Last week, we spoke in opposition to the Lilac Hills Ranch housing development, urging the Board of Supervisors to reject the project planned in a dangerous wildfire zone. After nearly a decade of negotiations and a failed ballot measure, the Board killed Lilac Hills in a four-to-one vote!
Wildfire risks aside, Lilac Hills is a perfect example of the type of development we must stop. Sprawl projects like these — far away from jobs, goods, and transit — lock us into car-dependence and cause deadly air pollution in our region, further exacerbating the climate crisis.
To tackle the climate crisis, we must reject sprawl in favor of dense, infill housing near jobs and transit. Although this vote is a huge win, it’s beyond time for the County of San Diego to get serious about stopping sprawl development in our fire-prone rural areas.
We’ll keep pushing our elected officials to build a climate-safe future in San Diego County. To learn more, check out this article with details about the vote and why we should just say NO to sprawl.