The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan was prepared in accordance with relevant goals, policies, and provisions of the City of Encinitas General Plan. The following are pertinent goals and policies specified under each section of the General Plan followed by a discussion of the Specific Plan's conformance to the General Plan.
GOAL 1: 
Encinitas will strive to be a unique seaside community providing a balance of housing, commercial, light industrial/office development, recreation, agriculture and open space compatible with the predominant residential character of the community.
POLICY 1.1: 
Office, research and development, and light industrial development that does not result in land use conflicts with the quality of other development will be permitted when it fulfills the needs of the individual community and City.
POLICY 1.2: 
Encourage the development of unified commercial centers and neighborhood commercial centers rather than the continued development of "strip commercial." The Highway 101 corridor may be an exception because of its existing configuration and land uses. (Coastal Act/30250)
POLICY 1.3: 
New office/light industrial, and commercial development will only be permitted in areas both served by roadways capable of handling projected truck traffic, and in areas where adequate buffering is provided.
POLICY 1.5: 
Encourage the development of community shopping centers, when and where a demonstrated community need arises, in areas centrally located and with good access.
POLICY 1.7: 
Provide regional shopping centers only when a demonstrated need exists; and locate them in areas adjacent to major highways to provide convenient access.
POLICY 1.8: 
Encourage the types of commercial activities which will supply the community with a diverse economic base.
POLICY 1.9: 
Maintain a proper balance between acreage of commercial land and population served.
POLICY 1.12: 
The residential character of the City should be substantially single-family detached housing.
POLICY 1.15: 
Commercial and industrial uses shall be required to provide easy and safe pedestrian, bicycle and handicapped access. (Coastal Act/30250)
Project Conformance
The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan provides a broad mix of land uses within the Specific Plan Area including agriculture, open space, commercial, recreation, and residential uses. The project will preserve the residential character of the City by providing much of the planned single family residential development adjacent to existing residential areas in Encinitas. Detached single family and multi-family homes will make up all of the homes on the Mesa. The community character of the mesa will be detached residential development and attached multi-family development surrounded by a golf course and natural open space.
Implementation of the Specific Plan will achieve a balance of housing through the inclusion of multi-family (attached and detached) units in the Green Valley, Sidonia East and West Saxony Planning Areas. Higher density residential land uses are appropriate for these locations since multi-family housing will be compatible with the higher intensity uses in these areas, the potential accessibility of these areas from Circulation Element Roads, and their proximity to commercial services and transit stops. Existing lower density residential uses occur north of the West Saxony Planning Area and west of the Sidonia East Planning Area. The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan has been designed to address this adjacency and compatibility issue by proposing buffers between the two uses. A buffer/screen landscape treatment will be required along the northern boundary of the West Saxony Planning Area, and shall consist of dense plantings of shrubs, vines and trees of varying heights. In addition, a minimum five foot high wall or fence will be erected at the project boundary.
As part of the Encinitas Ranch project, a maximum of 753,000 square feet of commercial and office uses will provide a wide diversity of shopping opportunities on-site. These uses will be concentrated in the West Saxony and Green Valley Planning Areas. A large regional-serving commercial complex of 650,000 square feet is planned within Green Valley. Possible uses to be constructed within the 73.8-acre center include a supermarket, a drug store, clothing stores, a home improvement store, a discount store, a bookstore, restaurants, and a sports specialty store. This Regional Commercial Center will draw from a wide area and will attract shoppers from surrounding communities, as well as shoppers from the City of Encinitas and the Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan Area. Such uses will provide a strong tax base for the City and broaden the City's economic base with stores and commercial uses not presently available within the City of Encinitas.
The Land Use Plan proposes 25,000 SF of office uses and limited retail uses on 4.9 acres west of Saxony Road in the West Saxony Planning Area.
In conformance with Land Use Policy 1.7, the Green Valley Regional Commercial Center will be served by El Camino Real and Leucadia Boulevard, two major thoroughfares in the City of Encinitas which will provide convenient access to the Center. The West Saxony mixed-use zone will be easily accessible from Interstate 5, Encinitas Boulevard, and Leucadia Boulevard via Saxony Road. The "agrihood" development within the Sidonia East Planning Area will be easily accessible from Interstate 5, Leucadia Boulevard, and Quail Gardens Drive. As required by Land Use Policy 1.15, the easy and safe circulation and movement of bicyclists, pedestrians and the handicapped will be ensured in Encinitas Ranch through the provision of off-street bike paths, pedestrian crosswalks, sidewalks, pedestrian trails, and wheelchair ramps.
GOAL 3: 
To assure successful planning for future facilities and services, and a proper balance of uses within the City, the City of Encinitas will establish and maintain a maximum density and intensity of residential and commercial uses within the city which will:
A.
Provide a balance of commercial and residential uses which creates and maintains the quality of life and small-town character of the individual communities; and
B.
Protect and enhance the City's natural resources and indigenous wildlife.
POLICY 3.2: 
The City will designate land use categories/zones for residential development which provide housing opportunities for all segments of society at densities consistent with the goals of this Element.
POLICY 3.3: 
The City will designate land use categories/zones for commercial development which provide for the commercial needs of the community with use and intensity regulations consistent with the goals of this Element.
POLICY 3.4: 
The City will allow those commercial uses which are necessary to satisfy the current and projected needs of the individual communities as indicated on the Land Use Map and under the policies of this plan.
POLICY 3.5: 
Commercial areas/zones shall be designated to avoid undue concentrations of commercial development which would increase traffic to levels beyond the current and projected capability of the City's services and facilities to deal with the increased traffic.
POLICY 3.6: 
Except where overriding considerations are found to exist, property will not be designated so as to allow or otherwise encourage commercial development along circulation roads in a continuous or "strip" manner.
Project Conformance
One of the goals of the Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan is to retain the agricultural and small town character of the project site, while accommodating higher intensity development adjacent to Circulation Element Roads (i.e., El Camino Real and Saxony Road). The project will include extensive amounts of natural open space, passive parks, and recreational facilities (approximately 215 acres). This area will satisfy the need for more community-serving parks, open space, and recreation areas. The agricultural land uses will preserve the agricultural heritage of the project site.
Much of the residential area will be allotted to single family detached housing consistent with the General Plan land use designations. However, all segments of the population will be provided with housing opportunities within Encinitas Ranch by the inclusion of multi-family residential and experimental housing in the Green Valley, Sidonia East, and West Saxony Planning Areas.
Commercial activity will be concentrated primarily in the Green Valley Planning Area with a limited office and commercial component in the West Saxony Planning Area. These uses will be consistent with the type and intensity of surrounding land uses. The Regional Commercial Center will be buffered from El Camino Real and Leucadia Boulevard by extensive landscaping and increased building setbacks, prohibiting a "strip commercial" appearance along the roadway corridors. Commercial/office buildings adjacent to Saxony Road shall not be permitted to exceed two stories in height in order to insure compatibility with nearby land uses.
Implementation of the Specific Plan will result in the phased extension and connection of several important City circulation system roadways including Leucadia Boulevard, Quail Gardens Drive, Garden View Road, and Via Cantebria. Saxony Road and El Camino Real will also be widened adjacent to the project site. Construction of these circulation infrastructure improvements will ensure that the City's circulation network has adequate capacity to handle the increase in traffic generated by the Encinitas Ranch project. Financing strategies for financing the infrastructure improvements will be determined in the Public Facilities Financing Program (i.e., Development Agreement) for Encinitas Ranch. The project will pay its proportionate share of the necessary traffic improvements.
The commercial/office uses in the West Saxony Planning Area will be adequately served by improvements to Saxony Road. Access into the Regional Commercial Center and mixed-use development in Green Valley will be primarily available from a four-way signalized intersection at Via Cantebria/Garden View Road, a four-way signalized intersection providing access to the commercial developments on either side of Leucadia Boulevard, and a four-way intersection at Woodley Road/El Camino Real. The project will implement access drive configuration guidelines to ensure proper lane configuration and stacking length for the Regional Commercial Center and the Green Valley mixed-use development. These measures will ensure that there will be no significant access drive traffic impacts.
GOAL 4: 
The City of Encinitas will ensure that the rate of residential growth:
A.
Does not create a demand which exceeds the capability of available services and facilities;
B.
Does not destroy the quality of life and small town character of the individual communities;
C.
Does not exceed a rate which excludes the public from meaningful participation in all aspects of land decision making regarding proposed projects;
D.
Provides the City with the ability to plan ahead for the location, timing, and financing of required services and facilities; and
E.
Does not exceed an annual allotment of dwelling units based on the projected ultimate buildout of dwellings in the City of Encinitas assuming a 25-year buildout period.
POLICY 4.2: 
The City will plan to provide services and facilities concurrent with projected need, sufficient to allow issuance of the maximum annual number of dwelling unit building permits. To guard against an unforeseen shortfall of services or facilities, the City will determine adequacy of services and facilities for each residential development at the discretionary review stage. For dwelling units not subject to discretionary review, such determination shall be made with the earliest development permit submittal. No unit shall be approved or permitted for which inadequate services or facilities are available.
POLICY 4.6: 
Any land which is annexed to the City will be pre-designated for a land use(s) as a condition of annexation, to a density and use that will be consistent with the small-town quality and character of the City.
Project Conformance
The Specific Plan provides approximately 1,435 dwelling units in the Land Use Plan. This increase in residential units creates the need for public services such as schools, recreation areas, and cultural facilities such as theaters, museums, etc.. The Specific Plan proposes the dedication of a site for a community-serving elementary school and a variety of recreational areas including an 18-hole municipal golf course, several athletic playing fields, and a comprehensive network of pedestrian and bicycle trails. Cultural structures will be encouraged to develop in the mixed-use zones of the West Saxony and Green Valley Planning Areas and in the Community Use Zone of the Quail Gardens East Planning Area. The project is designed to be phased to provide services and facilities concurrent with project need. Additionally, the Specific Plan provides for the continuation of agricultural operations on-site while accommodating residential growth.
The Encinitas Ranch project site has been pre-designated by the City as "SP" (i.e., Specific Plan). This Specific Plan has been prepared in conformance with the "SP" pre-designation for the property. Along with approval of this document, the City also will be approving specific zoning for the property (see Figure 25, Zoning Map). Therefore, the project site has already been pre-zoned in anticipation of annexation of the property into the City of Encinitas.
The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan has been carefully designed and developed to preserve the small-town flavor of the Leucadia community. Single family residential, multi-family residential, agricultural, open space, and golf course uses are located on the mesa top abutting existing residential development.
Commercial and higher intensity development will be concentrated adjacent to I-5 in the West Saxony Planning Area, and adjoining El Camino Real, which is already developed with considerable commercial, office, and higher density residential uses.
GOAL 6: 
Every effort will be made to ensure that the existing desirable character of the communities is maintained.
POLICY 6.1: 
Permit commercial land uses and other types of non-residential development only in those areas where such development presently is concentrated or where indicated by the General Plan as long as such development does not result in land use conflicts with surrounding residential development.
POLICY 6.5: 
The design of future development shall consider the constraints and opportunities that are provided by adjacent existing development. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 6.6: 
The construction of very large buildings shall be discouraged where such structures are incompatible with surrounding development. The building height of both residential and nonresidential structures shall be compatible with surrounding development, given topographic and other considerations, and shall protect public views of regional or statewide significance. (Coastal Act/30251/30252/30253)
POLICY 6.7: 
Require commercial development to provide sufficient landscaping to soften the visual impact of commercial buildings and parking areas.
POLICY 6.8: 
The City will develop standards for congregate care rooms and beds in nursing facilities in relationship with land use categories.
Project Conformance
The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan Area is surrounded by a variety of land uses. Planned single-family residential dwellings on-site will be consistent with lot sizes and design to complement surrounding existing residential neighborhoods.
The Land Use Plan proposes commercial and mixed-use uses along a portion of Saxony Road and on the west side of El Camino Real, two of the City's most important Circulation Element Roads. The commercial and mixed-uses in Green Valley will be physically separated from the single family residential and agricultural uses on the mesa by more than 100 acres of natural open space and more than a 200 foot elevational change in topography.
The mixed-use development planned for the West Saxony Planning Area is compatible with its location adjacent to the I-5 freeway and the Magdalena Ecke YMCA and Ecke Sports Park; across the street is the CPC San Luis Rey Hospital. The mixed-use development within West Saxony will be buffered from the existing low density residential uses to the north, and physical design and landscape buffer solutions shall be implemented in order to ensure compatible land uses. For example, the maximum permitted building height in these areas will be 35 feet which is comparable to the height of the existing development in the area. Additionally, commercial/office buildings in the West Saxony Planning Area shall be constructed in a residential/garden style design to ensure compatibility with existing residential uses to the north.
