Key PC Meeting for South O

Monday’s (Nov. 20) Planning Commission meeting has three items on its agenda, all of direct interest to South O:

• Tightening Short Term Rental regulations (#4)
• Approval of a 34′, two-story single family resident just outside St. Malo (#5)
• Approval of the development plan for the Loma Alta Creek restoration (#6)

The agenda is here, and staff reports for all three items can be found here. The hearing begins at 6pm in the City Council chambers, 300 N. Coast Highway.

Save South O strongly recommends community support for #4 and #6, and has no position on #5.

4. Short Term Rentals

According to the staff report, “there are approximately 1,112 registered SIRs in the city of Oceanside, with approximately 749 STRs located in the City’s Coastal Zone and approximately 263 STRs outside of the City’s Coastal Zone.”

To increase the supply of housing, in August the city directed the staff to prepare a ban on future STRs outside the coastal zone. Since the very first STR discussions, Save South O advocated reducing (or banning) STRs to make sure new construction resulted in new residential housing. As we wrote in April 2019:

Conversion of a owner-occupied or long-term rental into a STR reduces the housing stock. (Renting part of a home or renting an empty vacation home does not have this impact, unless a home is bought for this purpose). … The more housing gets converted from residential to STR, the more likely the state is to override local control here to force new housing units over neighborhood objections.

The proposed ordinance would add one additional category of prohibited use in Section 24.6 of the city code:

• (a)  Short-term rentals are prohibited in a manufactured home park, as defined in chapter 16.B.2(c) of the Oceanside City Code.
• (b)  Short-term rentals served by a panhandle access that does not meet city standards set forth in Oceanside Zoning Ordinance 1050(Y) or other applicable city ordinances are prohibited.
• (c) Short-term rentals located in any zoning district outside of the Coastal Zone.

This month’s proposed policy change is the same as the one adopted by Carlsbad in 2015. Like Carlsbad, Oceanside is not proposing to ban STRs inside the Coastal Zone, based on previous CCC actions that prevented STR bans. However, in 2022 the CCC did allow San Diego to reduce the number of STRs in its Coastal Zone.

The policy new policy is still less restrictive than that approved by the Planning Commission in 2019, which would have banned non-hosted rentals in any residential zone (other than R-T). But this policy was supported by only one council member (Sanchez).

5. S. Myers Home

The proposed project is located on S. Myers, at the corner of Myers and Eaton. The project property is on a 9,054 sq ft lot, equivalent to three standard residential lots. The project is on the front half of the lot (bordering Myers) with a separate lot behind the project fronting on the alley (Pacific Terrace).

The project is described as

The proposed residence would include two stories with a total of 4,076 square-feet of living area, 900 square-foot three-car garage space, and a 374 square-foot roof deck. The main floor of the residence consists of a kitchen, dining area, great room, half bathroom, laundry room, guest room with full bathroom, and a three-car garage. The dining area would have sliding doors leading out to a patio area located in the front yard below the proposed roof deck. The second story would include a family room, three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a master bedroom, a gym, and roof deck accessed from the family room.

The project meets the city’s height, lot coverage and setback requirements for the R-1 zone. Although outside St. Malo, it conforms to the St. Malo architectural standards and the proposed design was approved by its architectural review committee.

6. Loma Alta Creek Restoration

This is a city approval of the city’s planned restoration of the 5.8 acres of the Loma Alta Creek, and also enhancements of the access to the site. This includes a pedestrian trail along the north side of the creek, connecting Coast Highway to a pedestrian overlook. The city has received state funding for the project, and in June 2023 the project was approved by Coastal Commission.

6.03-project-renderingsDownload

Save South O has consistently backed this project as part of the overall improvements to Buccaneer Park and surrounding areas.

Wednesday: 1602 S. Coast before City Council

The proposed 54-unit (“mixed use”) condominium project at 1602 S. Coast Highway was approved by the Planning Commission’s second hearing October 11. That approval was appealed by South O residents to the council, which will hear the appeal on Wednesday; we are asking for changes to the project to improve its safety, compatibility with South O (per coastal regulations) and to insure that the units are actually used for housing.

