6/26/2014 - Doubletree Update Presentation at RPPB on 6/25/2014

Last night Ms. Maureen Cohen from the Laurus Corporation (owners of the Doubletree) made a presentation to the Rancho Penasquitos Planning Board at 6pm at the Land Use Committee and at 7:30pm to the full Board meeting. Ms. Cohen started out by telling us that they are going to remodel/update the hotel and showed us sketches and color boards for the various areas of the hotel including Mulligan’s, the restaurant, front lobby, guest rooms etc. The remodel will include landscaping and both pools will be refinished and will have new furniture. Left out of the remodel is the Fitness Center and the tennis courts. She said that they are still looking at those areas. She stated that all supplies/finishes/furniture have been ordered and the remodel will start in September 2014 and take 4 – 5 months. She then informed us that the golf course will be shut down in 9 – 12 months. They told us that it is losing $500,000 a year and it would take nearly $5 million to “fix” what is wrong with it. They also stated that this golf course is only 112 acres and most new golf courses today are around 140 acres and that even if they “fixed” the golf course the market for golfing is declining in the U.S. and they don’t believe that they can make a profit on the golf course and pro shop.

Ms. Cohen then introduced Mr. Damon Gascon from Lewis Operating Corp. whom they have hired to look into how best to repurpose/develop the golf course land. They want to create a sub-committee (within the PQ Planning Board) which would include PQ Planning Board members and members of the community to discuss potential options for redeveloping the golf course. A sign up sheet was sent around to those attending the 7:30pm meeting to sign up for the committee. Mr. Gascon was asked if their plan was to put houses on the golf course land and both he and Ms. Maureen Cohen stated that there are no definite plans, but that is an option and that they want what will benefit both the community and the Hotel. Considering that the Lewis Operating Corp’s main business is to develop Planned Communities, Apartment Complexes and Retail developments, it is likely that home/mixed use facilities are desired (see description of the company below). They assured us that they know about the previous owner’s attempts to redevelop the golf course and that they are not going to make the same mistakes that they made and that they will listen to what the community wants.

The PQ-NE Action Group Board members and other neighbors were at the 6pm Land Use meeting as well as the 7:30pm full RPPB meeting last night. Many people spoke about the issues in developing the golf course as it is a designated open space in our community plan which was last updated in 1993. Many people spoke and let them know that they don’t want the land developed and don’t want the golf course closed. Concern was expressed on how they are going to maintain the golf course after it closed, etc. and we were told that there would be a detailed “wind-down” plan for the closure that they will share at a later date. They want to put a committee together over the next 2 months and meet to discuss what may be beneficial in the development of the land to the community and the owners. If you would like to be part of that committee please e-mail Jeanine Politte (Doubletree Subcommittee Chair for RPPB) at jeanine@jpolitte.com.

The Doubletree owner & Lewis Operating Corp. will have to develop a plan for the property and go to the Rancho Penasquitos Planning Board and ask for a community plan amendment to develop on the golf course. It will probably take at least 1 year before they could develop a plan to start those discussions. The Planning Board meetings are on the 1st Wednesday every month at 7:30pm at the Doubletree except July and August when they take a vacation. For timely future updates please e-mail Jeanine Politte at jeanine@jpolitte.com and ask to be added to the RPPB e-mail list and to the PQ-NE Action Group e-mail list. You can add yourself to the PQ-NE Action Group's email list at http://savepq.org/emailsubscriptions.html or like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PQNEActionGroup.

The Rancho Peñasquitos Planning Board is dark (no meetings) for July and August so we expect the Laurus Corporation and Lewis Operating Corp. to come back to the board when they meet in September. Please read all Agenda’s for the monthly RPPB meetings and attend as many meetings as you can to give input.

Laurus Corporation is a private real estate investment and development firm established in 1999 to acquire and reposition real estate assets. Its cycle-tested professionals have over $3 billion in real estate transaction and development service experience with a primary focus on the acquisition of fee-simple hospitality, office, retail, and multifamily / residential, properties. These properties are expected to have positive fundamentals in compelling locations. Laurus’ experience and expertise is in complex distressed debt (NPN), sub-performing and bank owned assets (REO) mitigation, acquisition and management.

Lewis Operating Corp., a real estate development company, engages in the acquisition, ownership, development, and management of residential and commercial real estate projects. It develops mixed-use planned communities and residential apartments; and builds and owns rental communities, shopping centers, office parks, and industrial buildings in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. The company also provides residential land development services for homebuilders. Its projects include homes and apartments; and retail, office, and industrial buildings. The company was founded in 1955 and is based in Upland, California with regional offices in Sacramento, California; and Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.

6/20/2014 - Doubletree Resort to make presentations at RPPB Meetings on 6/25/14

The Doubletree's owner, The Laurus Corporation, will be making a presentation at the Rancho Peñasquitos Planning Board meetings, both the Land Use Committee at 6:00pm and Regular Meeting at 7:30pm on June 25, 2014. The meetings will be held at the Doubletree in the El Dorado Room (14455 Peñasquitos Drive, San Diego 92129). <Meeting was moved to Sandpiper Room.>

It is our understanding that they will give an update (Information Only) on their plans for the Hotel and Golf Course. We do not have any specifics on their presentation, but we hope that many of our neighbors will be able to attend either or both of the meetings. Their presentation should be very similar at both meetings. Agenda

5/30/2013 - Check out PQ-NE Action Group's latest Newsletter here

5/3/2013 - News Update on Doubletree, NBC Channel 7 News Report

On Friday, May 3rd, the Action Group received a call from Artie Ojeda, Channel 7 News, about the Doubletree and asking for our comments. The CEO of the Laurus Corp. told him that their ideal plan is to repurpose the golf course with 400 residential units, parks & trails. Pam Logemann agreed to an on camera interview. Here is a link to the video report from Channel 7 if you missed it. On-Air video - Doubletree

PQ-NE Action Group board wants to represent all our neighbors regarding this new land development plan in OUR neighborhood. Please like the
PQ- NE Action Group's Facebook Page to share your feelings.

