Encinitas City Council hears Q3 work-plan update; staff reports 52 of 76 objectives on track

The Encinitas City Council on a special call-to-order reviewed the third-quarter update to the fiscal-year 2025–26 City Council annual work plan and heard staff detail progress on city objectives and near-term deliverables.

Deputy City Manager Mike James told the council that “there are 76 objectives in total, 52 of those were on target or still colored with green ... 24 of those were in yellow ... and 0 objectives were red,” and summarized attachments in the agenda packet that track quarterly goals and the full objectives list.

Why it matters: the matrix lets council and the public see which multi-year efforts are proceeding and which require additional attention, from capital work to policy planning and grant-seeking.

Staff highlighted a set of near-term items: a draft facility condition assessment expected to return to council in June; fire and sheriff department quarterly updates in June; a draft 2026–2031 homeless action plan with planned community workshops; and a climate action plan cost analysis anticipated in the fourth quarter. James said the grants team continues to evaluate potential funding sources to help meet the work-plan goals and that the business commission will hold its first meeting in the coming week.

Council members used the update to press staff for schedules and clarifications. On Fire Station 6 design, Director of Engineering Nutter said the project has no new completion date and that an incorrect consultant schedule had indicated May 2026. Nutter said the design and permitting phase for a project of this magnitude is typically “a minimum of 12, more likely 18 months,” and that staff will pursue grant opportunities as they appear and bring them to council for consideration.

Stormwater infrastructure and capital needs drew detailed questions. Councilmember Lyons sought to understand how two related objectives — field verification of above-ground storm drain locations (2.1c) and a plan for CCTV inspection and lining (2.3a) — interrelate. Staff said both are feeding a full, citywide condition assessment that will support a 10-year capital maintenance program. As part of ongoing CCTV work, staff reported an immediate need on Lake Drive and said they are proposing approximately $650,000 in the FY27 budget to line a portion of that storm drain.

On transportation planning, staff confirmed a circulation-element public workshop tentatively scheduled for May 13 to present draft policies and modeling; staff estimated they would return with a broader review to council within roughly six months, depending on feedback and the scope of required changes. Staff also reported full approval from the California Public Utilities Commission for the project’s pedestrian at-grade crossings, which allows that work to move forward.

Public comments touched on environment and housing. Rymga Visconta of Old Encinitas urged the council to revisit participation in the countywide Multiple Habitat Conservation Program (MHCP) or to refer the idea to commissions for a subarea plan to better identify and protect habitat and improve grant opportunities. Fabian Ganell urged caution on the affordable-housing fee feasibility study, saying global cost pressures and tariffs may make now a difficult moment for the analysis and that any study should be well resourced.

Staff and council also discussed beach sand replenishment and regional coordination. Staff confirmed Greystar was the contractor for the Strawberry Fields project that provided sand used at Beacons north, described the Army Corps five-year replenishment cycle and said regional RBSP3 planning is targeting placement north of Beacons to address an identified gap ahead of the next Corps cycle.

Next steps: staff said the 2026–27 work plan is tentatively scheduled for May 20 and that a fourth-quarter update on the current plan will come to council in June. The council adjourned at 05:38.