ENCINITAS — The Encinitas Planning Commission granted final map approval for the Torrey Crest subdivision.
In doing so — by unanimous vote on Oct. 1 — commissioners agreed with city staff’s finding that the final map was substantially similar to the tentative map, which had been approved with conditions in September 2024 by the Planning Commission.
The project seeks to develop more than 6.5 acres just south of Oak Crest Middle School with 27 market-rate, single-family homes and three very-low-income affordable homes, qualifying it for state density bonus laws, according to city documents.
Following the tentative map approval, the Melba Alliance for a Safe and Healthy Environment filed an appeal challenging the commission’s approval, but the City Council denied the appeal in November 2024.
Scott Drapkin, Encinitas director of development services, said that in considering the final map, the Planning Commission was only weighing how closely it matched the previously approved tentative map.
“The scope is limited to finding if it’s in substantial conformance to the tentative map,” Drapkin said at the Oct. 1 meeting. “You can’t talk about the roads, you can’t talk about the lot widths – that was all the tentative map process.”
Drapkin added that the procedure complied with the state’s Subdivision Map Act.
Jaylee McDowell, a city engineer, said neighbors had raised concerns about construction impacts, including noise, dust, water and parking for workers.
McDowell added that those concerns fall under the purview of the on-site inspector, who so far has found that issues such as ingress and egress were being handled appropriately.
“Yes, our inspector does feel like they are abiding by [the terms and conditions of the approvals,” she said.
Commissioner Robert Prendergast told concerned neighbors that while there would be on-site inspections, the primary mechanism to enforce compliance on matters such as construction is for residents to flag any observed violations.
“I’d like to say stay on top of it,” Prendergast said. “Now that you have a path to the person who’s overseeing it, if you feel that there are violations, at least you now know who to go to.”
