The Encinitas Parks & Recreation Commission will explore the idea of turning a city-owned site that’s previously been proposed for low-income housing into a native habitat park.
In a 3-2 vote Wednesday night, with Council Kellie Hinze and Joy Lyndes opposed, the City Council directed the parks commission to look into creating a park on the nearly 9.4-acre Quail Gardens Drive site and giving it a name. This effort will occur at the same time that the city is exploring whether housing ought to go on the site, the council majority decided.
A newly formed city task force recently began hosting meetings to discuss the city’s low-income housing site options, including the site known as L-7 in the city’s Housing Element plan.
The new park option was sparked by an offer from Encinitas resident Glen Johnson, who submitted an email to the mayor in early July stating that he would give the city $100,000 in exchange for future park naming rights. He wrote that he wants to call it the Sally Johnson Park, in memory of his wife.
“I am flexible in the type of park, but I envision a low-intensity, natural park with primarily native plants, such as Torrey pine, coast oak and sycamore trees, and other plants that will attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife, maybe with a quiet area with a few wooden benches and picnic tables,” he wrote.
At Wednesday night’s council meeting, Johnson said his proposal also was a way to do something nice for his neighborhood.
“My neighborhood is taking the brunt of the Housing Element and I want to do something good for my neighbors,” he said.
Many of his neighbors showed up for the council meeting and loudly applauded his plans. A dozen ers spoke during the public comment period, praising his “very generous offer” and saying that the Encinitas Ranch region already has too many housing projects in the works — 1,100 units in all.
Purchased by the city decades ago, the vacant property straddles the 600 block of Quail Gardens Drive. Most of it is on the east side of the roadway, but about 1.5 acres are on the west side. While the city’s general plan lists the property as a potential parkland, it’s also been proposed as a possible city maintenance yard and even a library location over the years. The latest proposals have involved housing projects, including one that would be a senior-only facility.
In November 2023, the council voted 3-2, with Councilmember Bruce Ehlers and Mayor Tony Kranz opposed, to declare the property surplus. That launched a 60-day period where area government agencies — city, county and state parks and recreation departments — could submit requests asking to lease or purchase the property for open-space purposes. Nobody submitted a request, so Encinitas can now move forward with other options, city employees said in February.
Plans for the site have long been contentious — even the library option years ago drew controversy.
The new park proposal comes just months before the November election when the mayor’s spot and two council member positions are on the ballot, several housing project proponents noted at Wednesday’s meeting. They asked the council to defer its decision until after the city’s new housing task force has issued its assessment, which is expected later in November.
Lyndes, who represents a council seat that’s not up for election this year, said she agreed with the housing advocates’ suggestion.
”I don’t understand why it’s important to move this forward now,” she said.
Hinze, who isn’t running for re-election but whose seat is on the ballot, ed her in voting no.
Kranz and Ehlers, who are both seeking the mayor’s position in the November election, said they thought the park proposal was well worth considering now. Kranz said Johnson is “no spring chicken,” and his generous request deserves a speedy response, while Ehlers said that he has “consistently voted no in turning this into housing.”
Councilmember Allison Blackwell, whose seat is also up for election, said she thought the city could pursue both options right now and make a final decision about what was best later.
