Horses Are Out - Part 2
- Guest
- 5 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Chula Vista is the 800 pound gorilla
(Rohr Park - Final Plan Update)
Do you remember the 1973 movie classic, The Sting? It involves a complicated plot by two professional drifters to con a mob boss. It starred two big name actors, Robert Redford and Paul Newman. That movie is stuck in my head. Why? I have been following the City of Chula Vista’s Rohr Park Master Planning process since May. I knew early on that what was playing out before my eyes was “a sting” orchestrated to achieve a specific outcome. So, I’ve been trying to figure out who is in on it.
The unincorporated county residents of Bonita-Sunnyside were the targets of this con. The players executing the con have impressed me with their skills including a couple community insiders. It was not so much what these players said but what they didn’t say (or do.) Timing is everything. Remember, the public launch of this master plan happened when our unincorporated county Supervisor seat was empty.
The recent Rohr Park - Final Plan Update was a public workshop to finalize the Rohr Park Master Plan. Yet, it was also another opportunity for the posers to perform. Removing the equestrian arena (due to predictable survey results after telling people repeatedly that it would stay) worked like a charm. The City spokesperson did not have to answer a single question about the gamut of recommended park and golf course improvements or their implications. The loss of the horse arena sucked the air out of the room.
Unsurprisingly, the sole recreation loser with this proposed plan showed up in mass. That night, the message delivered to them was four-fold:
Presentations were provided to only those groups who asked for them
Equestrian recreation supporters made up less than one percent of City’s 1500 survey responders.
The City did not collaborate with the County on this new park vision.
County parks would be on the hook to find a new location for the equestrian arena currently located in Rohr Park.
Bonita resident Judy Tieber, an equestrian, did not echo the sentiments of other equestrians. Unbeknown to most Bonita residents, Judy had been embroiled in a controversy with local equestrians. It began in late 2023 when the City of Chula Vista granted a new exclusive facility use agreement to the Sunnyside Saddle Club. Judy publicly supported this exclusive use agreement for the Rohr Park arena. Other equestrians pushed back.
The Sweetwater Valley Civic Association and Sweetwater Community Planning Group requested and received City presentations on the master plan. However, those presentations were scheduled at inopportune times. The August 6th presentation to the civic association was a week before the release of the two plan alternatives. One disappointed attendee called it “a nothing burger.” Then, the September 2nd presentation to the planning group was a few weeks before the draft master plan release. The horse arena appeared on both park alternatives in the presentation. The City’s message was “the preferred park plan would be something between those two alternatives.” The City spokesperson also confirmed that the equestrian arena was staying in response to a question. This orchestration of events kept Bonita in the dark about the potential loss of the horse arena.
The vision illustration at this workshop had a new title:
Rohr Park and Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course Draft Master Plan
Yet, the illustration was similar to the one on display at their September 26th movie event. A few tweaks to the layout were made but nothing major changed that I found.
The skate park + mini pump track shifted east toward Central Avenue. The old homestead site across from Tennis Court Lane is now programmed as Native Garden. A suspension bridge provides access to the garden from the existing Eucalyptus Grove. Benches along the main concrete path were added. As before, the 3.3 mile walk/ bike/ horse trail around the golf course was not shown nor was the horse trail that parallels Sweetwater Road.
The City’s consultants sought input on “draft master plan phasing,” which had not been released to the public before. The three categories were:
• Short Term (0-5 years)
• Mid Term (6-10 years)
• Long Term (10+ years)
Phasing was qualified by the following footnote:
The timeline begins when construction starts, not when the Master Plan is approved.
The Short Term (0-5 years) project list included:
Expanded trails, pedestrian bridges, + lighting $$
Softball fields $$ (four resized fast-pitch fields with LED lighting)
Pond upgrades + deck $
Maintenance yard and storage relocation $$ (a larger-better located yard and material storage area)
Restroom upgrades $
Soccer fields with lights $$
New parking $$
More shade structures, water and waste stations, and benches $$
Nature play area $
Drainage channels $$
ADA (American Disabilities Act) trail $ (fully-accessible trail connecting to the
eucalyptus grove)
The dollar signs are an indicator of the associated project cost. For the other phases, see the photographed image of their display board.
One workshop participant spoke on phasing. That person was Judy Tieber, current Sweetwater Valley Civic Association Vice President and Sweetwater Community Planning Group member. She wanted the new recreation center to be moved forward into the Short Term phasing category. Yet, participants had been directed to put their phasing input on paper and drop them into a box.
