The emphasis for development in Tierrasanta has always been to incorporate extensive open space systems throughout the community with an emphasis on wildlife corridors, canyons that link together and also link with Mission Trails Regional Park to the east. Tierrasanta was one of the first three communities within the City to establish an Open Space Maintenance and Lighting District with property owners assessed on an annual basis through property taxes to maintain the more than 800 acres of open space in Tierrasanta.
The Open Space District was created in July 1973, and still operates today ­ with a full time City Inspector assigned to oversee the District and work closely with the community.

A Tradition of Communication

The first newsletter distributed in Tierrasanta was produced by Christiana Community Builders in August 1971. The newsletter was mailed to every resident and buyer of a Tierrasanta home. "The Tierrasanta Newsletter" soon became the "Tierrasanta Good Times" - also published by Christiana. Then, in 1972, the Tierrasanta Bulletin, also in a newsletter format, was published by the Tierrasanta Community Council. It was distributed door to door by volunteers for years, as a way of letting everyone know what was happening in the community ‹ and what they could do to help.
In the summer of 1973, the format for the Tierrasanta Bulletin changed to a tabloid newspaper size. In 1977, when the Tierrasanta Community Council sold the Tierrasanta Bulletin to a business entity, four of the longtime volunteers on the Tierrasanta Bulletin - Deanna Spehn, Norma McNerney, Celeste Weinsheim and Regina Olson - founded the Tierra Times - which continues in publication today and is mailed free to approximately 10,000 Tierrasanta/Murphy Canyon homes and businesses.
The front page for August 1971 included the following stories:

"Tierrasanta Home Construction Accelerating
"Construction of homes is proceeding rapidly in Tierrasanta, according to Morey Levine, vice president in charge of production for Christiana Community Builders.
"Besides the homes that are either complete or just about complete," said Levine, "we also have another 226 homes in Villa Monserate, 232 homes in Villa Barbados, and 150 homes in Villa Portofino under construction. We expect to start construction on an additional 450 homes within 90 days, and we are doing everything possible to speed the production of these homes."
"According to Mr. Levine, Tierrasanta¹s considerable size has enabled Christiana to build homes faster here than competitive builders in other areas. "We are able ‹ because of the size, success and the prestige associated with Tierrasanta ‹ to attract the most competent sub-contractors in San Diego to produce homes at Tierrasanta," said Levine. "The continuity of production that you can achieve with a large community development like Tierrasanta also contributes to a faster and more efficient construction of homes."

"160 Families Move Into Tierrasanta Homes
"Moving vans are seen every day in Tierrasanta now that the first homes are being completed here.
"160 families have already moved into their new homes ‹ 80 in Villa Monserate and 80 in Villa Barbados ‹ and another 80 families will start moving into completed Villa Portofino homes by the end of this month. Even more families will move into the many homes scheduled for completion by this September.
"These first residents of Tierrasanta represent a significant milestone in the development of this master-planned community. They are, in effect, charter residents ‹ the first of 30,000 people who will eventually live within the 2600 acres of Tierrasanta.
"A photo accompanying this article pictured the Glenn Cheek family, "first among many families to move into their new Tierrasanta home."




Another article in the August 1971 issue read as follows:

"Christiana Most Honored Builder
"Christiana Community Builders became California¹s most honored builder - and Tierrasanta, the most honored community - when it captured three awards at the recently held Pacific Coast Builders Conference in San Francisco.
"The awards, considered by builders to be the equivalent of the Motion Picture Industry¹s Oscar, were all won by Tierrasanta. Christiana received a Grand Award in the single-family homes category for Villa Monserate¹s plan 740, a two-story, four-bedroom, two bath home.
"Tierrasanta¹s townhouse community of Villa Portofino received the "Golden Nugget" award of distinction in the innovative housing category. The overall community of Tierrasanta also received an award of merit in the new town category.
"The awards, presented to Christiana "in recognition of excellence and value for Tierrasanta," are now on display in the sales offices and Information Center of Tierrasanta."

People Tend to Stay in the Community...

