CONTACT: Kenneth Moore
kmoore@swspr.com
858-541-7800
Proposed housing community honors Escondido’s agricultural history and supports City’s sustainable future
ESCONDIDO (July 30, 2019) – Concordia Homes announced today a series of substantial design updates and a new name for its proposed housing project. Previously known as Safari Highlands Ranch, the project has been rebranded as Harvest Hills – Escondido’s first ever carbon neutral, net zero energy and agri-neighborhood housing community. The latest project updates are reflective of feedback received through community meetings, online mediums and the project’s environmental review process.
“We are excited about the new theme and updates for the proposed community, including its new name, Harvest Hills,” said Jeb Hall, Principal at Concordia Homes. “As we worked to fully integrate the agri-neighborhood, net zero energy and carbon neutral features into the design, it became clear that a new name and brand representing these new features was needed.”
Harvest Hills will continue Escondido’s long agricultural tradition in a contemporary way as an agri-neighborhood. Harvest Hills’ seven distinct neighborhoods will include gardens, groves and boutique greenhouses that provide families with the opportunity to grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs through an adopt-a-plot program. A new community center named The Farmhouse will serve as the heart of the community, creating a gathering place for new neighbors with an onsite working farm, an aquaponics greenhouse, as well as a recreational area and gathering space.
“Harvest Hills will set a new standard for sustainable housing communities in Escondido and throughout the region,” said Don Underwood, Principal at Concordia Homes. “Working with the community, we are proud to have updated Harvest Hills in a way that honors Escondido’s rich agricultural history, while supporting the City’s sustainable future.”
As a net zero energy and carbon neutral community, Harvest Hills will showcase the future of renewable energy-powered neighborhoods that help protect the environment and support climate action goals. Through the addition of extensive rooftop solar and battery energy storage systems and energy efficient appliances, lighting, insulation and windows, the community will produce enough clean, renewable energy on-site to meet its energy demand. Additionally, Harvest Hills will offset all of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a carbon neutral community through a variety of innovative measures, including a first-of-its-kind electric vehicle ownership financial incentive program.
Several other important updates have been made to the project, including reducing the project footprint by 50 acres, lowering and mostly eliminating the visibility of new homes from existing neighborhoods, increasing open space and preservation to 762 acres, and adding park space resulting in 13 parks and pocket parks, in addition to The Farmhouse, spread throughout the community.
“As a San Pasqual Valley neighbor, I am excited to have Harvest Hills become part of our community,” said Carl Skaja, leader of the Friends of Eagle Crest group that represents dozens of neighbors who support the proposed community. “We are grateful for the multiple opportunities to provide our feedback on Harvest Hills and to have had our suggestions taken seriously. We are looking forward to the benefits it will provide our community.”
Harvest Hills will include 550 estate homes and a new, fully equipped fire station surrounded by more than 762 acres of permanent open space and nine miles of public trails. Each of Harvest Hills’ seven distinct neighborhoods will have a unique name that honors a piece of Escondido’s agricultural heritage, such as Alexandria at Harvest Hills and Valencia at Harvest Hills after the area’s first Alexandria de Muscat grape and Valencia orange crops. The community will deliver more than $58 million worth of benefits for Escondido residents that improve fire safety, support local schools like San Pasqual Union School, enhance the Eagle Crest Golf Club and deliver substantial local road improvements.
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About Harvest Hills
Nestled in the hills of San Pasqual Valley, Harvest Hills will be Escondido’s first-ever carbon-neutral, net zero energy agri-neighborhood. Harvest Hills honors the rich agricultural history of Escondido, while shaping the City’s sustainable future. The planned housing community includes 550 estate homes located in seven distinct neighborhoods, all surrounded by 762 acres of permanent open space. The proposed housing project will provide more than $58 million in benefits for Escondido residents.