As previously reported on Sunnyside Common Sense, a new community building at the Rohr Manor site and the path across the golf course (both proposed with this plan) were the initial phase in the City’s 2017 golf course redevelopment study.
• Will this Rohr Manor site building be moved up due to public input in City’s next iteration of the plan?
• When will the new path across the golf course be explained in more detail?
I have many questions about the City’s proposed improvement projects for the park and the golf course. Yet, I will wait until the FINAL REPORT is released to the public in early 2026. As far as I’m concerned, the “busy” display board no longer clearly communicates the City’s intent. Some details are not shown. Others are in small print. Complete explanations are not provided due to lack of space.
So, I continue to wonder:
• What is wrong with the existing maintenance yard (and storage) to warrant relocation?
• Is a maintenance yard an allowable park land use?
The new yard site is on a parcel with the following deed restriction:
COVENANT OF OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE: The City of Chula Vista, its successors and assigns, covenant that (1) the above described property shall forever be operated exclusively for public park, amusement or recreational purposes for the benefit and use of all residents of the County of San Diego...
A fenced maintenance and storage yard is not one of those allowed things. Yet, the political elite will enable whatever they want. Their legal advisors find ways to circumvent restrictions that were intended to protect public spaces. The City of San Diego attracted media attention recently for questionable actions related to Mission Bay Park. Last month, the City of San Diego terminated grant deed restrictions deemed problematic at the Polo Fields near Del Mar.
According to the updated timeline, the Parks and Recreation Commission and the City Council will approve the Final Rohr Park and Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course Master Plan in January/ February 2026.
The sobering reality for all of us who love this valley is the City of Chula Vista elected officials already know what will be coming their way for approval. I have no doubt that they’ve talked about Rohr Park uses behind closed doors. Legal issues was “the tell.” What is currently being shared with the public is not the whole truth.
Yet, Voice of San Diego's reporter Jim Hinch provided the City’s point of view in this week’s south county report.
The City of Chula Vista has become the 800 pound gorilla. This is the way of big city politics apparently.
For questions or comments about the recommended Master Plan, contact Project Manager, Frank Carson at FCarson@chulavistaca.gov.
If you want their workshop #3 presentation posted on the City website, you’ll need to ask for it. The August 14 workshop #2 presentation was not posted until recently. This City department is understaffed. Yet, my experience with their responsiveness to inquiries has generally been good.
The next City of Chula Vista Parks and Recreation Commission meeting is on December 11, 2025 6:30pm at Norman Park Senior Center Conference Room in Chula Vista. It was rescheduled from November. I would expect an item about Rohr Park to be on their agenda.
For suggestions and concerns, participants in this process have been encouraged to contact:
City of Chula Vista Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez Rohr Park is within her District 1.
Senior Community Representative for Supervisor Paloma Aguirre Marianne Delatorre attended the City’s November 20, 2025 workshop. Interestingly enough, her area includes National City, Lincoln Acres, Bonita and Chula Vista. Her contact information is not yet on the District 1 website so I’ll provide it here:
Office: 619-531-5667
Mobile: 858-221-2875
Other information that may be of interest:
The City of Chula Vista does not have a tree replacement policy. However, the City’s arborist recommends replacing every tree removed with two trees [2:1] if the project budget allows it.
No housing development nor General Plan changes are currently proposed for the Chula Vista golf course/ Rohr Park area. The City’s Development Services responded to my inquiry last month. I contacted them because their zoning maps appeared to be in error. Some Rohr Park parcels are zoned to allow housing, which is inconsistent with their General Plan.
The golf course clubhouse improvements are complete. The golf course restaurant, The Slice Society, is now open Wednesday through Sunday, 7am to 5pm.
The golf course wracked up a $41,000 water bill with the Sweetwater Authority this summer. Their 2-month consumption ballooned to 6180 hundred cubic feet from 177 two months earlier. That is enough water to fill seven Olympic-sized swimming pools. This sudden jump in water use qualified this municipal golf course account for an $8,000 water bill adjustment. The cited justification for that credit was an irrigation leak. However, the reason for that large bill was much more than an irrigation leak. The golf course also filled their irrigation pond and irrigated heavily to establish new sod.
By Karen Henry, P.E. | November 23, 2025
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