In a split vote, the San Diego County Planning Commission on Wednesday denied the Cottonwood Sand Mine, a controversial mining project in the Rancho San Diego area. But the developer of the project said they will appeal to the Board of Supervisors.
The proposed 10-year sand mining project — with a two-year additional reclamation period — would extract 4.3 million cubic yards of material, including around 3.8 million cubic yards produced for market use.
The mine would be located on the site of the Cottonwood Golf Course, across from Cottonwood Two County Park. The proposed project would cover 200 acres along Willow Glen Drive between Jamacha and Hillsdale roads in Rancho San Diego, just south of El Cajon.
"The Cottonwood proposal will ultimately dedicate 150 acres of permanent open space and create a critical linkage for wildlife species and trails — an extraordinary public benefit for the region," according to a statement from developers Cottonwood Cajon, LLC. "In addition, the temporary, local source of essential construction sand will help offset skyrocketing costs for housing and infrastructure construction and create hundreds of high-quality jobs."
Barry Jantz with the group Stop Cottonwood Sand Mine, acknowledged their fight is not over.
"We don't anticipate this is the end. We anticipate that the applicant will appeal," he said. "I think there's a 10-day or so process to appeal. And then this will be going to the Board of Supervisors, within the next couple of months.”
In a statement, Cottonwood Cajon called the vote "misguided" and said the project complied with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and zoning code.
“We now look forward to demonstrating to the Board of Supervisors that the Cottonwood Proposal will provide the community with 148 acres of permanent open space; address rising housing and infrastructure construction costs; and reduce out-of-region, heavy duty truck trips that congest and pollute our region,” the statement said.
The commission was scheduled to hear public opinion on the mine last month, but technical difficulties necessitated the item's postponement, and more than 200 residents waiting to talk were turned away.
On Wednesday, the Stop Cottonwood Sand Mine Committee presented its opposition to the project, which it had maintained since the project was first proposed in 2018.
"The committee is expressing continued concerns that a Major Use Permit for a more than 10-year open pit sand mining operation — on the site of the Cottonwood Golf Course along the Sweetwater River — is out of character with the already established Rancho San Diego community, made up of nearby homes, schools, and businesses," committee spokesman Barry Jantz said in a statement. "The project is also inconsistent with the County General Plan and Community Specific Plans."
Nearby residents voiced concerns about traffic, noise, health issues from mining operations and aesthetics. The site is in a residential neighborhood.
"I just had heart surgery because of COVID," Juliet Linholm said. "I like to walk, but when I walk, I don't want to be smelling the sand because there is toxicity."
Developers and the building industry said that they need sand from the mine to produce aggregate for construction at a low cost.
“We get contractors out there, 'Hey, give me a quote on this new concrete. Why is it so expensive?' Jorge Viramontes with Carpenters Local 619. "Well, why? We know now why, because everything's imported. Projects like this keep that aggregate and that material in house.”
Mine operations would run Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 a.m. with trucking operations from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
County Planning & Development Services had recommended that the planning commission deny the project.
