Kranz, Ehlers face off in Encinitas mayoral forum

ENCINITAS — During a cordial yet at times contentious forum on Monday night at La Paloma Theatre, two candidates running for the Encinitas mayoral seat, incumbent Mayor Tony Kranz and Councilmember Bruce Ehlers, engaged in an in-depth discussion of key issues facing voters ahead of the November election.

With the forum’s extended format allowing for longer responses than typically permitted in standard debates, both candidates traded positions on housing, homelessness, infrastructure, public safety and development — among a number of other topics.

The forum, hosted by longtime Encinitas resident Neil Hokanson and following the League of Women Voters’ format, allowed both candidates to ask each other questions on topics ranging from state housing mandates to stormwater management in Leucadia. The candidates also fielded questions from the audience.

Housing and Local Control

One of the central issues of the debate was the tension between state housing mandates and local control. At the heart of this debate was Proposition A, the 2013 voter initiative that requires public approval for increases in residential height and density in Encinitas. 

Ehlers, who authored Prop A, strongly defended the measure, citing its importance in maintaining local control over housing development.

“I was the author of Prop A and spokesperson for the campaign,” Ehlers said. “Recent decisions by the state and previous councils threaten this vision and irreversibly alter our community character.”

Kranz, while also supporting the public’s right to vote on such issues, stressed the challenges posed by state housing laws and warned of potential consequences if Encinitas does not comply.

“My goal as your mayor is to continue to be in compliance with state law so that we don’t end up with projects like builder’s remedy, which would really scare you,” Kranz said, referring to a legal provision that allows developers to bypass local zoning rules if a city fails to meet state housing targets.

Homelessness and Affordable Housing

The candidates also debated solutions to Encinitas’ homelessness problem, with both acknowledging the complexities of the issue.

Kranz highlighted the city’s Homeless Action Plan, which has increased the number of sheriff’s deputies and social workers focused on homelessness. He also emphasized the need for transitional housing and affordable housing programs, such as Section 8 vouchers, to address the root causes of homelessness.

“We put people in touch with the services that they need, which include, frequently, drug substance abuse treatment as well as mental health treatment,” Kranz said.

Ehlers, however, argued that homelessness and affordable housing are often conflated, and building more housing will not necessarily address the problem.

“Building more housing will not get them off the streets,” Ehlers said, noting that a significant portion of the homeless population suffers from substance use disorders and severe mental illness. “We offer them beds, we offer them food and services, and they do refuse it.”

L7 Property Development

Another point of contention was the potential development of the L7 property on Quail Gardens Drive. Ehlers, who has consistently voted against declaring the land surplus for housing, argued that the property should remain a park, citing its purchase with park funds in 1998.

“I’ve been very consistent, very vocal on that,” Ehlers said. “The land is needed now as a park more than ever, and will be needed even more in the future.”

Kranz acknowledged that L7 had been considered for housing but noted that it ranked low on the city’s affordable housing task force report. He expressed a preference for transit-oriented development closer to the railroad and suggested the city-owned property on Vulcan Avenue as a better option.

“There are way higher, better, highest, best-use purposes,” Kranz said, referring to other properties being evaluated for development.

Stormwater Management and Infrastructure

Stormwater management in Leucadia also took center stage, with both candidates discussing efforts to address flooding in the area. Kranz outlined the city’s plans to install a new stormwater pipe as part of the Leucadia Streetscape project, emphasizing the need for additional funding to complete the work.

“The pipe that we’re putting in the ground is going to go a long way toward alleviating many of the problems,” Kranz said, adding that the city has been working on a long-term plan to address stormwater infrastructure.

Ehlers, however, criticized the city’s prioritization of Streetscape over essential infrastructure projects like drainage. He highlighted his efforts to ensure that stormwater pipes were installed efficiently, noting that the project could have been delayed or mismanaged without his intervention.

“We should have done the underground first,” Ehlers said. “Doing it simultaneously at the last minute, okay, but I would rather have had that all planned and budgeted.”

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

Both candidates agreed on the importance of improving pedestrian and cyclist safety. Kranz pointed to the city’s ongoing efforts to implement Complete Streets, which aim to make roads safer for all modes of travel.

“Our goal should be to allow people to choose to get out of their car,” Kranz said. “We definitely want to continue to improve safety and make that a priority.”

Ehlers expressed support for traffic-calming measures such as stop signs and lower speed limits but opposed reducing vehicle lanes, calling such measures “Lane-ectomies.”

“I support maintaining our vehicle lanes but doing infrastructure like we’ve done with some of the green striping to make bicycling and pedestrian [travel] safer,” Ehlers said.

As the debate concluded, both candidates reiterated their commitments to addressing the challenges facing Encinitas. Ehlers emphasized his long-standing dedication to preserving the city’s character and local control, while Kranz stressed the need for practical solutions to comply with state mandates and improve infrastructure.