As votes continue to pour in, two North County ballot measures with similar goals to create new housing opportunities received very different outcomes.
Poway residents have approved Measure P while Oceanside residents have rejected Measure L.
Measure L would have created the North River Farms project, a 268-acre site made up of 585 new homes, parks and trails, a fire station and an 88-acre working farm.
Instead, the majority of voters decided to keep the existing commercial farms in the South Morro Hills neighborhood.
“The voters spoke up loud and clear and it reflects that it doesn’t matter how much money is thrown at an issue. If the people understand what’s going on and are educated, they make a conscious choice. The people are going to win every time,” said Kathryn Carbone with No on L.
According to the San Diego Union Tribune, Integral Communities, the developer of the project, spent about $2 million on their campaign in support of Measure L.
With just a handful of volunteers and a limited budget, the No on Measure L campaign spent a little over $8,000 and still won.
Although this is a win for the No on L campaign for now, Kathryn Carbone says the developers could re-apply for the project in one year.
“If you’re on city council and you green light this project again after the people have told you, hey we don't want it, then we have a problem there with the individual city council members,” she said.
Carbone hopes that the newly elected city council members will resonate with the votes of Oceansiders if the project is to be presented again.
In Poway, the majority of the votes went in support of Measure P, bringing “The Farm” development closer to fruition.
The Farm will bring 160 new homes, 70 acres of open space, amenities like parks, trails, an event space, a butterfly vivarium, a community classroom and a fitness club available to all Poway residents.
The Farm would be replacing the now StoneRidge Country Club, currently in a dilapidated condition and posing a fire hazard.
The country club that once had a golf course and plush buildings, is now overgrown with plants and graffitied walls.
Erin McKinley with “The Farm” says the current fire hazards will be their first target in the project.
“We promised the citizens that we are going to clear and demo within 90 days of the election being validated. So first step is calling the city and getting a demo permit so we can clean the structures on-site and clean the fire hazards,” she said.
McKinley says they expect some model homes and amenities will be available by the end of 2022.
