RANCHO SANTA FE — A Rancho Santa Fe community-wide survey, championed by the Rancho Santa Fe Association (RSFA) last year, revealed that 73 percent of Covenant members voted on roundabouts being installed along the Paseo Delicias intersections of Via de la Valle, El Montevideo/La Valle Plateada, and El Camino del Norte.
Director of Planning at the RSFA, Tom Farrar, provided a quick update about the progress being made, which included a projected construction date beginning as early as next year.
“The county has accepted the funding required to complete the EIR, (environmental impact report),” he said, adding how staff is working very closely with the county.
The funding Farrar was referring to was $60,000 the Board agreed to give the county at its February 2016 board of directors meeting. The monies would enable the county to proceed with an updated and certified EIR. The board became aware of this need after the RSFA received a letter from the county’s program manager on Jan. 28.
In the letter, the county conveyed how they were requesting $60,000 from the Association since they did not have the funds in their budget to update the EIR. The total cost was $75,000 and the county would cover $15,000.
Farrar went on to say that the county was in the process of filing an EIR and it was estimated that the completed date could land at the end of May or quite possibly the first week of June.
“It’s coming up very quickly and we are very pleased to note that progress,” he said.
A set date for a hearing with the County Board of Supervisors is scheduled for Sept 28. If the EIR is ratified, Farrar said, the build out of these roundabouts can begin.
Estimates on construction dates will begin next year, with the possibility of the first quarter in 2017, Farrar said.
Director Kim Eggleston wanted assurance that this project would move forward. A decade ago, the roundabout project was halted.
“Here we are 10 years later and I want to make sure that this board, you, and staff continues your contact with the county,” he said.
Eggleston pointed out that he wanted to be certain that in 2026 the roundabout project would be completed and the board would not be in the same position that it was in today.
Farrar assured Eggleston that this would not happen and highlighted how they have already met with the county twice. He went on to say that the Association staff is dedicated to get this project done.
