Affordable Housing Mandates, North Bluff Rezoning, and Shaping Our Own Future
Friends,
As I’ve talked with residents across Del Mar, one theme keeps coming up: the impact of state mandates on local control and our community’s future. We need to use every tool at our disposal to preserve local decision-making.
With affordable housing negotiations at the Fairgrounds at a standstill, the City is now required to consider rezoning vacant land on our North Bluff. The proposal would increase permitted density on 11.7 acres from one dwelling unit per acre to 20 units per acre, with density bonuses potentially allowing even more. This dramatic change could affect Del Mar and our neighbors in Solana Beach.
Meanwhile, the proposed Seaside Ridge development remains in litigation. The property owner seeks to build 259 units on 6.9 acres of the North Bluff, arguing the project can proceed “by right” despite Del Mar’s existing density limitations.
What can we learn from these challenges? I see three priorities.
First, understand and use every available legal tool. Del Mar has important advantages. Our charter-city status offers opportunities to defend local decision-making, while our location entirely within the Coastal Zone brings the Coastal Act and our certified Local Coastal Program into play. Recent decisions, including New Commune DTLA LLC v. City of Redondo Beach, underscore the importance of coastal protections in disputes involving state housing laws. As an attorney with more than 15 years of experience navigating complex legal issues, I understand the importance of knowing not only what the law requires, but where it gives us tools to protect our community.
Second, rebuild our influence through strategic, persistent advocacy. Del Mar is small, so we must punch above our weight. By partnering with similarly situated communities and engaging credibly with state and regional leaders, we can advocate for housing policies that account for local knowledge and circumstances. We should help shape these policies—not simply react to them.
Third, look beyond today’s challenges to the future we want to create. How can the vision embodied in our Community Plan guide future growth? A trusted colleague once told me, with affection and tough love, “No one is better equipped to solve your problems than you.” We must come together to envision—and work toward—healthy, sustainable solutions that preserve the qualities that make Del Mar special.
That’s what local control means to me: maximizing our legal protections, building relationships to strengthen our advocacy, and working proactively as a community to shape our future.
Warm Regards,
