By Tihut Tamrat, Voice & Viewpoint Staff Writer
The longstanding KFSD-AM/FM Radio Towers in Emerald Hills, may soon be demolished despite the repeal of Footnote 7, the controversial zoning provision that disproportionately affected Encanto and Emerald Hills residents. The City Council repealed it in March 2025 after determining it enabled high-density development in already disadvantaged neighborhoods, as labeled by the City. However, two housing projects that relied on the footnote, the Klauber Development and Radio Tower Projects, both acquired by D.R. Horton Los Angeles Holding Company Inc., have already been approved and remain slated for construction.
On November 20, 2025, the San Diego Planning Commission unanimously approved the Radio Towers Project that would replace the existing radio transmitter towers and a 7,050 square foot facility with “123 single dwelling units (including 13 affordable dwelling units), 7 private open space lots that include pocket parks, and associated improvements,” according to the Planning Commission report. That decision has since been appealed by the Chollas Valley Community Planning Group to the City Council. A hearing date has not yet been scheduled.
Beyond that, the Emerald Hills Project on Old Memory Lane is expected to include what developers describe as urban design improvements, including market rate housing, expanded sidewalks, pocket parks, and increased access to public transportation through new MTS bus connections. Residents and advocates argue that these additions would strain an already congested neighborhood with steep terrain and aging infrastructure that cannot safely support the scale of development proposed.
It’s important to note that Horton Elementary School, Gompers Academy, Millennial Tech Middle School are approximately one mile from the site, and Johnson Magnet School is adjacent to the Project site. Also, the Valencia Park/ Malcolm X Branch Library and the Euclid Avenue Trolley Station are located approximately one mile from the Project site as well.
In response, Andrea Hetheru, former chair of the Chollas Valley Community Planning Group, launched a community advocacy effort titled Hold the Hill, Build the Park. The proposal calls for preserving Radio Towers Hill as public land rather than introducing what residents describe as “dangerous development” into an area facing traffic congestion, hazardous roadways, fire risk, and limited pedestrian access. The plan envisions transforming the site into a destination park that could beautify and economically revitalize southeastern San Diego.
Voice & Viewpoint reached out for further information on the project, Andrea Hetheru replied, “the work I’ve done is fully documented and publicly available, and I prefer that the record speak for itself.”
History of Emerald Hills
Emerald Hills, although beautifully atop the hill she sits, historically has had challenges with discriminatory zoning practices and in the past, has been labeled a redlined neighborhood, however many residents still attest to its continuance. Mid twentieth century housing covenants restricted where Black residents could legally live, making Emerald Hills one of the few areas in San Diego where Black families could own property. Over time, it became a center of Black, Latino, and Asian American homeownership.
Some historians trace these inequities even earlier. According to a Historical Resource Technical Report, Charles C. Crouch, George W. Crouch, and Homer G. Fenton acquired Kumeyaay land in 1929 and constructed a well in hopes of selling water to the City of San Diego. Frequent land transfers and piecemeal development have left residents grappling with outdated infrastructure.
“You can’t hardly cross Old Memory Lane right now. We used to play every game known to man in the street,” shares longtime 50-year resident Cecili Williams, at the January 10th San Diego United Communities press conference.
“There’s no way in and out. We’ve got people taking a shortcut from 60th street coming straight through Old Memory Lane, flying. I mean, just flying. And the other crazy part, there are hardly youth on Old Memory Lane. We can’t get these people to slow down. They put some lines up. But we really need some speed bumps,” she adds.
Environmental Impact Report
The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared in October 2015 by Dyett & Bhatia Urban and Regional Planners for the City of San Diego, indicates that the Emerald Hills and Encanto projects would have significant impacts on land use, transportation, circulation, air quality, noise, biological resources, water quality, historical resources, and geology. While the report listed mitigation measures intended to reduce some impacts, transportation, air quality, and noise remained significant.
The EIR evaluated three alternatives under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guideline Section 15126.6(e)(2): no project, higher density development, and lower density development. The no project alternative was identified as environmentally superior but rejected because it did not “meet the purpose and objectives of the project since the overall development would be less than any of the other alternatives.” Since CEQA maintains that “if the No Project Alternative is the environmentally superior alternative, the EIR must also identify which of the other alternatives is environmentally superior.”
