EDCO Waste & Recycling Services later this year will apply for a major use permit for a green material processing, recycling and composting facility on a 197 acre site on Betsworth Road (south of Betsworth Road and west of Frace Lane).
Before it applies for the permit, the president of the San Marcos-based company, Steve South, wants to talk to the community to gauge its concerns.
“It’s a long process,” said South.
“It’s very important for us to work with the community and get an overall sense of the issues so we can present a design that will address its concerns. Hopefully, the input we receive before we file will enable us to form a better project. If people take time to look at what we will be proposing, we will take their input on how to make it even better. We are a family-owned company. We want to be part of the solution and work with the community.”
The property is zoned A-70, which allows composting. However selling the end product requires a major use permit.
“We’re still in the preliminary stages of design. We need to develop a refined plan and then take it to community, take input, address issues that are raised and then go to a complete environmental review,” said South.
He added, “We look forward to having that dialogue and to address the issues so that we can create a state-of-the-art facility.”
Processing will consist of chipping, grinding, mixing, composting, curing and screening and shipment of the end product.
The company is studying an accelerated covered compost system using a waterproof synthetic fabric cover with computerized aeration control technology. That would, he said, make the composting more efficient and reduce odor.
“We are also looking at electric grinding instead of conventional diesel grinding, and sound attenuation to dampen noise.”
The green material would probably be brought in by trucks and transfer trailers, mainly from outside the Valley Center area.
Asked how many trucks that would be, South estimated 20 a day. Material will be delivered by commercial collection and transfer vehicles weighing up to 22 tons.
The facility would be open 8-10 hours a days, six days a week.
“We’re trying to address a need that is out there both in terms of helping farmers and assisting in drought conditions [the end product holds water, allowing for reduced irrigation]. I think the end product will be very beneficial,” said South.
Once the application is filed that will trigger an environmental review with its own public comment period.
The facility would be developed in several phases.
The first would be to construct a 30 acre pad for the composting and processing operation, construction of a 22.5 acre-foot basin for collection of contact water and installation of truck scales and a gatehouse.
The second phase would build out the composting pads incrementally up to 50 acres.
The facility would have a daily average capacity of 406 tons a day and at buildout could process 105,000 tons (400,000 cubic yards) a year.
The site was previously that of a major whole nursery, El Modeno Gardens, which closed in 2007.
VC Planning Group Chairman Oliver Smith says he hopes to have South speak at the August meeting.
He is also proposing that a smaller group of planners meet on the site this month.
“Steve agreed, suggesting an on-site meeting the evening of Wednesday, July 22,” said Smith.
“My plan for the July regular VCCPG meeting is to announce that the project is in the planning stages, discuss what the appropriate planning group involvement might be at this point, including whether we need to formally form a subcommittee and open up for interested parties who wish to be involved in the on-site meeting with EDCO.”
South didn’t want to be pinned down to how much the facility will cost. He doesn’t have a budget yet, but gave a seat-of-the-pants estimate of about $5 million.
“It’s a pretty significant capital investment. When you start talking about covered systems, and aerated control technology, this is different from windrows,” he said.
The Valley Center Farmers Market will move to VC Community Center beginning July 16.
It will be at its original location at the Elementary School this week, but will move next week.
According to Lorrie Scott, manager of the local market, the move is being made to help with attendance by improved visibility.
The times will remain the same from 2:30–6:30 p.m.
The market, which is a Certified Farmers Market operated by the San Diego County Farm Bureau, opened September of last year. It carries locally grown produce as well as vendors who sell a variety of foods and treats.
During his long life Joe Proctor has known some of the pioneers and heroes of aviation, including Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Jack Northrup and Howard Hughes.
He spent a long and productive career as an aeronautics engineer
Proctor, who will turn 90 next March, just missed (well, by a decade) taking part in an event the Valley Center History Museum will celebrate on July 25, the 100th year of the first motorized flight west of the Mississippi, which took place in a field in Valley Center on Cool Valley Road.
However, Proctor is helping to celebrate this flight by Donald Gordon by providing the drawings for the 1/2 scale model that was built from white pine by local craftsman Ira Goode, and which will be on display at the celebration, and then after that at the VC History Museum.
He made the drawings from photos of Gordon’s airplane, since no plans exist.
“You give me a three view picture of an airplane and I can build it,” says Proctor with a characteristic wide grin and a hearty laugh.
This came about several years ago when Proctor visited the history museum and met historian Bob Lerner, who showed him photos of Gordon and his plane.
