DEL MAR — Leaders of the Del Mar Fairgrounds lambasted one of SANDAG’s proposed rail realignment routes that would run directly through the property, saying that the Fairgrounds would not survive the devastating disruption to its operations.
Known as Alternative A, the nearly 7-mile route is the longest and most expensive of the three proposed tunnel realignments that SANDAG advanced for environmental study in a June notice of preparation (NOP).
The proposed route would begin south of the Solana Beach train station in the existing trench and transition from a cut-and-cover to a bored tunnel at the site of the Fairgrounds midway. The tunnel would then continue east beneath the San Dieguito Lagoon and follow Interstate 5 before emerging from a grassy knoll along the highway south of Los Peñasquitos Lagoon.
At a Monday meeting, leaders of the 22nd District Agricultural Association — the body managing the Fairgrounds — stated their vehement opposition to Alternative A and any other alignment that negatively impacts their operations.
“After nearly 90 years at this location, over 140 years in operation, Alternative A or any route that disrupts the Fairgrounds operations begs the question — how would the 22nd DAA survive? Fairs and other events would be drastically impacted, if even operable, with construction alone,” Fairgrounds CEO Carlene Moore said.
The other two proposed alternatives would begin in Del Mar near Jimmy Durante Boulevard and Camino Del Mar. The 5.3-mile Canyon Crest alignment (Alternative B) would tunnel southeast to exit at a knoll near I-5, and the 4.9-mile Camino Del Mar alignment (Alternative C) would exit at Torrey Pines Road and Carmel Valley Road onto a bridge over Los Peñasquitos Lagoon.
Fairgrounds officials’ concerns about the controversial Alternative A route echo those shared by the city of Solana Beach. Both Solana Beach and Fairgrounds leaders said SANDAG gave no warning that this route was being advanced for further study and were not given the chance to provide feedback beforehand.
Moore even claimed that in the past, SANDAG officials had stated that a Fairgrounds rail alternative was not feasible and would not be moving forward. However, when asked by The Coast News about a potential Fairgrounds alignment in November, SANDAG representatives said no alternatives were off the table.
The Fairgrounds, the cities of Solana Beach and Del Mar, and other entities are submitting formal response letters to the NOP by the July 19 deadline. SANDAG will use this feedback as it completes its draft environmental impact report, which will be completed sometime in 2025.
SANDAG has not confirmed many details about the impacts of each of the three alignments, noting that further study is needed. However, agency officials have said Alternative A is the most expensive at around $4 billion and would take between seven and 12 years to construct, while B and C would take up to seven years.
Alternative A would also require the removal of the Via de la Valle bridge and the San Dieguito rail bridge, which is already planned to be renovated via nearly $54 million in committed state funding. The special events rail platform, a planned rail stop at the fairgrounds covered by the funding, would need to be placed hundreds of feet underground rather than at grade, as previously planned.
The 22nd DAA board voted to continue advocating for SANDAG to move forward with its double-tracking project and special events platform.
Pause on housing talks
On Monday, the 22nd DAA also unanimously agreed to pause all affordable housing discussions with the city of Del Mar until the City Council formally opposes Alternative A.
The city and Fairgrounds board entered into an exclusive negotiating rights agreement earlier this year to explore options for developing 61 affordable housing units on Fairgrounds property to help Del Mar fulfill its state housing obligations.
Fairgrounds leaders have repeatedly stated in the past year that any advancement of a rail realignment that negatively impacts their operations would require them to cease housing discussions.
“We invested quite a bit of time, energy and relationships with the city of Del Mar to work with them to date on affordable housing. I can’t imagine that this isn’t on the minds of every board member, and perhaps people throughout the city of Del Mar, of the impact on the city of Del Mar’s efforts, coming to us, asking for our help,” said 22nd DAA President Fred Schenk.
Some board members also said they were frustrated with the city, noting that Alternative A was largely created out of feedback from Del Mar residents hoping to reduce impacts on private property.
While the Del Mar City Council has declined to take a position on any alignment thus far, many residents have expressed concerns about alternatives B and C because of their potential impacts on local homes.
During the Del Mar City Council’s meeting on Tuesday to discuss their response to the NOP, Councilmember Dan Quirk asked how the city would respond to the Fairgrounds’ pause on housing talks. City leaders said they would discuss it soon.
“We need to talk with our team and fully understand the implications of the action. It’s too early for us to give much insight on that,” said City Manager Ashley Jones, noting that the council could likely discuss this topic in August or September.
Del Mar City Council members Dwight Worden and Tracy Martinez did speak to the 22nd DAA board at their Monday meeting, stating that the Fairgrounds is an important stakeholder and partner in the region.
“Routes A, B and C all have significant impacts on all of the parties here today,” Martinez said, referencing Solana Beach. “We all have concerns, and so we shouldn’t be fighting amongst ourselves, but we should impress upon SANDAG that they should maybe look at less impactful routes, and an alternate route should be sought.”
Despite Del Mar’s request to oppose Alternative A, the city will not be responsible for selecting an alignment. That will be decided by the SANDAG Board of Directors in 2026 at the earliest after the completion of the final environmental impact report.
In its own NOP response, approved Tuesday, the Del Mar council stated that the project description, alternatives, and objectives were too vague and incomplete and that neither construction impacts nor a lead agency had been identified.
In its response, the city also requested to be recognized as a responsible agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) due to the project’s impacts on the city.
Next steps
Looking ahead, SANDAG is expected to identify a lead federal agency sometime in the fall, which will allow it to start the National Environmental Policy Act process. This is essentially the federal version of the environmental impact report under the California Environmental Quality Act.
The federal environmental study must be completed before the SANDAG board can select an alignment. It will also be essential in securing crucial federal funding for the project.
Construction of the new alignment and relocation of the train off the Del Mar bluffs is expected to be completed by 2035 at the earliest.
