Planned East County Development Raises Fire, Climate Concerns Joshua Emerson Smith

County leaders gave their blessing on Wednesday to a hotly contested development east of Chula Vista that critics said would place people into the path of dangerous wildfires. After three hours of discussion, the Board of Supervisors voted three to two to approve the upscale 1,119-home project, known as Adara at Otay Ranch. Supporters repeatedly stressed the region’s desperate need for housing. Supervisor Greg Cox led the push for approval after engaging in a lengthy dialogue with Cal Fire San Diego Unit Chief Tony Mecham, whose agency reviewed and approved the wildfire evacuation plan for the development. “There’s no guarantee that I can give anybody that any community is going to be perfectly safe,” Mecham said, “but I feel today they have taken every appropriate measure that they can to address the fire safety concerns.” Schedule: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/story/2019-06-26/san-diego-supervisors-approve-otay-ranch-development-over-wildfire-climate-concerns