• Baxter Village Revised Plot Plan Hotel and MOB, Are You Down With Them?

There is only one item on the October 21, 2020 Planning Commission agenda: Baxter Village Revised Plot Plan Proposal

Before getting into this let me start off with a few housekeeping issues. 

Wildomar Rap's graphic from July 2016.

It's been determined that I live too close to this development (within 1000 feet) to participate in my elected official capacity. Therefore, since I've recused myself from it, I can still weigh in as a resident. 

The second bit of housekeeping is, due to the Brown Act, I suggest that any member of the city council click out now if you're reading this. Also, if you're too stubborn to click out, understand that I am NOT lobbying for you to vote in any particular way. 

Vote how you truly believe any development on the former Brown House property will benefit the community for generations to come. It's not about the council, it's about the community's long term needs.

With that firmly established, let's proceed. 

Back in 2016 a mixed use project was approved (the scoping meeting for this development is covered in a Jan 2015 blog). It included residential and commercial. A total of 66 single family homes, and 204 apartments on the residential side, and 70,000sf of retail. 

So why hasn't any of that been built? 

If you go back and look at every time Baxter Village is mentioned in this blog you'll see that Clinton Keith Village (where the new 7-11 is, and the soon to open Grocery Outlet) was mentioned back in 2016, and they've not been impeded. 

So what's the hang up in that field just to the north of Wildomar Trail? 

I'm sure that there are as many excuses as there are illegal mattresses dumped there, so who knows the real "why" of it all, but... speaking as a resident only... looks like bad business practices to me.

I'm not in the development business, so I probably am missing how going to the trouble of getting a project approved, to then just sit on it, is actually a wiser move than building what was approved on paper.

Best part is, this same company has more than one project in the same 'limbo' status in Wildomar. 

I've asked this before: What are they waiting for... another recession?

Seriously, imagine the profits they would have had if they'd have just developed the properties they control and got on with business. 

But, as I already pointed out, I don't understand the fine art of creating a development on paper, getting the community excited about it, then just having it languish in never-never land instead of pouring concrete and pounding nails.

So much time went by that they needed an EOT (extension of time). Now, because something is amiss in their grand scheme, they've decoupled the project into smaller pieces.

I know that it's just a concept drawing, but talk about a lack of understanding that this is what's presented to the planning commission as what their future Wildomar hotel would look like. Seriously, looks like a big Eff-U to the residents that live anywhere near it, or even those that would drive past it.

The residential portions, which were approved long ago, are NOT on the agenda. They are staying as is. The only change being sought is removing the retail (which at one time was said to include several restaurants) and instead put in a MOB (Medical Office Building) and a FIVE story hotel.

Let me digress for a moment

If you're of the mindset that suggests the land should be left in its "natural state" you're not thinking through this very well. I'm a proud American citizen, and believe in landowner's rights... presuming that they are playing by the rules, which means developing their land according to the local dictates.

The approved project would greatly alter the area. Welcome to real life. Anyone that lives in Wildomar is on land that would have been vacant 130 years ago, and to suggest that your home is ok, but others aren't ok is a waste of everyone's time.

I'm fully in favor of this land being developed. What I'm not in favor of is going off the board, away from the already approved general plan, and seeking to bring something in that is completely out of character for the area.

Do we need a hotel?

Of course we need a hotel. Anyone that suggests driving down to Murrieta, or Lake Elsinore for lodging is acceptable is being ridiculous. I have family that has had to stay in other cities when visiting, and that's embarrassing. 

Not to mention the time that my house was flooded and my choice was to take lodging in Murrieta, or hole up in one of the non flooded rooms. The obvious choice would have been to stay in a hotel in my own town. Yes, we need a hotel.

However, we don't need a hotel in that location. 

The whole point of a planning commission (and then city council review) is to have well planned development, and not some hodge-podge patchwork quilt looking community because out of town developers built willy-nilly as they pleased.

I'd like to see a show of virtual hands of all those involved that actually live in our city... or even in a neighboring city. My guess is that there are few to none that would fit that description.

Do we need a MOB in that location?

Nothing says "I love you" quite like two overly modern buildings plopped right smack dab in the heart of rural Wildomar... no matter how garish and out of place they are. 🙄

I'd like to see the original plan built as was promised back in 2016. Still, I'm a realist and if the right amount of horse trading can be accomplished (where the city feels like we've gotten an exceptional deal), I could envision accepting the MOB... but to me it would need to be pushed much closer to the freeway compared to what I've seen in the drawings.

