ENCINITAS — The city of Encinitas and the Encinitas Union School District have announced that all outstanding construction issues at Paul Ecke Central Elementary School have been resolved.
The approximately $60 million project, which includes replacing most of the aging campus while preserving its original 1927 schoolhouse, began over the summer but had run into concerns over a range of construction-related issues.
A series of joint statements issued this month by the district and city detail work done behind the scenes by a variety of stakeholders.
“These collaborative efforts, including daily communication and coordination, have resulted in the resolution of all outstanding issues related to drainage, grading, traffic queuing, frontage improvements, and requested right-of-way dedications,” an Oct. 13 statement reads. “Resolving these complex issues represents a significant milestone and an important step toward moving the project forward.”
That followed an Oct. 2 joint statement outlining a path forward and identifying the issues that were considered resolved 11 days later.
To receive the second phase of coastal development permits, the city and district must agree on issues such as vehicle circulation and queuing, right-of-way dedication, frontage improvements, and drainage and water quality requirements, according to city documents.
The delays had prompted parents and neighbors organized as PEC ♥ ASAP to call for faster approvals. In an Oct. 8 commentary published by The Coast News, the group identified right-of-way dedication, on-site drainage infiltration, vehicle queuing lanes and an existing city easement as unresolved issues.
The group described competing demands on the compact campus, including preserving the historic schoolhouse, expanding classrooms, maintaining gardens and play areas, accommodating the Leucadia Farmers Market and allowing space for future widening of Vulcan Avenue.
Its members urged the city and district to use reasonable variances and other permitting tools to resolve those constraints. They also warned that further delays or litigation could increase costs for a project funded through Measure Z, the school bond measure voters approved in November 2024.
The group launched a petition Sept. 26 calling on the city and district to expedite remaining approvals and avoid litigation. According to its commentary, the petition had approached 1,000 signatures after 11 days.
During construction, Paul Ecke Central students are attending El Camino Creek and Park Dale Lane elementary schools, with the district providing busing. The district originally anticipated reopening the campus in August 2027 but previously said delays had made that target unlikely.
City Manager Jennifer Campbell said at the Oct. 21 City Council meeting that the district had also received permits to perform rough grading at the site.
“I actually drove by and saw tractors moving and hauling dirt and everything else,” Campbell said. “So that was very exciting to see.”
She added that the city would continue to document ongoing conversations between the city and district, as well as the project’s major milestones.
The project is expected to be completed in 2027, according to the Oct. 13 statement.