The hearing (on Item 28) is being held at 6pm (time certain) in the City Council chambers, 300 North Coast Highway, Oceanside. While the hearing can be viewed online via KOCT, those testifying must appear in person. South O residents are asked to wear their Save South O t-shirts (email if you want one delivered) or wear blue.

The project is unprecedented in its height, density and scale — and, if approved, will set a precedent that all future developers will seek to follow. South O is strongly opposed to this project — to a degree not previously seen since the proposal to shrink Coast Highway from 4 lanes to 2. Whether or not you attend, please email the city council to ask they approve the appeal (sending the project back for changes) citing one or more of the issues listed in our appeal.

City staff have claimed that while they don’t like the project, their hands are tied and they must approve it under state law; the council is currently undecided. Save South O and its supporters have identified specific ways in which the project is contrary to existing development law, which are listed in our appeal. Only categories listed in the appeal can be cited; the eight categories are:

1. Public safety, particularly how the project will impact traffic safety on Freeman and Morse. The developer has asked for a waiver from the city from the requirement to provide a 15′ setback on Freeman. We ask that the city reject the waiver, which would create future accidents from cars leaving the building that cannot see pedestrians, motor vehicles and bicycles (particularly high-speed e-bikes) on Freeman.
2. Parking, which with 64 spaces for 54 2- and 3-BR units, is clearly inadequate for the project.
3. Short Term Vacation Rentals. The developer is allowed to increase the project from 40 to 54 units because it’s providing 5 very low income units. However, the developer refuses to permanently restrict those 54 units from being used as STVRs (which would then allow that housing to be converted into visitor-serving short-term rentals).
4. Non-Compliance with the California Coastal Act, because it is incompatible with the city’s Local Coastal Plan and Land Use Plan which states that “The City shall ensure that all new development is compatible in height, scale, color and form with the surrounding neighborhood.” The 4-story project is clearly not compatible in height, scale and form with adjacent 1- and 2-story single family residences.
5. Precedent. Approval of this project would allow other developers to argue for their right to ignore the LCP, LUP and other city policies.
6. Commercial Use. The only way residential use is allowed on Coast Highway is as part of a “mixed use” project, with both residential and commercial usage. However, the developer has testified that if the commercial space is not rented, it could be used for residential purposes — and thus this “mixed use” project would be a purely residential project not allowed by existing zoning.
7. Transition between Commercial and R1 Neighborhood. The LCP and LUP requires “adequate buffers or transition zones” between the commercial area and surrounding single-family neighborhoods, but the project does not.
8. Walkability. The city’s policies are to encourage walkability along Coast Highway, both downtown and in South O. South O has requested some form of outdoor seating but the developer declined to do so.

The full appeal is below:

Hallmark Appeal 10-21-21Download

Continuing fight against 1602 S. Coast

This weekend marks the latest round in the fight against 1602 S. Coast Highway, a proposed 54-unit, 42′ tall condo project that with traffic, density, parking and height would permanently change the character of South O (and set a precedent for other projects to do so):

• On Saturday, there is a rally at Marshall Street Park from 10am – noon. Residents will be making signs for the PC hearing. Save South O will be selling t-shirts at cost ($5/each) so residents can clearly signal at the hearing what side they are on.
• At 6pm Monday, this will return for a second time to the Planning Commission. While people can watch on Zoom or KOCT, under new city policies, only those present at the council chambers (300 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside) will be allowed to testify.

Sept. 27 PC Hearing

We had a good turnout of South O residents at the Sept. 27 hearing, both in person and online. The community members made strong arguments (summarized here) about why the project is not appropriate for South O, and needs to be sent back for changes to reduce its impact.

South O residents living nearby talked about the existing traffic and pedestrian safety issues that will be exacerbated by this 54-unit project, as well as the impact of a 42′, 4-story building looking down on their homes. Others focused on how it is under-parked, and that everyone in the room knew that — despite the parking/density bonuses of being a half mile from the Sprinter station — the residents will have more cars than parking spaces and will spillover into neighborhood streets.

But fundamentally, a majority of the PC agreed that this project is not consistent with the character of the local community. As Oceanside’s 1985 Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan (p. 34) states:

The Coastal Act requires that the visual qualities of the Coastal Zone shall be protected and that new development be sited and designed to be visually compatible with the character of surrounding areas.