The "agrihood" development at the northwest corner of Leucadia Boulevard and Quail Gardens Drive (within the Sidonia East Planning Area) would be consistent with the Agricultural Zone provisions of this Specific Plan, which encourage the continued agricultural use of portions of the Specific Plan Area and the provision of a favorable setting in which to continue agricultural operations. The "agrihood" concept proposed allows for the continued viability of an agricultural business on the site. The development would be appropriately buffered from existing low density residential uses to the west by a 50-foot landscaped buffer.
The eastern portion of the Specific Plan Area will include a mix of higher intensity land uses to correspond with the existing level of development that is existing or planned along El Camino Real. This area will be physically separated from El Camino Real by a landscaped greenbelt and recreation area that will result in a "park-like" appearance for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists using El Camino Real when passing the project site.
The Encinitas Ranch Land Use Plan has been designed to insure compatibility between on-site and off-site land uses. In addition, the Specific Plan also includes a Master Landscape Plan. The Master Landscape Plan and the detailed development standards in Section 3.2 in this Specific Plan include discussions of appropriate edge treatments and buffers to mitigate any potential impacts on existing off-site land uses caused by implementation of the Land Use Plan. Finally, Section 6.0 (Encinitas Ranch Zoning Ordinance) and Section 7.0 (Encinitas Ranch Design Guidelines) in this Specific Plan document specify use, development standards, and design guidelines that have been provided to insure that the planned development is of a consistently high quality that will complement and reflect the identity of Encinitas.
GOAL 7: 
Development in the community should provide an identity for the city while maintaining the unique identity of the individual communities.
POLICY 7.1: 
Establish design themes for commercial districts located within individual communities.
POLICY 7.2: 
Each community may establish one or more design themes for their community.
POLICY 7.3: 
Although common themes for each of the communities may be established, each community may also promote variety in the design of individual projects.
POLICY 7.4: 
Develop regulations and incentives for residential, commercial, and industrial developers to vary design, setbacks, driveways, rooflines, materials, colors, landscaping, etc. to ensure variation in the design of individual residential units within larger subdivisions and commercial/industrial projects.
POLICY 7.5: 
A streetscape specific plan(s) for the Highway 101 corridor and El Camino Real corridor shall be prepared. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 7.6: 
Private development shall coordinate with street/public improvements, i.e. streetscape, landscape, site design and the like.
POLICY 7.10: 
Both residential and non-residential development shall be limited to a maximum height of two stories and 30 feet. Limited exceptions for non-residential development may be allowed, but only for designated specific sites as developed and adopted through area specific plans. Exceptions may also be made for Medical complex development projects at the discretion of the City pursuant to conditional use permit applications as provided by the Zoning Code, to allow building heights up to a maximum of three stories.
Project Conformance
Each residential, commercial, and mixed-use zone is designed to incorporate elements of a project-wide design theme to help create a harmonious and aesthetically-pleasing community. These elements include architectural style, building color, construction materials, and landscaping. Section 7.0 of this Specific Plan addresses design guidelines for landscaping and structures that allow diversity in selection while maintaining a common theme to unite and distinguish the community.
The Encinitas Ranch project will coordinate the street/public improvements (i.e., streetscape, landscape, site design, etc.) necessary to implement the project.
In the mixed-use zones of the Green Valley and West Saxony Planning Areas, building heights up to three stories will be permitted to provide community focus. Residential development throughout the project site shall not exceed 30 feet in height without Design Review approval. The Encinitas Ranch Zoning Ordinance expressly allows building heights up to 45 feet in the Green Valley Mixed-Use Zone and Agricultural Zone and up to 35 feet in height in the West Saxony Planning Area. In the Sidonia East Planning Area, the ER-R-30 Zone allows for heights up to 39 feet, consistent with the development standards established for the R-30-OL zone.
Section 6.0 in this Specific Plan addresses detailed criteria for building setbacks, heights, and similar building criteria. Section 7.0 contains landscape, architectural, and site design criteria that is applicable to the entire project with specific design guidelines provided for the Green Valley Planning Area.
GOAL 8: 
Environmentally and topographically sensitive and constrained areas within the City shall be preserved to the greatest extent possible to minimize the risks associated with the development in these areas. (Coastal Act/30240/30253)
POLICY 8.1: 
Require that any improvement constructed in an area with a slope of more than 25% and other areas where soil stability is at issue to submit soils and geotechnical studies to the City for review and approval. These studies shall document that the proposed development will not adversely affect hillside or soil stability and that no future protective measures will be required. (Coastal Act/30253)
POLICY 8.2: 
Development within coastal and floodplain areas identified in the Land Use and Resource Management Elements must be limited, designed to minimize hazards associated with development in these areas, and to preserve area resources. Within the floodway, channelizations, dams, or other substantial alterations of rivers and streams shall incorporate the best mitigation measures feasible, and be limited to necessary water supply projects, flood control projects where no other method for protecting existing public or private structures is feasible and where such protection is necessary for public safety or to protect existing development, and other development where the primary function is the improvement of fish and wildlife habitats. No development shall occur in the 100-year Floodplain that is not consistent and compatible with the associated flood hazard. Only uses which are safe and compatible with the periodic flooding and inundation shall be considered, such as stables, plant nurseries, a minimum of intrusion of open parking, some forms of agriculture, and open space preservation, as appropriate under zoning, and subject to applicable environmental review and consistency with other policies of this plan. No grading or fill activity other than the minimum necessary to accommodate those uses found safe and compatible shall be allowed. Such grading shall not significantly redirect or impede flood flows or require floodway modifications. Exceptions from these limitations may be made to allow the following:
a. 
Minimum private development (defined as one dwelling unit per legal parcel under residential zoning, and an equivalent extent of development under non residential zoning) only upon a finding that strict application thereof would preclude a minimum use of the property.
b. 
Development of circulation element roads, other necessary public facilities, flood control projects where no feasible method for protecting existing public or private structures exists and where such protection is necessary for public safety or to protect existing development, and other development which has as its objective the improvement of fish and wildlife habitat.
c. 
Limited reconfiguration of the floodplain in previously degraded areas provided it is determined by the City that the reconfiguration of the flood plain is incidental to the improvement of an overall storm water system and that the reconfigured storm water system is substantially based on natural channels with vegetation to accommodate storm water management. This is applicable to the El Camino Real creek corridor draining into Encinitas Creek.
These exceptions shall be allowed only to the extent that no other feasible alternatives exist and minimum disruption to the natural floodplain environment is made. The City shall not approve subdivisions or boundary line adjustments which would allow increased impacts for development in 100-year floodplains. For specific policy provisions regarding wetlands which may be associated with floodplains, refer to Resource Management Element Policy 10.6. (Coastal Act/30253)
POLICY 8.3: 
Residential development on land that has physical constraints shall exclude or discount areas subject to specified constraints from density allowance. Portions of development sites subject to the following constraints shall be excluded from the net lot area uses to figure density: floodplains, beaches, permanent bodies of water, significant wetlands, major utility easements, railroad track beds or rights-of-way, and rights-of-way and easements for public/private streets and roads. The remaining net lot area shall then be calculated for density allowance, based on the assigned land use category density range... density allowance shall be limited to the mid-point of the land use category range, as specified by the zoning code, unless findings can be made that the proposed project excels in design excellence and/or provided extraordinary community benefits. Upon such findings, up to the maximum density level of the range may be allowed. In no case shall less than one dwelling per legal lot be allowed.
POLICY 8.4: 
Within single family residential areas, lot averaging and PRDs may be allowed to preserve areas of unique topographic features, riparian woodlands, and other significant open space areas of importance to the community based on the following criteria:
Lot averaging and PRDs shall only be used to create a quality development, but shall not increase the overall density of the subdivision;
A conventional subdivision shall be submitted to determine the overall density through compliance with the standard requirements for lot size considering overall slopes and natural constraints;
The areas of open space shall be determined and preserved in perpetuity;
For PRDs under single-family detached residential categories, every dwelling unit shall be established on its own private lot (no one-lot, "air space" ownership projects);
The minimum lot size allowed under PRDs and lot averaging shall be 75% of the standard minimum lot size established for development site's designated zone;
No further subdivisions of land within lot-averaged subdivisions shall occur. (Coastal Act/30240).
POLICY 8.6: 
Significant natural features shall be preserved and incorporated into all development. Such features may include bluffs, rock outcroppings, natural drainage courses, wetland and riparian areas, steep topography, trees, and views. (Coastal Act/30240/30250/30251)
POLICY 8.7: 
Non-developable or constrained areas should be evaluated for possible use as open space or recreational use. (Coastal Act/30240)
POLICY 8.8: 
The properties located in the City's Sphere of Influence west of El Camino Real shall be designated as a Specific Plan Area, except for the lands west of Saxony Road designated as Open Space/Parks, and lands in the southeast corner of the upper mesa beyond the Ecke holdings designated Residential 2-3 units per acre. Development will be allowed within the Specific Plan Area only through prior approval of the entire Specific Plan as described... [in the Encinitas General Plan Land Use Element, pages LU-21 to LU-24].
POLICY 8.9: 
The City will adopt land use categories for environmentally sensitive areas for the purposes of the Local Coastal Plan and will implement these categories by such ordinance and policy measures as may be appropriate. (Coastal Act/30250)
POLICY 8.10: 
Ecological Resource/Open Space/Parks is a category intended to be applied to both active and passive parklands; lagoons; wetland habitat areas and their adjacent buffers; and other areas of significant environmental quality or public resource value. Lands in the Ecological Resource/Open Space/Parks category, other than public parks, and similar areas for active recreation, will be limited to uses and activities related to habitat enhancement; educational and scientific nature study; passive recreation which will have no significant adverse impact on habitat values; and, aquaculture having no significant adverse effect or negative visual impact on natural processes or scenic quality. All areas possessing wetland resource values, including coastal salt marsh and freshwater marsh habitat types, shall be protected by appropriate buffers. Buffer zones sufficient to protect wetlands shall generally be minimum 100 feet in width, and buffer zones to protect riparian areas shall generally be minimum 50 feet in width, unless a use or development proposal demonstrates that a smaller buffer will protect the resources of the wetland/riparian area based on site-specific information, including but not limited to, the type and size of the development and/or proposed mitigation (such as planting of vegetation) which will also achieve the purposes of the buffer. The buffer should be measured landward from the wetland or riparian area. Maps and supplemental information submitted as part of the application should be used to specifically determine these boundaries. The California Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shall be consulted in such buffer determinations and their comments shall be accorded great weight.
Development permitted in wetland and riparian buffer areas shall be limited to access paths, passive recreational uses, fences and similar improvements necessary to protect the wetland or riparian resource, and shall be restricted to the upper or landward half of the buffer. Wetland/riparian areas and their associated buffers shall be permanently protected from development through the application of an open space easement or other suitable instrument. Developments shall be located and designed so as not to contribute to increased sediment loading of the wetland/riparian area, cause disturbances to its fish and wildlife values, or otherwise impair the functional capacity of the resource. Exceptions from this policy for intrusion of development into wetland or riparian areas and their associated buffers shall only be considered as specified in Resource Management Policy 10.6. (Coastal Act/30240)
Project Conformance
This Specific Plan has been designed to minimize development on lands with sensitive resources and steep topography (areas with greater than 25% slope). No residential, mixed-use, or commercial development is planned on land subject to any of the following physical constraints: beaches, permanent bodies of water, significant wetlands, major utility easements, or railroad track beds or rights-of-way. The project will require the removal of the existing drainage channel adjacent to El Camino Real to accommodate the planned Green Valley development and to eliminate existing flooding on El Camino Real. The channel will be reconstructed as an earthen channel planted with native riparian vegetation. As a result of the channel being improved, the existing floodplain will also be reconfigured. The new channel will have increased storm water capacity to eliminate the periodic flooding of El Camino Real during winter rains.
The vast majority of impacts to sensitive lands on-site are the result of public improvements or facilities including Circulation Element roadways, the golf course, or the recreation area/greenbelt/natural drainage channel that will abut El Camino Real.
The easternmost portion of the Green Valley Planning Area is located within the 100-year Floodplain. This area is planned as a 25.6-acre linear greenbelt and will provide recreational opportunities for the Encinitas community, while also managing storm water flows and detention, sedimentation and urban runoff.
