Preserve Wild Santee

07/28/2026

Carlton Oaks Golf Course Subdivision EIR Recirculation

Comment Deadline
Wednesday, September 9, 2026

To: Sandi Sawa
[email protected]

06/21/2026

6/24/26 - City Attorney will brief the City Council on Fanita Ranch case status and options after losing both cases. [Appeals Court and Superior Court]

06/10/2026

Fanita Ranch Shot Down Again

William Fulton

In the latest skirmish of a 40-year war, the appellate court has shot down Santee’s strategy to end-run a ballot initiative by approving the controversial Fanita Ranch project as an urgency “Essential Housing Project”.

Significantly, the court that a single inconsistency between a project and a general plan can a project approval at risk. However, the case is unpublished, meaning it cannot be used as precedent in future cases.

The court found that Santee’s “Essential Housing Program” – adopted as an urgency ordinance after voters placed a referendum on the ballot for the project – didn’t take into account the need to square the Fanita Ranch project with the city’s general plan, which Santee did not amend. The court found that Fanita Ranch’s lot sizes didn’t conform with the general plan. The city didn’t even make an appearance in the appellate court, letting the lawyers for the developer, Home Fed, defend the city’s actions.

The battle over Fanita Ranch goes back more than 40 years, when a 1980s developer proposed 14,000 houses on the ranch. The ranch is north of the city in an area with potential wildfire risk. In 1999, Santee voters rejected a 3,000-home project. In 2012, an appellate court shot down the EIR for a 1,380-home development proposal. In 2020, the City approved a new proposal for 3,000 homes, designed by DPZ, by a 4-1 vote.

Court says city illegally tried to end-run its own general plan. And just one inconsistency with the general plan can sink a project.

06/05/2026

Fanita Ranch Superior Court Ruling Key Statements:

DATE: 06/04/2026
JUDICIAL OFFICER: KATHERINE A. BACAL

CASE NO: 25CU036645C CASE INIT.DATE: 07/11/2025
CASE TITLE: Preserve Wild Santee vs City of Santee

Density Bonus Law (2nd Cause of Action)

“…City and HomeFed have not shown that any of the purported senior citizen housing development was created with plans in mind to address senior citizens’ needs for special living environments and services. Thus, petitioners’ arguments are well-taken that the 445 “senior units”do not qualify for the density bonus and City and HomeFed may not rely on this as a basis to waive the general plan consistency requirements.

The petition as to the second cause of action for violation of the density bonus law is granted.

Inconsistency with General Plan (3rd and 4th Causes of Action)

“…the City and HomeFed were not lawfully entitled to rely on the density bonus law to obtain waivers. Thus, petitioners have shown the City’s determination as to its general plan consistency concerning General Principles 3 and 9 was unreasonable and violated the State Planning and Zoning law…”

“…petitioners’ petition on the third and fourth causes of action is granted as to the City’s determination on general plan consistency with Guiding Principles 3 and 9.”

“The petition is denied as to the first cause of action for violation of CEQA; granted as to the second cause of action for violation of the State Planning and Zoning Law - Density Bonus Law; and granted as to the third and fourth causes of action for violations of the State Planning and Zoning Law and Subdivision Map Act - Inconsistency with General Plan.

06/05/2026

“In the ruling, the appellate court said that the city of Santee and developer HomeFed pushed the project through despite knowing it violated state planning and environmental laws.”�

“…residents quickly approved a ballot measure, known as Measure N, which required voter approval for any development that increases what is allowed by the city’s General Plan.”

An appellate court rejected an appeal by the developer of Fanita Ranch, who looked to build 3,008 homes in Northern Santee.

05/26/2026

The Appeals Court hearing of our prior Fanita Ranch case victory is available for viewing on the court website. Our case was well represented by Peter Broderick of the Center for Biological Diversity. Jeff Chine argued for Jeffries Financial Group.

The City of Santee did not appeal and was not represented. The Court asked why the City did not appeal (3:03) and had other questions related to density requirements of the Santee General Plan.

Mr. Chine effectively admitted the project does not comply with the Santee General Plan when he began arguing that “perfect compliance” is not required.

Mr. Chine also attempted to persuade the Court the Fanita Ranch PDA does not have density requirements, despite GP 3, which mandates specific minimum lot size requirements. The Santee City Council members who approved GP3 intended for each lot to be limited to one unit, however Mr. Chine now argues there is no unit limitation for the lots specified.

Mr. Broderick provided eloquent rebuttal at (3:09:04). The courts now have both cases under submission and we await rulings.

Proceed to 2:54:19 on the tape dated 5/12/2026

https://appellate.courts.ca.gov/oral-argument-webcasts-4dca-division-1

03/27/2026

The City of Santee is updating its Land Use Element, which is one of the nine elements of the City’s General Plan. The Land Use Element specifies the location of different types of development – such as housing, businesses and employment, parks, and public facilities – that will be built over the next 20 years.
Please provide any comments or questions to the following by April 20th:
Madeline Mattson, Principal Planner
Planning & Building Department
10601 Magnolia Avenue
Santee, California 92071
[email protected]
(619) 258-4100 ext. 167
Review the Land Use Element Update documents and learn more:

Enjoy the charm of hometown living on any given day. The close bonds between people in Santee are palpable from the stands of the Sportsplex to the crowds of Summer Concerts. It is this tight-knit sense of community that sets the city apart, and you are more than welcome to join at every establishme...