Planning Group Priorities for 2025 - 2029

I'm looking forward to serving my neighbors in Crest, Dehesa, Harbison Canyon and Granite Hills for a second term on our elected Planning Group.  Living in an unincorporate part of San Diego County, we don't have a city council -- the Planning Group advises the county on many of the issues on which a city council would normally make decisions, such as community planning, land use, transportation and related issues.

Based on ongoing conversations I've had with residents and neighbors, here are my top priorities for the next term:

1. Implementation of recommendations to improve safety from wildfire.  The Planning Group adopted a comprehensive plan of action at our June 2024 meeting.  That plan can only be advisory, making the next step working with the county, state, fire districts, Fire Safe Council and community associations to implement the plan's recommendations.  

2. Community Plan Update.  Our Community Plan is out of date and overdue for a comprehensive revision.  This update must place improving resilience from wildfire at the center of our planning, including better evacuation routes.

3. Secondary evacuation route for Crest.  It is unacceptable we are 20+ years after the Cedar Fire and Crest still does not have a proper alternate evacuation route that is suitable 24/7, 365, and in all weather conditions.  The lack of this secondary evacuation route poses a direct threat to area residents in the event of catastrophic wildfire and I will continue to do everything possible to persuade the County of San Diego to take long overdue action to ensure area residents have the evacuation capacity necessary for when the fire comes.

4. Safety on La Cresta Road.  As a major transportation artery linking El Cajon, Crest and Harbison Canyon, it is imperative the County of San Diego take steps to improve safety on this road.  Irresponsible driving has no doubt been a major contributing factor to numerous injuries and fatalities on this road, yet there is no doubt additional steps can be taken for reconfiguring it to reduce the risks posed to drivers.  I have counted 8 blind curves between Crest and Greenfield Drive, and I will continue to press the County to take action.

5. Opposing discriminatory taxes and fees targeting East County residents.  It's no secret the powers in Sacramento continue to push for higher density housing throughout the state, including by discouraging homebuilding in our urban-rural interface zones like Crest, Harbison Canyon and Dehesa.  Policies proposed in Sacramento will disproportionately target our residents as part of a broad effort to "encourage" more development along the coast by making it more difficult and expensive to build inland.  The recently proposed "mileage tax" is one such punitive measure.  The Planning Group voted unanimously to oppose the county's proposed "mileage tax" and I will continue taking every opportunity to weigh in heavily against such measures in the next term.

The Planning Group is only advisory to the county, but it is our local voice to county government.  Please send me a note with any concerns or issues you have that we may be able to address.  In the meantime, I'll continue working hard to make the community safer, better and more affordable for everyone.

Looking forward,
Ron Nehring
Vice Chairman and Crest Member, Crest Dehesa Harbison Canyon Granite Hills Planning Group