On Sept 27, the PC leaned 3-1 to send the plan back for revision. However, the city planner used a procedural move to create a tied vote so that it could be reconsidered on Oct 11 (this Monday) when more PC members would be present. These PC members have not heard the testimony from Sept 27, and the one commissioner (Louise Balma) appeared to be on the fence while two (Robin Goodkind, Jolene Hayes) were opposed and the fourth (Tom Morissey) strongly supported it.

Going Forward

The developer and its land use consultant have made clear that they have no intention of negotiating any substantive changes with the city — over density, scale or parking — unless forced to do so by the city. If they lose on Monday, their clear plan is to take the existing project to the council and demand that it approve the project. That council meeting would likely be in November or early December.

Similarly, if South O loses on Monday, we will ask the council to hear our appeal. The stakes in this project are too high, as having a wall of such projects along Coast Highway would clearly destroy the unique character of South O. Other projects are in the pipeline, waiting to see what happens on this project and the maximum density they can cram into their planned projects.

We ask all South O residents to attend in person, email comments in advance (by noon Monday) to PlanningCommission@oceansideca.org, or both.

Massive condo project at PC Monday

For almost five months, South O residents have been fighting plans for a massive (and unprecedented) condo project at 1602 S. Coast (SE corner of Morse and Coast). It comes before the Planning Commission Monday at 6pm: the public can participate in person, via zoom, phone or emailed comments.

This project has unprecedented scale and density for any South O development on Coast Highway. If the Planning Commission follows the staff recommendation, this project will set a precedent to change permanently change the character of South O.

Summary

The staff report is recommending approval of the 54 unit project at the SE corner of Morse and Coast Highway. The report says that the developer, Hallmark Development of Solana Beach, held outreach meetings with the community, which it did (via Zoom) on April 14 and May 4.

What it doesn’t say is that the developer made no substantive changes to the areas where South O residents fiercely objected: height, scale, density and inadequate parking.

09-27-21-sr-pc-04Download

Unprecedented Height

The staff report claims

This proposed development would be compatible with surrounding developments in terms of land use, density, and lot size. The proposed four (4) story mixed use development is consistent with many of the existing and proposed mixed~use developments along South Coast Highway. The existing developments within the neighborhood range from one to two-story single-family and two to three story multi-family complexes, commercial and office developments.

In other words, a new 4 story, 42′ tall condo project is “compatible” with the neighborhood.

• Of all the commercial development on Coast Highway from Morse Street to the city limits, there is exactly one building taller than two stories: the portions of the abandoned Blade-Tribune building near Cassidy St. So there is no precedent for a 4-story, 42′ building.
• The residential development east of Coast between Morse and Cassidy is 1- and 2-story single family homes and apartments. The proposed project will dwarf and shadow this neighborhood unlike any others.

Unprecedented Density

The report says the Morse Street Townhomes (north of Morse, east of Coast) sets a precedent for this project.

The Morse Street Townhome project located directly north from the project site along Morse Street was recently developed as a three-story condominium project and is similar in terms of density, scale, and architectural features

However, a cursory comparison of these two projects shows that the new project has unprecedented density (more than 3x as large) and scale (both in terms of height and lot coverage):

	Morse Street Townhome	1602 S. Coast
Area	2.3 ac	0.9 ac
Height	34.5′	42.0′
Stories	3 plus roof deck	4 plus possible deck
Units	38	54
Density	16.5 du/ac	59 du/ac
Commercial	0	3,300 sq ft
Parking	83 spaces	77 spaces
Lot coverage	33%	86%

The report also claims that “the proposed development … is consistent with the goals of the Coast Highway Corridor Study and Coast Highway Vision and Strategic Plan.”

However, the use of a project north of Morse is a red herring. The staff knows full well that while the 2007 Coast Highway Vision called for increased density along Coast, when the council voted in August 2019 to enact that vision, it voted to eliminate density and development incentives from all property south of Morse Street. So city development policy North of Morse is different from that South of Morse. (Just as development policy West of Coast is different from that East of Coast).

