This growing community of 55,000 residents is in the process of reinventing itself as the region's Golden Triangle East. At the core of the "new Santee" is Santee Trolley Square -- a high-end, pedestrian and transit-oriented development with shops, restaurants, water fountains, pathways and 1,000 trees, all surrounding the Santee Trolley Station.

However, Trolley Square is but a small part of the 700-acre Santee Town Center -- the city's visionary, mixed-use downtown master plan. Town Center, already half complete, will include major retail developments, housing opportunities, a 55-acre community park, new hospital and library, all surrounding the naturally restored San Diego River. All of these components are being interlinked by a network of landscaped pathways, bikeways, pedestrian bridges, seating areas and fountains. Over four miles of the pathway system have been constructed with more under way.

The second leg of this new Golden Triangle is the emergence of Santee as the location for the region's next major corporate/technology office park. In conjunction with the county of San Diego and with the support of San Diego Economic Development Corp., Ryan Cos. of Arizona has been selected as master developer for this 1.5 million-square-foot mixed-use project, estimated to produce more than 5,000 high-paying jobs over the next decade. This will create an entirely new economic dynamic for Santee. The initial phase of this project is the Hartford Insurance Co.'s new office complex (500 jobs), which opened in April.

The final leg of the Triangle will be development of the finest master-planned community in East County -- the Fanita Ranch. This 2,600-acre landmark property will serve as the primary high-end estate housing location for this part of the region for years to come, and will include a second corporate office park for this community. Many will work and live in the ranch, staying off freeways. With completion of Highway 52, traffic on Mission Gorge Road will be reduced up to 31 percent, with significant traffic reductions on other major streets as well.

Santee, however, is not just focused on new development. The community's vision includes creation and protection of one of the finest natural open space preserves in the region. Santee is committed to implementation of the regional Multiple Species Conservation Program and is setting aside more than 2,600 acres of open space to accomplish this.

Furthermore, Santee has joined the San Diego River Regional Park efforts to ensure that the river will be a protected resource for future generations. For more than 20 years, Santee has been pursuing habitat protection in the river and hillsides. These efforts have paid off with new habitat preserves being implemented, and an extensive public trail system so people can enjoy these natural areas.

Santee Trolley Square, the Technology Office Park and Fanita Ranch -- the three sturdy legs of the new Golden Triangle and the new Santee, all integrated into a natural habitat preserve system. What is being created in Santee is nothing less than the transformation of a traditional "bedroom" suburb into an exciting and visionary 21st century community.

Submitted by Mayor Randy Voepel, City of Santee.