“He said it would be nice to have a model. I told him if he gave me the photos I would go home and build the model,” recalls Proctor. He built a 1/8 scale model out of balsa wood, and the engine out of styrofoam, including a styrofoam pilot.
“They had photos of Gordon sitting in his airplane. I figured he was probably about 6 feet tall and that was how I scaled the rest of the aircraft—I gave it a 24-foot wing span.”
The Gordon plane had a Henderson motorcycle engine, a four banger, dry sump engine where you mix the oil with the gasoline, like a chain saw engine.
Although born in Muncie, Indiana, he grew up in Burbank, and graduated from high school there in 1938.
Before he was able to get into a real airplane he made models of them, something he still does today—there are about 50 models sitting around in his Skyline Ranch mobilehome park home.
His first “flight” came when he built what used to be called “rubber band” airplanes.
But he didn’t wait too long before hitting the clouds in person. Proctor first soloed when he was 17 years old from Burbank airport—which at the time was called Union Airport—in a Monocoupe high wing.
As a lad he worked part time at United Airport where his dad was employed. He met the legendary aviatrix Amelia Earhart when he would be performing errands.
“She was a neat lady. She knew us all by first name.”
He went to work at Lockheed’s airplane plant in 1939.
His job interviewer asked him if he could build blueprints. Proctor told him what he had been doing up until then.
“You will be building things somewhat larger now,” his interviewer said.
In the years before and during WWII he worked on the P-38 Lightning fighter plane and later on the Constellation, which was a troop transport plane.
Towards the end of WWII he lost his deferment and entered the Merchant Marine as a cook and baker.
Following WWII he joined Radioplane (founded by actor Reginald Denny) later part of Northrop, where he met his wife Norma Jean—who was friends with another Norma Jean, later known to millions as Marilyn Monroe.
He and the friend who had got him the job at Radioplane, Jack Rowe, went to work at Northrop Hawthorne, where he worked on the F-89, the famous Northrop flying wing—a plane that would end up never being built—except for ten models that were later destroyed. The basic flying wing design would later be incorporated into the B-2 bomber.
He joined Hughes Aircraft Company in 1951. He and Rowe would go to different Air Force bases with exhibits, display new hardware that the company was trying to interest the military in. They also attended the Paris Air Show to introduce new technology.
He spent 31 years at Hughes, retiring in 1982.
He moved to Valley Center, to Skyline Ranch in 2001, shortly after losing his wife of 54 years, Norma Jean.
He has never lost his enthusiasm for aeronautics and continues to be a very active member of the Aero Club of Southern California.
One of the stories he likes to tell is when he built the life size models of the aircraft of the movie biography of John Montgomery (after whom Montgomery Field is named), who built the first flyable non-motorized airplane in the 1880s.
The movie was called Gallant Journey and starred Glenn Ford.
The model, although made to look like it was made from bamboo, was fashioned from aluminum tubing.
Joe Proctor says he is available to talk about his life and devotion to airplane to local groups. Call him at 751-8843.
As is usual, Valley Center kids took many of the top spots at the Del Mar Fair.
Top winners for the 2009 San Diego County Fair Junior Livestock competition include: Market Swine Division Champion Troy O. De Lauder of VC Country 4-H (269 pounds); Market Goat Grand Champion Jared Gonzales of VC 4-H (96), Reserve Grand Champion Emily M. Stine of VC FFA (93) and Division Champion Jared Gonzales of VC 4-H (80). The Chicken Meat Pen Reserve Grand Champion was Hope Norris of VC FFA; Market Turkey Grand Champion was Katie Simon of Pauma Valley 4-H. The Market Veal Reserve Grand Champion was Cody J. Postoskie of VC 4-H (372); Division Champion Elizabeth M. Kasten of VC FFA (437); Market Lamb Reserve Grand Champion and Division Champion Kelly Hagadorn of VC Country 4-H (133, 145); Market Beef Reserve Grand Champion Paul Calac of VC FFA (1,261) and Division Champions Colton D. Baker (1,298) and Stanton R. Upson (1,296), both of VC Country 4-H.
The 2009 Junior Livestock Auction Scholarship winner was Matthew Morehead of VC FFA.