The Specific Plan preserves approximately 25 percent of the entire site as open space and an additional approximately 20 percent as an 18-hole municipal golf course. The preservation of bluffs which separate the mesa from Green Valley, as well as the native vegetation consisting primarily of southern maritime chaparral, Diegan coastal sage scrub, and woodland vegetative communities, will be accomplished by designating the areas as permanent open space. Only passive uses such as pedestrian paths with scenic overlooks will be permitted within these locations. Where development is planned abutting sensitive open space in Green Valley, a minimum 42 inch high wall/fence will be constructed in order to discourage human intrusion into the vulnerable areas.
The 18-hole municipal golf course will serve as a much needed recreational facility not only for local residents, but for the entire Encinitas community. Although the golf course will encroach into one canyon, much of the steepest topography within the Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan Area will be preserved. A wildlife corridor between open space areas to the west (e.g., Indian Head Canyon, Magdalena Ecke Park, and open space easements adjacent to Saxony Road) and the open space preserved along the inland bluff on the Encinitas Ranch has been incorporated into the golf course design.
The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan complies with the land uses specified in Policy 8.8. The plan designates an agriculture/open space land use preserve for portions of the project site located north and south of the Leucadia Boulevard extension of the upper mesa. North of Leucadia Boulevard, on the upper mesa, low density (3.0 du/ac maximum) residential dwelling units are clustered around the golf course. Magdalena Ecke Preserve shall be preserved in its natural state in the northwest corner of the Specific Plan Area. Mixed-use development is planned west of El Camino Real, consistent with the City's policy.
The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan is consistent with the land use designations and densities of the General Plan.
All development and other activities provided for by the Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan conform to the land use provisions set forth by Policy 8.8. The Land Use Plans were developed to implement this and other similar policies within the City's General Plan.
GOAL 9: 
Preserve the existence of present natural open spaces, slopes, bluffs, lagoon areas, and maintain the sense of spaciousness and semirural living within the I-5 view corridor and within other view corridors, scenic highways and vista/view sheds as identified in the resource management element. (Coastal Act/30240/30251)
POLICY 9.2: 
Encourage retention of buffer zones such as natural vegetation or earth barriers, bluffs, and canyons to protect adjacent areas of freeway corridor from pollutants of noise, exhaust, and light. (Coastal Act/30240/30251)
POLICY 9.4: 
Encourage all landscaping along major arterials to enhance, harmonize with, and not detract from the natural features of the surrounding area. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 9.5: 
Discourage development that would infringe upon scenic views and vistas within the I-5 corridor.
POLICY 9.6: 
Where it is necessary to construct retaining or noise-attenuating walls along the I-5 corridor, they should be constructed with natural-appearing materials and generously landscaped with vines, trees and shrubbery. (Coastal Act/30251)
Project Conformance
An extensive linear greenbelt/recreation area consisting of 25.6 acres is proposed along El Camino Real; it will provide a scenic "park-like" view to passing motorists. Portions of the greenbelt will also serve as a community recreation area, while other portions will help manage storm water flows and runoff. Existing riparian vegetation along El Camino Real will be preserved and increased.
Scenic visual corridors, referred to in this document as Landscape Development Zones (LDZs), will also be established on the portions of Leucadia Boulevard and Quail Gardens Drive that pass through the property. These LDZs will range in width from 13 feet along Quail Gardens Drive to between 30 and 35 feet along Leucadia Boulevard. The LDZs will be fully landscaped and, in most cases, include either a meandering sidewalk or combination pedestrian/bicycle trail. Landscaping in the LDZs will be designed to complement and implement the overall design theme(s) of Encinitas Ranch.
If multi-family residential uses are constructed within the West Saxony Planning Area, a minimum 200 foot wide setback from the I-5 freeway right-of-way shall be required. Office buildings may be erected in this setback to serve as a visual and sound attenuation buffer between the freeway and the planned residential uses. In the unlikely event that a retaining or noise-attenuation wall is required adjacent to the I-5 corridor to accommodate planned development in the West Saxony Planning Area, then a wall shall be constructed with natural-appearing materials and landscaped with vines, trees, and shrubbery.
(Reso. 98-17; Ord. 2019-04); Goal 8 amended 5/11/95 (Reso. 95-32) and 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); paragraph added 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); amended 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); Policy 6.6 amended 5/11/95 (Reso. 95-32) and 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); Policy 8.1 amended 5/11/95 (Reso. 95-32) and 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); Policy 8.2 amended 1/30/91, 9/21/94 (Reso. 94-29), 5/11/95 (Reso. 95-32) and 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17)
GOAL 1: 
The City will encourage the provision of a wide range of housing by location, type of unit, and price to meet the existing and future housing needs in the region and City. (I-A through H; II-A through D; III-C and D; IV-A through F; V-B through G; VI-A, C through 1; VII-C; VIII-C)
POLICY 1.1: 
Strive to maintain a balance of housing types in the City. [I-a through g; II-b, c, d; IV-e, f; V-b, c, d; VI-a, e, j, k; VIII-c]
POLICY 1.2: 
Strive to provide a wide variety of housing types so that a range of housing needs and tastes will be made available to existing and future residents. (I-a through h; II-b, c, d; IV-e, f; V-b, c; VI-a, e, j, k, l; VII-e; VIII-c)
Project Conformance
Residential units are proposed throughout the Specific Plan Area in a variety of locations and densities to accommodate a variety of family sizes and income levels. In the Land Use Plan smaller single family detached dwellings and lot sizes may be available in the North Mesa, Sidonia East, Green Valley and South Mesa Planning Areas, and dwelling units that will appeal to move-up buyers and larger families will be constructed in the Quail Hollow East, North Mesa, South Mesa, and Sidonia East Planning Areas, all at an aggregate maximum density of 3.0 du/ac.
To achieve a balance of housing opportunities, multi-family units including townhomes, free-standing apartment buildings, senior citizen housing, apartments, and residential units over office and retail uses are also proposed in the Green Valley Planning Area. Multi-family attached units will be constructed in the West Saxony and Sidonia East Planning Areas. Higher density residential is appropriate for these areas due to the proximity to Circulation Element Roads and nearby commercial and public uses and transit stops.
In addition, a 1.8-acre parcel located in the Green Valley Planning Area, west of the existing mobile home park and east of Via Cantebria, is planned to be developed with low income senior units. The Land Use Plan allows a maximum of 45 units at a density not to exceed 25 du/ac.
GOAL 2: 
Sound housing will be provided in the City of Encinitas for all persons regardless of age, family status, income level, race, or ethnicity.
POLICY 2.1: 
Make every reasonable effort to ensure that the provisions of the Federal and State laws that prohibit housing discrimination on the basis of age, sex, and race are enforced. [VI-b; VII-d]
POLICY 2.2: 
Support ongoing efforts of the State and County to enforce "fair-housing" laws. [VI-b]
POLICY 2.3: 
Encourage developers to provide a balance of housing opportunities. [I-a, b, e, h; II-a, b; VI-a through i; VII-d]
Project Conformance
The Encinitas Ranch project will include a range of housing types employing sound construction techniques. All housing on-site will comply with the provisions of the Federal and State laws that prohibit housing discrimination. Housing types within Encinitas Ranch are anticipated to include both rental and for-sale single family detached and multi-family homes. The range and variety of housing types to be constructed in Encinitas Ranch will expand the diversity of housing types available within the City of Encinitas and will help meet the needs of both existing and future City residents.
GOAL 3: 
The City will encourage the maintenance and preservation of the existing housing stock as well as quality workmanship in new housing.
POLICY 3.2: 
Enforce the building, safety and housing codes through vigorous code enforcement efforts.
POLICY 3.4: 
Continue to assess development fees on new residential units adequate to pay for all related local and regional impacts on public facilities. [VIII-a]
POLICY 3.6: 
Allow for some cluster-type housing and other innovative housing design that provides adequate open areas around and within these developments. (I-a)
POLICY 3.7: 
Coordinate the provision of open areas in adjoining residential developments to maximize the benefit of the open space. [I-a]
POLICY 3.8: 
Adapt residential development to the terrain. (I-a)
POLICY 3.9: 
Encourage street planting, landscaping, and undergrounding of utilities. (I-a)
POLICY 3.10: 
Encourage high standards of design, materials, and workmanship in all construction and developments. (I-a)
POLICY 3.11: 
Discourage residential development of steep slopes, canyons, and flood plains.
POLICY 3.13: 
Cost effective energy-efficient housing, including the use of passive systems, will be encouraged within the City to decrease energy use. [VIII-b]
Project Conformance
Single family and multi-family residential development in the Specific Plan Area is planned on approximately 22 percent of the project site. The multi-family units are situated in close proximity to and within mixed-use zones, away from sensitive topographic areas, or adjacent to Circulation Element roads and nearby transit stops. Low density clusters of single-family dwellings are planned in small enclaves around the perimeter of portions of the golf course in the North Mesa and Quail Hollow East Planning Areas, thereby preserving natural open space and sensitive biotic communities. The Land Use Plan for Encinitas Ranch has been developed to maximize the amount of open space adjoining residential development, particularly areas of mixed-use and multi-family housing. Housing will be clustered adjacent to natural open space areas and the planned golf course in portions of the North Mesa, Quail Hollow East, South Mesa, and Green Valley Planning Areas. Higher density residential development shall be constructed adjacent to the greenbelt/park in Green Valley and at the northwest corner of the Leucadia Boulevard/Quail Gardens Drive intersection within the Sidonia East Planning Area.
The developer of the Encinitas Ranch project will be required to pay its fair share of fees to mitigate all related local and regional impacts on public facilities related to project implementation. The exact timing and type of developer contributions shall be determined in the Development Agreement between the developer and the City.
Section 7.0 in this Specific Plan contains design guidelines which advocates quality design and construction. In designing housing for Encinitas Ranch, consideration shall be given to constructing cost effective energy-efficient housing, including the use of passive systems, that will decrease residential energy use. City and state building and safety codes will be followed in developing the residential uses on-site to ensure public health and safety. Additionally, all utilities in Encinitas Ranch shall be installed underground, unless the City or the appropriate public utilities agency requires that specific facilities be installed above-ground.
Street trees shall be planted along all public streets within Encinitas Ranch, primarily in informal patterns on the mesa and in the western part of the site in order to retain the agricultural and quasi-rural character of the region. LDZs are planned along Quail Gardens Drive and Leucadia Boulevard and shall be planted in appropriate ornamental, drought tolerant, and indigenous plant materials.
(Reso. 98-17; Ord. 2019-04)
GOAL 1: 
Encinitas should have a transportation system that is safe, convenient and efficient, and sensitive to and compatible with surrounding community character. (Coastal Act/30252).
POLICY 1.1: 
Ensure that the arterial circulation system provides adequate connections across the freeway for convenient circulation and rapid emergency access.
POLICY 1.2: 
Endeavor to maintain Level of Service C as basic design guidelines for the local system of roadways understanding that the guideline may not be attainable in all cases.
POLICY 1.3: 
Prohibit development which results in Level of Service E or F at any intersection unless no alternatives exist and an overriding public need can be demonstrated.
POLICY 1.4: 
Require, where feasible, interconnecting off-street pedestrian and vehicular circulation between adjacent commercial and office land uses. This policy should be required along major transportation corridors to minimize traffic conflicts associated with pedestrian and vehicular movement to and from these properties.
POLICY 1.6: 
Minimize freeway, prime arterial, major, collector, and augmented local access to encourage their use as throughways rather than as access to adjacent properties.
POLICY 1.7: 
Encourage adjacent properties to use common access points to access prime arterials, major roads, collectors and augmented local streets.
POLICY 1.8: 
Locate major roads and prime arterials where they will bypass rather than divide residential neighborhoods.
POLICY 1.9: 
Minimize private driveway access onto both major and collector roads.
POLICY 1.10: 
Encourage the design of roads and traffic controls to optimize safe traffic flow by minimizing turning, curb parking, uncontrolled access, and frequent stops.
POLICY 1.11: 
Construct roads following the natural contours to minimize cuts and fills; avoid grid street patterns where feasible.
POLICY 1.12: 
The City will require increased off-street parking for expansions and additions to existing and future commercial and residential uses in the near coast area, will minimize curb cuts for new development in the vicinity of beach access points in order that the maximum amount of curb parking will be available to the beach users, and will encourage remote parking/shuttle service and park-and-ride facilities in the Coastal Zone. The City will require that all commercial, industrial and residential uses be designed and constructed with sufficient off-street parking and loading facilities to assure adequate parking is provided with new development such that no adverse impacts on coastal access are documented. Parking ratios shall be utilized as specified and detailed in the City's Zoning Code and in implementing Specific Plans which provide sufficient parking spaces so as not to require patrons/employees/residents to utilize parking which is necessary/required for other approved uses or street and other public parking that should otherwise be available for public use. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 1.14: 
A coordinated traffic signal system shall be developed and implemented.
