Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Europa Street alley is a street, say residents

Councilmembers shut down concerns over siting of underground garage

Alley off Europa Street
Alley off Europa Street

A battle over the entry to an underground parking garage in Leucadia has been decided in favor of the developer.

At a public hearing on November 9, the Encinitas City Council voted to deny two appeals of the planning commission’s approval of the Beacons project, which will create new homes and an underground garage on the doorstep of current residents.

Valleyside Development, Inc., will build four residential and four retail condo units, along with the subterranean garage, adjacent to an alley where many residents have their only access to their homes. The site is on the corner of Coast Highway 101 and Europa Street, within the North 101 Corridor Specific Plan; a zone that merges commercial and residential uses.

Eleven residents spoke at the meeting, some arguing for the redevelopment of Leucadia, while immediate neighbors of the project opposed it.

“The alley is a street, not an alley,” said Leslie Murphy, who filed an appeal in August. Her home will be 22 feet from the garage, facing the narrow alley she says is a “street” since it provides the main access for residents. Trucks can block the way for hours, and there are safety concerns, she said. “Please move the parking entrance onto Europa.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

Scott Carter, who also filed an appeal and is a long-term resident of Europa Street, said the multi-level building is out of character with the neighborhood.

Mikayla McFadden, a member of the Encinitas Coastal Mobility and Livability Working Group, grew up on Europa, on the alley that used to be a dirt road.

“It’s not really an alley,” McFadden said. Since the building was allowed to be bigger than first proposed, a larger garage resulted. She envisions more traffic and pedestrian conflicts.

Kerri Calver, who lives on Europa Street, spoke with frustration about the traffic. “Every day I’m blocked in.” When she calls for help, fire and police can’t even find her, she said.

Property owner Allan Brent rents out a small cottage next to the Beacons project's south wall. The parking entrance was sited too deep in the alley, he said, which will leave his tenants to deal with fumes, noise, and lights.

“Would you want to sleep in this cottage with commercial traffic turning five feet away from your head?” Brent also wants the parking entry moved to Europa Street. There is no requirement that Valleyside place it deep in the alley, he said.

Real estate agent Roger Bodemer supported Brent, saying the “exciting” redevelopment of 101 should increase the home’s value — but the garage siting devalues it due to fumes and noise. Moving the parking entrance “should get key consideration.”

Other concerns raised were stormwater runoff, flooding, and the character of the seaside community, which some said is at risk of creating a maximum density project in a neighborhood.

The developers, John Mclean and Steve Winters, said they are also residents who care about their community.

“We’re not developers coming here from out of town,” Mclean said. They cited their “extensive treatment plan” for stormwater and benefits like a new sidewalk on Europa. The first design did have the entry off Europa, Mclean said, but that was before they got into the details of stormwater, parking-space limits, and angle of descent into the garage. “We moved the entry back to a far point to meet the code.”

Europa is now 100 percent commercial, the developers argued, saying they are erasing 60 percent of the commercial footprint. Winters noted their addition of four “much needed residential units.” (A speaker in support of the project said he was losing friends and family all the time for the lack of homes.)

During council discussion, traffic engineer Nestor Mangohig said the average daily traffic on 101 is over 17,000 vehicles; on Europa Street, 500–600; and the alley carries about 120–200.

Councilmember Catherine Blakespeare noted one reason for the alley parking entry: cars could back up on Europa if it was moved there. Planning commissioner Anna Yentile said the alley was chosen to create more of a pedestrian environment by moving cars to the rear of the building, as recommended in the North 101 corridor specific plan.

Councilmember Tony Kranz said the specific plan was created years ago. And, “it sometimes has impacts on neighborhoods west of the 101.”

In defense of the project, councilmembers found it meets the 100-year flood-plain requirements, conforms to Prop A and community planning, and that the area already has four commercial uses.

Deputy mayor Lisa Shaffer pointed out that new projects aren’t required to improve existing conditions; they are required to not make things worse.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Kaylee Daugherty, Pinback, Chorduroy, Moondaddy, and Mr. Tube & the Flying Objects

Solos, duos, and full bands in Mira Mesa, Del Mar, City Heights, Little Italy, East Village
Next Article

More on San Diego inventions – Spike Bite and disappearing ink

The scandal of county supervisors at the library
Alley off Europa Street
Alley off Europa Street

A battle over the entry to an underground parking garage in Leucadia has been decided in favor of the developer.