One of the wonderful qualities about Tierrasanta is how many of the "old timers" are still here. Often they moved from house to house within the community as new developments were opened. Yet some of our "pioneer" families are still in their original homes.
Some of the names that can be found in the early publications include Carolyn Lee who wrote in the Tierrasanta Good Times about the various committees active in the community in 1972, Greg Weeks who chaired the Steering Committee then, Pat Ross reported on the School Committee, Dan Sundland reported on park and open space issues, Roger Ramsey kept an eye on the roads, Eva Rico and the Social Committee made plans for the November Arts and Crafts Fair, Janice Campbell wrote on Ecology and recycling newspapers, and Marie MacKay coordinated the newsletter production.
PTA members Janet Blackburn and Sandi Lyon worked hard at putting together the Library and Learning Center at Tierrasanta Elementary School which opened July 31, 1972 in former sales offices loaned by Christiana to serve at the elementary school until construction on the school¹s permanent facility was completed. Pat Roth was the PTA¹s Ways and Means Chairman that year and coordinated the Halloween Carnival held October 28th - the first of many such carnivals held at the site over all these years. Regina Olson wrote a regular feature about Ecology in the Home - stressing recycling, reducing the amount of water used, and leading regular canyon cleanups to remove trash from the open space areas. Sharon Cole had a regular feature "De la Cocina."
The 1972 Tierrasanta Landscaping Contest received 68 entries by August 1972: 27 from Villa Monserate, 13 from Villa Portofino and 28 from Villa Barbados. A total of $1000 in prize money went to the winners. The Grand Award and $250 went to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hudkins of Montego Drive, an Honor Award and $200 went to Dr. and Mrs. Michael Lee of Tortuga Court, a Merit Award and $175 went to Mr. and Mrs. Colin Campbell of Tortuga Court, 4th place and $150 went to Steve Zimmerman of Esmeraldas Drive, 5th place and $125 went to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Murphy of Porto Court, and 6th place and $100 went to Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Rumney of Tortuga Court. Honorable Mentions went to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Beurskens of Matador Court, to Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Blease of Porto Court, to John E. Lee of Antigua Blvd. and to Mr. and Mrs. John Lester of Montego Drive. It¹s amazing how many of you are still living here - and still boasting beautiful yards!
By the summer of 1972, a number of civic and educational groups were in place in Tierrasanta including a Citizens Advisory Committee that worked with the principal at Tierrasanta Elementary School and with the School District, the PTA which was focusing on developing the learning center and permanent library at the temporary school site, a baby sitting service, a Tierrasanta "citizens group" - the forerunner to the Tierrasanta Community Council, one or two Girl Scout troops, a Brownie troop, Campfire Girls and Bluebirds, Boy Scouts and Indian Guides.
Three Little League teams were in full swing then, with all the teams sponsored by Christiana and playing in the Mission Village League. The October 1972 Tierrasanta Good Times reads as follows: "Manager Ed Radiel¹s minor league team ended in first place after 20 wins and no defeats. The Tierrasanta Swingers of the Cap League, with Doug Sawyer as manager, wound up their season with a record of 8 wins and 12 defeats. (But wait til next year!) Under the management of Pat Jeannette, the Tierrasanta Jets finished with a record of 13 wins and 7 losses." Girls softball was not available in Tierrasanta at that time, and according to the October 1972 Tierrasanta Good Times: "Joani Piper, Lorraine Leith and Tammy Inabinett, all Tierrasanta residents, played softball this year in the Serra Mesa league. Under the management of Mary Piper their team managed to win first place. With our community growing so fast, we hope to form our own league next year."
By the summer of 1972, 885 families were living in Tierrasanta: 253 in Villa Monserate, 230 in Villa Barbados and 117 in Villa Portofino. The estimated population at that time was 3000 people. An additional 795 homes were completed by early 1973. It was definitely a boom town. The problem was that there weren¹t a lot of support services, and only one road in and out of the community - Tierrasanta Blvd. - and it certainly wasn¹t the 6 lane road that it is now!
Our library service was a weekly visit by the Bookmobile every Friday from 10 to noon at the Tierrasanta Elementary School. The first shopping center to open was the Vons center at Clairemont Mesa Blvd. and Santo Road in March 1975. Until then, most Tierrasantans could be found shopping on Mission Gorge Road.
1973 found Sandra Schroeder reporting on PTA news from Tierrasanta Elementary School in the Tierrasanta Bulletin. The community was being taught about the "Glasser" method incorporating open classrooms that would be the format of the permanent Tierrasanta Elementary School set to open in late Spring 1973. Concerns were being voiced that the community already needed a new school - that when it opened, TES would already be crowded - given the number of new homes under construction. Carol Rinehart was working to staff the library at Tierrasanta Elementary School. The City of San Diego provided an afterschool recreation program at TES Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 5:30 with arts, crafts, games, flag football, etc.
The Tierrasanta Community Council was now publishing the Tierrasanta Bulletin with a staff composed of Marie MacKay, Sandra Shroeder, Don Tracey, Carolyn Lee, Ray York, Dick Rose, Regina Olson, Dianne McLachlan, Pat Eckhout, Bev York, Reverend Jerry Groth, Grace Olson, and Sharon Cole. The December 31, 1972 end of the year financial statement submitted by Treasurer Glenda Wright for the Tierrasanta Community Council showed an income of $434.19 - $187.12 of which from the Arts and Crafts Fair, and expenses of $185.15 including $39.12 for newsletter supplies and $29.62 for flyers announcing community meetings. This is certainly a far cry from the current Tierrasanta Community Council which has in excess of $50,000 in its accounts.
By 1973, the word has spread that the federal government had planned to build a prison in the middle of Tierrasanta - part of a new concept of putting prisons in communities ‹ and the community became galvanized. Hundreds of Tierrasantans turned out to a Bureau of Prisons hearing held at City Hall and protested the federal plans. Then-Mayor Pete Wilson heard the concerns of the community and in a trip to Washington D.C. made a personal plea on behalf of Tierrasanta that the prison not be built here. With barbed wire fencing already in place and the construction equipment ready to roll, it was only due to a last minute Presidential reprieve by Gerald R. Ford that the plans for the prison were stopped - but only after two years of very hard work by the community. The land designated for the prison is now part of the boundaries for Mission Trails Regional Park - due to the efforts of then-Councilmember and former Superior Court Judge, and now Mayor Dick Murphy and former Councilmember Judy McCarty.
1973 was also when Sharon Cole in an article entitled "Ban the Bomb" reported in the May 1973 Tierrasanta Bulletin:

