Opponents of Kilroy Realty‘s $650 million One Paseo project, which would bring a large mixed-use development to Carmel Valley, are calling on residents to show their opposition at a key City Council meeting on Monday.
“We’re here not to kill One Paseo, but to get a reasonable project for Carmel Valley,” said Ken Farinsky, a spokesman for the What Price Main Street? opposition group, at a rally Saturday that drew about 100 people.
Kilroy’s plans call for 199,000 square feet of retail space, a movie theater, 484,000 square feet of office space and 608 residences on 24 acres of vacant land across from the Del Mar Heights Town Center and near other offices.
The project is larger than current zoning allows, but is designed to follow the city’s “smart-growth” guidelines and includes parks and open space. The San Diego Planning Commission conditionally approved it in October and forwarded it to the City Council for final action.
Opponents say the project is too big for the site, the nine-story office towers will be too high and the resulting traffic will make life unbearable in Carmel Valley.
“The square-footage isn’t an issue. It’s the traffic,” said Ray Ellis, a former City Council candidate who lives in the district.
Kilroy plans to alleviate traffic problems by installing a $6 million state-of-the art, computerized signal system to speed up movement on Del Mar Heights Road and and El Camino Real.
Adding to the controversy is a report by Voice of San Diego that the owner of nearby Del Mar Heights Town Center has spent over $1.2 million to drum up community opposition to the project.
The council meeting begins at 2 p.m. Monday on the 12th floor of the city administration building downtown.