POLICY 1.15: 
The City will actively support an integrated transportation program that encourages and provides for mass-transit, bicycle transportation, pedestrians, equestrians, and carpooling. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 1.17: 
Standards shall be established and implemented to provide for adequate levels of street lighting, based on criteria of safety and related to volumes of vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle activity and potential points of conflict. Such standards shall be designed to respect different community and neighborhood needs for lighting, different community standards for design and special attention given to preservation of dark sky.
POLICY 1.18: 
Standards shall be established and implemented to provide for a comprehensive system of traffic control devices and signing, based on sound traffic engineering principles, to assure traffic safety and preservation of community character.
Project Conformance
The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan will provide relief to the current deficiency in the circulation system by completing the Leucadia Boulevard/Olivenhain Road link from El Camino Real to the I-5 freeway, as well as extending Via Cantebria from its current terminus to the northern project boundary, and extending Quail Gardens Drive north to connect with Quail Hollow Drive and Saxony Road off-site. The on-site circulation system will strive to maintain a Level of Service C or better operating condition, as further discussed in the accompanying EIR. Circulation Policy 1.2 is intended only as a guide and does not mandate that all roads within Encinitas Ranch maintain a Level of Service C.
The project's circulation system has been designed to provide a safe, convenient, and efficient transportation network. To facilitate traffic movement on-site, traffic signals in Encinitas Ranch will be coordinated and developed to integrate into the City's overall traffic signalization network. Major roads and prime arterials will serve as the backbone streets, while collector and local roads will serve individual residential neighborhoods. Heavy through traffic and opportunity traffic will be eliminated from residential neighborhoods by creating a system of limited access collector and arterial roads for through traffic. The Land Use Plan is designed to minimize private driveway access onto both major and collector roads. Additionally, the Land Use Plan encourages adjacent properties to use common access points to access prime arterials, major roads, collectors and augmented local streets.
The project supports an integrated transportation program by encouraging the use of bicycle, pedestrian, and bus opportunities. Encinitas Ranch provides a comprehensive network of bicycle and pedestrian trails, which allow the general public to move freely within the property while permitting access to both the natural open space and recreational amenities provided. Adequate street lighting will be provided to ensure the safety of vehicular and non-vehicular travel along project roads. In addition, mass-transit opportunities, such as bus stops and carpooling or rideshare programs, shall be implemented in areas where development intensity supports the need for such services.
Specific parking requirements for the Commercial Zone are provided in this Specific Plan that require one off-street parking space for every 200 square feet of enclosed floor area. Loading space requirements for the Commercial Zone are also set forth in this document. Development in the Regional Commercial Center will meet or exceed these requirements. In addition, all other uses within Encinitas Ranch (excepting specifically the Commercial Zone) are required to conform to the City's adopted parking and loading facility standards.
GOAL 2: 
The City will make every effort to develop a varied transportation system that is capable of serving both the existing population and future residents while preserving community values and character. (Coastal Act/30252/30153)
POLICY 2.1: 
Adopt and implement standards for rural, semi-rural, and urban roadways within the City consistent with community character.
POLICY 2.2: 
Require new residential development to have roadways constructed to City standards before the roads can be dedicated to the City.
POLICY 2.3: 
Design the circulation system serving new development in such a way to minimize through traffic in all residential neighborhoods.
POLICY 2.4: 
When considering circulation patterns and standards, primary consideration will be given to the preservation of character and safety of existing residential neighborhoods. Where conflicts arise between convenience of motorists and neighborhood safety/community character preservation, the latter will have first priority.
POLICY 2.5: 
Route major thoroughfares and plan future road construction so that development pressure on undeveloped areas is minimized.
POLICY 2.8: 
Where necessary, require acquisition of right-of-way as a condition of approval of all final subdivision maps. Encourage landscaping of rights-of-way if not being used for public roads, hiking/riding trails or beach access trails.
POLICY 2.10: 
Establish landscaping buffer and building setback requirements along all roads which are local augmented status or larger, except where inappropriate. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 2.12: 
Encourage unique characteristic community design standards for traffic signals and intersection signing and other street improvements, structures, and furniture.
POLICY 2.13: 
Encourage landscaped medians and parkways on all roadways where practical.
POLICY 2.15: 
Establish neighborhood specific standards for streetlights including lighting levels, spacing and uniformity in appearance while recognizing that street lighting is not appropriate in dark sky areas.
POLICY 2.17: 
New City road standards shall be established to reflect the character and image of each community.
POLICY 2.19: 
Minimize road widths in rural and semi-rural areas. (Rural defined as 1/2 acre and above; and semi-rural defined as having a feeling of country even if lot sizes are less than 1/2 acre).
POLICY 2.20: 
When major roads must pass through neighborhoods, large right-of-way widths should be acquired to allow for landscaping, trails, etc. to offset and minimize disruption to the community.
POLICY 2.23: 
No roadway link established by this Plan shall be re-classified to a greater capacity category and no new link shall be added without the affirmative vote of a majority of those voting in an election to approve such change.
Project Conformance
To reflect the low density residential and agricultural heritage that exists in the project vicinity of the project site, modified development standards for road width, lighting, curbs, and other similar matters will be permitted in the Quail Hollow East and North Mesa Planning Areas, subject to minimum public health and safety requirements, as determined by the Development Services Director, and subject to the appropriate landowner agreements. Single family development in the Sidonia East Planning Area will be designed to reflect the residential uses, and character of the existing development located west of Sidonia Street. Multi-family housing will be integrated into the agricultural character as part of the "agrihood" development through innovative planning and design.
Roads in all other portions of the Specific Plan Area (other than Quail Hollow East and North Mesa Planning Areas) shall be constructed to City standards before the roads can be dedicated to the City. In addition, heavy through traffic in residential neighborhoods will be eliminated by creating a system of limited access collector and arterial roads for through traffic. The street standards for Encinitas Ranch have been carefully established to reflect the character and image of the community.
Increased landscape setbacks shall be required along Leucadia Boulevard and Quail Gardens Drive and will range in width from 13 feet to 35, depending upon location.
The Specific Plan also includes a series of design and development standards that address setbacks, landscaping, architecture, siting, building heights, and other items. The development standards are contained in Section 6.0 of this document; the design guidelines are contained in Section 7.0.
GOAL 3: 
The City of Encinitas will promote the use of other modes of transport to reduce the dependence on the personal automobile. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 3.1: 
The needs of the handicapped will be considered in new development plans including handicapped parking, loading, etc.
POLICY 3.2: 
Continue to assist in expanding public transportation and emphasize public transportation in future development with preference given to cost-effective alternatives. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 3.3: 
Create a safe and convenient circulation system for pedestrians. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 3.4: 
Cooperate with San Diego County, SANDAG and other jurisdictions to help plan and implement a regional multi-modal transportation system that is accessible to residents in the City. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 3.6: 
The City should provide and encourage efficient links between possible rail transit service and other transportation modes, including rerouting of bus service to interface with transit stops.
POLICY 3.8: 
A program shall be developed to install sidewalks or paths, where appropriate, around schools, churches, active parks, commercial and other areas of pedestrian activity where public safety or welfare is at issue. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 3.9: 
A program to install handicapped access ramps at all corners with sidewalks shall be developed.
POLICY 3.10: 
Standards shall be established for the location and design of news racks, signs, walls and other improvements which encroach into the public right-of-way. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 3.11: 
The City will strive to implement a safe, direct, and convenient circulation system for commuting and recreational bicycle traffic. The City will support the development of additional bicycle facilities in the Coastal Zone, including the following:
All Circulation Element roads will include provisions for bicycle lanes unless precluded by design and safety considerations in which cases, alternative routes shall be provided to form a continuous network.
The provision of secure bicycle storage facilities at all beaches designated for high and moderate levels of use; and
The installation of bicycle and surfboard racks on all buses serving the Coastal Zone. (Coastal Act/30252)
Project Conformance
In the Green Valley Planning Area, the multi-family residential units will be of high enough density to support a limited mass transit system such as bus routes. Off-street combination pedestrian and bicycle trails, as well as sidewalks, will be constructed to connect the Regional Commercial Center with the Mixed-Use Zone. In fact, a comprehensive network of painted bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and off-street trails are planned throughout the Specific Plan Area, helping to limit reliance on the automobile. Bicycle storage racks and small plazas and gathering nodes for pedestrians are encouraged to be provided throughout the Commercial and Mixed-Use Zones to augment a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. In the Sidonia East Planning Area, the multi-family units as part of the "agrihood" development will be located within ¼ mile walk of transit stops on Leucadia Boulevard.
All sidewalks in Encinitas Ranch shall be constructed with handicapped ramps at intersections and, where feasible, recreational trails will be designed to accommodate the disabled.
GOAL 4: 
The City should make every effort to develop a circulation system that highlights the environmental and scenic amenities of the area. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 4.1: 
Design roads to enhance scenic areas. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 4.2: 
Promote and encourage roadside and median landscaping. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 4.3: 
Separate pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic by encouraging adequate space for walking and biking by striping roadways, excepting freeways. (Coastal Act 30252)
POLICY 4.4: 
Where possible, establish a separate system of hiking trails, bicycle paths, and equestrian trails from which motorized vehicles shall be banned.
POLICY 4.7: 
Encourage consistent signing throughout the City using international sign standards when appropriate. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 4.8: 
Develop and enforce a system of truck routes which discourages truck traffic on residential streets and roads.
POLICY 4.10: 
Develop street lighting standards, where appropriate, consistent with neighborhood/community character and night sky viewing.
POLICY 4.11: 
Keep street lighting, curbs, and gutter requirements consistent with individual neighborhood character.
POLICY 4.12: 
Encourage undergrounding of utilities within street right-of-way and transportation corridors. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 4.14: 
Where feasible, minimize the dependence on private motor vehicles.
Project Conformance
All roadways within the Specific Plan Area will be required to be planted with street trees and landscaping as described in Section 7.0 and the Master Landscape Plan in this document. Leucadia Boulevard, Quail Gardens Drive, and the Via Cantebria extension are all planned to contain landscaped medians. In addition to a comprehensive network of vehicular roads, the Encinitas Ranch project will also provide a network of bicycle and pedestrian trails. The bicycle trails will consist of both off-street paths and on-street striped lanes. The trail network highlights the scenic amenities of the project, passing through the linear greenbelt/recreation area that abuts El Camino Real and through the natural open space area and bluffs in the Green Valley Planning Area.
This Specific Plan encourages that street lighting, curbs, and gutter requirements within each Planning Area be designed to be consistent with the individual neighborhood character of existing adjacent off-site uses.
GOAL 5: 
Leucadia Boulevard between I-5 and Olivenhain Road is planned as a Major Arterial - Augmented. Prior to any improvements of any portion of this link above the capacity (at LOS "D") of a two-lane local roadway, all of the following policies shall be satisfied.
POLICY 5.1: 
The specific plan required by the Land Use Element for the unincorporated sphere area through which the Leucadia Boulevard alignment passes shall be adopted by the City.
POLICY 5.2: 
The annexation of the sphere area to the City of Encinitas shall have been accomplished.
POLICY 5.3: 
Full design and improvement plans for the length of Leucadia Boulevard between I-5 and Olivenhain Road shall be a scenic roadway completed and adopted by the City subject to the following:
The City shall form the Leucadia Boulevard Task Force to be composed of residents of Leucadia. The Task Force will participate with City staff in developing design standards for Leucadia Boulevard east of I-5. Comments by residents of New Encinitas will be considered in the design of the northeast link of Leucadia Boulevard.
Design may include full landscape/streetscape design, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, recreational trails, and intersection improvements where desired. Where facilities cannot be accommodated within the right-of-way, additional easements may be required.
The design of the Leucadia Boulevard extension may include broad landscape medians and/or parkways, which may be integrated with pedestrian facilities.
Buffers such as earth berms, vegetation, broad parkways and other landscape features may be provided to protect adjacent land uses from undesirable effects of traffic, noise, pollution and light along Leucadia Boulevard.
The extension of Leucadia Boulevard across the bluff facing Green Valley shall be aligned and developed so as to minimize grading impacts to the bluff along Green Valley.
Wildlife corridors across the alignment of Leucadia Boulevard at the Green Valley bluff and elsewhere as warranted shall be provided to facilitate wildlife passage and provide continuous areas of habitat.
The connection of Leucadia Boulevard to Olivenhain Road shall bridge over Encinitas Creek rather than use pipes or culverts to minimize impacts to the drainage area.
With street design, detailed noise impact analysis shall be provided to identify where noise walls or other attenuation measures may be required. Such analysis shall assume ultimate "build-out" traffic volumes. The installation of noise walls/other measures shall be provided prior to or in conjunction with street improvement.
