Soap opera continues at Whispering Palms, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. now playing in EIR form at San Dieguito Planning Group on June 9.

Whispering Palms soap opera continues due to play out, or act out depending on one's viewpoint -- This time before the San Dieguito Planning Group following an appearance at Vista Superior Court...

 It is the neighborhood controversy that will not die. Whispering Palms once again goes center stage at yet another agency as local planners consider Richard Cavanaugh's long-standing plan to build something, anything, at the giant vacant lot at his luxury development. However, his demeanor, past history of conflict with homeowners, and controversial plans to put in condos, rental units and even continuing care facilities has raised hackles, lawsuits and the usual suspicions.

The latest: Cavanaugh's environmental impact report for the project, attached here in pdf form. Interested parties have until June 15 to tell planners what the heck they think.

"If you have any interest in the environmental consequences of the proposed project, you should follow up with the county.  I anticipate this matter will be on the planning group’s agenda at our next meeting on June 9

^th, although input directly to the county will be more valuable than providing us the information at that meeting."

Paul Daniel Marks

Attorney at Law

Certified Specialist, Family Law

www.divorceandmediation.com 

The Wild Wild West of Deadwood and Dodge City had nothing on Whispering Palms.

Perhaps a Joseph Heller screenplay with a splash of Thomas Pynchon novel tossed in the mix could do the place justice.

Move over Peyton Place, Pine Valley and Port Charles. Whispering Palms is in da house. And this time, there’s no Erica Kane on a forklift to clear the way.

In the latest chapter of 'As Whispering Palms Burns,' Vista Superior Court Judge Earl H. Maas III ruled controversial Whispering Palms developer Richard Cavanaugh's long-desired mixed-use project at the vacant 4.3-acre lot at the community's entrance had to go back to ye olde drawing board.

Prompted by a 2007 lawsuit from Whispering Palms residents at odds with Cavanaugh, Maas ruled the project lacked a full environmental impact report, despite the project's approval by San Diego County Supervisors. Maas found the traffic impact section of the report to be inadequate.

Cavanaugh's attorney Wayne Bechtel said the developer would prepare that report although the previous report was done properly.

Cavanaugh’s proposal to develop the final 4.3-acre open space parcel at the community’s only entrance/exit includes a mixed-use commercial center featuring 9,600-square-feet of retail space, 19,500-square-feet of office space and 54 apartments, each 900-square-feet.

Before the mixed-use proposal, Cavanaugh sought to build an assisted living facility at the vacant lot raising the community's wrath and opposition. County officials rejected this concept.

The property as now constituted represents a prominent eyesore dating back to the inception of the development in the mid-1960s.

The parcel has been zoned commercial for quite a while. All Cavanaugh lacks is that environmental report which will allow him to secure a grading permit before he can proceed.

Well, a grading permit and the cooperation of Whispering Palms residents who threaten noisy opposition and litigation should he proceed with plans.

Not that residents oppose development of that hallowed piece of empty ground. Indeed, they want it to become something useful and attractive in the worst way.

There’s just this Cavanaugh thing. Residents say he promised a smaller commercial development at Palma de la Reina with fewer, larger homeowner-owned condominiums rather than his proposed rental apartments. Cavanaugh says whatever he proposes will be opposed by residents because they hate him.

Although the judge focused on traffic impacts in his ruling, Brechtel said the environmental impact report will have to address all aspects of the project, along with public comments. That draft report was submitted to the San Dieguito Planning Group and will be considered June 9, 2011.

BRIEF MESSAGE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENIN' NOW: State of the state at Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. News by Dan Weisman...

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Have no fear, Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News is here!

We will be here for a while y'all.

I have been offered well-paying editing jobs in South Carolina and Northern California the last few months and turned them down despite obvious financial need to stay in our area and keep journalism hope alive.

However, to make ends meet, I have had to take on freelance copywriting jobs. As much as my landlord loves Rancho Santa Fe and Del Dios, he also does not accept ad space in lieu of rent.

This is the only source for legitimate information and journalism about the community and will continue.

In fact, as those who have followed the "war" between the Encinitas Coast News and Gilroy-owned Rancho Santa Fe Review at Carmel Valley know, both print outlets have been hemorrhaging money for years due to poor content, no readership, huge overhead and despicably, poor management. They now have turned against each other with threats of blackmail and litigation in a cat fight to the death.