By default, the lower density alternative was selected as the preferred option.
On November 13, 2025, the City of San Diego came out with an Addendum to the EIR concluding that even with mitigation measures, impacts related to transportation, circulation, air quality, and greenhouse gas emissions would remain significant. In an attempt to address transportation and circulation concerns, D.R. Horton proposed “one bike repair station, provide eight trees with 20 feet spacing, and construct a 200-square foot resting area with benches, signage, and a trash receptacle.”
As for the noise, the Planning Commission has approved D.R. Horton Inc., “to use best construction management practices to reduce construction noise levels.”
Community Responses and Concerns
Kenney Key, founder of Game Face Academy and a longtime resident, criticized the process at San Diego United Communities’ January 10th press conference. “I mean, what is the reason and purpose for CEQA if you ain’t gonna follow it? This is ridiculous. They’re just strategically trying to violate their own guidelines to suppress our wills. That is bulldozer governance,” he said. “We are not against housing. Because where are our children going to live? We’re against reckless unaccountable development. We stand for community informed planning, historic preservation, safe infrastructure and evacuation routes, parking, traffic, and environmental accountability. ”
D.R. Horton and its affiliates have faced construction defect lawsuits and regulatory penalties nationwide. They have a documented history of construction defect lawsuits, safety violations, and poor workmanship, leading to allegations of unsafe living conditions. Reports include structural, plumbing, and electrical issues, as well as significant, multi-million dollar settlements for defective developments. OSHA cited one of its sites for fall hazards, and the Environmental Protection Agency penalized the company for Clean Water Act violations.
The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) also raised concerns for the project, stating that freeway impacts to I 15, I 805, and SR 94 connecting Encanto and Emerald Hills neighborhoods would remain significantly unmitigated.
San Diego Unified School District also responded in a letter with school service and student generation rates for the project using tables to show the comparison of existing housing units and student capacity vs. future additional housing units and student capacity. The data indicated that, “as a result of these changes, Encanto Neighborhoods would be expected to need additional school capacity even using the low end of student generation rates.” Therefore San Diego Unified postulates, “new or expanded school facilities could be needed.”
Voice and Viewpoint canvassed the neighborhood and spoke with residents who expressed mixed views. One resident said they wanted the Radio Towers to remain as they are, citing concerns over rising property taxes and parking congestion. Others opposed both the housing development and a destination park, preferring to preserve neighborhood privacy.
Dr. Michelle Thompson, Vice President of M.A.N.D.A.T.E. Records and longtime generational resident, her childhood home now passed down to the 3rd generation, expressed her concerns about the development. “I have lived here for 40 years, generationally, in the same house that my parents lived in. When it came time for us to decide to stay or move, my siblings and I decided to keep the house, and to hear that a dangerous developer is coming to add more houses, I can’t even imagine the chaos that would ensue in an already overpopulated neighborhood.”
“When I heard there was a chance that we may still be able to stop the developers and have a say over what we want in our neighborhood, I knew I had to come out for the future of my grandkids,” she said, squeezing her 10 year old granddaughter tight against her. “I want my granddaughter to know that we did everything we could to prevent our neighborhood from changing her memories of her childhood.”
Talking directly to his fellow Emerald Hills residents, Key asserts, “We elected Councilmember Henry Foster and Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe, but they’re not representing us. They’re representing developers, a billionaire class that has taken over our city leadership, and anything short of voting their behinds out is not the solution.”
Speaking directly to Foster and Steppe he continues, “You have not spoken on this subject of the Radio Tower and D.R. Horton Project since its inception. Bad behavior can not and should not be rewarded. We’re gonna heal our city at the ballot box, ya’ll.”
While opinions differ on the future of Radio Towers Hill, what’s clear is that residents overwhelmingly oppose the D.R. Horton development.
Showing up to the City Council appeal hearing may be the last time your voice will be heard. Visit holdthehill.org and sign up for alerts to be the first to know when that date will be.
