Council OKs home lots at Poway Valley Stock Farm
By Steve Dreyer
Plans to eventually replace a 100-horse boarding facility on Tierra Bonita Road with lots for 12 estate homes were approved Tuesday night on a 4-0 vote by the City Council.
Approval came after seven speakers, including a crying teenaged horse owner, spoke in opposition to the proposal and in support of keeping the Poway Valley Stock Farm open.
Council members said they sympathized with the concerns of the equestrian community but stressed that property owner Harry Rogers has every right to do what he wants with his 11.6 acres providing he complies with all city zoning codes. Part of the property has been used as a boarding facility since the mid-1990s.
Rogers and associate John Fitch submitted a tentative tract map to subdivide the four lots, two of which contain the boarding facility and two of which each have one house on them. Rogers told the council his “Poway Equestrian Estates” development would have 12 homes, each on lots of about one acre. Zoning laws would permit each property to board up to nine horses, he said. Development plans call for improvements to a portion of Rattlesnake Creek that will remove the lots from a flood plain. Rogers and Fitch must still negotiate with state and federal agencies for approval of their proposed changes to the creek.
No new home construction is proposed at this time. Future development of the individual lots would be subject to additional city review and approval.
Under the public hearing portion of the meeting, speakers noted that the stock farm was located across from the Poway Valley Riders Association (PVRA) arena and equestrian trails and that the eventual loss of 100 horse boarding stables would negatively impact the equestrian community. Several also mentioned that horses were an integral part of “The City in the Country.”
Ann Tipps, a past PVRA president, said the stables are “an outstanding community resource” and that its closure, whenever that happens, could “curtail the activities of the PVRA.”
Between sobs, Amber Schumann, 15, said she depends on the stock farm to board her horse and that its proximity to the PVRA grounds was important.
She said, “The country ‘feel’ is the personality and culture of Poway. It is the reason my parents moved here from San Diego 23 years ago. It will be a terribly sad day if we keep building on our open country here in Poway.”
Added Aletha Thomson, “We’re losing more and more country out of our city.”
Fitch, a consultant and former Poway assistant city manager, reminded the council that he has a long association with the horse community, having served many years on the Poway Rodeo Committee and having a daughter who is a professional rodeo rider.
“My kids grew up there,” Fitch said of the stock farm. But as a private property owner, Rogers can do what he wants providing he complies with all city laws, he said.
Fitch and Rogers both mentioned that PVRA could, if it wanted to, board horses on part of the 12 acres the group owns. To date, he said, the PVRA has declined to take on the liability or work of doing so.
Deputy Mayor John Mullins summarized the council’s stance by saying the property “is zoned for residential and that’s what being proposed.” Yes, the stock farm is a valuable community resource, Mullin said, but the owner could close it at any time he wants, if he so chooses.
Mayor Don Higginson added, “Over 20 years, hundreds of kids have had the benefit of the property, but there’s no promise that it would be forever.”
Councilman Jim Cunningham wondered if the time had come for “stakeholders” from the equestrian community to meet to see what can be done to make sure their boarding needs are met.
“You can’t leave angry,” he said following the 4-0 approval vote. “You’ve got to leave looking for solutions.”
Councilman Steve Vaus, who said he boards horses at the stock farm, did not participate in the discussion or vote.
Rogers and Fitch must still apply for and receive a final parcel map before proceeding with any work. They have at least two years to complete that step, with a possible one-year extension, if needed. Neither gave any indication Tuesday night how quickly they would be proceeding.