The point is these two faux outlets will be out of business much sooner than later and Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News will be the only community journalism outlet moving forward.

HOWEVER PART TWO: Quality journalism needs a little,  and a relatively amazingly little, quality funding

Despite some fine advertisers, whose banner and mid-rise ads we proudly display -- patronize them please, people -- these ads alone have not paid the rent.

Many people come up to me on a daily basis and say how much they enjoy Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News and appreciate the effort. Many of these people are millionaires living in amazing estates, driving around very fine vehicles.

Now, if you want to talk about trickle-down economic theory, wake up call. It's not too late, but understand if you want quality to continue, it only takes AS MUCH MONEY AS ONE MEAL AT DELICIAS OR MILLE FLEURS from a few special people to make it so.

Think about your tax break that just passed Congress. Shouldn't you take a tithe of this, or even the smallest part of this, and give back to the community and yourself. If we don't publish it, you won't even know what you don't know.

If you want to continue this amazing experience the way it should unfold, money talks. We can provide quality jobs and content for the community if you help us and through this help yourselves. E-mail 92067freepress@gmail.com to help!

With that said, the tremendous, unique, invitation-only beta test content management system we use is going to change. The founder left the company last year and they have phased out operations. Through my contacts as a fellow at Knight Digital Media Center, University of Southern California, we have an equally exciting, state-of-the-art  CMS lined up and ready to go.

Exporting all of this web site -- and I mean ALL of this site -- and transferring material to the new site will take a period of time. I am estimating it at two weeks, but do not know for sure. So, there will be a brief disruption in information level....

...The fact is this site can continue indefinitely due to low overhead and cutting edge web journalism techniques. But it will take money -- and we're talking maybe $100 a day -- to do all the amazing things for the community that are possible.

It will get done one way or another, but that's the tale of the site through June. We got a lot of stuff here and I will be posting when time allows,  so ENJOY!

RANCHO SANTA FE WIKILEAKS: County allegedly stiffs local planning group, fire dept. CONTINUED....

Look below for last week's e-mail chain and issue backstory. Or visit http://tiny.cc/9mkqb

I just received a call from Vince Nicoletti from the contracts section at DPLU.  He was very apologetic about the e-mail to which I responded, and he’s agreed to find a solution.

He recognizes that I shouldn’t be signing a contract with the fire department, for example, that I agree to indemnify it for any riots that break out, and he assured me that a minor charge per meeting is not a big deal to them, they just need to figure out a way to structure any arrangement.

In the meantime, we may need to continue to explore other venues, as the 911 people will ultimately be taking over the space, as he understands it.

He also agreed that planning groups serve a valuable purpose, saving the county huge amounts of staff time gathering input.

Another squeaky wheel gets greased.

Paul Daniel Marks

Attorney at Law

Certified Specialist, Family Law

www.divorceandmediation.com

RANCHO SANTA FE WIKILEAKS: County allegedly stiffs local San Dieguito Planning Group and Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District. At issue? Some $25 per month to rent a fire agency conference room for regular monthly volunteer planning group meetings.

(Editor's Note: This is the actual e-mail trail regarding a somewhat mind-blowing bit of penny-pinching on the part of San Diego County government. Keep in mind that the San Diego Watchdog Institute found San Diego County paid more than $100,000 in annual salaries to 1,016 employees in 2009.

"County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Pam Slater-Price said many of the employees making over $100,000 are well educated and highly skilled. She called a $100,000 salary 'pretty cheap' for an attorney, for example, and said the proportion of county workers making that salary is smaller than in some local governments. She also cited the influence of labor unions whose contracts drive the raises."

The San Dieguito Planning Group is a volunteer position advising county planners on local planning applications and issues. Many members have served for many years devoting much personal time to investigating, and analyzing, local public land use issues.

This e-mail exchange between Paul Marks, the planning group chairman, and county officials involves the county not paying the $25 per meeting rental fee to the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection Department at whose offices planning group meetings take place.

Your county government in action -- follow this edition of RANCHO SANTA FE WIKILEAKS!!!)

As long as family court judges continue putting woman at risk, real-time monitoring GPS with victim notification is their only recourse.

