Encinitas Council Lets 27-Home Ocean Bluff Project Move Forward
On June 24 the Encinitas City Council voted 4-1 to reject an appeal of the 27-home Ocean Bluff subdivision at 501 Ocean Bluff Way. Planning Commission had approved it May 7 after certifying an EIR. Encinitas has almost no vacant land left, so this is the housing decision that belongs on this board.
Density bonus on a bluff lot
Rincon Homes would build 27 detached homes on about 4.5 acres of a 7.2-acre bluff-top site, with 2.7 acres kept as open space because of steep slopes. Three homes would be deed-restricted for very low-income households, which unlocked a 50% density bonus from 18 to 27 units plus waivers on setbacks, lot dimensions, and sidewalks. Neighbors argued the geology, drainage, and Encinitas Boulevard traffic work was thin. The city's geotechnical consultant said the bluff is Torrey Sandstone, not the claystone that fails at Beacon's Beach.
Why it matters
- A 27-home for-sale project with three affordable units is small, but it shows how density bonus law is now the path for infill on remaining lots.
- Bluff and drainage conditions will show up in disclosures and insurance questions.
- If you are shopping Encinitas, treat new detached product as rare. Price HOA, slope, and coastal insurance before you fall for the view.
Sources: The Coast News on the Council appeal vote; Voice of San Diego on Encinitas housing law; Encinitas housing projects list.
More Encinitas mortgage help and the Encinitas news board.
Buying or refinancing in Encinitas?
Get clear numbers from a local San Diego mortgage team.
Get Pre-ApprovedLeft Coast Leaders, Inc. · NMLS #2394495 · DRE #02191517 · Equal Housing Lender. Local news briefings are for general information and are not formal appraisals or loan commitments.