OCEANSIDE — The developer behind a major mixed-use project is moving forward with plans to build hundreds of homes next to state Route 76 and the municipal airport.
Last month, the city received an application from the Ocean Kamp developer to construct 511 market-rate multifamily units and 60 affordable units on the northern and eastern parcels of the 92-acre site.
Located at 3460 Mission Avenue and 3436 San Luis Rey Road, the site was once home to a drive-in movie theater and the Oceanside swap meet.
The San Luis Rey River borders the project to the north, Oceanside Municipal Airport to the west, single-family homes to the east, and SR-76 to the south.
“The site is a prime location for residential development, adjacent to the future commercial development within Ocean Kamp, as well as other community facilities, such as shopping centers with regional appeal due to the site’s excellent visibility and access from the major northerly east-west corridors of state Route 76 and Mission Avenue,” the project description states. “The size of the property enables the scale of development necessary to provide a variety of multi-family products, such as single-family detached condos, duplex condos, townhomes and an apartment building to support affordable housing.”
When the project was first approved by the City Council three years ago, Ocean Kamp was slated to include up to 700 homes, a 300-room hotel, retail shops and a wave lagoon.
After settling a lawsuit filed by Preserve Calavera, a local environmental nonprofit, the project reduced the maximum number of homes to 667. The settlement also required affordable units and all-electric appliances.
The project also proposes private open-space amenities, including a dog park, a recreation area, a trail network, and two mobility hubs.
According to the application, the development is compatible with nearby land uses and will include a buffer with two key features: a 100-foot open-space corridor along the eastern property line closest to existing homes, which are another 100 feet from the project boundary, and a solid wall serving as a visual and acoustic barrier.
Access points will be located at Foussat Road/Loop Road, Street B, Alex Road and Ocean Pointe Road, two of which are signalized. One existing signalized access connects Mission Avenue and Ocean Pointe Road, and the other links SR-76 and Foussat Road.
The project will also include two roundabouts at Foussat and Alex Road, and at Loop Road and Private Street A, which will provide access to the north residential parcel. Street B will connect the north and east residential areas.
According to the developer, the project will not interfere with airport operations and will be pedestrian-friendly within its boundaries.
The latest application covers only the residential portion of the overall Ocean Kamp development. No formal applications for the hotel, retail or wave lagoon components have been submitted.
“There have been no formal applications for the commercial areas submitted to-date; therefore, the project consists of what was approved/entitled by the City Council,” said Darlene Nicandro, the city’s development services director, via email. “The city and the developer are discussing options for construction of the wave lagoon portion.”
Construction crews began grading the site as early as 2019 and have continued earthwork on the property. During the first phase of grading, crews unearthed shards of Native American artifacts and some human remains.
Jon Corn, CEO of N4FL Worldwide, the site’s developer, previously told The Coast News the items were “carefully and meticulously sorted, identified, and stored” in cooperation with the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians.
Corn also said the project has not received any stop-work orders or formal delays, noting that periodic pauses are due to the timing of clean fill dirt deliveries.
The Coast News has reached out to Corn with additional questions about the project.
Corn told The San Diego Union-Tribune the goal is to be under construction by April or May.