4/4/2013 - Brief update regarding the Rancho Penasquitos Planning Board Land Use Committee Meeting last night where Doubletree's Owners spoke.

The CEO of the Laurus Corporation came to introduce himself and his manger and to talk about "re-purposing the resort" especially the golf course which is losing $500,000 a year. He reported that they are finalizing financing of the resort $10M renovations for the lobby, rooms, landscape and sports facility. It was asked if they would update the tennis courts and he said no. They will not invest in the golf course either as that is losing money. They didn't present a plan on what they are planning and said they just wanted to introduce the fact that they are looking at several options for the property. This was met with caution notices from Board Members Joost Bende and Jeanine Politte as they advised them to review all the information they could get from the 2007 plans that the previous owner tried to do with the golf course (build 200 homes) and the community's response. The Planning Board members all asked them very good questions and then the floor was open for the community. Approximately 5 people asked questions of the CEO at that time.

The Community Plan calls for the golf course to be community open space so if they wanted to do something else with the property they would have to ask our Planning Board to approve an amendment to develop that property. Then they would go downtown to the Planning Commission to start the process. It is a long process but we must stay vigilant and make sure we are attending all Planning Board meetings where they will present information. It is up to us to voice our opinions, concern, etc. to their plans before they go down to the city.

* Reported by Pam Logemann on our Facebook page

5/14/13: Brief explanation of how this project should move through review process - The owner/developer would need to initiate a Community Plan amendment to change the use or designation of their property. They would need to apply for a Site Development permit and present plans to be reviewed by City Staff who will determine what environmental reports/studies will be required. This process can have multiple cycles of review. During this time, RPPB will have opportunities to review the plans, DSD cycle reports, and the applicant will make presentations to the local community via RPPB meetings. This is a long process and it will provide many opportunities for community input at the local planning board level. RPPB will provide a recommendation on the project as an advisory body to City Council. The project and plan amendment would also need approval by the Planning Commission and City Council, giving us additional opportunity to have our voices heard if it moves forward.

3/15/2013 - Brush Management Inspections for homes north of SR-56 in Rancho Peñasquitos will begin in May 2013. Please read the linked flyer if your home is adjacent to open space or canyon. NOTE: They began inspections the beginning of April 2013.

3/15/2013 - Sabre Springs / Rancho Peñasquitos Transit Station closes for construction of new 4 level parking structure. Rancho Bernardo & Del Lago Transit Stations reopen. More info

2/15/2013 - ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID TREATMENT PLANS for portion of Peñasquitos Glens - A portion of PQ Glens will be treated in the next few weeks. An information meeting is scheduled at the Carmel Mtn. Ranch Library on 2/20/13. Click here to read the documents that were mailed to the notification area.

8/1/2012 - Sewer line replacement and dismantling of Sewer Pump Station 62. 

You may be noticing City Engineering Division staff and utility companies in the area marking the locations of their installations (color coded spray paint markings) on Almazon St, Peñasquitos Dr adjacent to Rolling Hills Elementary down to Del Diablo Way and also on Paymogo St.

New sewer lines will be installed and the sewer pump station on Paymogo St (SPS #62) will be dismantled. Pump station #84 in RB (Cam Crisalida) will be upgraded to handle it all.

UPDATE 2/15/2013 - Repaving of Peñasquitos Drive, Almazon St. and Paymogo St where trenching occurred is tentatively scheduled for the week of March 24th during Spring Break.

UPDATE 9/20/2012 - The sewer line replacement is almost complete.  TC Construction crews will be removing the staging areas as they move over into RB to begin that stage of the project; next week or so.

There is still an issue with the street light adjacent to the ball field at Rolling Hills Park and power needs to be restored. The day before the mass power outage caused by TCC crews trenching, they dug up the power line to the pole. SDG&E will be trenching across Almazon St. to run a new power line to the pole, hopefully in the next week or so.

Once the street lamp repairs are complete, the sewer line trench will be paved per the approved project & City standards (SDG-107 type “A”) http://www.sandiego.gov/engineering-cip/pdf/stddraw06/sdg107.pdf. 

Note: TCC crews move to the RB portion of the project. SPS 62 will be taken offline when SPS 84 is completed. Then TC Construction will be back to demolish SPS 62 and re-vegetate the easement. This is tentatively slated for summer 2013.  Additionally, the upgraded SPS 84 must be pumping by June 30, 2013 per USEPA consent decree.

UPDATE 8/2/2012 - Construction has begun. Please review the info on the yellow door hanger to the right (click to view). The dates on the flyer are incorrect. If you have questions, please contact City Engineering & Capital Projects Department at 619-533-4207 or by email to: engineering at sandiego dot gov.