Bonita Homeowner Sends Inquiry About 900-1200 Cubic Yards of Dirt Deposited in Rohr Park
- Guest
- Dec 29, 2025
- 7 min read
Urgent Request for Clarification and Compliance Regarding Observed Grading Activity at Rohr Park / "Master Plan"
Tue, Dec 23, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Dear Mayor McCann, Director Carson, City Manager Allen, and Supervisor Aguirre:
I am writing to formally document and request immediate clarification regarding substantial physical activity currently occurring at Rohr Park, around the equestrian arena area.
As of two days ago, I personally observed and counted approximately 90 truckloads of imported material deposited in two primary locations west of the equestrian arena. One deposit area was approximately 50 yards from the arena, and the primary deposit area was approximately 120 yards away. I estimate the total volume of material to be between 900 and 1,200 cubic yards. The material observed was not clean fill and included visible large concrete fragments with exposed rebar, plastic and copper piping, and numerous rocks.
Based on the volume, proximity, and composition of the material, this activity appears consistent with grading, site preparation, or construction staging, rather than routine park maintenance.
The scale and nature of this activity raises serious concern that physical site preparation may be occurring in advance of formal public consideration of the Rohr Park Master Plan, including proposals that contemplate removal or substantial alteration of the equestrian arena. To my knowledge, no publicly noticed meeting, agenda item, or formal approval has yet occurred authorizing grading, demolition, or preparatory construction affecting the equestrian arena.
The Rohr Park equestrian arena is public parkland subject to deed covenants, Public Resources Code protections, and longstanding public use. The Preservation of Public Parks Act of 1971 requires formal notice, public process, and specific findings prior to the removal, conversion, or reduction of public parkland. In addition, any activity that may constitute a change in use or physical alteration of parkland typically requires appropriate environmental review under CEQA prior to commencement.
Given these protections and requirements, I wish to see written clarification on the following:
Whether any City body has formally approved, noticed, or agendized grading, construction, demolition, or preparatory activity affecting the Rohr Park equestrian arena.
Whether the importation of approximately 900–1,200 cubic yards of material is associated with any proposed change in use of the equestrian arena or implementation of the Rohr Park Master Plan.
What environmental review, if any, has been conducted or initiated pursuant to CEQA in connection with this activity.
How the City intends to comply with the Preservation of Public Parks Act of 1971, applicable Public Resources Code provisions, and deed covenants prior to any alteration or removal of the equestrian facility.
Whether the City considers the equestrian arena to remain active public parkland at this time.
I am concerned that substantial physical alterations may be occurring prior to required public notice, hearings, and approvals, which would prejudice public participation and undermine the legal protections governing public parkland.
This correspondence is submitted to document observed conditions, preserve public rights, and request transparency. I respectfully request confirmation that no further alteration or preparatory work affecting the equestrian arena will proceed absent full legal compliance and public process.
Attached are images of the dirt dumps I am referring to . . . 90 total.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to your written response.
Sincerely,
Stacy Jett
Bonita, California
Attachments:
Click on images to enlarge
Response from City Manager Tiffany Allen
On Wed, Dec 24, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Good Afternoon Ms. Jett,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns about the recent activity near the equestrian arena at Rohr Park and thank you for including the photos—they helped confirm the location and nature of the material you referenced.
The material you observed is being temporarily stored by the City at the request of the golf course manager. The golf course intends to use the material in the coming months for planned course improvements.
This material is not connected to the Rohr Park Master Plan or the equestrian arena, and there is no grading, demolition, or construction work happening near the arena.
The temporary storage of this material does not impact the use of the jogging trail, park, or equestrian facility.
To address your questions directly:
The City has not approved or initiated any work affecting the Rohr Park equestrian arena.
The imported material is not related to any proposed changes to the equestrian arena or implementation of the Rohr Park Master Plan.
The temporary storage of material for this purpose is exempt from CEQA review.
The City will continue to comply with all legal requirements applicable to the equestrian facility.
The equestrian area continues to operate as public parkland.
Thank you again for your engagement and care for Rohr Park. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Allen | City Manager
City of Chula Vista
12.26.25 Response to City Manager
Re: Comprehensive Record Clarification Regarding Rohr Park Activity, Master Plan Phasing
Date: Fri, Dec 26, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Subject: Re: Urgent Clarification: Observed Grading Activity at Rohr
To: Tiffany Allen <TAllen@chulavistaca.gov>
Cc: John McCann <jmccann@chulavistaca.gov>,
Frank Carson <fcarson@chulavistaca.gov>,
Supervisor Paloma Aguirre <paloma.aguirre@sdcounty.ca.gov>,
Board of Ethics <BOE@chulavistaca.gov>,
Marco Verdugo <MVerdugo@chulavistaca.gov>
Dear City Manager Allen,
Thank you for your response. For clarity in future correspondence, I do not use honorifics or titles such as “Ms.” My name is simply Stacy.