Inadequate Parking

The project has 34 2BR units, 20 3BR units and 64 residential parking spaces. In addition it has 11 spaces for commercial use and 2 guest parking spaces.

According to the April 14 community meeting, developer is expecting to sell these condos for $600-800k. However, it is claiming that the residents won’t own as many cars as elsewhere in the city, because it is 0.4 miles from the Sprinter station at Godfrey Street. Given people buying these condos will (under HUD guidelines) need a household income of $60,000-80,000/year, any survey or study of homeowners in Coastal Oceanside would suggest that (as with other SoCal suburbs) most residents will have one car per adult.

One thing that the Morse Townhomes have shown: inadequate parking in the residential project (which makes the project more profitable for the developer) will flood local streets with the overflow. This was the single greatest objection by residents at the May 4 community meeting.

Even if residents will learn how to use mass transit, AirBNB visitors from other cities are unlikely to do so. (Neighbors of Short-Term Rentals will also tell you that visitors to such properties often cram as many people with as many cars as possible.) The city and the developer refused to add a deed restriction banning STR rentals at this under-parked property.

How to Participate

If approved, this project will set a precedent for all future Coast Highway redevelopment. You can participate in the hearing:

• In person: Council Chambers (2nd floor), 300 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside
• Via the Internet: https://zoom.us/ ; to join, click “Join a Meeting” at the top of the Zoom webpage. Enter the Zoom Meeting ID: 881 1127 3720
• Via telephone: (669) 900-6833, and then enter the meeting ID. (Mute your phone unless you are called on)

To comment via

• In writing: by noon Monday, email comments to PlanningCommission@oceansideca.org
• In person: submit “request to speak” form in the PC hearing
• Via Internet or phone: by 4pm Monday, email request to speak PlanningCommission@oceansideca.org

Staff Report: “Land Use Compatibility”

A. Land Use Element
Goal 1.12 Land Use Compatibility
Objective: To minimize conflicts with adjacent or related uses.
Policy B: The use of land shall not create negative visual impacts to surrounding land uses.
The proposed mixed~use development would create a 54 unit residential condominium units and 3,244 square feet of ground floor commercial space and would implement the goals and objectives specified in the General Plan and be in compliance with the State Density Bonus goals of maximizing density. The project meets all required development standards of the C~21CZ zoning district, with the exception of the two (2) requested waivers of the aforementioned development standards as permitted under State Density Bonus Law. This proposed development would be compatible with surrounding developments in terms of land use, density, and lot size. The proposed four (4) story mixed use development is consistent with many of the existing and proposed mixed~use developments along South Coast Highway. The existing developments within the neighborhood range from one to two-story single-family and two to three story multi-family complexes, commercial and office developments. The Morse Street Townhome project located directly north from the project site along Morse Street was recently developed as a three-story condominium project and is similar in terms of density, scale, and architectural features, materials, and enhancements as the proposed development. Given the wide range of aforementioned developments within the area, the proposed development provides an additional eclectic and aesthetic design to the neighborhood and is consistent with the goals of the Coast Highway Corridor Study and Coast Highway Vision and Strategic Plan for development along South Coast Highway.

New bills to kill local zoning control

As in previous years, San Francisco (and now San Diego) legislators are proposing bad legislation to strip local cities of zoning control. There is limited time to block this legislation before it passes the Assembly and goes to the governor for his signature.

As before, these are gifts to developers (i.e. campaign contributors) rather than serious efforts to increase affordable housing. Two bills in particular seek to end single-family zoning as is the norm in most of Oceanside. Both bills are sponsored (18,800 residents/sq. mile) to places like Oceanside (4,250 residents/sq. mile) and Carlsbad (3,050 residents/sq. mile).

• SB-9 allows up to 8 units in a single-family dwelling lot, and either one (or no) additional parking spaces for these additional units. With the reduced parking and side setbacks, it would increase density and reduce the quality of life for neighborhood where these projects are built.
• SB-10 allows up to 10 units on single family lots — and (for the first time in 108 years) allows local governments to ignore voter-passed initiatives and general plans that restrict the density of development.

