By Miriam Raftery

Photo; Left, Cottonwood Golf Course pond, before it was drained; right, a sand mining operation

July 5, 2023 (Rancho San Diego) – The County of San Diego has issued a revised draft environmental impact report (EIR) on the proposed Cottonwood sand mine. View documents and details. 

The public has until August 14 at 4 p..m. to submit comments on the revised EIR.

Comments can be sent via email to Christopher.Jacobs@sdcounty.ca.gov.  The County will also hold an in-person public meeting regarding the Recirculated Draft EIR on July 25, 2023, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Hillsdale Middle School (1301 Brabham Street, El Cajon).

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Miriam Raftery, Editor, also contributed to this report

Initial public comments deadline is Dec. 19

Hear audio of meeting

December 5, 2018 (Rancho San Diego) -- If a large contingent of residents in Rancho San Diego and Jamul have their say, a proposed sand mine in their community won’t get built. Over 200 residents opposed to a sand mining project that would replace Cottonwood Golf Course on Willow Glen Road engulfed the meeting room at the Rancho San Diego Library last week, overflowing into the lobby and onto a patio. 

Public comments and a petition

Initial public comments are being accepted until December 19^th by the County’s Land Use Environmental Planner, Bronwyn Brown, at Bronwyn.Brown@sdcounty.ca.gov as part of the official scoping process.

Barry Jantz, spokesperson for the opposition, told the crowd that a petition to gather signatures against the project is available for printing and circulating at the website www.StopCottonwoodSandMine.com. The group circulated a flyer and asked that petitions be submitted to the Stop Cottonwood Group by December 15th.

April 15, 2011 (El Cajon) –Former Congressman Duncan L. Hunter’s sixth annual Wounded Marines Golf Classic will tee off on May 9th at the Cottonwood Golf Club. Proceeds will benefit wounded Army, Navy, and Marine Corps personnel at Naval Medical Center in San Diego. Armed Services YMCA, a 501c3 nonprofit, is the host sponsor.

Cottonwood is donating the course, personnel and equipment so that every dollar will go to help support ill and injured service members.

November 10, 2010 (Rancho San Diego) – Score a birdie this Thanksgiving Day—and no, we’re not talking about a turkey on the table.

Cottonwood Golf Course in the Rancho San Diego area of El Cajon is serving up a Thanksgiving Day Shotgun Golf Tournament—complete with buffet breakfast on the lake, green fee and cart for $49.

October 8, 2010 (El Cajon) -- Cottonwood Golf Club in El Cajon is hosting a tournament fundraiser for Sierra Billock to support her in her mission to become Miss California USA 2011. The tournament will be held on Sunday October 24, 2010 with a 12 p.m. shotgun start.

Beads of Courage Arts-in-Medicine Program Coming to San Diego

July 10, 2010 (El Cajon) -- Local area leaders have teamed up with Beads of Courage to host a 2nd Annual Journey to Fight Cancer Golf Tournament & Luau at the Cottonwood Golf Course in El Cajon on Friday, July 23 starting at 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start and scramble.