August 2004

Update on Hacienda Vieja Project

Developer has been asked to modify the project: At a meeting of the Planning Commission on 28 July, the Planning Commission asked some extremely pertinent and important questions concerning the Hacienda Vieja project. After more than two hours of comment and deliberation, they voted to continue discussions on the project. The applicant was asked to come back to the Commission with alternatives to the four unit development; specifically, fewer, smaller units and a design that would be less visible from More Mesa. As part of considerations of public views, one of the commissioners suggested that the second stories be eliminated. The project will be heard again by the Commission on the 25th of August.

To reiterate our position …

MMPC believes that, in order to protect both the environment, as well as the aesthetic qualities of More Mesa:

• No additional two-story structures abutting More Mesa should be permitted
• The size of one story houses should be consistent with other developments in the neighborhood, and certainly no larger than Las Brisas (3610 square feet maximum).

For additional information on the current status of the Hacienda Vieja project, or suggestions about how you can help minimize impact on More Mesa, please contact us via the Contact Page.

“More Mesa Friendly Plants” for Your Garden
Last month we introduced a section on invasive plants. This month we present the “flip” side of invasive plants; a section for those interested in using native plants in the garden.

The research for this section was prompted by inquiries from homeowners who live on the periphery of More Mesa. They asked that we suggest plantings that would be consistent with the environmentally sensitive nature of the area. The information on planting natives, which can be found starting from this page, as well as information on invasive plants at this page, was compiled by our webmaster, Lynn Watson.