Neither bill conditions these density increases on building actual affordable housing. Previous Wiener-passed bills have allowed developers to increase revenues without lowering prices. As we have seen from recent projects proposed in Oceanside, the developers will use these incentives to maximize the density and minimize the parking provided by their projects —

The (intended) result of both bills is to reduce the supply of single-family housing — replacing them with apartments and condos — thus making single family homes unavailable to all but the most well-off of Californians. According to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, taking home ownership away also eliminates a crucial path for building wealth and financial security for the average Californian.

Legislative Status

Both bills have passed the state Senate and now are in the state Assembly. Oceanside’s state senator, Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), voted against both bills. However, she is facing term limits and will be replaced by a new state senator in the November 2022 election.

Oceanside’s assemblymember, Tasha Boerner Horvath (D-Encinitas) voted no on SB-10 in the Local Government committee but did not vote (either way) for SB-9. Her office contact information is as follows:

• Sacramento Office: (916) 319-2076; fax: (916) 319-2716
• Carlsbad Office: (760) 434-7605; 325 Carlsbad Village Drive #A-2, Carlsbad, 92008

Proposed National Bill

If that’s not bad enough, the Biden Administration has signaled its intention to create a national policy eliminating single-family housing as part of its “infrastructure” legislation. (It is dishonest to call this a federal bill, since taking away local zoning control on a nationwide basis is the antithesis of Federalism.)

The infrastructure legislation is currently under negotiation and has not been released for public reading. We will update you when when we learn more about how (or if) this policy is incorporated in the final legislation.

Proposed condo project at 1602 S. Coast

At 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday May 4, the South Oceanside Community and Merchants Association and Save South O will be sponsoring an online meeting between the South O community and Hallmark Communities.

The subject is Hallmark’s proposed four-story, 54-unit condominium building at 1602 S. Coast Highway. At the city’s request, Hallmark is meeting with the community prior to an expected Planning Commission hearing this summer.

This is the chance for the community to meet with Hallmark as well as the city planner handling the project.South O residents are strongly encouraged to attend this virtual meeting so that their concerns are addressed prior to Planning Commission consideration of this project this summer

Comparison To Earlier Development

The project is to the south of the the controversial Visa Del Mar (née Morse Street Townhomes, née 514 Morse Street) that was approved in 2015 and finished in 2019. That project brought repeated efforts by South O neighbors to reduce the size and scope of the project.

The new project is taller, higher density, with more units and less overall parking than the earlier Morse Street project. Unlike the earlier project — or the existing usage that is mostly parking lot — the proposed condos have more than 85% lot coverage, meaning that almost every square foot of land is covered with buildings

	Vista Del Mar	1602 S. Coast
Area	2.3 ac	0.9 ac
Height	34.5′	42.0′
Stories	3 plus roof deck	4 plus possible deck
Units	38	54
Density	16.5 du/ac	59 du/ac
Commercial	0	3,300 sq ft
Parking	83 spaces	77 spaces
Lot coverage	33%	86%

The higher density, scale and lower parking for the new project have the potential to set a prececedent for transforming the face of Coast Highway in South O.

Compatibility with the Coastal Zone

Under state law, any project in the Coastal Zone must be compatible with the city’s Local Coastal Plan, with requirements that the city:

• Ensure that all new development is compatible in height, scale, color and form with the surrounding neighborhood.
• Promote efforts to achieve high quality of design for buildings to be constructed at prominent locations.
• Use care in remodeling of older buildings in order to enhance rather than weaken the original character of such buildings.
• Buildings are seen together as a total effect that defines the city/neighborhood. Emphasize this special character further through distinctive landscaping and other features.
• Recognize natural boundaries of neighborhoods and promote connections/transitions.
• Preserve notable landmarks and areas of historic, architectural, or aesthetic values and promote the preservation of other buildings and features that provide continuity with past development. Improvement of the neighborhood environment increases personal safety, comfort, pride and promotes further enhancement opportunities.
• Provide buffering for residential neighborhoods from heavy traffic or other undesirable intrusions when they cannot be avoided otherwise.

