PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN DIEGO, CA PERMIT NO. 835
the
BOXHOLDER
THE RANCHO SANTA FE NEWS
.com THE RANCH’S BEST SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS
VOL. 8, NO. 18
NOV. 2, 2012
Traffic circles planned
THISWEEK
By Patty McCormac
Rancho Santa Fe’s 92067, one of the richest ZIP codes in the U.S., has given 44 times more than the average zip code in campaign contributions this year, a big jump from three months ago. In July, the area represented 34 times more than the average zip code. The campaign contributions were released to the public Oct. 21 and reflect filings with the FEC (Federal Election Commission) through Sept. 30. Because October filings have yet to be released, it’s premature to compare this election’s campaign contributions with previous presidential election year totals. But for some perspective, campaign contributions from individuals in Rancho Santa Fe added up to $3.5 million in 2008 and $2.5 million in 2004. Yet this year’s presidential
RANCHO SANTA FE — After years of planning, traffic circles are making their way into Rancho Santa Fe. The subject came up on the Association’s Oct. 18 agenda. “We have to be very careful because this issue hasn’t come up in a few years,” Vice President Anne Feighner said. “This has been a hot issue for a long time.” “We want to make sure everyone knows it is coming down the pike,” Association President Roxana Foxx said. The traffic circles are planned for the intersections of Del Dios and El Camino Del Norte; Paseo Delicias and El Montevideo-La Valle Plateada; and Paseo Delicias and Via de la Valle. “The roundabouts are designed to function together as a system by requiring vehicles to slow, but not stop, as they move through the intersection,” Ivan Holler, assistant Association manger, told the board. “The roundabouts at El Camino Del Norte and Via de la Valle are designed as threeway intersections, while the roundabout at El Montevideo and La Valley Plateada is designed as a four-way intersection.” He said the intersection of Paseo Delicias and Via de la Valle, because of its irregular shape, was the most complex. On the north side of this intersection, the western end of La Fremontia would be closed and would become a cul-desac. Each of the roundabouts shares the same components of splitter islands to slow approaching traffic and align the vehicles to enter the circular flow of traffic. They will all also have a center landscaped islands and pedestrian and equestrian crosswalks. “We are excited because it improves equestrian safety,” Director Rochelle Putnam said.“For those of us who cross Del Norte, that is a huge benefit.” Feighner said she is concerned about unintended effects on others. “Will people be able back out of their driveways?” she asked Holler. Holler said they would be able to, even during the highvolume traffic hours. Still, there are significant issues connected with the traffic circles, Holler said. “The county will need to acquire additional right-of-way
TURN TO CONTRIBUTIONS ON A15
TURN TO TRAFFIC CIRCLES ON A15
CONSERVING WATER
Reducing outdoor use is the largest piece of lowhanging fruit when it comes to achieving water savings. A6
RACE FOR THE BOARD
Learn about the candidates competing for two open slots on the Irrigation District board.
A2
INSIDE
TWO SECTIONS, 36 PAGES
Arts & Entertainment . . A13 Baby Boomer Peace . . . . B9 Brush with Art . . . . . . . A13 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . B12 Coastal Cosmos . . . . . . . B5 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . B11 Consumer Reports . . . . B14 Food & Wine . . . . . . . . . A10 Frugal Living . . . . . . . . . B8 Hit the Road . . . . . . . . B10 Machel’s Ranch . . . . . . . B6 Odd Files . . . . . . . . . . . . B3 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Pet of the Week . . . . . . . B5 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4 Who’s News . . . . . . . . . . B3
HOW TO REACH US (760) 436-9737 CALENDARS SECTION: calendar@coastnewsgroup.com COMMUNITY NEWS: community@coastnewsgroup.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: letters@coastnewsgroup.com
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS Sell your car at any price, or any one item $150 or less for free! Go online to www.coastnewsgroup.com or call our free ad hot line at (760) 436-1070. Deadline is Monday at 4 p.m.
According to recent reports luxury homes in Rancho Santa Fe are following an upward trend in sales.
