Dozens of acres will be set aside as new parkland following a vote by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and San Diego County Board of Supervisors today. 

“We are listening to residents, and as a result the County is adding more parkland to our region,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “This is one way we are taking action to enhance our communities and take climate action.”

In April 2022, the Board directed staff to explore acquiring the Butterfield Trails Ranch property in Valley Center for the purpose of establishing a public park. Several Valley Center community members, groups, and organizations requested that the Board consider acquiring the Property for use as a County park. 

The approximately 60-acre property could be developed over time to provide trails, open space, and volunteer opportunities in the core of Valley Center. Residents also expressed an interest in celebrating the community’s rural character and cultural heritage on site. 

The Board took action today to purchase the property from the seller, Butterfield Trails, LLC, for an agreed-upon value of $3,000,000. The property was appraised by a County third-party appraiser, Anderson and Brabant, in June 2022 for $5,000,000. 

The move also supports the County’s climate action efforts. Development of the acquired site as a park will reduce the need for residents to travel outside their community to access parkland and active recreation opportunities. This has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with vehicle trips. 

Some Valley Center community members have expressed support for having the Valley Center Intergenerational Center located at the site. The County will evaluate the property for future park use options through an environmental analysis and public engagement process to determine potential recreational amenities that could be located at the site. An intergenerational center will be one of the potential recreational amenities considered as part of this work.

More information can be found here.