. July 24 at the Community Center, 434 Aqua Lane.

Separately, RCPG members considered the Ramona Tree Trust’s request to support its application to place the Ramona Main Street Colonnade on the National Register of Historic Places. The application for historical status is scheduled to be reviewed by the California Historical Resources Commission on Aug. 3.

On June 28, members of the Ramona Design Review Board and Ramona Village Design Board in a 9-2 vote jointly approved to write a letter of support endorsing the addition of the eucalyptus colonnade to the National Register of Historic Places.

In a letter dated June 30 from Rob Lewallen, chair of both boards, to the State Historic Preservation Officer in Sacramento, Lewallen stated, “On behalf of the Ramona Design Review and the Ramona Village Design Boards, both located in Ramona, California, it is my pleasure, as chairman of both boards, to provide to you this letter of full support for the nomination of the Ramona Main Street Colonnade to the National Register of Historic Places (National Register) brought forward by the Ramona Tree Trust.”

Ramona Tree Trust President Diane Conklin said at the RCPG meeting that the application is the culmination of years of work and research on behalf of the Ramona Tree Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that planted 80 of the more than 300 eucalyptus trees in the colonnade. She said there used to be more colonnades in Southern California but over the years many have been lost.

“That’s why we want federal recognition, because they’re so rare and special and a symbol of Ramona,” Conklin said. “The colonnade is integral to the town landscape. The trees convey welcome and community pride.”

In response to concerns from board members about the ability to remove trees from the colonnade if it is placed on the National Register, Sue Wade of Heritage Resources said the colonnade exists on the Caltrans right of way and removing the trees would require an encroachment permit. She said Caltrans provides a mechanism to ensure public review before Caltrans cuts down any trees in the colonnade.

Board member Dan Summers said he’s proud of the trees and believes a historic designation will increase the value of the trees to the community.

RCPG board member Donna Myers agreed.

“I can’t believe we’re quibbling over minor details when we have a treasure,” Myers said. “I support it.”

The RCPG vote to send a letter to the State Historic Preservation Officer in favor of listing the Ramona colonnade on the National Register was 12-2 with RCPG board members Richard Tomlinson and Paul Stykel opposed.

In other discussion, RCPG board member Kristi Mansolf reported that Caltrans did receive a letter from RCPG requesting a street light at 16th Street and state Route 67. RCPG members approved sending its letter June 7. She said Caltrans is investigating the need for a street light to illuminate the intersection before replying to RCPG.

During the public communication portion of the meeting, Vicki Simms said she is taking steps to have a bridge named after her deceased son, Army Spc. Chase Simms. Chase had been a behavioral health specialist who worked with soldiers suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Vicki Simms said he had come home on leave from the Army and collided with a semi-truck on state Route 67. The Ramona High graduate died on March 2, 2017.

Vicki Simms said county Supervisor Dianne Jacob is supportive of a bridge being named in Chase’s honor. Mansolf directed Vicki Simms to follow through by attending the next Trails and Transportation Subcommittee meeting.

“We want to carry on his legacy by starting a charity group to help support veterans and soldiers with PTSD,” Vicki Simms said.