COUNTY OKS BUYING LAND FOR VALLEY CENTER PARK

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved the purchase of the 60-acre Butterfield Trails Ranch property in Valley Center for the development of a park at a cost over $3 million.

The board voted 4-0 on consent for the proposal, which Supervisor Jim Desmond said “took a lot of work to get here.”

He credited the county Parks and Recreation Department, the Valley Center Planning Group, Bo Mazzetti of the Rincon Band of Luseno Indians, the property owners and residents for their efforts toward a future park.

“Today’s action goes to show that where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Desmond said, adding that Valley Center residents “came alive, and loud and clear” in wanting a new park.

Although Wednesday’s vote involved just the land purchase, it’s a good first step, Desmond said. During public comment, Lori Jacobs of the Valley Center Trails Association echoed

Desmond’s comments on community support, and added that 500 people attended a recent event to celebrate the pending land acquisition.

According to Desmond’s office, the project could include a senior citizen-intergenerational center as one feature.

“We are listening to residents, and as a result the county is adding more parkland to our region,” Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said in a statement.

Several Valley Center residents and organizations requested that the board consider acquiring the property for use as a county park.

In April 2022, the board directed staff to explore acquiring the property to provide trails, open space and volunteer opportunities. Valley Center residents also expressed an interest in celebrating the community’s character and cultural heritage.

The Butterfield Trails Ranch is located at 27765 Valley Center Road, a few miles east of Interstate 15.

An exact construction date was not immediately available.