ESCONDIDO — A proposal to convert a building near downtown Escondido from office space into 32 apartment units, including some designated for low-income residents, has cleared a key hurdle after the Planning Commission recommended approval to the City Council.
The 0.67-acre site, located about a half-mile south of City Hall at the northeast corner of South Juniper Street and East Fourth Avenue, currently contains a 20,378-square-foot office building constructed in 1971, according to city documents.
The property sits in a mixed-use area, bordered on several sides by commercial and other nonresidential buildings, with multifamily housing to the east.
The existing site includes 61 off-street parking spaces in a lot behind the building’s main entrance on South Juniper Street.
Plans submitted by applicant Darshan Patel would retain the existing structure but convert the interior from office use into 24 market-rate studio units and eight deed-restricted, low-income one-bedroom units, according to city documents. The apartments would average about 500 square feet.
The proposal would also reconfigure parking on the side of the lot, reducing the total number of spaces to 45—equivalent to one space per unit —while providing additional guest parking.
The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval at its Feb. 10 meeting.
Vice Chair Barry Speer said that while he shares general concerns about parking, it would not be appropriate to impose requirements beyond those applicable to the project.
“It’s just outside of our prerogative to do so,” Speer said.
Commissioner Dustin Steeve expressed concern about increased nighttime activity along the sidewalk and in the parking lot, noting that the area currently experiences more daytime traffic due to office use.
“One of the problems we have in that part of town is that there’s not lighting,” Steeve said.
Draft street improvement plans call for the developer to replace existing streetlights with LED fixtures and salvage the current lights for the city’s Public Works yard. The project would also be required to ensure adequate lighting at the driveway entrance.
Lighting will undergo additional review during the building permit stage to ensure compliance with the city’s zoning code.
Commissioner Carrie Mecaro said that although the area’s sidewalks are narrow and may warrant upgrades in the future, she did not view them as a safety concern.
