ESCONDIDO — The Escondido City Council met on Wednesday, Aug. 26, to discuss the future development of Mountain View Park on the city’s east side, with options including a ballfield, bike trails and renovations to a portion of the park.
Mountain View Park, located at Citrus Avenue and Glenridge Road, was historically used for farming citrus and avocados. The City of Escondido purchased the property in May 1985 to provide a recreational area for the community in the eastern area of the city.
Updates to the park are part of the Mountain View Park Master Plan, which was approved in 1988. The plan includes several amenities, such as tennis courts, little league fields, play structures and a concession stand, which have all been completed.
The council addressed three areas of the park: the multipurpose open play areas, the historic property and field house on the corner of Citrus Avenue and Glenridge Road and the knoll area on the corner of Citrus Avenue and Mountain View Drive.
City staff presented four ideas for those areas, the most favored ones being that the multipurpose area be converted into a baseball field, bike paths for the knoll area, and a renovation of the historic field house.
The developments would be funded by Prop 68 grant funds that had been allocated to Escondido in June in the amount of $271,303.
The council said the city will work with community groups and gather public feedback on the proposed amenities.
Commercial cannabis
The city also heard an evaluation report of commercial cannabis possibilities in Escondido at Wednesday’s meeting.
In 2016, 52% of Escondido voters approved Proposition 64, which permitted recreational cultivation, manufacturing, sales, and use of cannabis for adults age 21 years and older. This was one of the lowest approval percentages among San Diego County cities.
In 2018, by unanimous vote, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 2018-03R, which prohibits commercial cannabis activities in the City of Escondido.
The report showed that since then, according to the City’s Resident Satisfaction Survey, conducted in June 2020, residents overall showed general support for commercial cannabis in Escondido.
The report also indicates that the City of Escondido could expect to earn approximately $100,000 annually for each commercial cannabis operator within city limits if they were to decide to permit commercial cannabis.
Councilwoman Olga Diaz suggested that staff come back to the council in a future meeting with more specifics on how the city could take action on this issue if it chose to do so.
6 comments
Maria….. I AGREE. Back in the 1980’s Escondido had an apartment BOOM. Citrus Grove, Citrus Gardens, Eagles Point (Solona on Grand now), The Willows, Reidy Creek, River Village just to name a few were all built than., today $500.000 homes nobody can afford. When I moved to California in 1984, I lived at Citrus Grove, I was the 4th to move in. My rent Was $550.00 for a two bedroom, one and a half bath town home with laundry hookups, today it’s close to $1800.00. I blame the City and Sacramento. The city for not making development friendly and Sacramento for that and Apartment Association’s being “in bed” with the liberals (Democrats). In California, there are only TWO cities with rent control that I know of, Santa Ana and Santa Monica, why? Maria I also AGREE, why another part to be taken over my the Diablo 13, graffiti everywhere, just another waste of money for the east end. I could tell you folks stories on how the east end was, everyone wanted to live there, today, they move. SORRY STEVE if truth hurts but I can not wipe you nose every time you get out jointed, facts of life, live with it. Clean up your community, get involved. Run out the element.
We don’t need a park. We need low income Housing.
This RAG sucks. Never posts VISIBLE comments.
Why would anyone want to live on the east side of Escondido? Good money gone bad. Nothing on the East End but gangs, crime, drugs and a constant need to push (2) for Spanish.
Ray Carney, your an idiot and a racist. I live right next to the park and it’s one of the nicest neighborhoods in the city.
Basketball courts 3 full size
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