Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

County Draft General Plan Update is Released

San Diego County’s blueprint for future growth in the backcountry has not been updated for 30 years. But a Draft Update includes plans that take into account the increased risk of devastating backcou

County Draft General Plan Update is Released

San Diego County’s blueprint for future growth in the backcountry has not been updated for 30 years. But a Draft Update includes plans that take into account the increased risk of devastating backcountry wildfires in San Diego. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

San Diego’s unincorporated backcountry is nearly twice the size of the region’s urban areas, but it only houses 15% of the region’s population.

Advertisement

County planners say their General Plan Update allows for less growth then the current plan, and it considers the increased threats of wildfire in the backcountry.

Devon Muto, Chief of Advanced Planning, says zoning changes would mean less of the growth would happen in the outlying rural areas.

Muto: If we continue to develop under the existing plan we’ll be placing more homes out in the back country areas. By pulling back our development in those areas it won’t tax wildfire agencies for fire protection as much.

Muto says the Updated General Plan would allow most of the growth to be in Lakeside, Valley Center, Fallbrook, Alpine and Ramona.

A draft of the County’s Updated General Plan is available for public comment over the next 60 days. 

Advertisement

An Environmental Review then has to happen before the Supervisors vote on the final Updated Plan  in 2010.

Alison St John, KPBS news