San Dieguito advances parcel split beside reservoir for potential future sale
San Dieguito WD, California · Meeting date: October 21, 2026 · Published: October 22, 2026
The district unanimously authorized its General Manager to file County of San Diego documents to establish a new parcel at 6310 El Montevideo in Rancho Santa Fe. The proposed lot would separate a rental house and about 2.87 acres of developable land from the jointly owned San Dieguito Reservoir facilities.
Key points
- Resolution 2026-13 authorizes filing of a discretionary permit application, certificate-of-compliance request and water and sewer availability forms for the proposed lot-line adjustment.
- The site is part of four joint facilities with Santa Fe Irrigation District covering 114 acres; San Dieguito Water District holds a 42.75% ownership interest.
- The new parcel would include a house built as a caretaker residence in the 1970s and converted to a rental in the early 2000s, generating $4,400 per month in total rental revenue.
- Staff said future deed restrictions, fencing and independent operator access would be developed to protect reservoir water quality, the dam and other operational infrastructure if the property proceeds to a surplus-property decision.
Full report
San Dieguito Water District has taken the first formal step toward separating a former caretaker residence from the land surrounding San Dieguito Reservoir, authorizing county applications for a new parcel that could later be considered for disposal.
The board voted unanimously on 21 October to adopt Resolution 2026-13, authorizing the General Manager to sign a discretionary permit application and associated County of San Diego documents for a lot-line adjustment at 6310 El Montevideo in Rancho Santa Fe.
The proposed parcel is currently part of four facilities jointly held with Santa Fe Irrigation District, totalling 114 acres. These include San Dieguito Reservoir, a pump station and dam parcels. San Dieguito Water District has a 42.75% ownership interest, based on the agencies' original purchase of the facilities from the City of San Diego.
The new lot would separate a house and roughly 2.87 acres of developable land from the utility assets. The house, built in the 1970s as a caretaker residence, became a rental in the early 2000s. It produces total monthly rent of $4,400, split between the two districts; San Dieguito's share is less than 1% of its annual revenue.
Santa Fe Irrigation District authorized its General Manager this spring to begin preparing for a property sale. Following county action on the lot-line adjustment, both agencies' boards would consider whether to designate the new parcel as surplus property.
Staff said the separation would preserve independent access to the reservoir, dam and pump-station facilities, while creating direct frontage to a county-maintained road for the proposed parcel. A separate driveway and boundary fence would be installed, and staff said potential future deed restrictions could address reservoir water quality, drainage, livestock and continuing reservoir and dam operations.
The site is currently served by a septic system, although sewer is about 150ft from its frontage. Staff said a future sale could require any development to connect to sewer. The agencies would also increase security fencing and cameras around operational infrastructure.
Board members also raised governance questions over the jointly owned assets. Staff said the agencies operate under a general operating and maintenance agreement, alongside a joint advisory committee, but that the 1966 agreement and 1977 amendment do not address a dispute over a sale. Staff said the agencies have historically negotiated in good faith and have not faced such a conflict.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: Regular San Dieguito Water District - 5:00 p.m. - Oct 21, 2026, San Dieguito WD