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Neighbors urge Hemet to delay Mesa Grande acquisition and plan for access, fire safety
Summary
Multiple residents from the Mesa Grande area told the Hemet City Council that annexation or acquisition of the Mesa Grande property should be delayed until the city addresses limited access, fire risk, trespass, and infrastructure costs.
A string of residents from neighborhoods bordering Mesa Grande told the Hemet City Council on Sept. 9 they support preserving Mesa Grande as open space but urged the city to delay any acquisition or annexation until public‑safety, access and infrastructure issues are resolved.
Kathy Schmidt, who said she owns 74 acres adjacent to Mesa Grande, said a narrow, one‑car farming easement off South Cornell Street is private and cannot be widened without her permission. “I won my case in court and in appellate court, firmly establishing that I own the road, that it's not for public use,” Schmidt said, and she asked the city to involve neighbors in planning and to erect fencing and signage so residents’ properties are not used as unofficial park access.
Several other speakers echoed concerns that the property is in a high fire hazard area, that existing roads such as Vista Del Valle, Rawlings Road and Cornell Street are too steep, narrow or not up to code for regular fire or emergency access, and that homeless encampments and trespassers have become a recurring problem. Todd Fouts said neighbors have hired private security to patrol and that the site has been targeted in the past for alleged illegal activity: “We currently have a homeless encampment at the end of Descanso… every couple of days, you have a pickup truck come up and they unload material and go up that way,” he said.
Andrew Kotcher, representing Hemet United, and other speakers said they support preserving Mesa Grande and pursuing grant funding but urged the city to coordinate annexation with a formal master plan that ensures local control of services, consistent public safety response and planned circulation. “We… are coming to the city even though you're not our representatives to hear us and hear our concerns,” Kotcher said, asking that a master plan tie together transportation, public safety and code enforcement before any annexation move.
Other residents raised fiscal concerns about infrastructure costs and long‑term maintenance, noting that even if acquisition funds come from grants, constructing access roads, fencing, and providing ongoing patrol and fire mitigation could produce substantial city expenses. Ben Cheeseman and Julie Parker, representing a 55+ mobile home association, asked that the city provide clearer, city‑sponsored outreach and public education on the annexation process and survey residents before advancing annexation steps.
The council did not take formal action on Mesa Grande during the meeting. Officials repeatedly said annexation and annexation‑related service changes involve coordination with the county and agencies outside Hemet’s direct jurisdiction.
Ending: Residents asked the council to postpone any acquisition or annexation decision until the city and county produce a joint master plan that addresses access, emergency response, fencing, signage, and long‑term maintenance costs.
