The California Coastal Commission handed the developer of a proposed housing development near South Ponto Beach in Carlsbad a regulatory win on Thursday.
At its Oceanside meeting, the state agency approved, 7-4, land-use changes that will allow San Diego-based developer H.G. Fenton Co. to build 120 rental townhomes, including 24 affordable units.
Residents wanted one of the last undeveloped parcels of land to remain open space and become a park.
Nearly 100 people spoke at the meeting at Oceanside Civic Center. Most were opposed to the development. They said South Carlsbad has no coastal park and the closest park is more than 2 miles away.
“There are over 2,000 homes here that don't really have any walkable or even bike access to a public park,” said Michael Sebahar, co-founder of the group People for Ponto. “The closest house here along the coast, west of the railroad, would have to go 2.2 miles. That's the closest!”
The commissioners seemed sympathetic to residents' concerns about keeping the area as parkland, but said that was not within the commission’s purview.
“We're here to identify coastal resources, and not compel, I think, a land use decision on this, making a nexus to create a park,” Commissioner Dan Kalmick said.
The 11-acre property, located between South Carlsbad Boulevard and Interstate 5, is officially known as Planning Area F. David Gatzke, the vice president of development at H.G. Fenton said not all the property will be developed for housing.
“Planning Area F consists of two project components,” he told the commission. “F West is an approximately 3.8-acre parcel that will be separated into three planning areas and provide native habitat preservation and enhancement, development of public trails, visitor-serving commercial uses, and, most importantly, is designed for future adaptability.”
Because the proposed development sits near the coast, it needed a land-use update and the Coastal Commission’s approval.
The city said the property is privately owned and designating the area as parkland does not guarantee a park will be built.
Carlsbad’s assistant director of community development, Eric Lardy, said state law prevents the city from denying any proposed housing development.
“You cannot downzone any residential site unless you can currently upzone an additional housing element site,” he told the commission.
The city said it has no other undeveloped land to offset the loss.
In a printed statement released immediately after the commission’s decision, H.G. Fenton said it is looking forward to building on the property.
“We are grateful to the leaders and staff of the California Coastal Commission and city of Carlsbad for the two decades of thoughtful planning that made today’s action possible,” the statement read.
Despite the commission’s approval, residents said they will keep fighting for a park in the area.
The project still needs approval from the City Council.
