Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves Santa Fe Flores 46‑unit condominium project after staff presentations
Summary
Council approved entitlements for the Santa Fe Flores project, a 46‑unit for‑sale condominium development with 107 parking spaces, rooftop solar, EV‑ready garages, and an addendum to a 2023 mitigated negative declaration. Staff and the applicant said the project adds housing near transit and will incur grading and retaining walls to address a 48‑foot grade change.
The San Marcos City Council voted unanimously May 26 to approve entitlements for the Santa Fe Flores residential project, clearing the way for a 46‑unit for‑sale condominium development at the northwest corner of South Santa Fe Avenue and North Las Flores Drive.
Planning staff presented the proposal as a package of approvals: a general plan amendment, rezone, multifamily site development plan, tentative subdivision map and an addendum to a previously adopted 2023 mitigated negative declaration. The applicant proposes seven three‑story townhome‑style buildings with garages, a total of 107 parking spaces (92 garage and 15 guest), rooftop solar and Level 2 EV‑ready outlets in each garage. Staff noted the proposal adds 0.37 acres acquired from the adjacent liquor store parcel and would provide an 8‑foot offer of dedication for future pedestrian and bicycle improvements.
Staff said grading would involve about 23,300 cubic yards of cut and 3,200 cubic yards of fill, a topographical change of approximately 48 feet across the site, and retaining walls up to about 18 feet where required. A traffic analysis estimated 368 average daily trips and found no substantial transportation‑related CEQA impacts; the project qualified for an addendum to the prior MND. Planning staff and the project economist said the condominium use would produce an approximate recurring fiscal surplus of $38,000 to the city compared with alternative development under existing zoning.
Applicant representative Rick Giddings described design elements, a transit‑oriented site adjacent to a bus stop and the Inland Rail Trail, and said the project exceeds code in certain areas (EV readiness, rooftop solar). Council members asked about guest parking, ingress/egress arrangements shared with the neighboring gourmet liquor store, and whether gating might be considered in the future. The council noted prior community outreach, the planning commission’s 7‑0 recommendation for approval, and that one resident at the planning commission expressed broad concern about development rates in the city.
With no public speakers on the night of hearing, councilors closed the public hearing, moved to approve the entitlements, and the motion passed unanimously.
