Town, San Diego County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Code: 92127
New
development that is turning into a distinct town of the north county. Located
west of Rancho Bernardo. Can be reached by exiting Interstate 15 at Rancho
Bernardo Road and going west for 1-2 miles. www.mccormacks.com
Master-planned.
Covers 2,900 acres. First neighborhoods are up, mostly single homes, two-story,
and townhouses and apartments.
Also in: pocket parks, a community park, tennis courts, playing fields,
Boys and Girls Club. Build-out is
about 4,700 units.
Located in
unincorporated area. Patrolled by sheriff's deputies. No crime stats yet but
nearby communities are all low in crime and typically upscale communities
— what 4S Ranch will be — have very low crime. See Crime.
Sheriff’s
substation to open in 2007 in a building supplied by the developer.
Education
by Poway Unified School District, one of the highest scoring in the county.
Stone Valley Elementary opened in 2004, Oak Valley Middle in 2005, Monterey
Ridge Elementary in 2006.
In 2006, district trustees, concerned
about overall enrollment dropping in the district, considered scrapping a high
school for 4S Ranch and substituting a community college branch but in the end
stayed with the high school. Its tentative opening date is fall 2009.
Typically, new high schools start with a freshman class, then add sophomore,
junior and senior in subsequent years. www.mccormacks.com
Many students now attend Mt. Carmel
High, scores in the 80th and 90th percentile. Schools are paid for by
developer, by state and by homeowners. The new middle school enrolls about 620,
covers 22 acres, and has a theater, multi-purpose room, gym, library and
computer lab. See Schools.
Typically,
the district assigns staff long before the school opens and they work with
parents on school policies and supporting the kids and teachers.
In 2006,
as Monterey Ridge Elementary opened, its parents put together a foundation to
raise money for the arts, science and technology. Here you see one of the
characteristics of what probably will turn out to be a successful school
— parent participation. Many communities, especially low-income, find it
difficult to field and fund these foundations.
The down
side: public funds no longer suffice to pay for schools. Parents have to dig
into their pockets and this amounts to a tax on families.
Town
library to open in 2007. About 1,600 acres to be left in open space. Business
park located south of the residential neighborhoods — local jobs and
short commutes. Other towns in the region have attracted many firms, some high
tech, and many jobs. www.mccormacks.com
4S Ranch
won approval despite misgivings about traffic. The developer has pledged $17
million to improving the freeway and local roads. More developments are coming
into the north county and they will add to the traffic.
In 2004, Highway 56 was finished,
connecting Interstate 15 to Interstate 5. This makes the commute easier to the
Sorrento area and the University of California, both job centers.
Costco,
Home Depot, giant bookstores, supermarkets, restaurants, other stores nearby.
4S Ranch has a small retail center — shops, casual restaurants, gas
station, offices.
Helicopters
at Miramar base. 4S Ranch may escape noise. See profiles on Mira Mesa and on
Carmel Valley.
Walk-in
closets, high-tech wiring, open kitchens, small lots, etc. This promises to be
a popular development. The possible drawback: traffic. www.mccormacks.com
• New
middle school is partially powered by solar panels.
• Boys and
Girls Club operates out of facilities constructed by the developer. The club
includes an Olympic sized pool, an aquatic play area, and a gym with basketball
and volleyball courts. Fees for using pool.
Community
web site: www.4sranch.com
