OCEANSIDE — After years of debate and legal wrangling over how the land should be used, city staff is reviewing plans for a residential project that would add 229 townhomes and condominiums along North River Road.
In 2022, the Oceanside City Council approved rezoning the land from light industrial to medium-density residential, paving the way for the Tierra Norte project on about 26 acres between two parcels at 4617 and 4665 N. River Road.
The following year, a legal settlement with Preserve Calavera limited the total number of homes that could be built on the two parcels to 359 units.
Developers Trumark Homes and Nagata Brothers have now applied to build 229 units on the 4617 N. River Road site, referred to as Parcel B, which would account for most of the allowable units.
“The application for 4665 North River Road has not been received yet,” said city planner Shannon Vitale, who is overseeing the project, in an email. “That is a separate parcel and will be developed under a separate Development Plan.”
Nagata Brothers Farms previously used the property for strawberry farming, but has since ceased operations.
Plans call for three distinct residential neighborhoods at 4617 N. River Road, according to project documents:
- “Neptune,” which will feature 23 two-story detached condos with 2-bedroom and 4-bedroom options along the western edge of the property;
- “Strand,” which will have 59 two-story attached townhomes with 3, 4, and 5-bedroom options along North River Road that will extend into the middle of the project; and
- “Sunset”, with 147 three-story townhomes ranging in size from 2, 3, and 4-bedroom options along the project’s eastern edge.
The homes would be built in four architectural styles — Monterey, Spanish, Adobe Ranch and Italian — with varying color and material choices to maintain variety and cohesion.
A primary entrance is planned on North River Road, with a secondary connection at Calle Joven, which will extend the cul-de-sac. Both entries would also include pedestrian access.
The project also proposes a new public trail that would begin near the main entry and link to the San Luis Rey River Trail.
Developers said the site will include 562 parking spaces, exceeding the city’s 516-space requirement. The plan calls for 458 covered and 46 uncovered resident spaces, along with 59 guest spaces.
According to the developer, the project meets the city’s zoning goals by offering a mix of housing options, promoting pedestrian circulation, providing access to open space, and maintaining an appropriate scale.
“The development not only complies with all quantitative standards but also furthers the qualitative goals of creating livable, attractive, and well-connected neighborhoods,” the developer said.
The proposal also conforms with the city’s General Plan, the developer said, “by advancing key priorities related to housing, land use, mobility, community design, and open space.”
The developer added that the project can be served by existing and planned services and utilities, is compatible with surrounding development and aligns with city land-use policies.
Since the project is still under staff review, no timeline has been established for when it will be presented to the Planning Commission.
