CROWDER – San Pasqual Valley

• Acquisition of 75-acres just west of Wild Animal Park protects prominent feature in San Pasqual Valley, adjoining Cloverdale Creek
  
  
• Property once slated for ridgeline development overlooks – and is visible from – the valley floor
  
  
• Conservancy contracted for the appraisal and environmental assessment, and negotiated the purchase
  
  
• River Park JPA purchased with State grant funds and will manage property

Location & Access

• Crowder property is a major land feature, rising above SR 78 (San Pasqual Road), San Pasqual Valley Road, just east of Cloverdale Creek and west of the Wild Animal Park
  
  
• From the west, coming out of Escondido, the property serves as a Gateway to the 11,000 acres of the City of San Diego-owned agricultural preserve in the San Pasqual Valley
  
  
• Property does not have a trail system – the value lies in protecting views from the undeveloped valley

Resource Values

• Property adjoins major holdings by the City of San Diego; offering wildlife, recreational and water quality values
  
  
• Concentration of rare and sensitive species; high quality site for endangered cactus wren
  
  
• Property is prominently visible from major roadways through the San Pasqual Valley and from the Raptor Ridge portion of the Mule Hill/San Pasqual Trail; protects against ridgeline residential development, which is possible under existing zoning
  
  
• Adjoins Cloverdale Creek, identified as the top priority for riparian restoration in Lake Hodges/San Pasqual area; serves as upland for this corridor
  

Conservancy Role

• Conservancy negotiated purchase agreement with the owner
  
  
• Conservancy funded and supervised preparation of appraisal and environmental assessment of the property
  
  
• Conservancy worked with River Park to obtain the State funding for the purchase

Management & Related Work

• Property will be managed by the JPA as part of the River Park
  
  
• Views of the undeveloped ridgeline are available from the River Park trail in the San Pasqual Valley and from the eastern segment of trail on Raptor Ridge
  
  
• Property can be directly accessed from SR 78, San Pasqual Valley Road, on north side of road - just to the east of Cloverdale Creek
  
  
• Property will be included in plans for riparian and upland restoration along Cloverdale Creek
  
  
• Conservancy is interested in purchasing two small adjoining parcels to protect open space character of this “Gateway to the San Pasqual Valley”