RB Council Recap: High-Speed Rail, Burglaries and Redistricting

The Rancho Bernardo Community Council held its monthly meeting at the RB Library on Thursday.

Here are some of the highlights.

• High-speed rail: The Council voted to work with the RB Planning Board to write a letter opposing the through Rancho Bernardo. Current plans called for the rail to run along the west side of Interstate 15, subjecting a projected 20 homes in Westwood to eminent domain, according to a project engineer. Last week, the to work with the Council on the letter. A list of the groups' concerns about the project are listed below.
• Crime: San Diego police Officer Susan Steffen said there have been recent issues with home break-ins in, where thieves were possibly looking for prescription medication; and in Mira Mesa where homes being fumigated were broken into. A recent series of car window vandalism in and along remains unsolved, Steffen said, asking for witnesses to come forward.
• Fire Prevention: Fire Capt. Chris Babler talked about the July 1 deadline for single-family homes to have carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, and the restoration of full service at browned out stations across the city at the beginning of next month.
• Community Representative: Tiffany Leal will become the new community representative for RB from Councilman Carl DeMaio's office. Jack Straw, the current representative, will be joining Councilwoman Lorie Zapf's office in District 6.

[The California High-Speed Rail Authority will be able to respond to the perceived issues cited below once the letter is submitted.]

High-Speed Rail "Issues for Concern to the RB Community"

1. General opposition to the project due to the adverse impacts on the RB Community.

2. Unjustified/unwarranted relocation of the initial alignment from coastal route to inland route.

3. Excessive noise impacts from high speed train operation that cannot be mitigated due to lateral and downward noise from concrete guideway. 

4. Vibration from high-speed trains operating on concrete guideway affecting adjacent properties.

5. Excessively high guideways over freeway bridges (70+ feet) causing adverse visual impacts and loss of view corridor for many businesses and residents.

6. Adverse impacts to both commercial and residential property values.

7. High-speed trains causing dust trail from movement of trains through community at speeds in excess of 150 mph.

8. Taxpayers' perspective ... unrealistically low system construction costs. When all other rails systems average $150-$250 million per mile at the, [California High-Speed Rail Authority] claims it can build the system for $53.75 million/mile. California taxpayers will suffer the burden of added costs.

9. General ... unrealistic and overly inflated ridership projections, questionable point-to-point travel times, lack of a sound financial plan. 

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