DEL MAR (KGTV) - San Diego's coastal communities are working to meet state housing requirements.
Del Mar city council leaders planned to take up the issue at their meeting Monday.
Del Mar is home to some of San Diego County's most expensive real estate. One of the most valuable plots is on the other side of a fence off of Via De La Valle and Sierra.
929 Border Avenue is roughly seven acres on the north bluff overlooking Dog Beach. It's been vacant for decades. What should be built on the property is once again the focus of controversy.
"Not again, are you kidding? That is my initial reaction," said Solana Beach resident Carla Echols-Hayes.
Carla Echols-Hayes helped launch the fight against plans to build a luxury resort on the bluff. Voters defeated Measure G in 2020. Now, a developer wants to build a large housing development. The proposed Seaside Ridge would include 259 rental housing units, including 54 considered lower income. Echols-Hayes and other opponents worry about the fragile bluffs, especially with the recent collapse at Blacks Beach and the ongoing concerns along the train tracks in Del Mar.
Echols-Hayes says she's not against building single-family housing.
"A couple of stories is fine. Single-family with ADUS is fine."
Regarding concerns about the bluffs, Seaside Ridge sent the following statement:
"Seaside Ridge is designed with public access in mind and its buildings are sited further away from the bluff edge to ensure long-term access and sensitivity to coastal resources. By incorporating increased setbacks into the design, the project has no need for seawalls and all onsite drainage is routed east and away from the bluff."
Shortly after getting the developer's application, the city sent a letter saying "it doesn't agree with the proposed legal basis" of the plans. The letter is posted on the city's website.
https://www.delmar.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/8327/PDA22-001-City-Response-Letter-101422
Under state housing laws, Del Mar is required to provide zoning for roughly 113 affordable housing units. Right now, it has zero. The state sent the city two letters saying it's out of compliance and could face steep fines, but city leaders say they're working on a solution.
"We believe we are able to solve our affordable housing by having areas throughout the city number one, and number two at the fairgrounds," said Del Mar council member David Druker.
The city has until April of 2024 to come to an agreement with the state and the fairgrounds to build affordable housing. The city hopes to build at least fifty units at the fairgrounds.
Supporters of Seaside Ridge sent the city a letter saying the project will provide equitable coastal access for a range of income groups. Kevin Sabellico is with the YIMBY Democrats of San Diego.
"People in my generation will struggle to afford if cities like Del Mar and all across the coast don’t provide for more affordable housing options for its workforce, residents, small business owners," said Kevin Sabellico.
Here's the full statement from Seaside Ridge:
"Unfortunately, the City of Del Mar has once again been found to be out of compliance with the California Housing Element Law by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Time is not on Del Mar’s side and it’s clear now more than ever that the City must take critical steps immediately in order to achieve compliance.
According to its January 13th letter to the City of Del Mar, the California Department of Housing and Community Development is requiring Del Mar to comply with AB 1398, which requires cities without a compliant housing element to rezone identified housing sites before they can be deemed in compliance. The City of Del Mar has not completed all of its required rezoning.
Seaside Ridge would go a long way towards helping the City of Del Mar comply with housing element law before certification of the City’s housing element can be granted. As currently designed, Seaside Ridge would fulfill 78% of the City’s immediate need for 54 lower income units in the 6th housing cycle and well over 100% of the City’s moderate-income need.
We hope that the City will see Seaside Ridge as the opportunity it is and continue advancing this worthy project without delay. The City must demonstrate to the State that it has taken every measure possible to alleviate our region’s affordable housing crisis. Seaside Ridge is a real project that moves the City toward – and not away from – compliance with the State.
While we support the City’s effort to create housing at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the City’s timeframe extends far beyond what the State’s 6th cycle laws allow and it also does not appear that housing is a priority of the Fairgrounds leadership as it embarks on a long-term master planning process to increase revenues from entertainment and fair-related activities. Moreso, the City’s housing deficit cannot be accommodated on the Fairgrounds alone should any housing ultimately be allowed there.
Seaside Ridge provides significant housing benefits to Del Mar: it provides real opportunities for new families of varying income ranges to call Del Mar home, it helps the City obtain a legally-required certified housing element, it secures important grant funding for housing program implementation, and it provides the time needed to continue exploring the idea of placing housing on the Fairgrounds property.
The developer will submit a full formal application to the city in the next couple of months. A preliminary application was submitted in the fall.
