Ramona Airport tower to stay open, Jacob tells constituents

By Karen Brainard

County Supervisor Dianne Jacob opened her Coffee with Constituents meeting in Ramona Town Hall on Thursday with what she called “really good news.”

“And because of all of our efforts, the Ramona (Airport) tower is going to stay open,” she said to applause among the

nearly 70 people in attendance.

The air traffic control tower was one of 149 low activity contract airport towers threatened with closure last year due to federal spending cuts.

Jacob said she learned that the Senate and House appropriations committees included funding for the airport towers in the federal budget. She said that the federal fiscal year starts Oct. 1 and the budget will need to be approved by the Senate and the House, and be signed by the president, but “everybody’s celebrating.”

Jacob thanked all those who wrote letters and sent emails regarding the tower, saying “it worked.”

Among topics brought up at the coffee by residents were incorporating Ramona as a city, the state Route 67 and Highland Valley/Dye Road intersection, deep potholes in county-owned alleys, wineries, and revising the county’s farm stay ordinance to open more accommodations in Ramona.

Jacob credited the county Department of Public Works for coming up with a plan to fund improvements to the state Route 67 and Highland Valley/Dye Road intersection for better traffic flow. She also credited the Ramona Community Planning Group, particularly Chair Jim Piva and Secretary Kristi Mansolf, for efforts to see the intersection improved.

“It will take probably a couple of years for the construction to be finalized once we get the financial plan in place,” she said.

Resident Andy Smith, however, said he doesn’t want a stoplight at that intersection, explaining that he believes a roundabout, also known as a traffic circle, would work well there.

About 25 people who attended the meeting wore large yellow stickers that said “Support Resident Ownership for Oak Tree Ranch.” On Jan. 24, the county Planning Commission denied a proposal to convert Oak Tree Ranch, a community of manufactured homes on Black Canyon Road, to resident ownership.

Acknowledging the stickers, Jacob said, “I cannot talk to you because of county law about any land use issue that would be pending or coming before the board of supervisors.”

More control over local planning was mentioned by residents. Darrell Beck, president of the Ramona Municipal

Water District Board and a Ramona Town Hall trustee, suggested incorporating the town as a way to control land issues.

Jacob said the communities of Santee and Poway incorporated after they were mad at the county about land decisions.

“You just have to make sure you’re financially ready to do that,” she said.

Jacob said that, to incorporate, a community must be revenue neutral, meaning it cannot take more money from the county than it is generating.

“You need to have a good solid tax base for incorporation to be viable,” she said.

When it was noted that the county owns a lot of land by the airport, a possible industrial area, Jacob said the county can lease the land to a business or manufacturer.

To create a better economic environment in the backcountry, Jacob noted that the county has been loosening regulations, adding humorously that she calls it “bees, beer and burgundy.”

In addition to adopting the tiered winery ordinance and tiered equine ordinance, Jacob said that she has addressed beekeeping and micro-breweries and expects to see more ordinances this year.

With a growing elderly population in the county, Jacob, who is chairwoman of the board of supervisors, talked about her focus on senior home care and raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and finding a cure.