Encinitas planning commission approves Ortman twin homes with added articulation condition

The Encinitas Planning Commission on April 3 approved a design review permit and coastal development permit for the Ortman Twin Home project, two linked residences proposed for two vacant lots at 2065–2067 Oxford Avenue in the Cardiff community.

Staff described the proposal as two 3,890‑square‑foot, two‑story‑over‑qualified‑basement twin homes with an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in the basement and said the project meets the city’s objective design standards and coastal overlay requirements. Takoma Eastland, associate planner, told commissioners the application is exempt from environmental review under California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines §15303(a), which exempts construction of single‑family residences and accessory dwelling units when the conditions apply.

Neighbors raised questions about building height, notice mailings and stormwater. One nearby resident, Richard Hicks, told the commission he supports the project and said staff had assured him the proposal met the city’s height limits. The project’s civil engineer, Brian Arlino, said the site lacks local storm infrastructure and that large on‑site detention basins and sump pumps were included so post‑construction runoff would not exceed existing conditions and would be conveyed to the street and downstream public facilities.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about grade measurement for the qualifying basement, view corridor language in the design guidelines, landscape palette for native plantings and the perceived lack of color renderings. Applicant Ryan Ortman said he plans to live on the northern lot and described his local building experience. Commissioners pressed the applicant to exceed minimums on the objective design standards landscaping score and sought additional articulation along a long north side wall visible from the alley.

During deliberations commissioners agreed the project met objective standards but requested modest design refinements. The motion to approve the project included two explicit conditions: (1) the metal trim band that delineates the upper and lower materials must project approximately 2–3 inches to provide a distinct plane and improved articulation; and (2) a scrivener’s change to correct a staff‑report typo replacing the word "exemption" with "exception" in the environmental section. The motion passed 5–0.

The planning commission’s action approves the design review permit and coastal development permit; final building permits and required recorded ADU covenants (standard ADU covenant referenced in the staff report as COV‑1) remain conditions of project implementation.

Commission discussion also recorded that color renderings and 3‑D visualizations are not required by the city’s submittal checklist but staff will encourage applicants to provide them more consistently. Eastland confirmed the city requires a recorded ADU covenant that, among other provisions, restricts short‑term rentals for ADUs.

The commission closed deliberations and moved on to the next agenda item following the 5‑0 approval.

Ending: Staff will incorporate the requested scrivener’s correction into the final resolution and the building permit process will address the recorded ADU covenant and the project’s stormwater detention and bioswale details prior to permit issuance.