The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a residential development in Ramona Wednesday that will build 125 homes and create new habitat for the Ramona Grasslands Preserve.
The Cumming Ranch project would build 125 homes on 226 acres located west of Ramona’s town center, about ¼ of a mile northwest of the intersection of State Route 67 and Highland Valley Road/Dye Road.
The project would also dedicate 457-acres of biological habitat to the Ramona Grasslands Preserve, which is home to native grasslands, coastal sage scrub and numerous birds and animals, including eagles, hawks, kites, Stephens’ kangaroo rats, San Diego fairy shrimp and the arroyo toad.
County planners told supervisors Wednesday that Cumming Ranch would also create 2.42 miles of public trails and use “green building” practices to generate power and conserve water.
The project’s backers originally sought permission in 2001 to submit a project that would have built 166 homes and an 18-hole golf course on 515 acres and dedicate 104 acres to open space. Supervisors rejected that request and the proponent worked with Ramona’s community planning advisory group and the County to propose a project with fewer homes and significantly more open space.