Photo by Jared Whitlock
High-end home market ticking upward By Jared Whitlock
RANCHO SANTA FE — ason Barry stood at the entrance to a massive $16 million home, greeting onlookers and potential buyers. Barry, a real estate agent who specializes in luxury homes, was encouraged by the amount of foot traffic at the open house, likely more than there would have been a year or two ago. It was another signal in his book that high-end home sales are coming back in Rancho Santa Fe. Rancho Santa Fe isn’t alone. Across California, million-dollar plus home sales are at their highest level in five years, according to a report from DataQuick released two months ago. Luxury home sales are up 19 percent this year compared with last year. That’s better than the average, as sales across all price points are up
10 percent. The high-end home trend has played out locally. “It’s interesting looking at last year compared to now with a community like the (Rancho Santa Fe) Covenant as an example,” Barry said. “Last year, there were 139 homes for sale. This year at the same time, there are 100 homes for sale. You’ve seen inventory decrease as you’ve seen activity increase.” But Barry said that price per square foot hasn’t jumped yet in Rancho Santa Fe. Indicators show that could be happening soon though, he said. “It’s the basic rule of supply and demand that’s tied into this increase in activity,” Barry said. Indeed, state figures show prices inching up as well, according to DataQuick. Buyers of million-dollar plus
homes paid on average $632 per square foot, up two percent from last year. Barry noted that luxury home prices were among the hardest hit of all price points during the downturn, meaning there’s a steeper hill to climb for a market correction.Yet he feels “we turned the corner.” “We were thinking back in 2009 and 2010 that we were hitting bottom,” Barry said. “When in fact we were continuing to drift a little lower. It looks to us as though we hopefully have been pointed back in a positive direction.” The reduction in inventory largely explains why less high-end buyers are waiting on the sidelines, Barry said. Another factor is that credit is more accessible than it was during the peak of the economic downturn. He said that’s more likely to benefit buyers at lower price points,
but some purchasing luxury homes are taking out loans. Because credit is so cheap right now, some take out loans to free up money that can be in turn invested in the market, earning a higher rate of return than it would sitting in the bank. When asked whether he predicts the luxury market to slowly increase or shoot up quickly, Barry answered: “I wouldn’t be surprised to see either.” Jane Foster, a real estate agent who focuses on milliondollar plus homes in North County, said that the market for higher-end homes is slowly improving. Tepid job growth and high rates of foreclosure, however, continue to be challenges for all price points, she said. And locals might have a TURN TO HOUSING ON A12
Campaign contributions in RSF nearly double ■ Potential for
undisclosed contributions still remains By Jared Whitlock
RANCHO SANTA FE — If the election is a money race, then checkbooks are galloping faster towards the finish line. Individuals in Rancho Santa Fe, as defined by ZIP codes 92067 and 92091, have given nearly $2.9 million in campaign contributions so far this year, up from $1.5 million in July. That’s according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which runs opensecrets.org, a nonpartisan and nonprofit website dedicated to tracking money in politics. Nearly all of the donations
this year have benefited Republicans. Ninety-nine percent of campaign contributions from ZIP code 92091, and 92 percent from 92067 went to Republican-backed candidates and organizations. The Republican National Committee received $971,000, making it the top recipient of campaign contributions from individuals in Rancho Santa Fe. Next, Mitt Romney hauled MITT in $817,000. ROMNEY Rounding out the top three, the National Republican Congressional Committee was given $152,000. Locally, individuals in Rancho Santa Fe donated $107,000 to Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray, who received the most of any San Diego candidate.
By comparison, President Barack Obama brought in $116,000, and the Democratic National Committee pulled in $57,000. Democrats likely performed relatively poor in fundraising because of Rancho Santa Fe’s history as a Republican stronghold. In 2008 presidential candidate John McCain won nearly two-thirds of the vote in the area. BARACK Looking OBAMA at the rest of San Diego, Romney is still ahead in individual contributions, but not by much. Not including Rancho Santa Fe, Mitt Romney garnered $2.9 million in individual contributions in San Diego. Respectively, Obama is at $2.7 million.