OCEANSIDE — The Oceanside City Council has voted to expand its authority in reviewing appeals of Planning Commission decisions, allowing members to examine entire development projects rather than specific issues raised in an appeal.
The March 12 decision, approved by a 3-2 council majority, changes the appeal process to a de novo review. This means council members can now assess a project in its entirety rather than being restricted to the appeal’s listed concerns.
For years, when a resident appealed a Planning Commission decision, the City Council’s review was confined to the specific issues outlined in the appeal. The new process allows the council to consider broader aspects of a project while still requiring an appeal to be filed by a member of the public before it reaches the council.
“It is not our recommendation to remove appellants,” said City Attorney Steven Burke during the meeting.
Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce, who requested the change alongside Mayor Esther Sanchez, expressed frustration with the previous limitations.
“It’s frustrating because members of the public expect us to review a project in its entirety, and then we have a narrow scope of which we can ask questions,” Joyce said.
Some residents supported the change, including Jimmy Knott, who called it a “good step” toward improving public representation.
However, Caylin Frank of the Building Industry Association of San Diego strongly opposed the decision, warning it could create delays and discourage housing development.
“The Planning Commission already conducts thorough reviews ensuring projects align with the city’s vision and zoning laws,” Frank said. “Allowing appeals to restart the process from scratch creates avoidable delays, adds uncertainty, and discourages investment in much-needed housing.”
Frank also cautioned that the change could violate Oceanside’s state-mandated housing element, which outlines how the city plans to meet housing production requirements.
“If the city moves forward with the change, we believe the California Department of Housing and Community Development will take enforcement action as they have before against other noncompliant jurisdictions,” she said.
Councilmember Rick Robinson sided with the Building Industry Association, expressing concerns that broader reviews could slow development and overwhelm city staff.
City Manager Jonathan Borrego, however, said the change could make the process more efficient by streamlining staff presentations.
“It could make our job easier,” Borrego said, explaining that staff often conduct an “exhaustive analysis” of 10 to 15 different appeal issues. Under the new process, they would still consider those issues but present a comprehensive project review for the council.
The final vote saw Councilmembers Jimmy Figueroa, Sanchez and Joyce in favor, while Robinson and Councilmember Peter Weiss dissented.
