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Residents say County Line Road access plan will upend rural neighborhood; developer, staff counter
Summary
Neighbors told the Planning Commission they oppose converting West County Line Road from emergency access to a primary route, citing safety, driveway access, property impacts and evacuation concerns; the developer and staff said the roadway will be 36 feet curb‑to‑curb and that multiple routes and sequencing will address safety.
Dozens of residents who live on or near West County Line Road told the Planning Commission they are alarmed that the Mesa Verde amendment would make County Line Road a principal access and not an emergency‑only road as in the 2017 approval. Speakers said the narrow rural roadway, historic setbacks and private driveways would be compromised by widening and by thousands of new daily trips.
"My family moved there November 1957. I'm here because our residents are very upset about the possibility of our road being widened to 60 feet," said Susie Wills, one of several residents who said the road is currently a narrow rural lane and that proposed changes would bring noise, traffic and safety hazards to their front doors.
Clarence Hofer and other residents called the change a "bait and switch," argued the SEIR understates driveway and turning‑radius impacts, and warned that turning County Line into a primary collector would endanger evacuation capacity in wildfire conditions. The developer responded during rebuttal that the design being proposed is 36 feet curb‑to‑curb, not 60 feet, and that undergrounding utilities and phased improvements are part of the mitigation and sequencing strategy.
Commissioners repeatedly asked about alternatives and sequencing, with several urging staff to secure firm commitments or bonds before any occupancy that would increase traffic. Staff and the applicant said multiple access points would be provided (including Sandalwood Drive and possible emergency connection through the Yucaipa Valley Water District property), but residents said they want binding protections and fair‑market buyouts or other compensation if property would be taken or heavily impacted.
