Baldwin & Sons, a Southern California builder and developer, announced they reached an agreement with several environmental groups and the California Attorney General on changes to Otay Ranch Village 13 that allows the project to move forward. Located in the southern portion of unincorporated County of San Diego County, Otay Ranch Village 13 is the next phase of the developer’s award-winning Otay Ranch master-planned community.
“We’re pleased to have reached this agreement, as it will allow us to provide the San Diego region with an influx of new residential units consisting of many different housing types at a variety of price points,” said Nick Lee, chief operating officer of Baldwin & Sons in a press release. “We appreciate the ongoing efforts of all parties and recognize that it was their cooperation that created this opportunity for us to deliver much-needed housing to buyers of all ages and life stages, while preserving our valuable local environment and resources.”
The changes to Otay Ranch Village 13 are part of a recent lawsuit settlement that resolved litigation filed by a coalition of environmental parties and the California Attorney General against the developers and the County. The litigation stemmed from the County Board of Supervisors’ 2020 approval of the project.
The updated plan reduced the development footprint by approximately 300 acres, a 40% decrease in developed land, to permanently preserve and protect a larger area of sensitive habitat. The community is now able to offer up to 2,750 homes, increased from the 1,938 originally planned hoes. The new plan offers a greater variety of housing options, including multifamily apartment rentals and for-purchase homes, ranging from entry-level attached residents to large-lot single-family homes.
With the more than 1,100 acres of open space that were originally proposed, the approximately 300 additional acres of open space in the new plan will be preserved in perpetuity, guaranteeing the protection of critical resources, including habitat for the endangered Quino checkerspot butterfly, California fairy shrimp, and other sensitive plant and animal species.
Other improvements to the revised plan, Otay Ranch Village 13 will be carbon neutral, 100% electric, and provide enough solar power to offset the total energy demand of almost all its buildings. Over $15 million has been committed to the development and implementation of a local carbon mitigation program that can be expanded to be used by future projects in the County of San Diego. The agreement also identifies measures to help mitigate wildfires and protect the neighborhood in the future, with the wildland-urban interface perimeter reduced, exterior fire sprinkles, and the expansion of CalFire’s existing wildfire surveillance camera system, and Otay Lakes Road will be widened along the project’s frontage to help expedite evacuations.
Amenities in and near Otay Ranch Village 13 will include a homeowner’s community center featuring a pool, spa, club room and kitchen, gym, and other recreational facilities, fire station; elementary school, mixed-use district with commercial and retail space; community trail network for biking and hiking; and over 20 acres of new parks.
“We’re grateful that we will be able to achieve our housing goals while delivering a village that provides additional preservation of environmental resources and is built to standards that address the realities of climate change,” stated Lee. “We hope that this development can be a model for how we can meet the region’s housing needs while also being good environmental stewards.”
