SANTEE
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The Santee City Council agreed last night to potentially annex more than 115 acres from San Diego.
The idea hinges on the approval of a large housing development on the same property, which Santee city officials sharply oppose.
The undeveloped property is technically in San Diego's East Elliott area, but is far closer to developed portions of Santee.
Developer Pardee Homes wants to build 424 homes. Because of the property's location, about 2,000 new residents most likely would use Santee's roads and parks, and fire and law enforcement agencies.
So officials from the cities of San Diego and Santee and Pardee Homes have been looking at the idea of incorporating the land into Santee if the San Diego City Council were to approve the housing development. No date has been set for a hearing.
Santee council members voted 3-1 last night to approve an agreement that sets up a framework for a future annexation, while continuing to express their displeasure with the housing proposal.
Santee Mayor Randy Voepel, who cast the vote in opposition, said he is strongly against the project in part because it is not in the city's general plan. Among his worries is that Mast Boulevard, one of the city's major streets, could not handle the additional traffic.
“I'm of a mind of just fighting this all the way – not compromising, not sending mixed signals, but going back to line-in-the-sand, no no no,” Voepel said.
The San Diego City Council is set Monday to consider the same agreement to consider annexation at the suggestion of Councilman Jim Madaffer.
Madaffer wrote in a memo to the San Diego City Council dated yesterday that many of the project's potential effects might fall to Santee. He said he understood Santee's concerns.
“What's good for Santee is decided by that council,” Madaffer said.
Ultimately, the Local Agency Formation Commission also would have to approve the annexation.
Michele Clock: (619) 593-4964; michele.clock@uniontrib.com
