The Coast News INLAND EDITION
VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 7, N0. 8
Residents pan height, design, process
By Samantha Nelson
TURN TO CLIMATE ON 14
APRIL 15, 2022
Vista apartment plan draws neighbors’ ire
Council gets climate plan progress report ESCONDIDO — The city reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by six metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, including methane and other gasses, between 2020 and 2021, according to the first annual Climate Action Plan monitoring report. The city first approved its Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2013 and updated it just last year with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions citywide. Staff must report the plan’s progress to the City Council once every year. The CAP aims to reduce emissions to 42% below 2012 levels by 2030 and to 52% by 2035. The plan identifies 11 strategies to reduce emissions. Each strategy contains various measures to help support the overall strategy, and each measure contains performance metrics that show how the measure will be reached. For example, the first strategy is for the city to increase its use of zero-emission or alternative fuel vehicles. Within that strategy are four measures, one of which is to install electric vehicle charging stations at parks and ride lots. Under that measure there are two performance metrics that the measure would need to be considered completed: installing 181 charging stations in parks and ride lots by 2030 and 281 by 2035. There are a total of 153 performance metrics overall that need to be completed to reach the CAP’s goals. About 25% of those metrics have been implemented, according to Senior Planner Veronica Morones, who delivered the CAP monitoring report during the April 6 council meeting. The goal for 2022 is to implement nine performance metrics while also absorbing uncompleted metrics from last year’s goals. “There are 17 items to
.com By Jacqueline Covey
TALL TALE
Joram Roukes’ “The Explorer,” which was celebrated by the city of Vista in mid-March, is a 60-foot mural on the Found Lofts apartment complex at 516 S. Santa Fe Ave. The final mural was inspired by the Luiseño story “How Coyote Killed the Frog.” Photo by Jacqueline Covey
VISTA — State density bonus rules may override local wishes when it comes to a four-story apartment complex proposed to replace a 96-year-old building in historic downtown Vista. During the Vista Planning Commission's April 5 meeting, Cross Real Estate Investors’ Greg Drakos presented a concept for Park Avenue Apartments to replace the New Community Church at 165 Eucalyptus Avenue. The project proposes erecting two, four-story wings surrounding a five-story parking garage within the circular, nearly 3-acre site after demolishing a near-century old church. The design lists 56 one-bedroom units and 120 two-bedroom units, with 18 set aside to accommodate residents designated “very low income.” As presented, the main buildings would reach approximately 52 feet on the eastern elevation and about 50 feet on the western side. The city of Vista allows a maximum building height of 35 feet in the downtown area. On Tuesday, visitors needed extra chairs to fill the Morris B. Vance Community Room. Many in attendance had concerns about the height of the building and the influx of traffic to surrounding
neighborhoods, particularly to those living on Oceanview Drive, which overlooks the project site. “Where do we draw the line on that?” asked Commissioner John Aguilera, followed by an agreeable outburst from the audience, its second eruption of the night. While the city has limited discretion to deny the height concession, it is constrained. Under the California Density Bonus Law, cities must grant either a density bonus, concession or another incentive to a developer based on the ratio of market rate and affordable units. Per Vista’s Density Bonus Ordinance, any project qualifies for a density bonus with at least five units — 35 for senior units. This program overrides the maximum residential density rules dictated by city zoning or planning. The proposed 176 units exceed the city’s maximum density of 40 dwelling units per acre by 20 units. Also, the project would allocate 15% (18 units) for very low-income households, which qualifies the project for a 50% density bonus per state law. Park Avenue Apartments is allowed three concessions, which impact the TURN TO APARTMENT ON 15
Judge permits Fairgrounds to resume ticket sales By Laura Place
DEL MAR — A judge on Monday denied the 22nd District Agricultural Association’s request to stay a recent injunction preventing them from carrying out its midway carnival contract for the upcoming San Diego County Fair, but granted permission for carnival ticket sales to resume. The latest decisions are part of an ongoing lawsuit against the 22nd DAA
filed by Texas-based carnival operator Talley Amusements, alleging corruption, favoritism and bid-rigging during the Del Mar Fairgrounds’ selection process of a master carnival operator for the 2021 county fair, which was ultimately canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions. San Diego County Superior Court Judge Kenneth J. Medel first ruled on April 5 that the 22nd DAA
could not carry out their 2022 carnival contract granted to Ray Cammack Shows in January, stating that there was enough evidence to suggest the contract process was rigged in violation of state public contract code. In their request for Medel to stay the injunction, representatives for the 22nd DAA stated in a Monday filing that the 2022 fair would likely have to be
canceled for the third year in a row unless they were permitted to carry out their contract. “The 2022 San Diego County Fair is set to open in less than two months, on June 8, 2022, and ticket sales had already begun,” the request stated. Leaders from the 22nd DAA also said they disagree with the allegations that formed the basis of the ruling — namely the
assertion that the minimum qualifications in the request for proposals for a 2022 master carnival operator were changed from previous years so that it could only be met by RCS. Despite claims that the fair would have to be canceled if the injunction was not stayed, the 22nd DAA appears to be moving forward with fair plans, inTURN TO FAIRGROUNDS ON 5