Where it is necessary or desirable to construct retaining walls or noise-attenuation walls along the Leucadia Boulevard corridor, they shall be constructed with natural-appearing materials and generously landscaped with vines, trees, and shrubbery, reflecting local community character.
The design and improvement of Leucadia Boulevard may be considered as a two stage project: Stage I being a two lane highway and Stage II providing additional lanes and improvements as needed to accommodate ultimate projected traffic.
A maximum of four through-travel lanes shall be designed and improved. The additional right-of-way for physical or visual mitigation shall not be used for through-lanes.
A high priority shall be given to implement these standards in areas where 126 feet of right-of-way presently exists.
No truck routes shall be permitted along Leucadia Boulevard from I-5 to Sidonia Street.
The City will consider purchasing any land within the right-of-way when it is offered for sale along Leucadia Boulevard from I-5 to Sidonia Street.
Project Conformance
The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan incorporated the design standards of Leucadia Boulevard as established by the Leucadia Boulevard Task Force and the City. The design will include landscaped parkways and, in several portions along the street, landscaped medians. A meandering bicycle and pedestrian trail is planned within the parkways, as well as on-street bicycle lanes. Enhanced entry and intersection treatments are planned at the intersections of Leucadia Boulevard/Quail Gardens Drive and Leucadia Boulevard/El Camino Real. Buffers such as earth berms, vegetation, broad parkways and other landscape features will be provided to protect the residential and golf course uses on the upper mesa from noise and visual impacts associated with Leucadia Boulevard. A 30 to 35 foot wide landscaped setback will be provided along Leucadia Boulevard adjacent to the Regional Commercial Center to ensure that Leucadia Boulevard is implemented as a scenic roadway.
GOAL 7: 
Every effort will be made to have new development, both in the City and in the region, provide for all costs of the incremental expansion of the circulation system necessary to accommodate that development. Costs include, but are not limited to, costs of right-of-way and construction, including costs of moving utilities and structures, and costs for landscaping and intersection improvement.
POLICY 7.1: 
The City shall seek to recover circulation system expansion costs from all available sources, without limitations, including development fees for projects both inside and outside the City limits.
Project Conformance
Encinitas Ranch shall pay its fair share of all circulation infrastructure improvements and facilities required to serve the project. The exact form and amount of the project's contributions shall be determined by the City and the Project Applicant in a Development Agreement to be prepared following (or in conjunction with) approval of this Specific Plan. It is anticipated that the project will be annexed into a Lighting and Landscape District for maintenance of on-site landscape improvements including greenbelts, trails, and Landscape Development Zones/parkways adjacent to public streets.
(Reso. 95-32; Reso. 98-17; Ord. 2019-04); paragraph amended 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17)
GOAL 1: 
Public health and safety will be considered in future land use planning. (Coastal Act/30253)
POLICY 1.1: 
Development and grading or filling in drainage courses, floodways and floodplains shall be prohibited except as provided by Land Use Element Policy 8.2. An exception may be made upon the finding that strict application of this policy would preclude any reasonable use of property (one dwelling unit per legal parcel.) Exceptions may also be made for development of circulation element roads; necessary water supply projects; flood control projects where no other method for protecting existing structures in the floodplain is feasible and where such protection is necessary for public safety or to protect existing development; developments where the primary function is the improvement of fish and wildlife habitat; and other vital public facilities, but only to the extent that no other feasible alternatives exist, and minimum disruption to the natural floodplain, floodway or drainage course is made. When flood/drainage improvements are warranted, require developers to mitigate flood hazards in those areas identified as being subject to periodic flooding prior to actual development.
POLICY 1.2: 
Restrict development in those areas where slope exceeds 25% as specified in the Hillside/Inland Bluff overlay zone regulations of the zoning code. Encroachment into slopes as detailed in the Hillside/Inland Bluff overlay may range from 0 percent to a maximum of 20 percent, based on a sliding scale of encroachment allowances reflective of the amount of the property within steep slopes, upon the discretionary judgment that there is no feasible alternative siting or design which eliminates or substantially reduces the need for such encroachment, and it is found that the bulk and scale of the proposed structure has been minimized to the greatest extent feasible and such encroachment is necessary for minimum site development and that the maximum contiguous area of sensitive slopes shall be preserved. Within the Coastal Zone and for the purposes of this section, "encroachment" shall constitute any activity which involves grading, construction, placement of structures or materials, paving, removal of native vegetation including clear-cutting for brush management purposes, or other operations which would render the area incapable of supporting native vegetation or being used as wildlife habitat. Modification from this policy may be made upon the finding that strict application of this policy would preclude any reasonable use of property (one dwelling unit per legal parcel). Exceptions may also be made for development of circulation element roads, local public streets or private roads and driveways which are necessary for access to the more developable portions of a site on slopes of less than 25% grade, and other vital public facilities, but only to the extent that no other feasible alternatives exist, and minimum disruption to the natural slope is made.
POLICY 1.3: 
The City will rely on the Coastal Bluff and Hillside/Inland Bluff Overlay Zones to prevent future development or redevelopment that will represent a hazard to its owners or occupants, and which may require structural measures to prevent destructive erosion or collapse. (Coastal Act/30240/30251/30253)
POLICY 1.4: 
Develop a master plan for drainage and flood control. (Coastal Act/30236)
POLICY 1.5: 
Where significant irrigated slopes are included in industrial, commercial, and higher density residential development, their required maintenance shall be funded by a landscape maintenance assessment district. (Coastal Act/30251/30240)
POLICY 1.6: 
The City shall provide for the reduction of unnatural causes of bluff erosion, as detailed in the Zoning Code, by:
Only permitting public access stairways and no private stairways, and otherwise discouraging climbing upon and defacement of the bluff face;
Improving local drainage systems to divert surface water away from the bluff;
Studying the underground water system and looking for potential solution to bluff instability/erosion caused by such water;
Reducing the infusion of ground water from domestic sources through, among other actions, requiring the removal of existing irrigation systems within forty feet of the bluff edge and prohibiting the installation of such systems in new development;
Permitting pursuant to the Coastal Bluff Overlay Zone, bluff repair and erosion control measures on the face and at the top of the bluff that are necessary to repair human-caused damage to the bluff, and to retard erosion which may be caused or accelerated by land-based forces such as surface drainage or ground water seepage, providing that no alteration of the natural character of the bluff shall result from such measures, where such measures are designed to minimize encroachment onto beach areas through an alignment at and parallel to the toe of the coastal bluff, where such measures receive coloring and other exterior treatments and provided that such measures shall be permitted only when required to serve coastal-dependent uses or to protect existing principal structures or public beaches in danger from erosion, and when designed to eliminate or mitigate adverse impacts on local shoreline sand supply; and
Requiring new structures and improvements to existing structures to be set back 25 feet from the inland blufftop edge, and 40 feet from the coastal blufftop edge with exceptions to allow a minimum coastal blufftop setback of no less than 25 feet. For all development proposed on coastal blufftops, a site-specific geotechnical report shall be required. The report shall indicate that the coastal blufftop setback will not result in risk of foundation damage resulting from bluff erosion or retreat to the principal structure within its economic life and with other engineering evidence to justify the coastal blufftop setback.
On Coastal bluffs, exceptions to allow a minimum setback of no less than 25 feet shall be limited to additions or expansions to existing principal structures which are already located seaward of the 40 foot coastal blufftop setback, provided the proposed addition or expansion is located no further seaward than the existing principal structure, is set back a minimum of 25 feet from the coastal blufftop edge, and the applicant agrees to remove the proposed addition or expansion, either in part or entirely, should it become threatened in the future.
In all cases, all new construction shall be specifically designed and constructed such that it could be removed in the event of endangerment and the applicant shall agree to participate in any comprehensive plan adopted by the City to address coastal bluff recession and shoreline erosion problems in the City.
This does not apply to minor structures that do not require a building permit, except that no structures, including walkways, patios, patio covers, cabanas, windscreens, sundecks, lighting standards, walls, temporary accessory buildings not exceeding 200 square feet in area, and similar structures shall be allowed within five feet from the bluff top edge; and
Permanently conserving the bluff face within an open space easement or other suitable instrument. (Coastal Act/30210/30235/30240/30251/30253)
Standards for the justification of preemptive erosion control devices and limits on location of shoreline devices shall be as detailed in the Zoning Code.
POLICY 1.8: 
New residential and commercial construction shall provide for smoke detector and fire sprinkler systems to reduce the impact of development on service levels.
POLICY 1.9: 
Adequate safety service levels shall be maintained and provided for by new development.
POLICY 1.12: 
The City will observe and apply measures to reduce earthquake structural risk through building and construction codes.
POLICY 1.13: 
In areas identified as susceptible to brush or wildfire hazard, the City shall provide for construction standards to reduce structural susceptibility and increase protection. Brush clearance around structures for fire safety shall not exceed a 30-foot perimeter in areas of native or significant brush, and as provided by Resource Management Policy 10.1.
POLICY 1.14: 
Where development creates the need for new public safety services and/or equipment, that development shall be responsible for the cost of such services/equipment.
Project Conformance
Development and grading within the floodplain will primarily be limited to that necessary to construct the 25.8-acre linear greenbelt, circulation element roadways, and portions of the Regional Commercial Center parking lots, all of which are contained in the Green Valley Planning Area.
The Land Use Plan for Encinitas Ranch is designed to develop the flatter portions of the site, while leaving the steeper hillsides and bluffs as open space. Section 6.0, Encinitas Ranch Zoning Ordinance, designates many of the steep hillsides on-site, as well as the entire bluff area, as Open Space Zone, a permanent open space designation. Development in Open Space Zones is restricted to pedestrian trails and related facilities. No structures will be constructed within the bluff area.
All new development will conform with Public Safety Policy 1.6 which requires that structures be set back 40 feet from the edge of the bluff top. Development in Encinitas Ranch located next to natural open space areas, as well as areas subject to increased fire risk, shall incorporate brush management zones as required by Public Safety Policy 1.13 and implement the fire control guidelines outlined in the Landscape Standards of the Encinitas Fire Protection District.
The project has developed a master drainage plan, which employs Best Management Practices to control flooding, detention, desiltation, and urban pollution removal prior to being discharged into natural watersheds, wetlands, and coastal lagoons.
To provide for public safety, all residential and commercial construction within Encinitas Ranch will provide smoke detector and, as required by the Encinitas Fire Protection District, fire sprinkler systems, to reduce the impact of development on service levels within the City. Furthermore, the project will observe and apply measures to reduce earthquake structural risk through implementation of City building and construction codes.
The project shall contribute its fair share for new public safety services and/or equipment. Payment of in-lieu fees may satisfy this requirement.
GOAL 2: 
The City of Encinitas will make an effort to minimize potential hazards to public health, safety, and welfare and to prevent the loss of life and damage to health and property resulting from both natural and man-made phenomena.
POLICY 2.4: 
Setbacks, easements, and accesses, necessary to assure that emergency services can function with available equipment, shall be required and maintained.
POLICY 2.6: 
Except as provided in Public Safety Policy 1.1, no development or filling shall be permitted within any 100-year floodplain.
Project Conformance
The Land Use Plan for Encinitas Ranch allows for fast and easy access by emergency personnel (e.g., fire, police, paramedics) into all areas of Encinitas Ranch. A comprehensive network of Circulation Element roadways and local streets will allow emergency personnel to respond quickly to any emergency on-site.
The Encinitas Ranch project conforms to Public Safety Policy 1.1, which prohibits development or filling within floodplains and floodways, except as provided by Land Use Element Policy 8.2.
Paragraph added 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); paragraph amended 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); Policy 1.2 amended 5/11/95 (Reso. 95-32) and 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); Policy 1.6 amended 5/11/95 (Reso. 95-32) and amended 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17)
GOAL 1: 
The City will conserve, protect, and enhance the water resources in the Planning Area.
POLICY 1.1: 
Require new development to utilize measures designed to conserve water in their construction.
POLICY 1.10: 
Promote the use of water efficient sprinkling and gardening systems to include ordinances and technology to encourage drought resistant plants.
POLICY 1.11: 
If a development can be connected to the sewer system, the system must have the capacity to handle the additional load of the proposed project.
Project Conformance
The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan requires the incorporation of water and energy conservation features in the design of all new construction as required by State law. Also, the project promotes the use of water efficient sprinkling and gardening systems throughout the Specific Plan Area and encourages the use of drought resistant and native plant materials.
