California town at war over plans to build 3,000 homes on stunning lakeside ranch

A California town is divided over a plan to build 3,000 homes on a stunning lakeside ranch as environmental groups argue the land is prone to wildfire, while developers say it will bring in tons of affordable housing. 

The Fanita Ranch project was halted after it 'abused its discretion and did not proceed in the manner required by law,' Judge Katherine Bacal wrote in an order, following a lawsuit from environmental groups, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. 

The 2,600-acre project was set to be built in the hills of the Santee lakes - near San Diego - to alleviate the region's housing shortage and was supposed to provide fast escape routes for fires. 

However, Bacal said the plan was inconsistent with the city's plan and Fanita Ranch violated California's environmental protection laws, according to CBS 8 San Diego. 

Developers, HomeFed Fanita Rancho LLC, plan to appeal the decision, Jeff O'Conner told The Union-Tribune. 

He also added that the project would have helped counter the city's affordable housing crisis.  

The Fanita Ranch project was stopped after it 'abused its discretion and did not proceed in the manner required by law,' Judge Katherine Bacal ruled (pictured: the planned site)

The 2,600-acre project was set to be built in the hills of the Santee lakes - near San Diego - to alleviate the region's housing shortage and provide fast escape routes for fires

Mayor John Minto said his community still 'stands behind our efforts to meet state demands to create additional housing in our city in a way that benefits our community.' 

Three thousand homes were supposed to be built, including low-income housing, but environmental groups feared the area was wildfire prone as 65 fires have burned in the area in the last 100 years, according to CBS 8 San Diego. 

'There are places where development does not belong and in an extreme fire zone is one of them,' Van Collinsworth, the director of Preserve Wild Santee - one of the groups that sued in 2022 - told CBS 8 San Diego. 

This isn't the first time the project has faced backlash since its approved in 2020. 

Developers, HomeFed Fanita Rancho LLC, plan to appeal the decision. He also added that the project would have brought $2.6million toward the city's affordable housing crisis (pictured: housing mockups) 

Three thousand homes were supposed to be built, including low-income housing, but environmental groups feared the area was wildfire prone as 65 fires have burned in the area in the last 100 years (pictured: housing markets)

Shortly after its approval, environmental groups sued, saying the community would not be able to provide fast evacuation routes and Bacal said in a different ruling that Santee had to pull back approval, according to The Union-Tribune. 

The council pulled the referendum and reintroduced the project in 2022 after giving developers the green light again after they changed the process to consider the project, which removed the need to place it up for a vote on the ballot. 

'The court rightly rejected the city’s attempt to ram through the Fanita Ranch project without considering the dangers of developing in a wildfire-prone zone,' Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity, John Bose, told The Union-Tribune. 

'This decision is a victory for the exceptionally diverse wildlife here and for neighboring residents who won’t face an increased risk of wildfire.'

The city reintroduced the project in 2022 after giving developers the green light again after they changed the process to consider the project, which removed the need to place it up for a vote on the ballot, which prompted a lawsuit (pictured: a café mockup)

Environmental groups claimed the area needed preserved. Most of the project site was planned to remain undeveloped, as well as, include a network of trails

The Endangered Habitats League, the California Chaparral Institute, Preserve Wild Santee, and the Center for Biological Diversity sued, saying the area needs to be preserved. The development sits between Mission Trails Park and Sycamore Canyon Preserve.

Most of the project site was planned to remain undeveloped, as well as, include a network of trails. 

Residents have previously voted on Fanita Rach in 1999 and 2005, where both proposals were shot down.  

DailyMail.com has reached out to the ranch for comment.