SPRING VALLEY, Calif. — An open trench is causing quite the controversy in one Spring Valley neighborhood. Neighbors say the hole was dug four months ago, and then the work stopped suddenly, leaving a dangerous situation for drivers on Canyon Road.
“It’s very frustrating because it’s dangerous for the cars,” said Naomi Aragon, whose driveway sits near the ditch.
A neighbor of hers dug the trench next to the road for a retaining wall on the side of his property, but she told CBS 8 she didn't think he acquired any permits for it.
“He just went ahead and did it," said Aragon. “We don’t want any cars going into the ditch because they didn’t see a post, so that’s what our concern is, the road and when is it going to be fixed?”
Neighbors claim the trench makes the road too narrow for fire trucks or ambulances to get through.
“If the fire department comes right here, they can’t make it, you know. It’s only like ten feet,” said Diego Hernandez, who also lives on Canyon Road.
CBS 8 confirmed with the County of San Diego that Canyon Road is a private one, and that there have been no permit applications received for the retaining wall at this location. If the plans are to build it higher than 3 feet, it would need approval first.
CBS 8 knocked on the door of the homeowners working on the retaining wall. They weren't home but their friend and house-sitter Tina spoke to us.
“They were notified by the County that this wall needs to go up,” said Tina.
CBS 8 tried to verify her claim with the County of San Diego. According to them, the County gave no such order nor do they have anything to do with this project. Additionally, SDG&E told CBS 8 they notified the homeowners that they need to hire a licensed surveyor to make sure they’re staying within their property line and within compliance of SDG&E's easement.
"It’s not pleasant for anybody," said Tina. "Who wants to deal with this?”
As far as a timeline for the project, Tina told CBS 8 she didn't know.
Meanwhile, neighbors feel stuck with the mess and wish there was more communication.
“To this day, he has not made any contact with me at all," said Aragon. "I’m not real happy about that.”
At CBS 8, we are always Working for You and our community. This is a station promise that we will go the extra mile to solve a problem our audience can’t solve themselves. We want to hear your ideas on how we can cover and help our community. If you have a story idea, please email us at workingforyou@cbs8.com.
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