The project site is currently located within the jurisdiction of two sewer districts: the Encinitas Sanitary District (ESD) and the Leucadia County Water District (LCWD). Both the ESD and LCWD have adequate capacity to handle the additional load of the proposed project. The project may either be served by both districts or annexed completely into one district or the other. Such a determination will be made at a future date by the project developer.
GOAL 3: 
The City will make every effort possible to preserve significant mature trees, vegetation, and wildlife habitat within the planning area. (Coastal Act/30240)
POLICY 3.2: 
Mature trees shall not be removed or disturbed to provide public right-of way improvements if such improvements can be deferred, redesigned, or eliminated. This policy is not meant to conflict with the establishment of riding/hiking trails and other natural resource paths for the public good, or with the preservation of views.
POLICY 3.5: 
A street tree planting program shall be developed and implemented.
POLICY 3.6: 
Future development shall maintain significant mature trees to the extent possible and incorporate them into the design of development projects.
Project Conformance
Wherever possible, mature trees shall not be removed or disturbed to provide public right-of-way improvements if such improvements can be realistically deferred, redesigned, or eliminated. However, in several cases, this project will require the removal of mature trees, including a group of Torrey Pines that exists onsite. Some of these trees shall be transplanted to the planned golf course. Those trees which cannot be salvaged will be replanted with similar species elsewhere in the Specific Plan Area. The Encinitas Ranch project proposes a Master Landscape Plan that will result in the planting of a significant number of trees throughout the project site and along all Specific Plan Area streets. In addition, the project will preserve the existing bluff areas and a large portion of sensitive vegetative habitat on-site in designated natural open space areas.
GOAL 4: 
The City, with the assistance of the State, Federal and regional agencies, shall provide the maximum visual access to coastal and inland views through the acquisition and development of a system of coastal and inland vista points. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 4.6: 
The City will maintain and enhance the scenic highway/visual corridor viewsheds. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 4.7: 
The City will designate the following view corridors as scenic highway/visual corridor viewsheds:
Saxony Road, from Leucadia Blvd. north to La Costa Ave.
Highway 101 from Encinitas Blvd. south to Santa Fe Drive
El Camino Real from Encinitas Blvd. north to La Costa Blvd.
Highway 101, La Costa Ave. to South Carlsbad Beach
La Costa Ave. from just west of I-5 to El Camino Real
Highway 101, from Encinitas Blvd. to La Costa Ave.
Leucadia Blvd. between Highway 101 and El Camino Real
San Elijo Ave. (and Highway 101) south of Cardiff Beach State Park to Santa Fe Drive
Manchester Ave. from San Elijo Ave. to Encinitas Blvd.
Interstate 5, crossing San Elijo Lagoon (Coastal Act/30251/30253)
POLICY 4.9: 
It is intended that development would be subject to the design review provisions for the Scenic/Visual Corridor Overlay Zone for those locations within Scenic View Corridors, along scenic highways and adjacent to significant viewsheds and vista points with the addition of the following design criteria:
Road Design
 
Type and physical characteristics of roadway should be compatible with natural character of corridor, and with the scenic highway function.
Development Design
 
Building and vegetation setbacks, scenic easements, and height and bulk restrictions should be used to maintain existing views and vistas from the roadway.
 
Off-site signage should be prohibited and existing billboards be removed.
 
Development should be minimized and regulated along any bluff silhouette line or on adjacent slopes within view of the lagoon areas and Escondido Creek.
 
Where possible, development should be placed and set back from the bases of bluffs, and similarly, set back from bluff or ridge top silhouette lines; shall leave lagoon areas and floodplains open, and shall be sited to provide unobstructed view corridors from the nearest scenic highway.
 
Development that is allowed within a viewshed area must respond in scale, roof line, materials, color, massing, and location on site to the topography, existing vegetation, and colors of the native environment. (Coastal Act/30251/30253)
Project Conformance
Two view corridors classified as scenic highway/visual corridors lie within the Specific Plan Area: 1) El Camino Real, oriented north/south on the eastern edge of the project area, and 2) Leucadia Boulevard, oriented east/west through the center of the property. El Camino Real will be buffered from the commercial and mixed-use zones of the Green Valley Planning Area by an extensive greenbelt that will enhance the view from the roadway. This greenbelt will vary in size with a minimum width of approximately 120 feet; it shall be landscaped with a variety of riparian and native plant species. The quality of the habitat created by this greenbelt will be equal to or superior to the existing native habitat along the west side of El Camino Real. Decorative fencing shall be erected along El Camino Real to discourage human intrusion into the native vegetation in the greenbelt. Buildings will be set back at least 150 feet from the El Camino Real right-of-way to insure that the streetscape on the west side of El Camino Real will maintain its scenic appearance.
Leucadia Boulevard will extend through the golf course and open space area, providing access to the northern portion of the Regional Commercial Center in Green Valley. The commercial uses will be partially screened from the boulevard by landscaping and building setback requirements. For buildings in the Regional Commercial Center, the minimum building setback from the roadway curb along Leucadia Boulevard shall be 40 feet. At least 30 feet of this setback adjacent to the roadway curb shall be landscaped to create a scenic parkway. As Leucadia Boulevard rises through the bluffs as it travels westward from El Camino Real, the roadway right-of-way will narrow to 74 feet in width to minimize impacts to existing native vegetation. The manufactured slopes necessitated by the roadway cut will be revegetated with native and drought tolerant plant species. Once Leucadia Boulevard reaches the mesa top, the parkway will expand and blend into the golf course to create a park-like setting. West of Quail Gardens Drive, the parkway will be a minimum of 30 feet in width and the required residential building setback shall be 45 feet.
GOAL 7: 
The City will make every effort to ensure significant scientific and cultural resources in the planning area are preserved for future generations. (Coastal Act/30250)
POLICY 7.1: 
Require that paleontological, historical, and archaeological resources in the planning area are documented, preserved, or salvaged if threatened by new development.
POLICY 7.4: 
The City will encourage the development of cultural facilities to be made available to the public, such as performing arts theaters, museums, and libraries. (Coastal Act/30250)
Project Conformance
An architectural and historic resources inventory was conducted as part of the EIR/Specific Plan process for the entire project site. The accompanying project EIR addresses the identified cultural resources on-site and their potential mitigation measures.
The Specific Plan recognizes the need for the construction of cultural facilities within Encinitas Ranch and identifies goals to encourage the development of theaters, museums, art galleries, etc. within the West Saxony, Green Valley and Quail Gardens East Planning Areas.
GOAL 9: 
The City will encourage the abundant use of natural and drought tolerant landscaping in new development and preserve natural vegetation, as much as possible, in undeveloped areas. (Coastal Act/30240/30251)
POLICY 9.1: 
The City will initiate and pursue the landscaping of appropriate median and parking areas with trees on all new and existing arterial streets. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 9.2: 
All natural drainage courses should be maintained in natural or semi-natural vegetation utilizing existing topography as opposed to concrete ditches or pipes. (Coastal Act/30231/30240)
POLICY 9.3: 
Where possible, bridges should be used in lieu of pipes, box culverts, or underground channels to preserve the integrity of the natural stream courses, in keeping with community character in the Planning Area. (Coastal Act/30231/30240)
POLICY 9.4: 
Encourage and adopt standards for the use of drought tolerant and/or natural landscaping and efficient irrigation systems throughout the City. (Coastal Act/ 30231/30240)
POLICY 9.6: 
Require landscaping in the design of new residential, commercial, and industrial areas and buildings as detailed in the City Zoning Code regulations. (Coastal Act/30251/30253)
POLICY 9.8: 
Brush clearing and grading for agricultural, construction and non-construction purposes shall be subject to City review. (Coastal Act/30240)
POLICY 9.9: 
The City shall develop and implement a program to preserve natural drainage courses and their associated vegetation. (Coastal Act/30240)
Project Conformance
The Specific Plan encourages the selection of plant material and irrigation techniques that maximize aesthetic quality, while minimizing resource consumption. Within the Specific Plan Area, street trees shall be planted within the street parkways and medians. All manufactured slopes shall be revegetated with an appropriate mix of ornamental, drought tolerant, and/or native vegetation and all other areas will be planted with appropriate plant material as outlined in the landscape design guidelines in this Specific Plan (see Section 7.0). Also, brush clearing and grading for agricultural, construction, and non-construction purposes shall be subject to review by the Encinitas Fire Prevention District and/or the City of Encinitas.
The linear greenbelt/recreation area, located adjacent to the eastern Specific Plan Area boundary, will serve several purposes. An active recreational area will contain several athletic playing fields, as well as pedestrian/bicycle trails. In addition, the greenbelt will be designed for detention, sedimentation, and storm water purposes, and for the capture and treatment of urban runoff. Much of the greenbelt will be revegetated to resemble a naturally occurring riparian corridor, providing distinct wildlife habitat and serving as a scenic amenity along El Camino Real. Detention/retention basins covered with turf or screened from ground level by trees and shrubs, will be permitted adjacent to Quail Gardens Drive.
In conformance with Resource Management Policy 9.3, bridge/deck structures shall be constructed over the natural stream course at both the Woodley Road/El Camino Real and Leucadia Blvd./El Camino Real intersections. These bridges will allow wildlife movement to occur along the Encinitas Creek tributary under the bridges, while maintaining community character in Encinitas Ranch.
GOAL 10: 
The City will preserve the integrity, function, productivity, and long term viability of environmentally sensitive habitats throughout the city, including kelp-beds, ocean recreational areas, coastal water, beaches, lagoons, and their up-lands, riparian areas, coastal strand areas, coastal sage scrub and coastal mixed chaparral habitats. (Coastal Act/30230/30231/30240)
POLICY 10.1: 
The City will minimize development impacts on coastal mixed chaparral and coastal sage scrub environmentally sensitive habitats by preserving within the inland bluff and hillside systems, all native vegetation on natural slopes of 25% grade and over other than manufactured slopes. A deviation from this policy may be permitted only upon a finding that strict application thereof would preclude any reasonable use of the property (one dwelling unit per lot). This policy shall not apply to construction of roads of the City's circulation element, except to the extent that adverse impacts on habitat should be minimized to the degree feasible. Encroachments for any purpose, including fire break brush clearance around structures, shall be limited as specified in Public Safety Policy 1.2. Brush clearance, when allowed in an area of sensitive habitat or vegetation, shall be conducted by selective hand clearance. (Coastal Act/30240/30250/30251/30253)
POLICY 10.4: 
The City will develop a program to acquire or preserve the entire undeveloped riparian corridor within the City that drains into the San Elijo Lagoon and Batiquitos Lagoon. Methods of financing acquisition may include, but are not limited to, use of available State and Federal grants for such purpose; the application of developer or mitigation fees specifically for open space preservation; and creation of a non-profit or joint-powers agency for lagoon and drainage sheds acquisition and management. (Coastal Act/30231/30240)
POLICY 10.5: 
The City will control development design on Coastal Mixed Chaparral and Coastal Sage Scrub environmentally sensitive habitats by including all parcels containing concentrations of these habitats within the Special Study Overlay designation. The following guidelines will be used to evaluate projects for approval.
Conservation of as much existing contiguous area of Coastal Mixed Chaparral or Coastal Sage Scrub as feasible while protecting the remaining areas from highly impacting uses.
Minimize fragmentation or separation of existing contiguous natural areas.
Connection of existing natural areas with each other or other open space areas adjacent to maintain local wildlife movement corridors.
Maintenance of the broadest possible configuration of natural habitat area to aid dispersal of organisms within the habitat.
Where appropriate, based on community character and design, clustering of residential or other uses near the edges of the natural areas rather than dispersing such uses within the natural areas.
Where significant, yet isolated habitat areas exist, development shall be designed to preserve and protect them.
Conservation of the widest variety of physical and vegetational conditions on site to maintain the highest habitat diversity.
Design of development, with adjacent uses given consideration, to maximize conformance to these guidelines.
Preservation of rare and endangered species on site rather than by transplantation off-site. (Coastal Act/30240/30250)
In addition, all new development shall be designed to be consistent with multi-species and multi-habitat preservation goals and requirements as established in the statewide Natural Communities Conservation Planning (NCCP) Act. Compliance with these goals and requirements shall be implemented in consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Game.
POLICY 10.6: 
The City shall preserve and protect wetlands within the City's planning area. "Wetlands" shall be as defined and delineated consistent with the definitions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, the Coastal Act and the Coastal Commission Regulations, as applicable, and shall include, but not be limited to, all lands which are transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water.
There shall be no net loss of wetland acreage or resource value as a result of land use or development, and the City's goal is to realize a net gain in acreage and value when ever possible.
