DATE:
September 10, 2025
06
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING:
Title
APPEAL OF THE COTTONWOOD SAND MINE PROJECT MAJOR USE PERMIT, RECLAMATION PLAN AND ASSOCIATED CEQA DETERMINATION (DISTRICTS: 2 AND 4)
Body
OVERVIEW
This is a request for the Board of Supervisors (Board) to consider an appeal submitted by the applicant, Cottonwood Cajon ES, LLC, of the Planning Commission's July 9, 2025, disapproval of the Major Use Permit (MUP) and Reclamation Plan (RP) and associated CEQA determination for the proposed Cottonwood Sand Mine project (Project).
The Project is a request to conduct mining activities by converting 214 acres of the Cottonwood Golf Course site for sand extraction purposes. The project site is located at 3121 Willow Glen Drive in the Valle De Oro Community Plan Area and is zoned Open Space (S80), Specific Plan (S88) and Holding Area (S90) with a General Plan Designation as Open Space-Recreation. The property is surrounded by suburban development including detached single-family homes and public facilities such as schools and parks.
The Project would involve sand excavation and processing on 214 acres of a 280-acre site. The operation would run from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, producing a maximum of 570,000 tons of sand per year for a decade. The excavation would be completed in a phased approach, over a 10-year period, with each phase having subphases under 30 acres. Once a subphase has been excavated, it will be reclaimed as required by the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975. Reclamation will extend the project by two years for a total of 12 years. Reclamation includes grading to achieve final slopes and landforms. Revegetation is a component of the Reclamation Plan that includes a five-year monitoring period. Should the Project be approved, the Applicant is required to preserve approximately 150 acres of permanent open space through the recordation of a biological open space easement...
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