Wildomar's Flooding Problems Prompt Hold On 157 New Tract Homes

A proposal to build tract homes west of the 15 Freeway in Wildomar drew criticism this week from some residents and city planning commissioners, with concerns about flooding dominating the conversation.

After more than an hour of debate, Wildomar Planning Commission voted 4-0 Wednesday to postpone a decision on a resolution recommending city council approve development agreements for 157 single-family homes to be built off Palomar Street at McVicar until flooding issues can be examined.

“The issue is not with this project,” it’s with water flow around it, Commissioner Bob Devine said.

“I think we’re in a real tough situation,” Commissioner Bobby Swann added. “Commissioner Devine is very passionate -- and very accurate.”

Where The Water Stops Up

The plan to build homes at the proposed site would cause increased runoff into a channel that is already stopped up with debris and plant growth, opponents argued. The channel for Murrieta Creek is supposed to run through Wildomar, underneath Clinton Keith Road, between Grand Avenue and Palomar. At that point, however, there is little room for water to flow under the bridge.

Devine remembered when locals could ride horses under the bridge. Now he says one can’t even crawl under it because it’s so overgrown and dirt and debris are built up so high.

Over the last 10 years, development in the area has increased runoff into the creek, Wildomar resident Gary Andre said.

Furthermore, U.S. Fish and Game has prevented work at the channel during much of the year because the agency has declared the area protected habitat, Devine said.

“The problem is federal,” he added.

Andre maintains there must be a meeting of the minds between the city, county, state and feds, before further development – than impacts flooding in Wildomar -- can take place.

Water is being displaced during rains, and it’s flooding McVicar and beyond, he said.

If the proposed pads are graded and the 157 homes built, it just further compounds the problem, Andre added.

“If we don’t resolve this issue, it will stop development in Wildomar,” he said.

First-hand Perspective

Gina Castanon owns property next to the planned development. She said she supports smart growth in Wildomar. She argued that when she bought in Wildomar more than two decades ago, her property was not in the floodplain. However, the area has since been remapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and now her property lies within the floodplain, she said.

“If it [the proposed development] goes any further, it won’t be good for the city,” Castanon warned.

Andre said the two tentative tract maps for the project now encroach into the floodplain. Back when the maps were approved by the county, only a portion of the land was in floodplain area, he said.

Environmental Review

Citizens pleaded with the commissioners Wednesday to require that environmental analysis be performed before the project moves any further.

City staff contends that further analysis is not required because the tract maps were approved by the county, and since that time the applicant on the project, Adam Smith of CV Communities, has not proposed any changes to it.

“There have been changes,” Andre argued. “The creek has changed! It now runs through private property.”

Swann and Devine agreed with the arguments and asked that, among other things, city staff get the appropriate county, state and federal agencies together with the city to discuss possible solutions to Wildomar’s flooding problems.

The Money

As officials work through the issues, money is on the table. The developer agreements for the project, which are tabled for now, call for CV Communities to spend $15,000 to establish a Community Facilities District that would collect special taxes on all future development in Wildomar. The development agreements mandate that an annual $580 special tax per each new dwelling be paid to the city. The revenues collected would be used for police and fire protection, as well as maintenance, according to Matt Bassi, planning director for Wildomar.

As City Manager Gary Nordquist explained, building homes doesn’t generate money for a city, unless there is a way to balance out the cost of public service and maintenance.

With a 4-0 vote, the planning commission did recommend city council approve a separate development agreement for 84 single-family homes to be built off Hidden Springs Road, between Clinton Keith and Catt roads. 

That applicant is also CV Communities.

That agreement also calls for CV Communities to spend the $15,000 to establish the Community Facilities District. The development agreement also mandates the annual $580 special tax per each new dwelling be paid to the city.

Wildomar Planning Commission Vice Chair Michael Kazmier was absent Wednesday.