Ditch the parking along the freeway, and push the MOB snug up against it first, then come talk to me. 

But I'd only agree to that if most of the original retail was included, and slated to be built before the MOB... or at least concurrently.

I just hope that the PC and the CC understand that they are in the driver's seat, and let the applicant come with hat in hand... and not the other way around.

To quote a friend of mine, there's a double whammy by bringing in a MOB and removing retail

Retail generates sales taxes, and with the additional 1 penny per dollar added by 2018's Measure AA that is a significant amount of money.

An MOB costs the city money in emergency services. I don't have the figures with me, and hopefully they'll be part of the staff report at the meeting, but the city saved a large amount of money when Kaiser's Urgent Care left town for Murrieta.

Removing a revenue generator for a something that will cost emergency services funds seems like an easy no vote to me.

  

UPDATE

This site will NOT have urgent care, so the concern about emergency costs is moot.

 

How about the hotel?

Hotels can generate TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax), but that's only when a room is rented. I don't have any studies that include Wildomar, but have seen one from Murrieta that suggested we already have enough lodging in the general area as to not support the need for more rooms at this time.

I mentioned earlier that we do need a hotel in Wildomar. One is already approved (without a vendor that is) just north of Cornerstone Church on Monte Vista Drive.

There is another pad that's a perfect location for a hotel and it's not near residential areas. It's just south of city hall, and east of Los Reyes restaurant.

I've been hearing about this location since the day I started attending city meetings back in 2013.

I'm sorry that the developers haven't figured out how to market their approved project after all these years, but their bad business practices burden shouldn't be placed on the community of Wildomar's shoulders to carry. 

What can you do?

If you'd like to have your voice heard (pro or con) about this project I see two options for you.

First, write an email and ask that it be delivered to the city council. It will be coming to the city council in the November meeting. You can ask for it to be distributed to the planning commissioners too, but that window is closing fast.

mbassi@cityofwildomar.org

Second, you can participate with a public comment. The meetings are zoom based at the moment and that means you just need to log on and ask to speak. It's not that difficult, and don't be nervous... we're all neighbors and your views are appreciated. 

The directions for participation can be found at this link.

One last thought about the management group haphazardly piloting this ill fated development

For years they've refused to fence their property which has lead to it being perennially known as Baxter Off Road Track... plus the Baxter Village free dump.

I don't measure if a person is a nice guy by the number of teeth they display in a smile, that measurement is determined by how good of a community member they are in practice.

I've seen no demonstrable reason to categorize them as good neighbors. I get it, they're a business venture and they're there for the bottom line... I just hope the powers that be can also recognize the obvious.

If they were there for the community they wouldn't be seeking to put in a five story monstrosity hotel in that location, that will end up being the sorest thumb sticking out for miles around, and they would have fenced their property like the field immediately to the south did more than 10 years ago.

Oops, I may have gotten a bit opinionated in this blog... but I'm not done... look what's coming next. 😲

Special Bonus Segment

Below you'll find letters from the community that were sent into the planning director. They can be found in the agenda packet. 

I'll remove the letter writer's names because below is a crash course on how NOT to write to people. 

Seriously, whoever wrote this garbage should be ashamed on so many different levels that it's not even funny. 

I've copied and pasted them as they were in the agenda packet.

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Jasmine if you don't live in wildomar. Keep you and your stupid money grubbing ideas that don't even fit this area in San Diego.i personally know several people in wildomar that are real residence here .wildomar elementary ELSINORE Jr hi .elsinore hi 46 + years born and raised .wgo would not welcome you or any of your family members HERE in this community.especially if you do not actually live hear .bug off girl .how EVER if you do live here you were actually born and raised hear you mom and dad are actually real homesteaders here then I st and corrected.BUT A.HOTEL ARE YOU SERIOUS ARE YOU SOME SORT OF ANTI GREEN FREAK WHO ENJOYS DESTROYING BEAUTIFUL OPEN LAND TO BRING MORE DRUG ADDICTS WHO LOCK THEM SELVES IN HOTEL ROOMS DO DO THEIR PERVERTED CRAP WITH UNDERAGED KIDS .YOU MUST HAVE $$$$ SIGNS ON YOU BRAIN.YOU ACTIONS THROUGH YOU IDEAS SPEAK FOR THEM SELVES.YOU HAVE NO REAL INTERESTS. IN WHATS GOOD AND FITS IN HERE

