ENCINITAS — In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the Encinitas City Council moved to preserve a vacant city-owned parcel on Quail Gardens Drive as a park, reversing its prior designation as a potential affordable housing site and signaling a shift in land-use priorities.
After significant public interest and debate, the council’s decision repealed a resolution declaring the city-owned parcel at 634 Quail Gardens Drive, also known as L7, surplus land. Rather than formally rezoning the site, a deed restriction was placed on the 9.5-acre parcel to ensure its continued use as public open space.
“This was bought as a park with park funds in 1998 and ’99,” Mayor Bruce Ehlers said, explaining the decision to designate the site as surplus land was a “misguided vote” by the council at the time. “I voted no; I wanted to keep it a park each and every time. I think it’s five times now that I’ve done that. And so this will be my sixth vote to keep it a park.”
The L7 property had been part of the city’s efforts to meet state-mandated affordable housing obligations, with initial plans calling for 30 to 45 income-restricted units. However, no proposals were submitted during the city’s surplus land availability process, prompting the council to reconsider the site’s future.
Some housing advocates opposed the move, arguing that reclassifying L7 as parkland would further strain the region’s limited affordable housing supply.
“Downzoning this property will significantly reduce the number of housing units that can be produced in Encinitas at a time when our region is facing an unprecedented housing crisis,” said Stephen Russell, president and CEO of the San Diego Housing Federation.
Russell warned that the decision could result in the city violating state housing laws, including the Housing Accountability Act, and open the door to potential legal challenges.
Ehlers clarified that the decision was not a downzoning, as such a move would require a Proposition A vote.
“It’s a deed restriction, not a downzone,” Ehlers said during the meeting. “In fact, it’s maintaining the zoning and use it was bought for.”
Supporters of the park designation cited the city’s growing population and a lack of sufficient recreational space, particularly as new housing developments bring an influx of residents to the Quail Gardens corridor.
“We need parks for the kids to play in and for people to picnic,” resident Glenn Johnson said. “I would suggest that the City Council find a method to protect all of our parks from being cannibalized by the housing developers.”
Councilmember Jim O’Hara, who helped lead the push to preserve the site, announced that city staff had identified $3.1 million in mitigation funds that could be used for park development.
O’Hara also proposed a public-private partnership to help fund additional amenities, with local nonprofit groups contributing to the project.
“This park needs to be there,” O’Hara said. “It was a park to begin with. It got pushed off as surplus land. It should not have. We’re going to bring it back as a park.”
Local elementary school boy Oliver Pratt, who offered to donate the money he raised upcycling golf balls he collected at the Encinitas Ranch Golf Course, said during the meeting he has now raised over $15,000 from donations and sales.
“I want to thank you for helping me save what little open land that we have left in Encinitas, informally [making] L7 into a park,” Pratt said. “In addition to my efforts, many people in our community have worked really hard for years to get us to this point, and I can’t wait for L7 to be a park.”
Deputy Mayor Joy Lyndes sought assurances that the decision would not leave the city vulnerable to state enforcement actions. Planning staff confirmed that the L7 site was not included in the city’s adopted housing element and was designated only for above-moderate-income housing.
The city believes it complies with state requirements but acknowledged the potential for legal challenges.
While the council rejected a rezoning effort that would permanently restrict L7’s future use, members expressed confidence that future attempts to reverse the decision would face strong public opposition.
“If a council majority comes out trying to take away the park, any park, they’re going to suffer the same fate the prior council suffered,” Ehlers said, referring to the political shift that led to the current council’s election.
The council is expected to proceed with park planning efforts, including community outreach, environmental reviews and permit approvals. A formal allocation for park development will be discussed in upcoming budget talks.
