ENCINITAS — The City of Encinitas is moving ahead with planned improvements to the Beacon’s Beach parking lot to address critical safety concerns related to bluff erosion and potential bluff failure.
The revamped parking area will feature ADA-compliant sidewalks, a viewing platform and newly marked parking spaces. Although the project will result in fewer parking spots, city officials argue the $550,000 investment is essential for public safety.
City engineer Ben Stryker explained that the lot will shift approximately 7 to 8 feet eastward, moving it beyond what geotechnical experts call the “failure plane” — a designated boundary marking areas most vulnerable to collapse.
“There’s a studied and analyzed zone, what we call the bluff failure plane, which is sort of the critical failure point where, if there was a sort of major landslide event, everything west of that line would go down the bluff,” Stryker said. “The existing parking lot is currently … west of that failure plane, so the goal is to shift everything eastward, out of that dangerous area.”
The repositioning will reduce parking within the lot by nine spaces, with an additional one or two spots lost along Neptune Avenue, a decrease that has sparked some local opposition. Encinitas residents have long advocated for expanded parking options at Beacon’s Beach, a popular coastal destination.
“It’s unfortunate that we lost parking spaces, but we did our best to balance the need to address the safety concerns,” said Mayor Tony Kranz, noting the decision was based on thorough geotechnical input. “In terms of safety, it was deemed necessary by experts in the geotechnical engineering department, so the council wants to make that a safe beach, even though it’s challenging.”
Beacon’s Beach has long grappled with erosion and past bluff failures. Stryker said the construction process involves stringent safety measures due to the bluff’s unstable conditions.
“Everything needs to be east of that failure plane, and everything west of the failure plane needs to be done via hand work,” Stryker said, explaining that heavy equipment is only permitted on the east side of the failure plane to preserve bluff stability.
The renovations also comply with California Coastal Commission mandates to maintain beach access, a priority for many community members. While some residents proposed eliminating the parking lot altogether, city officials argued this approach would likely push parking into nearby residential streets and increase the distance to the beach for visitors.
The concept of constructing a staircase at Beacon’s Beach may resurface in future budget talks. Kranz noted a potential budget item in 2025 could allocate an estimated $600,000 to $700,000 for environmental assessments to advance that project.
“We’re going to take a look at that, whether there’s support on the council to advance that or not is not clear,” Kranz said, acknowledging that losing the existing trail impacts locals who rely on Beacon’s Beach access. “But with all of the beaches that line our shores, where there are bluffs, there is risk of failure, and we should be looking at actions we can take to mitigate that.”
The parking lot project, which commenced earlier this year, remains on track to finish by December, but Stryker noted an earlier completion could be feasible.
“Our contractor has been doing a great job, and if things keep going well, they’re out of there before Thanksgiving,” Stryker said.