Mitigation of Expected Impacts

Previous discussions have already identified major concerns by South O neighbors. For example, the project hopes to take advantage of state reduced parking incentives because it is within a half mile (as the crow flies) from mass transit, i.e. the Coast Highway Sprinter Station. If (as many residents believe) it is dramatically under-parked, the excess demand for parking will spillover onto Morse, Freeman and other nearby streets — reducing the parking available to existing South O residents.

As a minimum, Save South O is recommending the following mitigation measures

Issue	Preliminary Recommendation
Traffic: The existing Traffic Study (completed during Covid shutdown) projected 390 trips a day and that 60% would be evenl distributed North/South, 30% East on Morse and 10% south on Freeman.	Complete a new traffic study once schools are open (less COVID related closures). Provide small, landscaped median(transition into neighborhood) on Morse and Alvarado to indicate transition to a residential neighborhood and to calmincreased traffic.
Parking: The mix of housing at the project is 54 units for a total of 128 bedrooms including 9 units at 1 bedroom, 34 units at 2 bedroom, 20 units at 3 bedroom and some of the 3-bedroom units also with offices (Zoom Meeting 4/14/21). There are 54 ground level parking spaces of which 11 are electric car charging stations.	Provide residents on Alvarado, Morse, California, and Ditmar Streets parking passes to ensure they will have guest/ample parking. Additionally, require the property be deed restricted against short-term-rental use to ensure units in the namedtransit corridor are used for housing.
Architecture and Walkability: The architecture of the building would be an “urban beach design.”	Architecture needs more articulation and a softer appearance to achieve the beach look mandated in our Local Coastal Plan. More building articulation will improve and encourage walkability (safety and comfort).

South O’s Next Council Representative

This week, South O hosted a forum for four of the six candidates for District 3 City Council seat.

Earlier Questions

Before the debate, we submitted written questions to the candidates. The answers will be found in our earlier postings:

1. What is the short term and long-term solution for restoring South O beaches?
2. What changes would you like to make to city parks and how would you pay for it?
3. What do you think of the city’s current regulation of cannabis cultivation and distribution?
4. Can the state’s “infill” housing policies be implemented without changing the character of South O?
5. When the COVID crisis is over, what should the city do to increase jobs and tax revenues?

Tuesday’s Council Forum

The debate included these candidates:

• Kellie Davis
• Ryan Keim
• Shari Mackin
• Amber Newman

After their opening statements, Save South O asked four questions of each candidate. For each question, the candidates answered in a different order:

1. How do you think the Short Term Rental ordinance is working? Are there any changes that you would like to make? (Keim, Mackin, Newman, Davis)
2. How can the closure of the La Salina sewage treatment plant benefit South O? What would you do to improve this site and the surrounding area? (Mackin, Newman, Davis, Keim)
3. Current city plans call for Coast Highway to remain 4 lanes in South O, but to replace existing retail with 45′ tall commercial/residential projects. What is your vision for the future of Coast Highway? (Newman, Davis, Keim, Mackin)
4. If much of this year’s shift to online work and shopping becomes permanent, how should the city change its zoning for office and retail space? (Davis, Keim, Mackin, Newman)

After that, all four candidates were given the chance to question the other candidates. Two candidates exercised that option:

• Keim asked the others their positions on Proposition 15 and Proposition 20.
• Mackin asked if/how/why they took money from developers.

The forum then concluded with their respective closing statements.

South O Community Meeting – Online

The South O Community and Merchants Association met today for the first time since January 28; the March and May meetings were cancelled due to COVID-era restrictions on our indoor meeting space (Beach Break Café). Today’s meeting was hosted by SOCMA leader Richard Fox on his Zoom account.

We had 18 people attending, including several of the Save South O leaders, two sitting council members, and representatives of the tourism and economic development offices. Among the items:

• The meeting marked one of the final meetings of Officer Tom Cahill, the community policing officer for South Oceanside.
• The economic development officer announced that Oceanside — like other cities — will allow restaurants to place tables on certain city streets.
• Concerns about out-of-town visitors to South O staying in STRs.
• An update on the planned 54-unit condo project (47’ high) at 1602 S. Coast Highway (SE corner of Coast and Morse)

November 3 Election

Save South O presented a summary on key issues and candidates on the November election.

