Are you concerned about the future of Ramona? Do you care about these issues?:
Highway and Street Safety (affects residents, visitors and business); Cannabis Industry Expansion (onsite consumption, growing, distribution and locations); Wildfire Evacuation (2003 & 2007 fires started on busy weekends); Park Land Dedication Ordinance (sports infrastructure funding); Social Equity Policy (inclusion of underserved residents).
Climate Action Plan Ordinance (solar and wind turbine locations); Organic Materials Ordinance (large-scale composting operations and locations); Vehicle Miles Traveled Policy (building costs); Trails and Pathways Plan (hiking, biking, horseback riding); Housing (locations and type); Wireless Telecommunications Facilities (locations); Environmental Justice (health and safety of underrepresented residents).
Your Ramona Community Planning Group (RG) is working to address these community issues, but we need your help.
As an unincorporated community, Ramona is dependent upon the greater San Diego County system. Our local “control” is via our Community Planning Group — which is advisory only to the County. Historically, the RG has focused its activities locally, per its purview.
However, as the San Diego region has grown, our community has experienced the impact of this growth through increasing numbers of visitors — which is both a blessing and a responsibility. We have thousands of visitors — hikers, winery guests, bikers, motorcycle riders, tournament players and equestrians coming up the hill.
Our new District 2 County Supervisor, Joel Anderson, has encouraged the RG to work with all of our Region’s agency partners to fulfill the vision of a safe, healthy, business-viable and attractive Ramona for our residents and visitors. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is reaching out to Community Planning Groups and asking for their as changes in laws and ordinances are drafted and implemented.
Never before have the opinions and needs of our communities been so actively sought and considered. Ramona is being asked to be a partner versus a recipient of changes in our County. This is an opportunity.
With this opportunity the RG has been working directly with both Caltrans and SANDAG to secure funding, planning and ultimately implementation of critical safety improvements to our community’s connection to the region — Highways 67 and 78. We have requested highway safety funds through our State Assembly member, Randy Voepel.
The results for our community are encouraging. Caltrans will be repaving SR-67 and including safety features in this project. Caltrans and the County have an approved plan to resolve the Mt. Woodson hiking/parking safety issue. Caltrans will be adding parking spaces to our Old Town Ramona business district and has a workable downtown model upon which to improve the walkability, safety, attractiveness and availability of our Old Town Ramona for residents and visitors — providing our community with an opportunity to introduce Ramona as a destination and to capture recreation dollars.
The issue of our community’s safety is part of the conversation in every agency that touches Ramona. The realization that the ongoing risk to life during wildfire evacuation and head-on highway collisions are solvable has elevated the responsibility agencies feel to correct these ongoing issues. The RG has achieved regional recognition of Ramona’s safety problems and we have engaged the conscience and of those in a position to make a difference.
The RG has answered every concern related to highway improvement with an undeniable and reasonable response: regardless of how Ramona grows and develops, the fact is that the overall growth of the region has resulted in a substantial increase of vehicles on our rural highways and roads as people travel to the backcountry for recreation. Our safety issue is the region’s safety issue.
The RG represents you on this and other community issues, but your participation is impactful to the process. From experience — your input is recognized, evaluated, talked about and becomes a point of reference when elected officials and decision makers are in the process of planning our region’s future
Here’s how to participate:
Attend RG meetings and speak. The RG meets on the first Thursday of every month. Agendas for the RG and its Subcommittee meetings are posted on the County’s Community Planning Groups website (https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/pds/gpupdate/comm/ramona.html) and in the newspaper. When in-person meetings are allowed again, agendas are posted on the bulletin board of the meeting location, too. The Group has a new Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/RamonaG), which functions as an electronic bulletin board.
Attend the June 1st San Vicente Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan’s Virtual Public Workshop (https://www.sandag.org/s/projectid/projectid_607_29160.pdf). Provide your input on Highway 67’s future. Your will be counted. Caltrans and SANDAG want to hear your ideas and concerns.
Ramona is literally the “Center of the County.” We are an important partner in the San Diego Region as it grows and develops. Consider being a part of this process.
Robin Joy Maxson is chair of the Ramona Community Planning Group