"Ban the Bomb
"As many of you know, our community is built on old government property, formerly Camp Elliott.

This area was used extensively as a practice range during the war years and bombarded with mortar and artillery. The remnants of these military operations, namely bombs with detonators intact, are being uncovered by our children playing in the canyons.
"My 6th grader brought home a rusty bomb, WWII vintage, complete with detonator. My neighbor¹s son also uncovered one. When the bomb detail removed the weapon from our driveway, I was told it had the potential explosive force of about 8 sticks of dynamite. I was also informed there are mortar shells in the area that have been fired but not detonated. These mortars can explode upon impact!
"I understand our area was canvassed by mine sweepers before the development of Tierrasanta. However, the heavy rains this year have caused considerable erosion, thus the unearthed explosives. This area needs another sweep!"

It was December 10, 1983 that 8 year olds Corey Peake and Matthew Smith died and 12 year old Carl Peake was injured when they found a piece of unexploded World War II ordnance in the open space at the end of the Via Temprano in Villa Trinidad.
In 1963, a letter from the City of San Diego to the General Services Administration of the federal government voiced the City¹s concern regarding ordnance in the area. Eight months later, the Marines and the Navy completed a sweep which produced approximately 50 pieces of ordnance including shell casing and fragments, five of which were potentially explosive - and those were found in the Fortuna Mountain area of Mission Trails Regional Park. None were discovered in what is now the Tierrasanta/Murphy Canyon housing area, according to the reports.
In 1973, two Tierrasanta children discovered a live piece of ordnance and Mayor Wilson requested assistance from the 6th Army stationed at Fort MacArthur. Over 50 pieces were discovered in the sweep which covered 800 acres of open space using 22 men and 31 days. Of the pieces found, eight were potentially explosive. Since 1970, 63 pieces of ordnance had been turned over to the Fire Department¹s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.
After the December 1983 tragedy, the federal government has spent in excess of $23 million to find and remove unexploded ordnance in Tierrasanta/Murphy Canyon and portions of Mission Trails Regional Park. Two searches - one immediately after the 1983 accident in early 1984 and a second in 1985 were conducted by the U.S. Navy EOD Mobile Unit Three, but these sweeps like the two done in the 1960¹s were largely done on a visual basis due to the thick brush. Electronic searches in 1984 and 1985 were restricted to roadways, paths and trails. It was former Congressman Bill Lowery, former City Councilmember and current Mayor Dick Murphy and former Councilmember Judy McCarty who were our strongest advocates in getting the federal funding to do the cleanup.
An extensive risk assessment was conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1986 to determine the extent of the contamination. The risk assessment estimated that 263 hazardous items would be found in the 1838 acre site. In reality, it turns out that 18 times more hazardous rounds were found than had been anticipated. The sweep of Tierrasanta/Murphy Canyon open space for unexploded ordnance resulted in the disposal of 3787 small arms (smaller than 50 caliber), 1016 large arms, 26,321 pounds of ordnance related scrap and 142,253 pounds of trash.
Fire Department personnel come to local schools on an annual basis so that children are continually reminded that if they find a piece of what they think might be unexploded ordnance: don¹t touch it, mark its location, call 911 and wait for the Fire Department to arrive. The Tierrasanta Community Council made a video on the history of the ordnance problem in Tierrasanta called "Play It Safe" which is available free at the Tierrasanta Library and at video stores and schools in the community.

To be continued