State/National Candidates:

• President: Biden (D), Trump (R)
• 49th Congressional District: Levin (D), Maryott (R)
• 76th Assembly District: Boerner Horvath (D), Burkholder (R)

State Propositions (selected):

• 15: repeal Prop 13 for commercial properties
• 16: repeal Prop 209 (allow affirmative action)
• 17: allow paroled felons to vote
• 20: tighten felony parole requirements
• 21: expanded local option to impose rent control
• 22: repeal AB5 for select firms (DoorDash, Lyft, Uber etc.)
• 25: eliminate cash bail

Oceanside Propositions

• North River Farms: Yes means project is approved
• Term Limits: yes means a limit of up to 3 terms in council and 3 terms in mayor —not counting any terms completed by 2022

Oceanside Mayor

1. Perry Alvarez
2. Rocky Chavez
3. Jack Feller
4. Fernando Garcia
5. Rob Howard
6. Ruben Major
7. Fabio Marchi
8. Christopher Rodriguez
9. Alex Sortino
10. Esther Sanchez
11. David Turgeon
12. Lou Uridel

Oceanside Council District 3 (including South O)

1. Bill Batchelor
2. Kellie Davis
3. Ryan Keim
4. Shari Mackin
5. Amber Newman
6. Ryann Smith
7. David Zernik

Both the mayoral and council lists are based on those who pulled papers, and will not be final until the August 7 deadline for filing papers.

Save South O plans to disseminate information about the positions of council candidates on issues relevant to South O voters. Stay tuned.

The next meeting of the SOCMA will be held (most likely online) at 6pm on Sept. 22. Email SaveSouthO if you want to be added to the mailing list.

City enacts Coast Highway vision

On Wednesday, the council voted to move ahead with the proposed Coast Highway plan, largely ratifying the June 10 Planning Commission decision. This was the culmination of the “Coast Highway Vision” process begun in 2007.

In response to public pressure, the hearing was moved from 2pm to 6pm. Fewer South O representatives were able to make it than on June 10, while more supporters of the Road Diet showed up.

Thanks to efforts by our PR advisor, the hearing was filmed by TV cameras (and stories) from Channel 5/69 (KSWB), NBC 7/39 (KNSD) and KUSI 9/51. The Save South O perspective was featured in the KSWB story, as well as a pre-story by KNSD

Council Decision

The Road Diet supporters from Seaside and environmental groups testified in favor of the PC decision, for a Road Diet (with traffic circles) from Morse Street north. South O representatives asked that the Road Diet end at Oceanside Blvd.

A motion to create a Road Diet citywide by Councilman Rodriguez failed for the lack of a second. Then Mayor Weiss made a motion to create an Incentive District from Morse to Seagaze — with a decision on a Road Diet to be postponed until later. Although that motion was seconded by Councilman Keim, it was withdrawn in light of opposition by Rodriguez.

Rodriguez then motioned to approve Alternative 3, seconded by Weiss, and it was approved by a 4-1 motion (Councilwoman Sanchez opposed). Throughout the discussion, Councilman Feller expressed the strongest opposition to the Road Diet.

With the decision, the city will

• Create an Incentive District from Seagaze south to Morse St.
• Add crosswalks at Whaley and Kelly in South O
• Keep the existing Road Diet for the half mile from Morse to Oceanside Blvd
• Add a new Road Diet for almost 2 miles, north from Oceanside Blvd. north to Harbor Drive.

The proposal would also add traffic circles at seven intersections in the Road Diet:

• Coast Highway & State Route 76
• Coast Highway & Civic Center Drive
• Coast Highway & Pier View Way
• Coast Highway & Washington Avenue
• Coast Highway & Wisconsin Avenue
• Coast Highway & Michigan Avenue
• Coast Highway & West Street

Intersections at Mission and Oceanside Blvd. will remain signals, because (according to the city’s studies) they have too much traffic for a traffic circle.

This is a great improvement since Save South O began organizing opposition nearly three years ago, even if it leaves the Road Diet in place in the “Dip” between Morse and Oceanside Blvd.

Potential Changes

The council also approved (4-1) a second motion by Keim — to study removing the Road Diet from the Dip. (The three Environmental Impact Reports never studied this option, which was the one repeatedly requested by South O representatives).

