PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
THE
Check out the COAST Home & Garden NEWS section starting on page A9
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SERVING NORTH COUNTY SINCE 1987
VOL. 34, N0. 38
SAN
State: Encinitas needs to revise housing plan
RULER OF THE ROOST
By Dan Brendel
ENCINITAS — The state says Encinitas must revise its proposed affordable housing plan by estimating more plausible site development capacities and modifying its process of zoning-by-referendum. The revisions “are necessary to bring the city’s draft Housing Element into compliance with [state law],” according to an Aug. 27 letter to the city from the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Cities must regularly update the Housing Element (or chapter) of their General Plans, ostensibly to enable private sector housing production to satisfy forecasted demand, affordably, at all incomes. Encinitas submitted its 2021-2029 update in June for the state’s review. In its letter, “HCD cautions the city on its approach to estimating realistic capacity on sites identified to accommodate the city’s lower-income [housing target].” The city’s plan assumes developers would build only lower-income units on 15 parcels. Yet, as The Coast New previously reported, sites with pending development proposals would yield only about one-quarter of their forecasted unit capacities as affordable. At that rate, the city’s plan would generate about half its target. To make up the deficit, Encinitas would likely need to “up-zone” additional parcels to allow more density — namely, bigger multi-family TURN TO HOUSING ON A18
SEPT. 18, 2020
Oceanside teen’s homestead business a local hit. Page A9.
OCEANSIDE TEENAGER Henry “Hank” Driskill has combined his love of animals and farmhand experience to help North County residents care for their domestic farm animals. Story on A9 in this week’s Home & Garden section. Photo by Nina Russel
Police chief MARCOS -NEWS search paused for local input
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By Samantha Nelson
OCEANSIDE — When Police Chief Frank McCoy over theTHE summer announced his plans to VISTA retire in October, the city immediatelyNEWS began its search for a replacement. Recently, the city decided to put a hold on its search to first gather input from residents about what they want in a new police chief. The City of Oceanside created a survey both in English and Spanish that asks RANCHO residents questions aboutSFNEWS what they think are important qualities and priorities the next chief should have. The survey is avail-
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Encinitas 4 Equality opens brick-and-mortar studio By Caitlin Steinberg
ENCINITAS — The mood was light and hopeful on September 13 as volunteers, local vendors and supporters of Encinitas 4 Equality (E4E) celebrated the opening of the groups’ first brick-and-mortar location. The E4E storefront and studio serves as an office, community gathering space and boutique selling 13 Black artists' and vendors’ contributions. E4E Director Mali Woods-Drake described Sunday’s event as one of happiness and hope. “Sunday’s event was LOCAL ARTIST Mischele Salvant has several original art piec- our soft launch and volunes available for purchase in Encinitas 4 Equality’s new loca- teer appreciation event as tion on Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas. Photo by Caitlin Steinberg well as an opportunity for
our San Diego vendors to come up and get to know E4E’s community a little bit more,” Woods-Drake said. “There was this feeling of hope that I think many of us have been lacking as we get closer and closer to the election and things have become more and more divisive,” WoodsDrake said. Mischele Salvant, a 28-year-old surreal expressionist and feminist artist whose work hangs in the E4E space also attended, described the event as “extremely inspiring.” “There were so many people from the community that came out to support from a loving place and
RE-ELECT KEITH BLACKBURN FOR CARLSBAD CITY COUNCIL • Preserving Beaches and Open Spaces • Revitalization of Carlsbad Village • Maintaining Carlsbad’s Financial Strength
‘‘I will continue to donate my council salary to local non-profit organizations’’
Keith4carlsbad.com
Keith Blackburn
for Carlsbad City Council
that really, really meant a lot to the vendors who will be selling their goods here,” Salvant said. Salvant pointed at various pieces on E4E’s walls, describing the evolution of her art through the years, stating the last several months have been her more prolific and impactful. “COVID has really put a damper on artists, especially black artists," Salvant said. “We’re also dealing with the stress of this social movement, trying to fight for social justice while maintaining our sanity. For me, being an artist has given me an outlet. I’m not holding on to that TURN TO STUDIO ON A5