After 30 years of living in Westwood, I’ve witnessed lots of normal changes: The light at W. Bernardo and Poblado; Starbucks where a gas station once stood; The low tolerant landscaping of the Westwood Club, to name a few. The addition of 4S Ranch, Del Sur, Santa Luz was an adjustment, but these communities brought some of their own solutions through planning and the funding from Mello-Roos. But now, Westwood is coming under siege. Beginning with the Waterbridge Condos that have dumped extraordinary number of cars onto Poblado and Botero, by the failed strategy of not giving buyers of 2 bedroom 1 bath homes a second parking space. To the turnstile that is the Starbucks corner, we will see the addition of cars trying to squeeze into the Phil’s BarBQ that is replacing the Elephant Bar. Those exiting the freeway colliding unexpectedly with those funneling in, while drivers on W. Bernardo collide with those coming out on that road. This mess alone should warrant Jet Packs for all the Westwood residents trying to get in and out of their nieghborhoods. But Wait! There’s more! The Palomar College scheduled to open in 2016 and potentially dumping hundreds more cars each day on the jammed RB Rd., plus the new Sharp Health Center at the other exit on W. Bernardo Rd. will collide with the disaster that already exists! But wait, there’s more! Up the road a piece, the new Target Shopping Center will be attracting an endless stream of traffic up and down RB Road, and Camino Del Norte. I ask you, who approved all of this traffic? Where are the Environmental Impact Reports? As a Realtor, you would think I would be jumping up and down because of all the Westwood residents moving out, and all the new folks who never knew what this community has been like, moving in. But I am mourning the loss of this neighborhood as it was.
