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Encinitas council approves Quail Meadows apartment project after contested hearing, cites state housing pressure
Summary
After more than four hours of public comment and competing legal arguments, the Encinitas City Council voted 3–1 to approve the Quail Meadows 448-unit apartment project, saying the decision was made under duress because of state housing law enforcement risks.
The Encinitas City Council voted 3–1 on Feb. 12 to approve the Quail Meadows apartment development, a 448-unit project that includes 358 market-rate units and 90 low-income units, after an extended and sometimes heated public hearing on appeals from neighborhood and environmental groups.
Council members who voted in favor said they did so reluctantly, citing credible threats from state housing authorities that denying the project could trigger the decertification of the city's housing element and prompt a legal mechanism known as the builder's remedy. The council attached a statement saying the approval was made "under duress" because of those state actions.
The item drew more than 20 public speakers and lengthy presentations from two appellants''Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER) and Encinitas Citizens for Responsible Development (ECRD)''who argued the project was not exempt from environmental review and that it conflicts with the city's Local Coastal Program and policies protecting Cottonwood Creek and…
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