January 2005

HACIENDA VIEJA PROJECT

BACKGROUND: The Hacienda Vieja (HV) Project is located adjacent to the northeast corner of More Mesa on Vieja Drive. As proposed by the developer, Jack Maxwell, it consisted of four extremely large houses … all two stories high. With Planning Commission direction, all houses were made slightly smaller. However, two structures remain two stories high. Because the More Mesa Preservation Coalition (MMPC), as well as the community, is extremely concerned about the proliferation of large, inappropriate two-story houses on the edge of More Mesa, the decision has been appealed to the Board of Supervisors.

TWO-STORY HOUSES ARE INAPPROPRIATE FOR MORE MESA

• Two story houses severely impact views from More Mesa’s trail system.
• Two story houses are entirely inconsistent with character of surrounding neighborhoods.
• Two story houses reverse long term (County) precedents requiring new houses next to More Mesa (e.g., Vista la Cumbre, Diamond Crest) to be single story and relatively unobtrusive.
• Visit More Mesa to see how the immense and obtrusive new (blue), two story construction on the northeast corner obstructs the north view from as far away as the coast and the southwest corner of More Mesa.

CUMULATIVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON NE CORNER IS ENORMOUS

• HV is the fourth new project on the northeast corner of More Mesa.
• HV will double the number of two story houses on edge of More Mesa
• All four projects will result in 13 new structures on northeast corner … a 33% increase in the number of buildings around the entire periphery of More Mesa.

THIS IS NOT THE END … Two Story Houses Could Encircle More Mesa

• Some vacant land around the edge of More Mesa still exists.
• Many large lots can be subdivided.
• Single story houses can be remodeled or converted to two story.
• NUMBER OF HOUSES AROUND MORE MESA COULD BE DOUBLED… AND THEY COULD ALL BE TWO STORIES HIGH!!

MMPC believes it is time to take a firm stance toward reversing this alarming trend. We hope you will stand with us … for More Mesa and its future.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT 2004 – January 05, 2005
From the More Mesa Bluffs

• Red-throated Loon
• Common Loon
• Western Grebe
• Red-necked Grebe
• Brown Pelican
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Brandt’s Cormorant
• Pelagic Cormorant
• Surf Scoter
• Red-breasted Merganser
• Willet
• Whimbrel
• Marbled Godwit
• Sanderling
• Wilson’s Snipe
• Bonaparte’s Gull
• Mew Gull
• California Gull
• Herring Gull
• Western Gull
• Glaucous-winged Gull
• Caspian Tern

On More Mesa

• Great Blue Heron
• Turkey Vulture
• White-tailed Kite
• Northern Harrier
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• American Kestrel
• Rock Dove
• Mourning Dove
• Anna’s Hummingbird
• Black Phoebe
• Say’s Phoebe
• Loggerhead Shrike
• Western Srub-Jay
• Bewick’s Wren
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• American Pipit
• Orange-crowned Warbler
• Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
• Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s)
• Common Yellowthroat
• Spotted Towhee
• California Towhee
• Savannah Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Golden-crowned Sparrow
• Purple Finch
• House Finch