Another (Separate) Delay at Del Mar Mesa

City officials have dragged their feet on a small community park adjoining the area. (Please check out that link, which also has lots of links to previous Del Mar Times articles on this topic.) This is a different issue than the planning of Del Mar Mesa Preserve, which has been going on for a while. It's a fantastic area of open space south of the 56 that is currently closed to trail users, who have been fined and even had bikes confiscated. This should all be open by now. The city and state are screwing up. And people want this smaller park as a jumping off point. The locals are most incensed by the delay because they recognize that adjacent open space increases property values.

So it's either a) the city and state government just suck at everything, or b) there's something specific going on with Del Mar Mesa.

I hope it's just incompetence. But my suspicion has been that there are property developers who want things delayed, and they're exerting influence this way. Every separate event that occurs raises suspicion further. That's why I'm trying to help make this as public as possible, for the trail users and outdoors folks of San Diego.

In the meantime, they need volunteers! Friends of Del Mar Mesa treasurer Preston Drake will hold a trail clearing project Jan. 25 and needs volunteers to help clear Angel trail. Volunteers will be asked to pick up debris, cut pampas grass, and trim hedges. More information here.

Look at all those trails! All off-limits right now, thanks to whatever's going on.