Planning Commission finds CIP amendments consistent with General Plan after residents protest La Paz widening

The Temecula Planning Commission voted Thursday to find the proposed amendments to the fiscal years 2026–2030 Capital Improvement Program consistent with the city’s general plan while hearing strong public opposition to a La Paz Street widening listed only in the CIP’s future-years projects.

City planning staff presented the item, LR25-0362, and told commissioners they reviewed the CIP against state planning law. “Section 65402 and 65403 of State Planning and Zoning Law requires that the Planning Commission review and provide comments to the city council regarding conformity of the CIP with the adopted general plan,” staff member Katie Garcia told the commission.

The commission’s role was limited to a consistency review of revised and new CIP project sheets approved earlier by the City Council. The staff presentation said the amendments would modify seven existing project budgets (including vacant-parcel cleanup and beautification; Temecula Creek fencing; Empire Creek improvements; park restroom renovations, expansions and ADA improvements; I-15 corridor branding and visioning; the city security camera system; and ADA transition-plan implementation), add five new funded projects (Eagle Soars/Scribe splash-pad rehabilitation; Mike Negar Park pickleball conversion; Mercedes Street sidewalk project; Santiago Community Garden; and a citywide community wildfire protection plan), and add a single future-years, unfunded project for an Emergency Operations Center. Staff also said the La Paz widening is listed as a future-years, unfunded item and would remain unfunded in the CIP.

Residents from the Los Ranchitos neighborhood urged the commission to remove the La Paz widening from the CIP’s future-years list. “We'd like to see that removed from the future years' projects so that we don't have to come down here every month and remind the the, members that we're against widening, the La Paz Street between Temecula Parkway and Yanez Road,” said Mark Letourneau, who identified himself as a Temecula resident.

Multiple speakers who live along Deportola Road described safety problems from vehicles passing at high speed, conflicts with equestrian users and driveways, and a fear that a four-lane widening would encourage cut-through traffic. Lewis Todd, who identified himself as a Los Ranchitos HOA board president, asked the commission to “help protect the old traditions of Temecula and one of the oldest residential communities in Temecula by recommending removal of this specific project.” Veterinarian Jennifer Rosenberg described near-miss incidents involving horses and drivers and asked commissioners to consider animal and rider safety.

City staff and commissioners emphasized process constraints: the decision before the Planning Commission was a general-plan consistency finding for the amended CIP sheets, not a determination of the general plan or circulation element. Director-level staff and commissioners said that decisions about major circulation changes such as widening La Paz Street would be handled through the general plan update and the General Plan Advisory Committee, which the staff said will take up mobility and circulation on Nov. 13.

After discussion, Commissioner Fernando made the motion to find the CIP amendments consistent with the general plan; Commissioner Mark Watson seconded. The motion passed with the chair announcing “Motion carried.”

The commission’s action advances the amended CIP to the City Council with a recommendation of consistency; the La Paz widening remains listed in the CIP’s future-years section as unfunded and subject to the general-plan update and future public process.