February 9, 2021
On January 22, 2021 the City of Encinitas found the Goodson/Malk application for Encinitas Blvd. Apartments to be complete. The project moves one major step closer to becoming reality.
Encinitas RRD continues to strongly oppose the excessive scale of the 283-unit, primarily market-rate apartment building. Grading plans call for a 30’ manufactured steep slope (2:1) that will tower over RSF Road. The apartment block will be built on top of the pad as one massive building with a 6-story parking garage at its heart and luxury spa amenities on its rooftop that will forever mar the evening dark skies seen throughout our community.
To obtain the right to build on this site, the developer played bait-and-switch with the city, originally promising to develop it as a much smaller senior living housing project with reduced need for vehicles. This project, towering 30’ over the 39’ height allowance, takes advantage of many exemptions and yet in return it provides very little low-income housing.
Encinitas RRD fully supports the city’s goal to provide more affordable housing. High-density housing should be located near public transit and be served by adequate infrastructure. Because the Goodson/Malk project is far from bus routes and located at an already heavily-trafficked intersection, it will have significant negative impacts on transit time, road safety for vehicles and pedestrians, and the environment. The developer claimed exemption from California Environmental Quality Laws and didn’t study at all the impact on RSF Road traffic as 283 new households will be taking their children to OPE, Diegueno, and LCC.
The most serious threat, however, remains the impact that an estimated 500 cars exiting from the apartment parking structure will have on wildfire evacuation. These additional cars are likely to create a bottleneck at RSF Road and Encinitas Blvd. and will add considerably to the 4-hour evacuation time which is already too long. This will directly affect not only Olivenhain but also Rancho Santa Fe.
The next step in the city’s application process will be for the project to go before the Planning Commission. There are actions that can be taken up with the Planning Commission and then at City Council upon appeal.
ERRD has been working continually to oppose this project and has retained the services of lawyers and various experts to assist.
Please help by making a donation at: https://encinitasrrd.org
Or by check to:
Encinitas Residents for Responsible Development
2240 Encinitas Blvd., Suite D-336
Encinitas, CA 92024
We need the community’s help and we welcome your assistance! If you have time, ideas, or any expertise to offer, please contact us at: info@encinitasrrd.org.
Thank you,
Encinitas RRD