2009 Market Swine winners: 5th Kory Kratz, VC Country 4-H (259 pounds); 6th Buchannon Garritson, VC FFA (279); 9th Daniel Brunskill, VC FFA (250); 14th Kristen M. Kennedy, VC FFA (308); 18th Ryan A. Martineau, VC 4-H (217); 23rd Kate Richards, Pauma Valley 4-H (301); 25th Aaron Ackerman, VC FFA (285); 29th Adrian M. Douthit, VC FFA (233); 44th Matthew A. Morehead, VC FFA (239); 47th Andrew L. Curt, VC Country 4-H (260): 49th Katie E. Simon, Pauma Valley 4-H (269); Eric Martineau, VC 4-H (220); 55th Emily M. Moss, VC 4-H (287); 79th Kylie E. Last, VC FFA (272); 89th Dylan Test, Homesteaders 4-H (214); 90th Gabriel Heynen, Homesteaders 4-H (242); 91st Mykaylah Test, Homesteaders 4-H (272); 92nd John Garritson, VC FFA (261); 94th Michael L. Barnes III, VC FFA (278); 104th Nick A. Holtz, VC 4-H (259); 109th Scott N. Utter, VC FFA (225); 112nd Jack Armstrong, VC 4-H (300); 114th Shalea Growingthunder, VC FFA (274); 124th Danielle Hoffmann, Homesteaders 4-H (228); 125th Darren M. Hoffmann, Homesteaders 4-H (245); 128th Taylor A. Hutchinson, VC 4-H (276); 137th Grace Martineau, VC 4-H (293); 153rd Maegan Garritson, VC FFA (220); 156th Mikealah Burdick, Homesteaders 4-H (281); 158th Aaron Nagorski, VC 4-H (288); 166th Shelby L. Garritson, VC 4-H (273); 168th Daniel Villaverde Jr., VC 4-H (249); 170th Angela Armstrong, VC 4-H (256); 191st Joseph Morgan Jr., VC 4-H (251); 199th Ben L. MacPhee, VC 4-H (265); 206th Kristina Joor VC Country 4-H (271); and 209th David P. Last II, VC Country 4-H (272).
2009 Market Goat winners: 7th Hector Carrillo, VC FFA (81 pounds); 8th Kadie Calac, VC Country 4-H (92); 20th Jessica Baldan, VC FFA (95); 21st Shannon L. Padgett, VC 4-H (77); 22nd Michael Roth, VC FFA (71); 24th Amy Lynn J. O’brien, VC 4-H (95); and 31st Ricardo Carrillo, VC FFA (87).
2009 Market Veal winners: 5th Lindsey L. Voth, VC 4-H (264 pounds); 7th Richard N. Postoskie, VC 4-H (345); and 8th Danyelle J. O’brien, VC 4-H (340).
2009 Market Lamb winners: 13th Tori R. Overton, VC 4-H (117 pounds); 16th Mitchell E. La Haye, VC 4-H (127); 18th Victoria Holtz, VC 4-H (129); 23rd Jackie L. Stathatos, VC FFA (145); John T. Broomell, VC 4-H (114); Elizabeth O’brien, VC 4-H (102); 56th Megan Upson, VC Country 4-H; 66th Travis Weddington, VC FFA (148); 67th Jennifer Stathatos, VC FFA (119); 79th Mark Hirschberg, VC 4-H (138); 81st Brooke M. De Lauder, VC Country 4-H (116); 90th Samantha R. Broomell, VC 4-H (132); 93rd Alan J. Broomell, VC 4-H (124); 95th Bridget Holtz, VC 4-H (123); and Aaron C. Coplin, VC 4-H (133).
2009 Market Beef winners: 7th Brooke Kratz, VC Country 4-H (1,133 pounds); 10th Brandon G. Dendy, VC Country 4-H (990); 15th Nicole Marler, VC FFA (958); 17th Deondra Hofer, VC 4-H (1,260); 29th Dalton J. Maxfeldt, VC Country 4-H (1,264); 32nd Bridgette M. La Haye, VC 4-H (1,325); 39th Nolan Schimpf, VC FFA (1,250); 48th Ben Upson, VC Country 4-H (1,210); 49th Zachery J. Test, VC FFA (1,193); and 50th Jordan J. Dendy, VC Country 4-H (1,226).
Although it played to a smaller crowd than usual, Saturday night’s fireworks show went off “amazingly” well, according to one of the organizers Kelly Crews.
The Valley Center CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) who parked cars across the street from VC Community Center, reported about 400 cars, which would mean about 1,000 spectators.
That’s smaller than usual (there were usually about 3,500 when the event was held at the high school), but not surprising considering this was the first year at the new location—and because there was a one year gap because the show didn’t happen last year.
Also, because it was centrally located, many people were able to watch the show from their homes.
“The show was amazing.
