RANCHO VIEJO P&Z COMMISSION DENIES DEVELOPER REZONING

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Overwhelming negative response by residents to a proposed rezoning of the old Rancho Viejo Resort golf course from recreational to residential that would have seen the bulldozing of the course and the construction of hundreds of single-family dwelling luxury homes that would tax the aging infrastructure of the town led members of the Zoning and Planning Commission to unanimously turn down the developer's request.

Scores of residents packed the city commission chambers where the P and Z commission members held the required public hearing to air their opposition to the proposed zoning change. 

Attorneys John Shergold and Conrad Bodden headed the charge telling commission members that the developer Bridget Neubauer, representative for Golf and Resorts Investments, LLC, the owner of the Rancho Viejo El Angel Golf Course had not shown what plans they had for the approximately 291 acres.

"They didn't say how they were going to provide the infrastructure for the new homes since the water treatment and sewer plants were going to handle the new development," said Shergold. "Our power goes out frequently and the sewer system is running at capacity. And what about the roads to handle the additional traffic? Who's going to pay for that? So far, they have not told us any of that, only to trust them."

The lack of information on the proposed development – and who will end up paying for them – was a recurring complaint by the speakers, who reminded commission members that they represented the residents, and not the owners of the resort.

"You represent us, not some corporation that wants to use our town to make money," a woman told the members, drawing cheers from the audience.

"This was democracy in action," Shergold said after the vote. 

After two hours of hearing from the speakers, the P&Z members closed the public hearing, took action on the request, and unanimously voted against it, drawing applause from the audience. It is unclear whether Bridget Neubauer and Golf and Resorts Investments, LLC will bring back the item before the commission.