Del Mar City Council Special Meeting Agenda
Goals and Priorities Setting Workshop
Del Mar Town Hall
1050 Camino del Mar, Del Mar, California
March 5, 2025 City Council Special Meeting
INFORMATION RECEIVED
AFTER THE COUNCIL AGENDA
WAS DISTRIBUTED
(“Red Dots”)
SUMMARY OF WORK COMPLETED TO DATE
SHORES PARK MASTER PLANNING
The City of Del Mar purchased the 5.3 acre Del Mar Shores property in 2008 with the intention of preserving open space and enhancing recreational uses in the City.
In 2014, the City of Del Mar embarked upon a master planning process for Shores Park. The City made significant progress in the master planning process, before the work was paused in the 2018 time frame.
Submitted by Betty Wheeler, March 3, 2025
March 5, 2025 Item 01
2015 “Discover” phase:
• Analysis of Applicable City Planning Documents
• Assessment of Existing Facilities, Recreational Programs and Services • Shores Park Site Inventory and Analysis, including Architectural Analysis of Del Mar Community Building
• Community Outreach
o Creation of Shores Park Advisory Committee
o Community-wide Survey Conducted by True North Consulting during March and April 2015
controlled for one response per Del Mar household, with mailed invitation letters, emailed invitations, and telephone calls, and survey responses by telephone or through a secure, password-protected website hosted by True North; 402 households participated).
o 20 Interest Group Interviews, Conducted January-May 2015 o Two Pop-Up Community Outreach Events (at Farmers Market; DMF Easter Egg Hunt)
o On-Site “Plan Your Park” Community Workshop, May 2, 2015, with 155 Attendees
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Tier 1 Amenities Identified
Based on this extensive community engagement, Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 amenities for Shores Park were identified, with the Schmidt “Discover” Phase report noting: “Based on overwhelming consistent interest, these core [Tier 1] elements should be incorporated in future design alternatives (not in priority order):
• Attractive gardens and landscaping (low water use/sustainable) • Benches for sitting, enjoying views, reading, meditating, etc. • Fully accessible for visitors with disabilities
• Furnishings such as trash and recycling receptacles, drinking fountains, bike racks, etc. • Off-leash grassy areas for off-leash dog activities (not obvious or rigid fences) • Open turf for flexible play (required by lease with Winston School) • Indoor meeting/recreational community space
• Accommodate children’s activities
• Parking to meet code requirements
• Picnic area(s)
• Restroom
• Shade
• Walking paths
March 5, 2025 Item 01
Tier II, Tier III Amenities
Tier II Potential Amenities were also identified, “that should be further evaluated for inclusion based upon community interest and space availability:
• Basketball half court
• Children’s playground
• General purpose room that can be used for community programming and activities
(such as exercise classes, cooking classes, meetings, arts and culture, etc.)
• Multi-purpose court (basketball/pickle ball/tennis etc.) • Outdoor fitness course
Tier III Potential Amenities were also identified.
March 5, 2025 Item 01
July 6, 2015 Council Meeting:
Received Schmidt Group’s report on the “Discover” phase, identified the guiding principles and major themes that emerged through Phase One, and identified the next steps for this project.
Council Direction on indoor space: “Council provided staff with direction to incorporate indoor recreational programming space and offices for the community organizations operating those programs into the Del Mar Shores Park Master Plan." (Minutes, July 6, 2015 City Council meeting).
March 5, 2025 Item 01
Schmidt Design Group: 3 “Bubble” Concepts Based on Community Engagement ( presented to Council January 19, 2016)
March 5, 2025 Item 01
Schmidt Design Group: 3 REVISED “Bubble” Concepts Based on potential collaboration with Winston (May 2017)
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Two Refined
Designs –
2018
Concept A,
Concept B
March 5, 2025 Item 01
April 16, 2018 Council Meeting:
Reviewed revised Concept Diagrams (Concept A, Concept B), provided direction on next steps, and authorized proceeding with traffic impact analysis.
The Minutes note that a focus of Council discussion was getting an itemized project budget for both concepts, “expected in June/July 2018.”
The work on Shores Park Master Planning went on hiatus, before the project budgets for Concept A and Concept B were completed (or made available to the public). Issues with Winston, and then COVID, contributed to the hiatus.
_____________________________________________________________________________ Though the work on Shores Park master planning has been paused for 5+ years, significant investments were made by the City and the community on the master plan, with impressive progress achieved. The City can readily resume this process by proceeding with getting cost estimates for the two refined Concept Plans, and reactivating the Shores Park Advisory Committee.