I am writing to consolidate and clarify the record regarding recent activity at Rohr Park, the City’s statements concerning legal compliance and public operation of the equestrian arena, and the relationship of those statements to the City’s own Master Plan documents and observed conditions in the park.
First, I appreciate the City’s response explaining that the imported material observed west of the equestrian arena is being temporarily stored for future golf course use and is not presently associated with grading, demolition, or construction affecting the equestrian facility. I also appreciate the City’s confirmation that the equestrian arena is presently considered public parkland.
However, I must respectfully address and clarify the following statement contained in your response:
“The City will continue to comply with all legal requirements applicable to the equestrian facility. The equestrian area continues to operate as public parkland.”
This representation, if left unreconciled, creates a materially incomplete and potentially misleading record.
Observed Conditions and Scope of Activity
As previously documented, I personally observed and counted approximately 90 truckloads of imported material, estimated at 900–1,200 cubic yards, deposited in two primary locations west of the equestrian arena .. one approximately 50 yards from the arena and the other approximately 120 yards away. The material was not clean fill and included visible large concrete fragments with exposed rebar, plastic and copper piping, and numerous rocks.
In addition, during the same timeframe, I documented other park conditions in the vicinity, including removed park benches, dismantled or torn-down shed or roofing materials, substantial tree trimming and green waste, and large containers filled with cut trees and plant matter. While I understand these conditions may relate to park maintenance, the combination of material stockpiling, debris, removals, and staging reasonably created public uncertainty as to the scope and purpose of activity underway.
Master Plan Phasing and “Golf Course Improvements”
In your response, the City states: “The material you observed is being temporarily stored by the City at the request of the golf course manager. The golf course intends to use the material in the coming months for planned course improvements.”
The Draft Rohr Park Master Plan Phasing document expressly identifies “golf course improvements” as a Mid-Term phase action and states verbatim that “the timeline begins when construction starts, not when the Master Plan is approved.” Because the term “planned course improvements” appears verbatim in both the City’s response and the Master Plan phasing document, this raises a reasonable and legitimate question as to how the City is distinguishing between:
routine maintenance,
phased Master Plan implementation, and
the commencement of construction
particularly when physical staging, material stockpiling, and associated removals are already occurring on site.
This correspondence does not assert that construction has formally begun. Rather, it seeks clarification as to how the City is applying its own definitions and phasing framework to ensure that required public notice, environmental review, and statutory protections for public parkland are not bypassed through semantics or incremental action.
Historical Operation and Legal Compliance (April 2023–Present)
Most importantly, the statement that the City “will continue to comply with all legal requirements” and that the equestrian arena “continues to operate as public parkland” does not fully align with the historical operation of the equestrian arena from April 2023 to the present.
During this period, the equestrian arena was repeatedly treated in practice as restricted or exclusive, including:
physical locking of the facility,
enforcement actions premised on private membership status,
law-enforcement encounters in which members of the public were detained, excluded, or threatened with arrest for using public parkland, and
de facto privatization and enforcement authority exercised by a licensee without exclusive possession or publicly approved process.
These actions occurred notwithstanding deed covenants, Public Resources Code protections, and the City’s duty as trustee of public parkland.They were documented through police body-worn camera footage, incident reports, court proceedings, City correspondence, and public records.
I raise this not to adjudicate fault in this correspondence, but to ensure that statements regarding ongoing legal compliance and uninterrupted public operation are accurately framed and understood as factually contested, particularly as the City now advances a Master Plan that explicitly contemplates removal of the equestrian arena without any formal agenda item, noticed hearing, or findings required by law.
Purpose of This Record Clarification
Given the above, it is essential for the integrity of the public record and public trust that City leadership acknowledge and reconcile the disconnect between:
official representations of compliance,
Master Plan phasing language and timelines, and
the actual conditions, enforcement history, and preparatory actions observed on the ground.
My purpose in submitting this comprehensive clarification is not adversarial. It is to ensure transparency, accuracy, and accountability, and to make clear that the people are paying attention to how public land is being managed, staged, and potentially altered in advance of required public process.
I respectfully request written clarification addressing how the City reconciles these issues and how it intends to ensure full compliance with deed restrictions, the Preservation of Public Parks Act of 1971, applicable Public Resources Code provisions, CEQA, and constitutional public access protections before any further advancement of Master Plan concepts affecting the Rohr Park equestrian arena.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Stacy Jett
Bonita, California
EDITOR'S NOTE: More photos and information may be found in the article "What's Going On With The Piles and Piles of Dirt at Rohr Park?"
For those of you unfamiliar with the Rohr Park Master Plan phasing, I have added below the phasing schedule presented to the attendees at the November 20, 2025 Final Plan Update meeting.
Please note that the "Golf Course Improvements" are not scheduled to begin until the Mid-Term Phase, 6-10 years after the Master Plan has commenced. That said, the deposit of 900-1200 cubic yards of dirt for golf course improvements appears to be premature.
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