Caltrans is currently the owner in fee simple of the Property located within northern San Diego County, California. The Property was purchased in 2011 to comply with the “net benefit” provision of the TransNet Ordinance for the State Route 76 (SR-76) Melrose Drive to South Mission Road and SR 76 South Mission Road to I-15 Widening projects. The Property is shown in the regional map (Figure 1 – separate attachment to the RFP).
The Property is comprised of 902.45 acres, located in the community of Valley Center in the unincorporated portion of San Diego County (Figure 2 – separate attachment to the RFP). The Property lies within a core biological area (Pre-approved Mitigation Area-PAMA) for the draft Multiple Species Conservation Program – North (MSCP-N). Keys Creek, which traverses through the Property, is a major east-west connector, linking the foothills, including Rancho Guejito and Daley Ranch, to the downstream reaches of the San Luis Rey River. The San Luis Rey River and the resources it supports are an important focal point for the MSCP-N.
The Property represents a valuable, intact block of habitat, a mosaic of more than a dozen different vegetation communities including cottonwood-willow riparian forest, oak riparian forest, willow scrub, grassland, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and like oak woodland. As such, this Property functions as an important buffer for maintaining the water quality of Keys Creek, as well as habitat for breeding and foraging for a variety of species anticipated for coverage by the MSCP-N. The Property supports many MSCP species including the spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii), horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum), orange-throated whiptail lizard (Aspidoscelis hyperythra), coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica), rufous-crowned sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps), yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens), and black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus).
The Property is also of historical significance. In addition to several archaeological resources, numerous historic buildings and structures that require permanent preservation are present on the Property. These resources are directly associated with some past owners who were prominent figures in the San Diego region, contributing to the rich cultural history of the Property. To name a few, William Keyes, who initially acquired the central portion of the Property in the mid-nineteenth century, Margaret (“Kitty”) and Edwin Merriam, daughter and son-in- law of William Keyes, who acquired additional lands to expand what is now called Rancho Lilac, and Irving Salomon, who was an Ambassador to the United Nations General Assembly and a chairman of the American delegation to the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization nominated by President Eisenhower. Some buildings and structures that are currently present on the Property were built and used by these historical figures.
Caltrans evaluated all cultural resources at Rancho Lilac in 2012. A total of 49 cultural resources were evaluated, including 29 historic built environment resources, 4 historic archeological sites, and 16 prehistoric archeological sites. Of these, 46 were determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has concurred on these determinations.
Under the provisions of the TransNet Extension Ordinance, the SR 76 projects were one of three transportation improvements under the RTP that was to provide a “net benefit” to species and habitat above and beyond traditional mitigation. Net benefit provisions for SR 76 include the acquisition and management of the Property.
In 2014, the SANDAG Board of Directors (Board) approved the solicitation for the ownership and management of the Property along with two other properties. SANDAG led the solicitation for the procurement of an owner and manager with Caltrans support in December 2016. After a competitive process, a land manager was selected for negotiations in 2017. An endowment was then negotiated, and the item was brought before the SANDAG Board of Directors in May 2020. During the meeting, public comments were received regarding future public access on the Property. Concerns were raised that the proposed transfer of land would preclude future public access trails on the Property. The Board then directed SANDAG staff to continue to work with interested parties and return to the Board with additional information and a recommendation. In November of 2020, staff returned to the Board and recommended approval of the selected land manager and acceptance of a trail easement from Caltrans in order for the selected land manager to move forward with the development of an RMP and determine the feasibility of trails on the Property. The Board did not approve this action, instead cancelling the existing RFP for this Property and directing staff to issue a new RFP. This RFP reflects the Board’s direction to study public access and trails prior to transferring ownership of the Property to a long-term property manager.
