Every eight years the State of California requires that each jurisdiction update their Housing Element of the General Plan to address future housing needs. The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is the agency responsible for tracking and determining compliance with the State Housing Law. HCD and SANDAG work together to determine the regional housing need and SANDAG, with input from the jurisdictions, determine the methodology for the allocation. After approval from HCD, the City of Encinitas is responsible for submitting an updated Housing Element that meets those needs before April 2021 as part of their 2021-2029 plan. The city received formal certification from HCD for their 2013-2021 plan in October of 2019.
You can learn more about the certified plan on the city’s website at:
https://encinitasca.gov/Housing-Plan-Update-2019
The city did not include the seven-acre parcel of city-owned land just south of Via Zamia on Quail Gardens Drive (commonly referred to as L-7 in their housing plan). However, the approved plan included a large parcel of land at the northwest corner of Quail Gardens Drive and Leucadia Blvd. This parcel of land is referred to as the “Echter Property.” It has a net acreage of roughly 10 acres that can yield approximately 250 housing units as well as open space and agricultural areas.
Recently a notice was posted on the Echter Property gates indicating that planning is underway for this site.
As is the case with any proposed housing in Encinitas there will be a formal Citizen Participation Program (CPP) where neighbors can provide input to the plans and the project will go through the review and approval process with the city and Coastal Commission. At some point in the near future all homeowners who live within a particular distance of the project will be formally notified by mail about a CPP meeting where they can learn more and express any concerns.
Below are two pages showing a high level depiction of the proposed development.
Per Article 4.5.3 of our CC&R’s the community association cannot engage in political activities intended to influence a governmental action affecting areas outside of the Covered Property. This means that the board cannot act on behalf of homeowners who may support or oppose a particular action taken by the City of Encinitas, the Coastal Commission or other governmental agencies.
This does not preclude individual homeowners from expressing their views as they did with the L-7 parcel on Quail Gardens Drive just south of Via Zamia.
The community will issue updates from time-to-time.