Within the Coastal Zone, the diking, filling, or dredging of open coastal waters, wetlands, estuaries, and lakes shall be permitted where there is no feasible less environmentally damaging alternative, and where feasible mitigation measures have been provided to minimize adverse environmental effects, and shall be limited to the following newly permitted uses and activities:
a. 
Incidental public service projects.
b. 
Mineral extraction, including sand for restoring beaches, except in environmentally sensitive areas.
c. 
Restoration purposes.
d. 
Nature study, aquaculture, or other similar resource dependent activities.
Identification of wetland acreage and resource value shall precede any consideration of use or development on sites where wetlands are present or suspected. With the exception of development for the primary purpose of the improvement of wetland resource value, all public and private use and development proposals which would intrude into, reduce the area of, or reduce the resource value of wetlands shall be subject to alternatives and mitigation analyses consistent with Federal E.P.A. 404(b)(1) findings and procedures under the U.S. Army Corps permit process. Practicable project and site development alternatives which involve no wetland intrusion or impact shall be preferred over alternatives which involve intrusion or impact. Wetland mitigation, replacement or compensation shall not be used to offset impacts or intrusion avoidable through other practicable project or site development alternatives. When wetland intrusion or impact is unavoidable, replacement of the lost wetland shall be required through the creation of new wetland of the same type lost, at a ratio determined by regulatory agencies with authority over wetland resources, but in any case at a ratio of greater than one acre provided for each acre impacted so as to result in a net gain. Replacement of wetland on-site or adjacent, within the same wetland system, shall be given preference over replacement off-site or within a different system.
The City shall also control use and development in surrounding areas of influence to wetlands with the application of buffer zones. At a minimum, 100-foot wide buffers shall be provided upland of salt water wetlands, and 50-foot wide buffers shall be provided upland of riparian wetlands. Unless otherwise specified in this plan, use and development within buffer areas shall be limited to minor passive recreational uses with fencing, desiltation or erosion control facilities, or other improvements deemed necessary to protect the habitat, to be located in the upper (upland) half of the buffer area when feasible.
All wetlands and buffers identified and resulting from development and use approval shall be permanently conserved or protected through the application of an open space easement or other suitable device.
The City shall not approve subdivisions or boundary line adjustments which would allow increased impacts from development in wetlands or wetland buffers. (Coastal Act/30231)
POLICY 10.9: 
The City will encourage the preservation and the function of San Elijo Lagoon and Batiquitos Lagoon and their adjacent uplands as viable wetlands, ecosystems and habitat for resident and migratory wildlife, by prohibiting actions (subject to the detailed provisions of RM policy 10.6) which:
Involve wetland fill or increased sedimentation into wetlands.
Adversely decrease stream flow into the wetlands.
Reduce tidal interchange.
Reduce internal water circulation.
Adversely affect existing wildlife habitats. (Coastal Act/30231)
POLICY 10.10: 
The City will encourage and cooperate with other responsible agencies to plan and implement an integrated management plan for the long-term conservation and restoration of wetlands resources at San Elijo Lagoon (and where it applies, Batiquitos Lagoon), Escondido and Encinitas Creeks and their significant upstream feeder creeks, according to the following guidelines (The following text is a summarization of Policy 10.10. Please see the City of Encinitas General Plan, Policy 10.10, for the comprehensive list of the guidelines below.):
Plans for the west, central and eastern basins should be treated as internal parts of the whole;
Wildlife corridors between the wetland shoreline and important upland areas and upstream riparian areas should be maintained and enhanced;
Adequate buffer zones should be utilized when development occurs adjacent to the floodplain and sensitive habitats;
Human uses of the wetland and adjacent areas should be compatible with the primary use of the wetland as a natural value;
Passive recreational activity at the lagoons should be encouraged to the extent there are no substantial adverse impacts to wildlife;
The plan should include a provision for sediment catch basins or other control devices outside the wetland area and should allow for periodic removal of recently accumulated sediment from the lagoon until a long-range sediment control plan is operational.
Plans should attempt to optimize the habitat for species already known to use the wetlands, as well as certain "featured" species recognized as depleted, rare, or endangered.
The integrity of the existing natural system (in particular, topography, hydrology, and vegetative cover) should not be disturbed, except as required to restore internal lagoon water circulation, tidal flushing, and plant habitat improvements.
Adequate monitoring of chemical, physical and biological changes should be carried out for periodic re-evaluation of the management plan and maintenance of optimal conditions.
Project Conformance
The Specific Plan will preserve approximately 179.0 acres in permanent natural open space in the Land Use Plan. These open space areas will help preserve identified sensitive plant communities and habitats (such as southern maritime chaparral and Diegan coastal sage scrub) that have been identified within the Specific Plan Area. Natural vegetation will be encouraged to remain unaltered on all undeveloped slopes and a maintenance plan will be developed. Selective thinning and modification of some of the existing vegetation may be necessary for fuel modification purposes; the accompanying EIR addresses any potential impacts that could result from implementation of fuel modification techniques.
Other sensitive biological communities existing on the Encinitas Ranch property include Coastal and Valley Fresh Water Marshes and ponds/reservoirs. These communities also will be preserved in permanent natural open space and shall be buffered from adjacent existing and proposed land uses.
Although no wetlands or lagoons are present on-site, the project contributes storm runoff to three watersheds: the Encinitas Creek Watershed, which discharges into Batiquitos Lagoon; the Encinitas Boulevard Watershed, discharging into the Pacific Ocean; and the Saxony Road Watershed which discharges into Batiquitos Lagoon. The applicant shall comply with the requirements of the NPDES permit and provide Best Management Practices to control discharges of pollutants into waters of the United States to the maximum extent practical. Plans for such improvements shall be approved by the City Engineer prior to, or concurrent with, approval of the final map or issuance of the grading or building permit, whichever occurs first, in the affected area.
GOAL 11: 
The City recognizes the important contribution of agricultural and horticultural land uses in the local economy and the emphasis of the need to maintain these activities.
POLICY 11.1: 
Investigate the feasibility of establishing and instituting an incentive program for preservation of land within the City suitable for agricultural production. Institute such a program if fiscally sound within the City.
POLICY 11.2: 
Support agricultural water rates for agricultural/horticultural operations and explore the use of treated wastewater for agricultural operations.
POLICY 11.3: 
Support efforts of the floriculture industry and/or the University of California Extension Service in establishing a farm cooperative and/or flower auction in the City of Encinitas.
POLICY 11.4: 
Encourage and support the establishment of a horticultural park in the Encinitas area.
POLICY 11.5: 
Encourage the establishment and preservation of new agricultural preserves for areas within the coastal zone designated for agricultural land use.
POLICY 11.8: 
Preserve and promote the right to produce unique horticultural crops and community gardens in Encinitas.
POLICY 11.9: 
Recognize agriculture/horticulture, with proper mitigation to preserve wetland habitats when present, as one of the highest and best uses for those areas within the planning area located in floodplains.
POLICY 11.10: 
Provide an economic advantage, where possible, to agriculture in competing with the forces of urbanization to minimize pressures to redevelop to urban land uses.
POLICY 11.11: 
Enforce regulations and ordinances with regard to maintenance and upkeep of greenhouses and other agricultural accessory buildings.
POLICY 11.13: 
Encourage agricultural/horticultural practices which minimize adverse impacts on surrounding areas.
POLICY 11.14: 
Encourage the producers of agricultural/horticultural products to provide suitable housing for farm laborers.
Project Conformance
In the Land Use Plan, approximately 115.8 acres of land within the project site will be devoted to agriculture. The poinsettia agricultural activity and its greenhouses and other agricultural operations will be preserved at its present location consisting of approximately 68.6 acres. It will be encouraged to upgrade and renovate the current structures to remain competitive; modernizing the operation will strengthen the economic vitality of the agricultural business and secure its future productiveness. The poinsettia operations will also maintain a 10-acre agricultural area in the North Mesa Planning Area, north of the Magdalena Ecke Park, as a remote facility used to store and manage genetic material.
Approximately 9.0 acres of land within the Sidonia East Planning Area, north of Leucadia Boulevard, will be used for agricultural facilities. Additionally, the "agrihood" development will encourage the continued agricultural use of portions of the Sidonia East Planning Area and the provision of a favorable setting in which to continue agricultural operations. The "agrihood" concept proposed allows for the continued viability of an agricultural business on the site.
The Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan will include a variety of multi-family housing types in Sidonia East and the mixed-use area of Green Valley. This housing could provide shelter for farm employees of the Paul Ecke Ranch. In addition, up to 25 farm employee housing units may be constructed in the agricultural areas.
The floodplain in Green Valley is being reconfigured as part of the Encinitas Ranch project. The existing drainage channel will be replaced by an earthen channel landscaped with native riparian plant species. The existing channel periodically overflows, flooding El Camino Real. The new channel will eliminate this flooding hazard by accommodating higher flow volumes. The land to the west of the new channel will be developed with mixed-use development and a Regional Commercial Center. With the steady increase and encroachment of urbanization along El Camino Real, the viability of land in Green Valley for agriculture has been greatly diminished. The highest and best use of the land in Green Valley is no longer for agriculture, but for more intensive urban uses. The Specific Plan provides for continued agricultural use in portions of the South Mesa, North Mesa, East Saxony, and Sidonia East Planning Areas.
GOAL 12: 
The City will encourage the preservation of "prime" agriculture lands within its sphere of influence. (Coastal Act/30241)
POLICY 12.1: 
For the purpose of this plan and the LCP, "prime" agriculture is defined as land in the sphere of influence of the City of Encinitas Coastal Zone presently producing or with the future potential for commercial production of agricultural products and with a soil classification of Class I-IV. (Coastal Act/30241)
POLICY 12.2: 
No "prime" agriculture lands are located within the City of Encinitas Coastal Zone. However, the Ecke Holdings, et. al., are within the City of Encinitas' Coastal Zone sphere of influence, and may, therefore, be influenced by the City's LCP and General Plan policies. The City recognizes this land as "prime" agriculture suitability and as such, designates it for long term preservation as "Agriculture/Open Space Preserve." (Coastal Act/30241)
Project Conformance
Existing agricultural ranch holdings have historical significance and are of tremendous economic value to the Encinitas community. The Land Use Plan proposes to retain the agricultural ranch in its existing location and permits it to continue and upgrade operations. The area encompassing the Ecke Holdings will be denoted as permanent agricultural acreage.
GOAL 13: 
Create a desirable, healthful and comfortable environment for living while preserving Encinitas' unique natural resources by encouraging land use policies that will preserve the environment. (Coastal Act/30250/30251)
POLICY 13.2: 
The City shall plan for compatible land uses within and adjacent to recreation areas, natural preserves and agricultural areas. (Coastal Act/30240/30250)
POLICY 13.3: 
Encourage the use of buffer zones to separate major thoroughfares from adjacent areas and protect them from pollutants of noise, exhaust, and light. (Coastal Act/30250/30251)
POLICY 13.4: 
Minimize visual pollution by establishing design review standards. (Coastal Act/30251/30253 (5))
Project Conformance
Encinitas Ranch is designed to ensure land use compatibility between the development areas on-site and the adjacent recreation areas, natural open space, and agricultural areas. Where necessary, building setbacks and buffers with landscaping, fencing, and/or walls are planned to minimize land use conflicts. These setbacks and buffers are discussed in Section 3.2 - Planning Areas, Chapter 6.0 -Encinitas Ranch Zoning Ordinance, and Section 7.0 - Design Guidelines. Design Review standards are included in the Encinitas Ranch Specific Plan as well.
The project establishes Landscape Development Zones (LDZs) to act as buffers along Leucadia Boulevard and Quail Gardens Drive. The LDZs on Leucadia will vary in width from 30 feet to 35 feet, while the LDZs on Quail Gardens Drive will be 13 feet wide. These LDZs will serve to separate new development from the major thoroughfares and protect the adjacent uses from pollutants of noise, exhaust, and light. Development in Green Valley will be separated from traffic on El Camino Real by a landscaped greenbelt with a minimum width of 120 feet.
