Voice of Scripps Ranch members discuss their opposition to the development at 10380 Spring Canyon Road (courtesy of Lisa Croner)
Voice of Scripps Ranch files lawsuit
A local group is letting its voice be heard. Voice of Scripps Ranch has filed a lawsuit against the City of San Diego as a means of halting the proposed Monarch Group, LLC development project to construct high density housing at the corner of Scripps Poway Parkway and Spring Canyon Road, 10380 Spring Canyon Road – presently the site of Innovations Academy.
Voice of Scripps Ranch, a group comprised of some concerned Scripps Ranch residents, are adamantly opposed to the project for a variety of reasons. Lisa Croner, Scripps Ranch resident and secretary of the organization, said that the community’s efforts and dealings with Monarch Group were no longer productive. In the background of attempting to collaborate and find an equally agreed upon solution, she said, Voice of Scripps Ranch began working with legal teams.
“When Monarch and the District (San Diego Unified School District) initially proposed this plan to the community, there was a lot of resistance. A group of people decided to research possible avenues of adjusting this plan,” Croner said. “We weren’t willing to give up and be the innocent victims in this, especially given all the community resistance. After many attempts to get the District and Monarch to listen to the community, and after exhausting administrative steps, we decided that this was the last recourse and to file the lawsuit.”
Craig Sherman is representing Voice of Scripps Ranch in the lawsuit against the City. Sherman explained the project fell under the City’s jurisdiction for review and compliance with the outlined city zoning, codes and community plan. Despite the City’s approval of the project at the end of the year, Sherman said the proposed project simply does not fit.
“It is pretty clearly spelled out in the community plan that this is not what was envisioned. It substantially doesn’t fit and is inconsistent with the particular marquee, entryway and gateway type of project with the prominence of the location,” Sherman said.
The type of project Sherman is referring to can be found in the Miramar Ranch North Community Plan document. This specific space was labeled Cypress Canyon Greenway. The plan states specifications on building height, building bulk and the space being used as a focal point of the community. Croner said the current Monarch Group plan does not align with any of these categories.
Voice of Scripps Ranch is hoping that the lawsuit will correct what they see as the City’s error in not properly reviewing the proposed plan as it fits with the community plan or the zoning laws. Croner said the Monarch development violates both.
“We hope the result will open the door to community negotiations and community input to a reasonable compromise as to how this land should be used,” Croner said.
Both Croner and Sherman said Voice of Scripps Ranch is not anti-housing or anti-commercial, but rather that the group is hoping to find a better solution for the space that fits the needs of the community.
“We are trying for a very reasoned approach to growth in this area with this particular issue being our starting point,” Croner said.
The hearing for the lawsuit will be scheduled at a later date. Voice of Scripps Ranch has submitted the paperwork to formally be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. This classification will allow the group to collect funds to support the lawsuit.
The City of San Diego’s attorney’s office was contacted for comment on this story. Per their email, the City plans to respond to the lawsuit in court. For more information about Voice of Scripps Ranch, visit voiceofscrippsranch.org.