East County planning group rejects sand mine proposal

The Valle de Oro Community Planning Group has rejected plans to turn the old Cottonwood Golf Course into a sand mine. Residents raised concerns about noise, health risks, and traffic at a meeting on Tuesday. The group’s opposition does not stop the project, which will be considered by the county Planning Commission on April 18. This sand mine project has faced opposition from the community of Rancho San Diego for ten years. The mine would occupy about 214 acres of the golf course, with plans to extract 6.4 million tons of sand. Operations would happen mostly during weekdays, with excavation from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and trucking from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Community member Elizabeth Urquhart warned that the mine would disrupt the peaceful nature of the area. The Cottonwood Golf Course went bankrupt in 2011, and the land was acquired in 2015 by entrepreneur Michael Schlesinger. A representative for Schlesinger claimed the project would benefit the community by creating open space and providing needed sand for local construction. No one at the meeting supported the sand mine. Speakers voiced fears about health risks from dust, noise from trucks, and potential road issues affecting emergency services. The Planning Group agreed to write a letter opposing the project. The county's environmental impact report has noted significant impacts from the project but also suggested solutions to minimize these effects. The final report is expected before the April Planning Commission meeting.