 Described as a "legal activist" and founder of Familylawcourts.com, Bonnie's interests range from sailing to civil rights. Bonnie's written for Pacific Sun, boating periodicals, and newspapers throughout the country. Her exposes on fake attorneys and therapists have resulted in prosecutions. Although her main client base includes attorneys, and their clients, Bonnie remains independent. Or as Bonnie offers while smiling sweetly: "I've been biting the hand that feeds me now going on 12 years."

Although local news media has widely reported the arrest of five, long-time veteran San Diego police officers on charges ranging from sexual battery to rape; not reported is the background of Judge Lisa Schall's refusal to issue a permanent restraining order for a thirteen year female San Diego Police officer against her former lover, Sgt. Ken Davis, a 23 year San Diego Police Department veteran, who didn't take the break-up well and threatened to kill her. 

Another wrinkle:

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled police officers are not mandated to enforce restraining orders.

San Diego police made arrangements for the female officer to hide out in a safe house.  The question is, why should she have to hide?

Background of Judge Lisa Schall

Judge Lisa Schall has been twice disciplined by the California Commission on Judicial Performance.  Once for inappropriately jailing a woman for five days, and once for driving the wrong way on a freeway, after her DUI arrest.

What seems clear is Judge Schall is at best, unfamiliar with Battered Women's Syndrome.  A lack of awareness remains a top-down kind of problem.  Former governor Gray Davis likewise was also uneducated in this area.  It wasn't until Arnold Schwarzengger was voted in in a recall of Davis that BWS was successfully used by defense attorneys in parole matters.

What is unclear is whether Judge Lisa Schall and other judges unaware, has an interest in educating themselves to the reality of Battered Women's Syndrome.

Meanwhile

However, to protect women until judges are educated, attorneys for the female officer should request GPS with Victim Notification.  As long as family court judges continue putting woman at risk, real-time monitoring GPS with victim notification is their only recourse.  Unfortunately, the City of San Diego shows zero interest in protecting half the population.

Most Profitable Keywords In Real Estate: Rancho Santa Fe Blah Blah Village Homes for Sale...For more from Daniel Beer visit GeekEstate Blog here...

The sign says it all for luxury home sales at Crosby Estate where all the streets are named after classic Bing Crosby tunes.

I have been networking with agents over the last few weeks about marketing their business online.  Despite the fact that they all came from different backgrounds, ages, genders, and just about anything else you could think of, there was one commonality amongst them all, which I find problematic.  Each one of them said their primary goal was to rank for the keyword “San Diego real estate”.

Why do I see that as a problem?  Because I am concerned that they are about to spend too much time and money on achieving a high ranking for a keyword that will not only be incredibly difficult to obtain, but isn’t even among the most profitable keywords available.

Profitable keywords imply an action.  San Diego real estate implies nothing.  It is just a thing.  San Diego real estate for sale implies an action.  People want something that is for sale, presumably so they can buy it.  Component #1:  Action.

It is natural to think that a keyword as broad and generic as San Diego real estate is going to be the most profitable due to the shear search volume.  However, the truth is that the most powerful keywords are far more focused and have less search volume.  They may be something like Rancho Santa Fe homes for sale.  Rancho Santa Fe is one of the most beautiful areas in San Diego County.  Somebody that searches Rancho Santa Fe homes for sale is far more focused in on what they want and therefore far more likely to take action and buy.

But the more focused approach doesn’t end there.  Even better than Rancho Santa Fe homes for sale would be something more focused.  Something like Rancho Santa Fe Farms homes for sale, Fairbanks Ranch homes for sale, The Bridges homes for sale, or Rancho Santa Fe Covenant homes for sale.  These are all individual neighborhoods within Rancho Santa Fe. People that type keywords like these into the search engines know exactly what they are looking for.

Sure, they have far less search traffic, but the leads you convert from keywords like these are buyers or sellers that are laser focused and are just searching to find a relevant resource that they can rely on.  You can be that resource.  Component #2: Laser Focused Keywords.

1 + 1 = Success

Put component 1 and 2 together and you have an ultra profitable keyword formula.  Best of all it is easier to rank for these keywords than any of their more competitive, yet less effective generic counterparts.   Not only that, but because these people know what they want you will end up spending less time showing them around all over town while they figure it out.  Profits and efficiency all at once.  Beautiful.

Build a page for each neighborhood that you would like to work in and focus your SEO toward action oriented people that know what they are looking for.  You will reap the rewards.