Two conservation groups have filed a lawsuit challenging the development of an Alpine park project over its inclusion of a sports complex the groups claim will harm native plants and wildlife.
The lawsuit filed last week by the Cleveland National Forest Foundation and California Native Plant Society alleges the project's 25-acre recreational space -- which includes a baseball field, playgrounds, an off-leash dog and equestrian staging area, picnic spaces, and more -- imperils wildlife populations.
In particular, the groups say an independent biological consultant determined the project would impact habitats for the Quino checkerspot butterfly, Western spadefoot toad, and pallid bat.
The groups also say the project's Environmental Impact Report does not adequately account for the project's risks regarding wildfires, traffic and impacts to biological resources.
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A county representative declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.
The lawsuit specifically challenges the San Diego County Board of Supervisors' Dec. 6 approval of the project and alleges the county did not consider alternative versions of the project that opponents say would have less impact on the area and its populations.
"This project would do direct harm to the unusually fragile biological resources of this unique area," said Jana Clark-Sanders, president of the Cleveland National Forest Foundation. "It defies logic to place this oversize sports complex in such a rural area, miles from where most San Diegans live. Building the project here would put the communities around the national forest, and the array of imperiled plants and animals within it, at risk of the negative impacts that come from sprawl."
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Along with the recreational spaces, the project is slated to feature 73 acres for an open-space nature preserve.
The first phase of the project is set to begin in the spring and be completed in winter 2025, at a cost of $11.4 million. When fully developed, the Alpine Community Park is estimated to cost $45.5 million, according to the county.
