OCEANSIDE — The public review period has begun for environmental documents associated with the proposed Olive Park Apartments, a 100% affordable housing development featuring up to 282 units in three- and four-story buildings.
The “transit-oriented” project, planned for a 43.5-acre site at the western end of Olive Drive near the College Boulevard Sprinter Station, would occupy 10.87 acres, with the remaining 32.63 acres reserved as natural open space.
The site is currently surrounded by single-story, single-family homes and the project has faced opposition from local residents who cite concerns over traffic, noise, and neighborhood character.
As previously reported by The Coast News, Olive Park Apartments would consist of two buildings on the infill site. The first building is planned as a four-story, 230,500-square-foot structure with 172 units, offering a mix of 78 one-bedroom, 51 two-bedroom, and 43 three-bedroom apartments.
For the second building, developer Capstone Equities has proposed two design options:
- Option A: A three- to four-story, 90,500-square-foot building with 110 units, including 86 one-bedrooms and 24 two-bedrooms.
- Option B: A similar building with 88 units, comprising 42 one-bedrooms, 24 two-bedrooms, and 22 three-bedrooms.
If Option A is selected, the project would feature a total of 282 units; Option B would result in 260 units. No density bonus is being requested, as the site can legally accommodate up to 342 units under California law.
Additional features of the Olive Park Apartments include approximately 1.2 acres of communal open space, such as courtyards, a paseo area, a community garden, and a dog run. The developer also plans to make off-site improvements for utilities, vehicular and pedestrian access from Olive Drive, and emergency access next to the Sprinter rail line.
The draft environmental impact report (DEIR) for Olive Park Apartments is available for public review until Dec. 9. According to the DEIR, the project would have less-than-significant impacts on factors such as aesthetics, energy, greenhouse gas emissions, hazardous materials, water quality, and public services.
However, potentially significant impacts were identified in areas such as air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, and geology. The report states that mitigation measures would reduce these impacts to a less-than-significant level.
While the project supports the city’s affordable housing goals, it faces opposition from neighbors who fear it will create unsafe conditions and other community issues.
According to the DEIR, residents have raised concerns about increased traffic on Olive Drive and adjacent streets, emergency access, noise, air quality, and impacts on local habitats and tribal cultural resources.
Local resident Tom DeMooy, who lives on nearby Heather Lane, expressed worries over increased traffic.
“These neighborhoods along College Boulevard, including Tri-City and Mira Costa, are absolutely opposed to the over 1,000 car trips a day of traffic, noise, pollution and safety issues it will create if allowed to exit onto Olive Drive and into College Boulevard,” DeMooy wrote in an email to the City Council.
Chet and Kelly Backus, who live on the neighboring Crystal Street cul-de-sac, voiced fears about increased crime and potentially destroying the neighborhood’s character.
“Opening a thoroughfare in our neighborhood, which is directly next door to the train station, is asking for the crimes to run through our neighborhoods,” they wrote to the council. “If you vote yes, you will destroy our way of living, which will be a horrible decision for your long-term and native Oceanside residents.”
The DEIR can be reviewed at the City of Oceanside Planning Division, the Oceanside Civic Center Library, and the Mission Branch Library, as well as online at https://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/gov/dev/planning/ceqa/default.asp.
Public comments regarding the DEIR may be directed to Oceanside Senior Planner Shannon Vitale by phone at 760-435-3927 or via email at [email protected].
The project’s final environmental impact report will be prepared after the review period concludes.
