Six New Faces Are Running for Planning Group
It's called the Sweetwater Community Planning Group (SCPG) because it represents the Sweetwater Valley area. In reality, it's is the planning group for Bonita and Sunnyside.
The Sweetwater Community Planning Group is an elected advisory body that helps guide local land use, development, and community character in the unincorporated Sweetwater Community Planning Area of San Diego County, which includes Bonita and Sunnyside
The Community Planning Groups (CPGs) are comprised of fifteen members who are registered voters living in the planning area they serve. They are advisors to the administrators of the County of San Diego and serve a four-year term. In all, there are 23 CPGs across San Diego County.
Our Sweetwater Community Planning Group meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7PM at the Bonita Sunnyside Fire Station, located at 4900 Bonita Road, Bonita.
The public is invited and the agenda is posted on the window of the Fire Station a few days before the meeting. It alerts you as to what will be discussed and there's also a Public Comment section where you can tell the group about any concerns you may have.
The Sweetwater Community is a unique resource within San Diego County. It provides a semi-rural equestrian community which is close to urban areas and employment opportunities. Its surrounding low hills and the broad Sweetwater River Valley, with tree-lined views, provide a visual relief from other residential areas. The western half of the plan area is mostly developed residential land with single-family homes on parcels less than one acre in size. There is little commercial land and no industrial land in the community planning area. The commercial areas along Bonita Road that are in the City of Chula Vista and other adjacent commercial areas provide commercial services to the primarily residential Sweetwater Valley. The other major land use in the area is the Sweetwater River Valley which is devoted to parks, golf courses, and other open space uses. —Sweetwater Community Plan, San Diego County General Plan
You might not of heard about the SCPG because you need to attend the meetings to find out what's going on. Most years, the same members have been reappointed to the board because people rarely run for the position. Vacancies that appear are filled with friends appointed by the members to fill the position. Some of the board members have served 20 years, a few even longer!
This year has sparked a change and there are twelve candidates running for seven board seats.
The following six candidates are running together for Planning Group seats to make a difference in our Bonita-Sunnyside community. None of them have served on the Planning Group in the past. All bring their own expertise.
Craig Allen—Retired Navy Chief
Daniel Burow—Retired Law Enforcement
Luis De La Rosa—Engineer/Farmer/Educator
Carri Fernandez—Broker Associate
Susan Heavilin—Online News Publisher
Donna Hodge—Retired Customer Representative
"Keeping Bonita-Sunnyside rural because some places are worth protecting."—Craig Allen, Daniel Burow, Luis De La Rosa, Carri Fernandez, Susan Heavilin and Donna Hodge
You might recognize these names. They live in your neighborhoods.
Individually or collectively, these six candidates have been very active in our community over the years. Here are just a few of the things they have done:
Joined "Preserve South Bay" and fought the construction of State Route-125 through our rural lands
Gathered neighbors together to start a Neighborhood Watch
Attended numerous Planning Group meetings and spoke of community concerns in the Public Comment section
Served as a VIP in this year's Bonitafest events
Collected over 400 petition signatures to preserve and maintain the rural character and independence of the Bonita-Sunnyside community
Own(ed) horses and rode in the Bonitafest Parade and on miles & miles of horse/bike/walking trails
Maintained the horse trails and participated in several "I love a Clean San Diego" cleanups in the area
Volunteered and rode for the County of San Diego Parks & Recreation Trail Patrol
Served as a Past President of Allen School PTC
Are current or past members/officers of Bonita Valley Horsemen
Was Past President of Bonita Business and Professional Association (BBPA)
Helped local senior citizens with cleanup projects and other needs
Organized the "Rootin' Tootin' Chili Cook-offs" and Bonitafest Daredevil Motorcyclists Show
Rescued too-many-to-count dogs, pigs and other animals from being hit by vehicles on San Miguel Road
Attended numerous Chula Vista Council Meetings and Park & Recreation Meetings to add input to the Rohr Park Master Plan and keep the horse arena in its current location
Served as board members of several organizations specific to our community
Hiked through riverbeds and washes to study our watershed and ways to contain it
Spoke out against the construction of the Secure Self-Storage facility in our rural community at both Board of Supervisor- and Planning Commission-level meetings. The construction is currently underway on Quarry Road.
Listened to numerous presentations on the future of the Bonita-Sunnyside community through the eyes of the San Diego County Planning and Development Department
Participated in webinars (Zoom) on the Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Ordinance | Vehicle Miles Traveled Mitigation (VMT) | Housing Unlocked: Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) and Infill Development (filling in open space) | Housing Laws In Action: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Single Family Lot Splits/Duplexes (Senate Bill 9), and Density Bonus | Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) | and E-Bike Safety.
Are current members of Bonita Valley Garden Club
Researched and ended an Otay Water District 100-gallon-per-minute leak that the County was paying for over a year ($52.5 million+)
It's really important that we all get out and vote on November 3rd.
These six candidates would serve our community well. They come from a variety of backgrounds with a vast amount of knowledge and qualifications—a big bonus for us.
This team of six will work for YOU. Your vote is appreciated.
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