The General Plan Update and the Multiple Species Conservation Program-North are making progress, and the Multiple Species Conservation Program-East has been initiated. Rancho Guejito was the subject of a trip to Washington, DC.

The County’s General Plan Update can redefine San Diego’s future, based on country towns and expansive greenbelts. A draft Land Use Element was issued, upon which EHL submitted detailed comments. Two new land use maps were also unveiled – a "hybrid" of higher and medium intensity maps and an "environmentally preferred" scenario. The EIR for the project is in preparation with adoption anticipated in 2010. In the meantime, inconsistent projects, such as Warner Ranch near the Pala Casino, should not move forward.

The MSCP-North complements the original MSCP in the South County. An internal review draft for the advisory committee was circulated, and EHL pointed out major problems with how the preserve is supposed to be assembled.

The 22,000-acre Rancho Guejito is a key component of MSCP-North. At the end of April, EHL Executive Director Dan Silver accompanied San Diego County Supervisor Bill Horn on a trip to Washington, DC. Together, we educated Congressional offices on the legacy of Rancho Guejito and received an enthusiastic response for assembling acquisition funds.

The MSCP-East convened a stakeholder group, which includes EHL. It is important that this plan not be used by developers to circumvent the reduced densities that will apply to the "backcountry" in the new general plan.