At a public hearing on November 9, the Encinitas City Council voted to deny two appeals of the planning commission’s approval of the Beacons project, which will create new homes and an underground garage on the doorstep of current residents.

Valleyside Development, Inc., will build four residential and four retail condo units, along with the subterranean garage, adjacent to an alley where many residents have their only access to their homes. The site is on the corner of Coast Highway 101 and Europa Street, within the North 101 Corridor Specific Plan; a zone that merges commercial and residential uses.

Eleven residents spoke at the meeting, some arguing for the redevelopment of Leucadia, while immediate neighbors of the project opposed it.

“The alley is a street, not an alley,” said Leslie Murphy, who filed an appeal in August. Her home will be 22 feet from the garage, facing the narrow alley she says is a “street” since it provides the main access for residents. Trucks can block the way for hours, and there are safety concerns, she said. “Please move the parking entrance onto Europa.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

Scott Carter, who also filed an appeal and is a long-term resident of Europa Street, said the multi-level building is out of character with the neighborhood.

Mikayla McFadden, a member of the Encinitas Coastal Mobility and Livability Working Group, grew up on Europa, on the alley that used to be a dirt road.

“It’s not really an alley,” McFadden said. Since the building was allowed to be bigger than first proposed, a larger garage resulted. She envisions more traffic and pedestrian conflicts.

Kerri Calver, who lives on Europa Street, spoke with frustration about the traffic. “Every day I’m blocked in.” When she calls for help, fire and police can’t even find her, she said.

Property owner Allan Brent rents out a small cottage next to the Beacons project's south wall. The parking entrance was sited too deep in the alley, he said, which will leave his tenants to deal with fumes, noise, and lights.

“Would you want to sleep in this cottage with commercial traffic turning five feet away from your head?” Brent also wants the parking entry moved to Europa Street. There is no requirement that Valleyside place it deep in the alley, he said.

Real estate agent Roger Bodemer supported Brent, saying the “exciting” redevelopment of 101 should increase the home’s value — but the garage siting devalues it due to fumes and noise. Moving the parking entrance “should get key consideration.”

Other concerns raised were stormwater runoff, flooding, and the character of the seaside community, which some said is at risk of creating a maximum density project in a neighborhood.

The developers, John Mclean and Steve Winters, said they are also residents who care about their community.

“We’re not developers coming here from out of town,” Mclean said. They cited their “extensive treatment plan” for stormwater and benefits like a new sidewalk on Europa. The first design did have the entry off Europa, Mclean said, but that was before they got into the details of stormwater, parking-space limits, and angle of descent into the garage. “We moved the entry back to a far point to meet the code.”

Europa is now 100 percent commercial, the developers argued, saying they are erasing 60 percent of the commercial footprint. Winters noted their addition of four “much needed residential units.” (A speaker in support of the project said he was losing friends and family all the time for the lack of homes.)

During council discussion, traffic engineer Nestor Mangohig said the average daily traffic on 101 is over 17,000 vehicles; on Europa Street, 500–600; and the alley carries about 120–200.

Councilmember Catherine Blakespeare noted one reason for the alley parking entry: cars could back up on Europa if it was moved there. Planning commissioner Anna Yentile said the alley was chosen to create more of a pedestrian environment by moving cars to the rear of the building, as recommended in the North 101 corridor specific plan.

Councilmember Tony Kranz said the specific plan was created years ago. And, “it sometimes has impacts on neighborhoods west of the 101.”

In defense of the project, councilmembers found it meets the 100-year flood-plain requirements, conforms to Prop A and community planning, and that the area already has four commercial uses.

Deputy mayor Lisa Shaffer pointed out that new projects aren’t required to improve existing conditions; they are required to not make things worse.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

JamPinoy: one cafeteria line, two cultures

Pick your island cuisine in Vista's new Jamaican-slash-Filipino eatery
Next Article

Vista imagines car-free downtown

Following Encinitas and Pacific Beach
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader