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Council approves 140‑unit Garrison Street planned development with affordable units and habitat mitigation
Summary
The council approved the Oceanside Garrison Street planned development to convert the former E.G. Garrison Elementary site into 140 townhomes with 14 moderate‑income units, a publicly accessible 10,900‑sq. ft. park, habitat mitigation for coastal sage scrub and conditions including voluntary transportation demand management and other project modifications.
The Oceanside City Council voted Dec. 3 to approve the Oceanside Garrison Street planned development, a proposal to redevelop the former Garrison Elementary School site at 333 Garrison Street into a 140‑unit townhome community with associated zoning and entitlements.
Planning staff (Dane Thompson) described the project as a planned development for an 8.3‑acre site that would change the land use designation from civic institutional to medium density residential, rezone the property to planned development, and allow a tentative map and development plan for 22 buildings with 140 townhomes (3 stories; max 36 ft.), seven floor plans (1,400–2,100 sq ft), private two‑car garages and an entrance park of approximately 10,900 square feet that will be open to the public but privately maintained. Staff said 14 units (10%) will be reserved for moderate‑income households and the project’s density (16.9 dwelling units per acre) falls within surrounding multifamily ranges. The project is proposed to be all‑electric.
Staff prepared a mitigated negative declaration (MND) identifying potential impacts to biological and tribal cultural resources, geology and soils, and proposed mitigation measures including on‑site habitat mitigation for 0.039 acres of coastal sage scrub at a required 3:1 ratio. The applicant volunteered a transportation demand management program, agreed to add more native species to the planting palette and offered $7,500 for sharrows on Garrison Street to support bicycle access.
Applicant representatives from TrueLife Companies described the project as attainable for‑sale townhomes and said they had modified plans following community feedback. Several members of the public expressed concerns about traffic, habitat protection, and impacts on the nearby equestrian and park areas; environmental and community groups asked that revised conditions of approval be included in the resolution. Councilmembers discussed affordable‑housing obligations, the school district’s sale of surplus land, and project modifications.
Council approved the staff recommendations and the ordinance introduction for zone amendment with a 5–0 vote (motions to adopt the resolutions and introduce the ordinance were approved). The approval includes conditions of approval distributed to council and requires Ongoing HOA maintenance of habitat areas, the park to remain open to the public in perpetuity, and achievement of identified mitigation.