GOAL 14: 
The City shall stringently control erosion and sedimentation from land use and development to avoid environmental degradation of lagoons and other sensitive biological habitat, preserve public resources and avoid the costs of dealing with repair and sedimentation removal. (Coastal Act/30231/30240/30250/30253)
POLICY 14.1: 
The best strategy to reduce erosion and sedimentation is to reduce to the maximum extent feasible, grading and removal of vegetation. It is the policy of the City that, in any land use and development, grading and vegetation removal shall be limited to the minimum necessary. (Coastal Act/30240/30250)
POLICY 14.3: 
The City will reduce the rate of sedimentation of the lagoons by requiring procedures for controlling runoff and erosion associated with upland grading and development based on a minimum 10-year, six-hour storm event. The City shall provide regulations for the use of sedimentation basins and the potential transfer of sediment as beach replenishment (if of an acceptable material). (Coastal Act/30250/30251)
POLICY 14.4: 
Revegetation and appropriate landscaping of all areas graded and scraped of vegetative cover shall be required with land use and development. Plantings, hydroseeding, and irrigation systems used shall be selected on the bases of minimizing erosion and conserving water. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 14.5: 
To minimize erosion and allow sedimentation control systems to work, no grading or vegetation removal shall be allowed to occur during the wet season, October 1 - April 15, without all systems and devices per an approved erosion control plan and program being in place. During other times of the year such systems shall be provided and operative as required by a comprehensive City erosion control ordinance. No grading shall occur during the rainy season within the Special Study Overlay area, or in areas upland of sensitive areas including lagoons, floodplains, riparian or wetland habitat areas, unless by site-specific determination, the grading would not be occurring on sensitive slopes, in floodplain areas or upland of floodplains, where sedimentation might occur in other sensitive habitat areas. Then, if grading is determined to be allowable, all necessary erosion control devices must be in place and monitored throughout. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 14.6: 
To achieve the ends of erosion control, a comprehensive erosion control plan shall be required with final building permit and improvement plans, subject to review and approval prior to commencement of grading and construction. (Coastal Act/30251)
POLICY 14.7: 
Minimize extensive or premature grading or filling, and penalize illegal grading or filling.
Project Conformance
The project shall meet all applicable standards for grading operations and erosion control as established in the Encinitas Municipal Code Section 23.24 (Grading, Erosion, and Sediment Control Ordinance). Sedimentation basins and traps shall be incorporated into the design of individual development projects in Encinitas Ranch to retain sediment on-site. In addition, no grading permits shall be issued for work occurring between October 1st of any year and April 15th of the following year, unless the plans for such work include details of protective measures, including desilting basins or other temporary drainage or control measures, or both.
GOAL 15: 
The City will make every effort to conserve energy in the city thus reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.
POLICY 15.1: 
The City will encourage the use of alternate energy systems, including passive solar and architectural and mechanical systems, in both commercial and residential development. (Coastal Act/30253)
Project Conformance
The Specific Plan requires the use of passive solar design concepts for commercial/office buildings in the West Saxony Planning Area in accordance with State and City laws which make use of natural climate to increase energy efficiency. Additionally, passive solar heating techniques will be employed whenever possible within the project. Passive solar systems do not utilize sophisticated hardware. Passive systems involve orienting buildings properly, planting trees to take advantage of the sun, seeing that roof overhangs are adequate, making sure that walls are properly insulated and installing simple heat storage systems.
(Ord. 2019-04); paragraph added 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); paragraph amended 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); Policy 10.5 amended 5/11/95 (Reso. 95-32) and Paragraph added 3/18/98 (Reso. 98-17); Policy 10.6 amended 1/30/91 and 5/11/95 (Reso. 95-32)
GOAL 1: 
The maintenance of the open space resources in the planning area will continue to be emphasized. (Coastal Act/30240)
POLICY 1.1: 
Continue to cooperate with property owners, the County of San Diego and others to preserve and maintain the riparian habitats within the planning area. (Coastal Act/30240)
POLICY 1.2: 
Consider the enactment of a "Quimby Ordinance" to insure that new residential development is provided with open space/recreational amenities. In addition, explore all other available funding resources and alternatives for acquisition and development of park and open space lands.
POLICY 1.4: 
Establish a balance of natural open space and "improved" recreational open space and implement measures to preserve, and maintain the natural environment. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 1.5: 
Provide a minimum of 15 acres of local recreational area for each 1,000 population for the entire community. This area should be devoted to neighborhood and other close-at-hand recreation facilities, community parks, and passive open space in undeveloped preserves and wilderness areas. This policy shall not be construed to reduce the minimum standards established under this Element for provision of mini, neighborhood, community, or other park land based on population or service distance.
POLICY 1.6: 
Establish mini-parks and playlots in high density areas where larger parks are inaccessible or impractical to provide, and only when the provision of neighborhood parks to serve local neighborhood park needs is not possible.
POLICY 1.7: 
Provide a neighborhood park within convenient, and where possible, walking distance for all urban area residents.
POLICY 1.9: 
Develop parks in conjunction with schools wherever possible and encourage joint use of facilities. (Coastal Act/30252)
POLICY 1.10: 
Encourage the development of private and public recreational and meeting facilities throughout Encinitas.
POLICY 1.11: 
Develop an open space program that will link the various communities together with parks, recreation/pedestrian access and natural visual corridors.
POLICY 1.12: 
Active parks, passive parks, and natural open space shall be provided in each of the communities to the extent possible.
POLICY 1.13: 
Encourage appropriate multiple use of open space wherever possible.
POLICY 1.15: 
Provide the playing fields necessary to serve the community.
POLICY 1.16: 
Future trails in addition to those planned for in this element may be added to the existing systems to enhance the recreational opportunities of the City.
Project Conformance
The Specific Plan responds to the need for additional recreational facilities within the project area by developing a variety of recreational opportunities for residents of the Specific Plan Area and the City of Encinitas as a whole. An expansive, 18-hole municipal golf course on the mesa will provide golfing opportunities to City residents and attract players from surrounding regions. A public recreation area, which includes athletic playing fields, is proposed in the eastern section of the Green Valley Planning Area within the 25.6-acre greenbelt/recreation area along El Camino Real. This recreation area will be easily accessible from the adjacent mixed-use and multi-family residential development. A public hiking and biking trail will be incorporated into a linear greenbelt adjacent to the recreation area; the trails in the greenbelt will connect with the project-wide system of trails, on-street bicycle lanes, and sidewalks.
747 multi-family homes (attached and detached) have been approved for construction under the Land Use Plan, with 45 additional multi-family units permitted. It is anticipated these multi-family developments are required by this Specific Plan to provide private recreational areas and facilities for the use of project residents and their guests, unless this requirement is waived during the Design Review process. These recreational areas/facilities may include such uses as swimming pools, spas, basketball courts, tot lots, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and recreation rooms. The facilities to be provided should be reasonably related to the projected population.
GOAL 2: 
The City will make every effort to preserve open space areas that represent a significant environmental resource in the community. (Coastal act/30240)
POLICY 2.1: 
The City should identify and seek to acquire floodplain areas for appropriate public uses. (Coastal Act/30212.5/30231/30240)
POLICY 2.2: 
Provide and maintain an inter-linking network of trails for horseback riding, hiking, and bicycling; and minimize the cost of the trail system by encouraging the use of drainage channels, flood plains, existing trails, public lands, excess street right-of-way, and major utility right-of-way. (Coastal Act/30212.5/30252)
POLICY 2.3: 
Encourage the preservation and protection of areas for the recreational activities characteristic of Encinitas such as horseback riding, surfing, skin-diving, bicycling, walking, and jogging. (Coastal Act/30212.5/30252)
POLICY 2.4: 
Leave appropriate areas of neighborhood and community parks in a natural state, retaining natural topography and vegetation where preservation is feasible. (Coastal Act/30240)
POLICY 2.6: 
Encourage the provision of a full range of recreational facilities distributed throughout the area. (Coastal Act/30212.5)
POLICY 2.8: 
Encourage the maintenance of the bluffs, beach, shoreline, reefs and ocean and discourage any use that would adversely affect the beach and bluffs except a reasonable number of access public stairways, lifeguard towers and similar public beach facilities. (Coastal Act/30211/30213)
Project Conformance
As stated above, the Specific Plan will provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities for community residents. The trail system will traverse through open spaces, connecting with the regional network, and providing scenic overlooks where feasible. The project will also result in the construction of a new earthen drainage channel to handle drainage flows related to a tributary of Encinitas Creek. This channel will be landscaped with native plant materials and preserved within an open space easement. Also, the majority of the bluffs and undisturbed natural open space in Green Valley will be preserved in an open space preserve with impacts limited primarily to the extension of Leucadia Boulevard through the bluffs.
GOAL 4: 
A City-wide system of parks which combine established standards and community desires shall be established and maintained.
POLICY 4.2: 
Wherever possible, neighborhood parks should be associated with elementary schools.
POLICY 4.3: 
Neighborhood parks should be accessible by pedestrians living in the immediate area.
Project Conformance
A public park/greenbelt is planned in Green Valley. It will be easily accessible from the planned abutting mixed-use development. In addition, a network of pedestrian and bicycle trails and sidewalks will connect all areas within Encinitas Ranch to the park facility. Magdalena Ecke YMCA and Ecke Sports Park lies within easy walking distance of the West Saxony Planning Area.
(Reso. 98-17; Ord. 2019-04)
GOAL 1: 
Provide an acceptable noise environment for existing and future residents of the City of Encinitas.
POLICY 1.1: 
Review actions or projects that may have noise generation potential to determine what impact they may have on existing land uses. If a project would cause an increase in traffic noise levels, the policy of the City of Encinitas is to accept an increase up to an Ldn of 55 dB in outdoor residential use areas without mitigation. If a project would increase the traffic noise level by more than 5 dB and the resulting Ldn would be over 55 dB, then mitigation measures must be evaluated. If the project, or action, would increase traffic noise levels by 3 dB or more and the resulting Ldn would exceed 60 dB in outdoor use areas in residential development, noise mitigation must be similarly evaluated. The impact of non-transportation projects must generally be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The following guidelines will aid in evaluating the impacts of commercial and industrial projects.
a) 
Performance Standards Adjacent to Residential Areas.
New commercial construction adjacent to residential areas should not increase noise levels in a residential area by more than 3 dB (Ldn) or create noise impacts which would increase noise levels to more than an Ldn of 60 dB at the boundary of the nearest residential area, whichever is more restrictive.
b) 
Performance Standards Adjacent to Commercial and Industrial Areas.
New commercial projects should not increase noise levels in a commercial area by more than 5 dB (Ldn) or increase noise levels to an Ldn in excess of 70 dB (office buildings, business and professional) or an Ldn of 75 dB (industrial) at the property line of an adjacent commercial/industrial use, whichever is more restrictive.
These criteria may be waived if, as determined by a noise analysis, there are mitigating circumstances (such as higher existing noise levels) and/or no uses would be adversely affected. Where conditions are unusual or where backgrounds are unusually low and the characteristics of a new noise source are not adequately described by using the Ldn noise descriptor, additional acoustical analysis is encouraged and the conclusions of such analysis will be considered by the City.
POLICY 1.2: 
An Ldn of 50 dB is the maximum acceptable outdoor noise level in residential outdoor use areas. The City recognizes that there are residential areas in which existing noise levels exceed an acceptable level. The City will adopt a Noise Wall/Barrier Installation Policy for determining which areas should receive soundwalls along the major street system and to evaluate possible cost participation programs for constructing these soundwalls.
POLICY 1.4: 
The City will limit truck traffic in residential and commercial areas to designated truck routes. Limit construction, delivery, and through truck traffic to designated routes. Distribute maps of approved truck routes to City traffic officers.
POLICY 1.6: 
Include noise mitigation measures in the design of new roadway projects.
POLICY 1.7: 
Apply Title 24 of the California Administrative Code, associated with noise insulation standards, to single-family dwellings.
Project Conformance
The project will comply will all applicable City of Encinitas noise standards. The Specific Plan shall initiate any required noise mitigation measures that are identified in the EIR for the project. Included in the EIR will be measures to mitigate potential noise impacts resulting from the construction of Specific Plan Area roads if necessary.
Concurrent with approval of this Specific Plan, the City is amending Noise Element Policy 1.6 to read as follows: "Include noise mitigation measures in the design of new roadway projects recognizing that driveways, street openings, and other existing site conditions make noise mitigation impossible."
GOAL 3: 
Ensure that residents are protected from harmful and irritating noise sources to the greatest extent possible.
POLICY 3.1: 
The City will adopt and enforce a quantitative noise ordinance to resolve neighborhood conflicts and to control unnecessary noise sources that can be controlled through the use of such an ordinance. Unnecessary noise sources shall be deemed to include barking dogs; noisy mechanical equipment such as swimming pools and hot tub pumps; amplified music in commercial establishments; etc.
Project Conformance
The project will comply will all measures set forth in the accompanying EIR to mitigate noise impacts to a level of insignificance.
GOAL 4: 
Provide for measures to reduce noise impacts from stationary noise sources.
POLICY 4.1: 
Ensure inclusion of noise mitigation measures and operation of new and existing development.
Project Conformance
The project will comply will all measures set forth in the accompanying EIR to mitigate noise impacts to a level of insignificance.