DEL MAR — The Del Mar Planning Commission approved an environmental review for a series of proposed projects along the San Dieguito Lagoon during its monthly meeting Tuesday evening.
In addition, the panel endorsed a tidying up of expiration dates for a previously approved residential development.
The first item on the agenda was the development agreement for the La Atalaya proposal. The agreement will tie all permit expiration dates to the same date. The proposed development — sometimes referred to as the “Snake Wall” parcel by locals, due to the wall surrounding the property — lies on the west side of San Dieguito Drive south of Jimmy Durante Boulevard.
The 18-acre property is divided into 8 lots, two of which currently have single-family homes. The other six lots could potentially each have a single-family home constructed on them.
The second (and final) item on Tuesday’s agenda was titled the “San Dieguito Lagoon Levee, Habitat Enhancement, and Trail Project Final Mitigated Negative Declaration.” This document is an environmental permit for adding hiking trails, a flood-control levee (berm), and habitat restoration along the Lagoon channel south of the fairgrounds.
The finding was that none of the proposed projects would cause environmental harm.
The city wants to add a vegetative berm along the south bank of the channel near its public works yard, where an existing hiking trail already exists. The berm would provide additional flood protection.
However, because several public agencies are involved, work on the other projects may not be imminent. In addition to the city, staff informed the Commission that the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority, the 22nd District Agricultural Association (which runs the fairgrounds), CalTrans, the Coastal Commission, and the State Lands Commission are among the agencies that are involved in managing different aspects of the Lagoon.
The commission unanimously approved both items, and both recommendations now go to the City Council for final review.