The fireworks were unbelievable. I don’t think I’ve seen them better,” she said. “They seemed closer because we were right under them.”
There was one mishap during the show that, because of the heat, probably didn’t bother people too much. One of the sprinklers at the ballfields went off, forcing people to pick up their belongings and scramble out of the way. Fortunately, the mishap was on one of the fields that didn’t have so many people.
“We weren’t sure if the sprinklers on one of the other fields would go off, so we had to call around to make sure,” said Mrs. Crews. “It was quite exciting.”
It was hard for some audience members to hear the Hot Pursuit Band unless they were sitting in the first ballfield, and that will have to be addressed next year, according to Mrs. Crews.
Everything else went according to plan.
But those that attended had a wonderful time, dancing, laughing and eating, throwing footballs, playing catch, lacrosse.
The venue is comfortable and could easily accommodate 5,000 people, according to Fire Marshal George Lucia, who was very happy with the location.
“ I actually like it better than the high school. It gives me better vision and better control. The fireworks were in one corner with the audience in the other.
“I didn’t have a single complaint or concern. I would have no problems with larger crowds and a larger display. We had plenty of room. I suspect it will only get better.”
VC Community Planning Group Chairman Oliver Smith has—independently of the planning group—proposed an emergency fire road to take motorists from near the high school to I-15.
“An overriding issue that seems to be close to unanimously agreed upon is the need for evacuation routes out of Valley Center,” says Smith, who also serves on the VC fire board.
Currently Cole Grade Road, Valley Center, Old Castle and North Lake Wohlford roads lead off the mesa on which VC sits.
Near the high school, the only way out is north or south on Cole Grade Road. The Paradise fire of 2003 blocked Cole Grade Road in both directions and 2007’s Poomacha fire blocked evacuation to the north on Cole Grade Road.
The southern evacuation route is 3.5 miles to Valley Center Road, then west on Valley Center Road to either Escondido (blocked in 2003 fire) or out to I-15 via Lilac Road/Old Castle Road.
“The community has a strong desire for an additional evacuation route to the west from around the high school out to I-15,” says Smith.
He says 4.5 miles of dirt road would need to be improved and maintained during the rainy season.
The idea, says Smith, “Is to develop a useable emergency access road from Cole Grade Road starting at Oak Glen Road through to northern Lilac Road. The road would need to be upgraded to Cal Fire fire access road standards. It could be closed off to through traffic with electronically controlled gates and Opticon systems that allow access to safety vehicles.”
During a wildfire the gates could automatically be opened by the safety agencies to allow evacuation.
Smith told The Roadrunner, “It appeared everyone was fixated on the only way to get an evacuation route was to have a developer build it. They seemed to demand two thousand homes per mile to consider doing it. I wanted a solution that benefitted Valley Center for emergencies and did not have to be built to what the suburban county needed but what what Valley Center needed.”
He did some research on Google and other mapping sites. “A series of connected private and grove dirt roads connect Cole Grade Road to the northern end of Lilac Road through Oak Glen Road just north of the high school. In combination with a proposed new road in conjunction with the Lilac Ranch development project and West Lilac Rd out to Old Route 395, a ‘northern’ route from Cole Grade Rd to I-15 is possible.”
Cal Fire has successfully taken trucks through a route similar to the one he proposes.
Smith wants to pursue grants from the Dept. of Homeland Security to pay for it. He has been talking with Congressman Darrell Issa’s office about that.
The route crosses private land and active groves. There are chains across the roads. Some are basic dirt cow paths.
Smith has talked land owners amenable to an emergency access path. “But a significant concern raised was that it not become a public thoroughfare, keeping out dirt bikes, ATVs, and other trespassers,” he says.
The Valley Center Fire Protection District’s recent Gap Analysis studied the best place for a new fire station. Top candidates were: land on White Star Lane off of Cole Grade Road just south of VCHS and in the proposed Rancho Lilac development at the northern end of Lilac Road.
According to Smith, “Both new locations provided roughly the same percentage of new coverage for Valley Center. But the areas did not overlap because there is no direct route between the two areas. The VCFPD has decided on the White Star property for the next station. An emergency access route starting near the high school would significantly improve VCFPD response times to the northern Lilac Road area as the response could then come from the White Star Lane location.”
The road would have to be acceptable to emergency services. County road standards drive improvement costs up to $20 million per mile. Cal Fire fire access road standards are based on the needs of apparatus and engines, which can be supported with DG (decomposed granite) road surfaces, no curbs, and otherwise much lower cost.
The Valley Roadrunner
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Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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