The staff was directed to study the impacts of Alternative 3 but with no Road Diet south of Oceanside Blvd. After that study is completed, the council would then vote whether to adopt this approach, or keep this week’s plan (Alternative 3) unmodified.

This was an encouraging outcome, but South O residents and merchants will need to voice their support for this option once it returns to the council. Save South O will keep everyone posted.

The KEY Coast Highway vote

On Wednesday (Aug. 14), the City Council will finally vote on the Coast Highway plan. The proposal, developed since 2007, has two major elements: the Road Diet (cutting 4 lanes to 2, replacing signals with traffic circles) and an Incentive District for developing on Coast (both denser development and accelerated approval).

The hearing was originally planned for 2pm, but — in response to public complaints — the council last week voted to move the hearing to 6pm; it is the only agenda item. It will be held at the council chambers, on the 2nd floor of 300 N. Coast Highway.

Save South O summarized its position and arguments in a June posting. As South O residents have asked for the past three years, we call for no Road Diet anywhere in South O — i.e. 4 lanes south of Oceanside Blvd. We also the city to reject plans for any Incentive District South of Morse Street. This position was unanimously backed by the South Oceanside Business District.

While many in South O oppose any Road Diet, the June 10 Planning Commission hearing made clear that many residents downtown (aka Seaside, aka Townsite) support the Road Diet. Thus, South O asked the Planning Commission respect our wishes and recognize that South O is not downtown.  South O does not want a road diet: 23 from South O testified against a South O Road Diet, while 2 testified in favor.

The Planning Commission voted to endorse Alternative 3: no Road Diet or Incentive District south of Morse Street. In addition, this option provides South O with two new protected crosswalks; as the April 2019 Final EIR (Volume 1, p. S-8) writes:

Alternative 3 would provide Class III sharrow markings on Coast Highway between Morse Street and Vista Way and curb-extending mid-block pedestrian crosswalks at Whaley Street and Kelly Street.

Eliminating the South O Road Diet

The “temporary” road diet — begun in March 2016 — has now run to 40 months. On weekends — and much of the summer — it has brought regular gridlock as residents, employees and visitors struggle to get in and out of South O from its main northern entrance.

There are many reasons to oppose the Road Diet South of Oceanside Blvd. — including that Coast is part of the city’s official tsunami evacuation route. However, there is an inherent contradiction in Alternative 3 — which increases density in the Dip while reducing traffic lanes.

In the city’s Incentive District plan, any property marked as a “Node” (purple) is allowed to be 65′ maximum height (55′ average height) and 63 dwelling units/acre.

Public records show that the Node properties around the Sprinter station total 38.69 acres. This would allow 2,437 new dwelling units — in addition to any residential development in the (blue) “Avenue” properties, which allow all-residential projects up to 45’ high.

Worse, 15.39 acres of Node properties are South of Godfrey Street. There is no way for residents of these properties (and the associated 970 units) to drive to their property without either driving in (on the East side) or driving out (on the West side) via South Oceanside.

Some claim that these residents will not have cars, but instead will use mass transit. However, cars will be important for these residents for at least several decades. The Sprinter has had only limited ridership to date, averaging 46,000/week across the entire system in the most recent fiscal year.

In addition, like other brand-new units West of I-5, these units will rent for $2,000-3,000/month, which under federal guidelines means they’ll need a household income of $80k-$120k/year; buying a $600,000 condo would also require about $120k/year. This is more than what two people making $15/hour can afford, and well above the average Oceanside household income (which is $62k/year). Clearly many of these affluent renters/owners will have cars.

Taking Action

Save South O was formed to make the concerns of South Oceanside heard at City Hall. In turn, we need your help. We ask that you please

• Email the council to voice your opposition to any Road Diet south of Oceanside Blvd.
• Come to the hearing at 6pm Wednesday:
  • Wear your “Save South O” t-shirt if you have one (contact us to obtain one); if you don’t have one, please wear a blue shirt
  • Be polite at all times
  • When you testify, ask the council that in addition to Alternative 3, that the “Dip” be restored to four lanes, i.e. no Road Diet between Oceanside Blvd. and Morse Street.