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Hello Mathew.my comment was referring to the Baxter road medical Center and hotel .this is my home I don't mean BORN else were then moved here .this has wildomar people passed off .and I mean pissed off ...hotel bull crap medical center ..this valley has plenty of medical. So the counsel members want to invite added pour air quality .and add more undue and undeserved mental stress due to heavy traffic.some are already exasperated with the bullcrap heavy traffic as it is .when MC donaldss started to prep for their mission. Location. Way back in the day several of the residence. From grand ave and all around the lake sedco wildomar .disruped for months progress on the site .removing survey stakes bench marks elevation hubs Time after time after time popping heavy equip tires time after time.damaging cooling system and hydraulic systems time after time on the heavy equip.removing stake on foundation forms time after time untieing REBAR steel in footings time after time. The dirt work contractor pulled his heavy equipment off the job after spending thousands on tire replacement and replacing cooling system and hydraulic line and hydraulic pumps . who's pocket get lined. IV been in the construction trade well over 40 yrs many of my friends are general contractors and couple are developers .i fully and completely understand the games played pockets being lined disregard for over enveloping the community with reckless disregard for residence peace of mind by creating undue and undeserved mental stress to in tire families from young to old for the sakeOF a greedy for gain MENTALITY.there are many people with their horses and small animal farms . build an EQUESTRIAN center combo comunity center slash spots park instead of a bunch of dam strangers sleeping In a motel driving back and forth all hours of the nite disrupting what peace and quiet wildomar has left. The developer most likely live on a big peace of land .no immediate neighbors nice and peacefull no light pollution. He probably has a little machine that his nanny uses to remove the paper off the toiltel paperrolls then it replaces 100 dollar bills on it so his brat grand kids can wipe their asses with 100 dollar bills after they have a bowel movement.rich money greedy people ruining the natural environmental a DIFFERENT community other than their .people are tired of it can't y'all see the unrest in our country right now massive protests dam liters and rioters.by the hundreds of thousands.wildomar dosent want or need unrest added air pollution added undue undeserved mental stress cause by heavy traffic. I had to use rough language to get this point properly expressed hepe wildomar keep the peace

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Like we don't have enough pour air quality and traffic problems as it is .so bassi how much money is the developer want to line you and your families pocket with.screw the developer and his family members peace of mind AND I MEAN EVERY MEMBER FROM THE VERY OLDEST TO THE VERY YOUNGEST.THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT OUR PEACE OF MIND AND MENTAL HEALTH .MORE TRAFFIC WILL ABSOULUTLY CAUSE ADDED MENTAL STRESS TO WILDOMAR RESIDENCE.YOU WANT MAJOR PROTESTS IN OUR PEACEFULL CITY .FINDING OUT WHERE THE DEVELOPERS PRIVATE RESIDENCE IS CAN BE VERY EASY TO LOCATE FOR THE SOUL PURPOSE OF DISRUPTING HIS FAMILIES PEICE OF MIND. AND MENTAL HEALTH .WEEKLY HARASSMENT OF HIS FAMILIES PEACE AND QUIET.LET SEE HOW HE LIKES IT .HOWEILL HIS FAMILY MEMBERS LIKE THEIR PEACE OF MIND AND QUIET DISRUPTED .ASK HIM .HEAVY EQUIPMENT CONTRACTOR WOULD BE AXASTERBATED WITH THOUSANDS IN TIRE REPLACEMENT AND COOLING SYSTEM REPAIR COST AND HYDRALIC REPLACEMENT COST LEAVE THE WILDOMAR PEOPLE ALONE.MR DEVELOPER STAY HOME GO SOME WHERE ELSE

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If I'm wrong, and you think the emails above are pretty cool and make logical and reasonable points... yikes! Seriously folks, it's not that difficult to be nice and treat each other with some dignity while making a cogent point.

If you think I'm a jerk for pointing out the obvious, then put "vote against Joseph" on your bucket list.

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I grew up like a neglected weed - ignorant of liberty, having no experience of it.

– Harriet Tubman

Wildomar Rap pulls all weeds except purslane... that's a superfood and tastes pretty good sautéed with onions and garlic in olive oil. Wild mustard too. 

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