Help Save Lytle Creek Wash

Our organization, SAVE LYTLE CREEK WASH, (SLCW) comprised of Lytle Creek and El Rancho Verde residents requests your help in preserving this wilderness area for all to enjoy.

A massive development, planned for Rialto and San Bernardino County, California would extend from above the 15 Freeway in Lytle Creek, down the north side of Riverside Avenue behind the El Rancho Verde Country Club and surrounding homes all the way to the 210 Freeway. The sensitive habitat of Lytle Creek Wash, 2,447 acres of open land will be destroyed.

The Wash is home to the San Bernardino Kangaroo Rat; Riversidean alluvia fan sage scrub, Least Bell's Vireo, Willow flycatcher and other endangered species. Here the vegetation is lush and dense with trees, shrubs, sages, grasses, wildflowers, cacti and chaparral. Birds, 84 identified varieties, and all kinds of wildlife, live in the area and the development would push them out into the dry riverbed to survive. Lytle Creek Wash is a 100 year flood plain, on two earthquake faults and subject to wild fires during the dry summer season. The optimal use of this land is to leave it as it is, and create a nature preserve with hiking trails for current and future generations to enjoy.

The Pharris Brothers of Lytle Development, who own the El Rancho Verde Country Club, plan to build 8,407 dwellings to house some 34,000 new residents. They have convinced the city of Rialto to rush through the approval of the project and annex that portion of unincorporated county property and make it part of the city of Rialto. Getting approval now, locks in the cost of fees paid in 2010 dollars for a 35 year build out plan and allows an overlay of homes on the golf course so it also can be built out should the Pharris Brothers decide to let the golf course fail.

There are multiple problems with this development plan beyond destroying wildlife habitat and overcrowding. Water; vital to the area would be channeled down a 71/2 mile levee, creating a nightmare flow down river. Road access up Lytle Creek would be inundated with gridlock when residents from 869 apartments head for work down the 2 lane road. Air pollution during the all-at- once grading of 2,447 acres, would cause multiple health problems for existing residents. The addition of thousands of vehicles, and heavy duty trucks will compromise an already acknowledged poor air quality.

San Bernardino County is already upside down on jobs versus housing and Rialto currently has more than 2056 homes in foreclosure with more to follow. Rialto is primarily a bedroom community; it does not attract businesses with high-paying jobs. New residents will need to travel the 15 or 210 Freeways to work. Rialto benefits only if their 8 % utility-users tax on all its residents extends 20 to 30 years beyond 2013, when the project is slated to begin. Foolishly, the city looks to the promises of the developer of this massively intrusive and destructive housing project to fill its coffers without consideration for how they will fund the schools, roads, and public health and safety needs of so many new residents.

We want to preserve as much of this sensitive and valuable habitat as possible and save the area from being destroyed, but that takes more than wishes and dreams. It takes cash to secure attorneys to slow down, change the course of, or stop this development. We urge you to join us in this endeavor and save Lytle Creek Wash.

If you are interested in donating money or time for this great cause please email:

SLWS2010(at)gmail.com