Panel OKs Buying Part of Roberts Ranch

WASHINGTON —  Congressional negotiators Wednesday agreed to allocate $2 million to buy part of the sprawling Roberts Ranch and include it in Cleveland National Forest.

The action, taken by House-Senate conferees to iron out their differences over the Interior Department appropriations bill, means that at least some of the coveted 714 acres of forest and grazing lands is likely to pass into public ownership and be protected from private development.

San Diego County is now conducting an appraisal of Roberts Ranch, but the U.S. Forest Service estimates the money could purchase 285 acres.

The conference bill heads to the House floor next week, where passage is all but assured, according to aides to Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego), the only California member to sit on the Interior appropriations subcommittee. President Bush is expected to sign the bill.

Roberts Ranch, a privately held parcel near the entrance to Cleveland National Forest, has become a battleground over land-use philosophies.

Developers view the land as ideal for residential development, with nearby parkland as a major selling point.

Environmentalists regard the patches of flat, grassy ranchland as an important wildlife habitat, providing forage and travel corridors for deer, mountain lions and other animals.

The Senate had cut out the acquisition funds in its version of the bill, and the conference committee’s action to restore them was quickly praised by preservationists.

“We’re pleased with the $2 million,” said Don Hellmann, legislative counsel for the Wilderness Society. “At a time when budgets are tight, this is a very solid start for the project.”

In October, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors blocked developer Julie Dillon’s planned residential and commercial development on the property.

The project called for 125 estate-size homes on lots ranging from 4 to 11 acres, as well as a commercial strip at Interstate 8 and California 79.

Dillon has indicated she would consider selling.

Also included in the $12.5-billion Interior Department spending bill is $200,000 for a comprehensive environmental study of San Diego Bay.

With the funds, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with local government, would determine whether part of south San Diego Bay should be designated a national wildlife refuge.

The bay is home to 44 fish species, including halibut and white sea bass, and attracts green sea turtles, brown pelicans, peregrine falcons and other embattled species.

Also in the bill is $400,000 for the continued study of coastal sage scrub areas in Southern California, where more than 30 species--including the California gnatcatcher--are candidates for endangered-species status.