ENCINITAS — Councilmember Kellie Hinze announced on March 27 that she will not seek reelection for her District 2 seat.
“My life has changed quite a lot since I assumed this role in 2019,” Hinze said during Wednesday’s City Council meeting. “I used to be an unmarried person who’d go home to a very quiet home at night, and since that time, I have married and I have a daughter. I actually have another daughter on the way.”
Hinze, the former executive director of Leucadia 101 Main Street, said she is looking forward to finishing her term and completing the remaining work.
In 2019, the Encinitas City Council unanimously appointed Hinze to serve the final two years of former Councilmember Tasha Boerner’s term. Boerner vacated her seat after she was elected to the State Assembly.
Hinze was reelected in 2020 after defeating challenger Susan Turney.
“Thank you for all you’ve done,” said Mayor Tony Kranz. “I appreciate the perspective you have brought to this body, and I recall you being an advocate for several years before serving on the council. I trust that your advocacy will not stop with your decision not to seek reelection.”
Kranz told The Coast News that voters will pick a replacement for Hinze in November. However, Hinze endorsed Encinitas business owner and longtime public servant Destiny Preston, who will run for the District 2 seat this coming election.
“Destiny Preston was an applicant for our city’s Environmental Commission; her resume was impressive and relevant to the work we do on the City Council. So I reached out to her to learn more about who she was as a person and saw a lot of great leadership qualities,” Hinze said.
Preston is a third-generation Southern Californian with extensive experience in environmental protection, climate change policy and transportation planning.
“I am deeply honored to step forward as a candidate for Encinitas City Council,” said Preston. “Encinitas is not just where I live; it is my heart and community. I am committed to working tirelessly to address the challenges we face and to seize the opportunities that lie ahead. Together, we can ensure that Encinitas continues to flourish for generations to come.”
She holds two bachelor’s degrees from UC Berkeley and a master’s in urban and regional planning from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.
“I made this decision really feeling accomplished in what I set out to do, and of course, there’s much work to be done. I think Destiny has the right unique skill set to move our city forward,” Hinze added.
The candidate filing period is from July 15 to Aug. 9. Preston is the only candidate who has filed paperwork in the District 2 race. Kevin Doyle, chairman of the city’s Planning Commission, has confirmed to The Coast News that he intends to run for the seat.
Hinze told Coast News she plans to miss at least six council meetings in late summer or early fall.
UPDATE: This article has been updated to include verbal confirmation from Kevin Doyle, chairman of the Encinitas Planning Commission, that he will be running for the District 2 council seat.
4 comments
The wonderfully qualified Destiny Preston is the perfect person to follow the productive and thoughtful service of Kelly Hinze. Thanks to you both. And as welcome as the news is of hearing of Destiny, so too begins the unwelcome, nasty, anonymous posts of an election year. The mean and thoughtless public display of hostility posted here and elsewhere – mostly against women – must fill some purpose for these neighbors of ours. We are left to wonder and unfortunately endure. Fortunately, we Encinitans who are bad at anonymity know better. We know that leaders like Kelly put the time in. Hard work. Sacrifice. We know that increased traffic, less parking and a change-in-funk are the natural result of her work to keep Encinitas one of the most wonderful places in the world to live and visit. Kelly knows that being nice and collaborative and engaged is what makes Encinitas great. I grew up here. It was great in the 60s. Although changed, it is great now! It’s true… or my name isn’t Bob Anonymous Ayers. PS: I can’t help but hope that the first person’s claim of a “cabal” appreciated the irony of making such an accusation anonymously :) Happy Easter everyone! B.A.A.
Thank you Kelli Hinze for your service. Leucadia can now boast of at least 70% of the approved 15 density building projects, less parking, more crime, a cyclist’s death in your ‘safe’ bike lane, a lot more traffic, but no additional road infrastructure, no additional schools and you are championing land the city set aside for a park for low income housing. Your votes were always aligned with the mayor, whether it was Blakespear or Kranz and you never once sided with your constituents or fought for them when it really counted. With little real life experience you served with a lot of ideology. What we got in return is a unique community slowly being swallowed up by congestion and traffic. You will be remembered for having a heavy hand in taking the funky out of Leucadia.
High praise to Council member Kellie Shay Hinze and her dedication to strengthening our community with her support of improving our infrastructure, art culture and housing for our most vulnerable neighbors. Her wisdom, brilliance, personal sacrifice and grace were a priceless gift to Encinitas. Destiny is an exceptional candidate with extraordinary professional experience in top priorities of our city: transportation infrastructure, addressing climate change AND conflict resolution. Destiny has my vote. I wish I could put a bubble around Destiny to protect her from the vitriol of the typical divisive voices who are empty of substance and full of misinformation and hostility.
Good riddance
Her chosen one, Destiny Preston, is the one not to vote for.
Hopefully someone who is not a member of the Blakespear/Kranz cabal will run