Residents press Encinitas for raised sidewalks, fire access and evacuation improvements on La Costa Avenue

Multiple residents spoke at the City of Encinitas strategic planning session to press the council and staff to prioritize pedestrian safety and emergency access on La Costa Avenue and nearby neighborhood streets.

Residents described narrow carriageways, heavy on‑street parking, and limited evacuation and fire‑apparatus access for older blocks feeding the Clark apartments and other multi‑unit buildings in the flats area. Several speakers said the existing pedestrian lane is narrow and often used by bicyclists and motorcyclists, leaving walkers with little safe space.

Cindy Nyberg, who said she lives on La Costa Avenue, told the council the street is “extremely intimidating” for pedestrians and described being forced off a painted pedestrian lane by bikes and motorized riders. Nyberg said the road’s current configuration makes it hard to cross and to leave properties safely, and urged the council to prioritize a raised sidewalk to separate pedestrians from traffic.

Resident Desiree Smith urged the council directly to “please prioritize a raised pedestrian sidewalk on La Costa Avenue,” saying the corridor has become busier with new housing and that residents need safer walking access to schools and neighborhood businesses.

Other commenters reinforced the safety concerns. Doug Waringa and Evan Larkin described long‑standing maintenance and walkability gaps and urged the city to seek grants and to move designs into construction once design work is complete. Several speakers referenced the upcoming residential developments on or near La Costa and said the city should plan pedestrian and evacuation improvements before those projects are occupied.

Fire and emergency‑access concerns also featured in public remarks. Christine Schindler and others pointed to the state fire code’s 24‑foot unobstructed width requirement for fire‑apparatus access and said that many neighborhood approaches to apartment sites do not meet that standard. Speakers asked the council to include fire‑access and evacuation routes in its prioritization process and to address narrow streets and chronic parking that reduce maneuvering space for emergency vehicles.

City staff and council members said they would fold the public concerns into the strategic priorities and the tactical planning work that follows. Staff instructed departments to identify potential grant funding, to complete design work already underway for La Costa, and to present costs and timelines for construction phases as part of the upcoming budget and tactical plan cycle.

No legislative action was taken during the meeting. Councilmembers asked staff to return with objective‑level recommendations and cost estimates for sidewalk, circulation and emergency access improvements so the council can prioritize projects during the budget process.

Ending: The council and staff said next steps will include department‑level objectives, estimated costs for design and construction, and quarterly check‑ins to track progress once specific projects are included in the budget.