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Board addresses concerns about Hagey property

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At the Ramona Design Review Board’s May 26 meeting, members sought the latest status on Jim Hagey’s property behind Stater Bros. shopping center as some said they have received phone calls from residents. They also told a new business owner he will have to reconfigure his sign to be in compliance.

Hagey wants his approximately 22-acre property bordered by Ramona, H and 16th streets included in the Ramona Village Center Form-Based Code that is being updated. Doing so will give him mixed use zoning that will allow commercial as well as residential, and that has many neighbors of that area worried about commercial on H Street.

Design review chair Rob Lewallen said the proposed form-based code update is under review by county staff and could be presented to the Ramona Community Planning Group in July or later. Lewallen is also chair of the Ramona Village Design Group that helped to create the form-based code and recently supported including Hagey’s property within the boundaries. Any development will then have to follow specific design elements.

“It will be conforming and there will be a mixed use allowed,” Lewallen said.

Board secretary Scotty Ensign said he is hearing rumblings of behind-the-scenes, under-handed manipulation, and member Jim Cooper said neighbors’ concern is that once the form-based code update is approved with Hagey’s property, a big box store will come in and there will be no restrictions. Lewallen said that instead of a big box store, a mini box has been discussed.

Cooper and Lewallen noted that the update will have to go through many levels of approval: county staff, Ramona planning group, county Planning Commission and county Board of Supervisors, giving residents opportunity to weigh in.

Lewallen said some residents feel the commercial core should not be widened if Main Street isn’t filled, but added that less than 20 percent space is left on Main when allowing for vernal pools and other limitations.

“It’s time to fatten the town,” Lewallen said.

Member Chris Anderson said the planning group in the 1990s supported widening instead of lengthening the commercial core.

The board also reviewed the sign for Resurrected Rustic at 948 Main St., telling owners Greg and Misty Freman that it was too large for the building. The Fremans said they were unaware of the signage regulations.

The Fremans said they have received many compliments about the sign, which consists of approximately 12-inch letters on a board with low-intensity white lights around it.

Lewallen admitted the sign is “pretty neat.”

“And it does help our community character,” he said.

Because the store is in the form-based code area there is more leniency with signage, Lewallen said, but added that it is about twice the size allowed. Other members said if they allow the sign as it is, there will be complaints from business owners who were restricted.

The board also said that, due to the county’s dark sky policy, the lights will have to be down-shielded. Various suggestions were discussed as to how to retain the look of the sign but make it work with regulations.

Freman said he will try to come up with a new plan.

“It’s very disappointing,” he said. “It’s a beautiful piece of artwork here in Ramona.”

In other business, the board approved a sign with historical information to go beneath the Turkey Queen mural at Old Barn Door Antiques, 369 Main St., and tabled action on front facade adjustments for the former Ramona Sentinel building at 611 Main St., asking applicant Jerrilynn Myers for additional information.

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