March 5, 2025 Item 01
Funding:
City Council Resolution 2018-63:
“In October 2017, the City Council directed the priority projects for use of Measure Q monies are the Downtown Streetscape project, undergrounding of utility poles, and completion and implementation of the Shores Park Master Plan…. [T]he City Council hereby authorizes:
…Designation of Measure Q funds for costs associated with the Downtown Streetscape project, Citywide utility pole undergrounding, and development and implementation of the Shores Park Master Plan, until these projects are completed….”
March 5, 2025 Item 01
March 25 RED DOT
TO: Del Mar City Council
FROM: Joe Sullivan
Friends of Del Mar Parks
SUBJ: Shores Planning should be on the 2025-2026 Work Plan We ask you to make Shores Park a priority tier-2 project in your 2025-2026 work plan.
Specifically by:
1) Restarting the master planning process by reactivating the Shores Advisory Committee, re-engaging landscape architects and dusting off the 2018 plans that were the result of extensive community engagement and serious considerations by previous council.
2) Beginning the process to rezone the property from Public Facilities to Public Parkland to discourage inappropriate future development. This would be with the understanding that a Community Building, like the Powerhouse Building, is an allowed related accessory structure under the PP zoning. During that process the Council would decide whether the Winston property should remain as PF or should be a non-conforming use in the PP zone. I understand rezoning adds significantly to the work plan and staff work load. But because something is difficult doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done.
Back in 2008 the City purchased the 5.3 acres Shores property from the Del Mar School District for $8.5mm. Of the $8.5mm, $2.5mm came in private donations through the Friends, $3mm came from the Winston School as pre-paid rent, and the remainder from the sale of the City’s abandoned reservoir property on Balboa Avenue. The donors, the voters, and the City Council committed to developing the property into a community park with an emphasis on recreation and a commitment to maintain the playing field.
Serious master planning was undertaken about 2015 with landscape architects Schmidt Design Group. The process involved extensive community outreach. In addition, a Shores Advisory Committee was formed to continue to provide Schmidt and the Council with community input.
In 2018, after several iterations, that planning process culminated in two concept plans presented to Council. The Council expressed general approval of the concept plans, specified some modifications and directed the staff/consultants to prepare rough cost estimates for each of those plans. That would give Council critical information to get to the next point, which would have been arriving at proposed final master plan. This never came to fruition as the project went on hold due to other City priorities and budget constraints.
March 5, 2025 Item 01
In 2016 the voters passed Measure Q with a commitment that funds would first be used for Camino Del Mar Streetscape, city-wide undergrounding, and the development of Shores Park. Streetscape has been successfully completed. Undergrounding is well underway.
Now it is time to get on with the Shores.
In addition, the rent Winston pre-paid in 2008 has been drawn down. I believe the City now receives more than $200,000 per year in rent from Winston. At least some of that money could be used for Shores Park master planning and development, since Winston uses the playing fields for their athletic activities.
In addition, it might be reasonable for the City to apply for a grant from the Del Mar Foundation. The Foundation’s mission statement explicitly included acquiring and improving open space. The Foundation contributed $35,000 for the acquisition of the property --- at that time the largest donation the Foundation had ever made.
We are pleased to see staff is on schedule to update the Council on Shores Park by this June. We believe it is an ethical obligation of the City to fulfill commitments that were made to the donors and voters who made it possible for the City to acquire this irreplaceable piece of open space in the heart of our community. It is not too soon to restart the effort.
Thank you for your consideration.
March 5, 2025 Item 01
March 5, 2025
Jeff Eaton
187 Ocean View Ave
Del Mar, CA 92014
City Council, City of Del Mar
Dear Honorable Members of the City Council,
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to you today to advocate for the adoption of the Mills Act in the City of Del Mar. As a lifetime resident of our seaside community, I believe it is crucial that we take active steps to preserve the historic charm and character that make our city unique.
Over the years, many homes of historical significance in Del Mar have been removed to make way for larger, modern residences. This trend, while reflective of broader societal changes, poses a real risk to the preservation of the town’s rich history and architectural character. As these older homes are replaced, the distinctive architectural features that have long contributed to the character of our city are lost, and with them, the charm that makes Del Mar a desirable place to live and visit.
The Mills Act is a powerful tool that would offer property owners financial incentives, such as property tax reductions, in exchange for preserving and maintaining historic structures. By adopting this program, the City of Del Mar can help property owners offset the costs of maintaining and restoring these older homes, thus encouraging the retention of historic architecture while also promoting thoughtful, sustainable growth.
Implementing the Mills Act would provide a much-needed incentive for homeowners to improve and maintain their historic properties, ensuring that our town retains its unique charm and historic scale. It would also benefit the community at large, drawing visitors and residents alike who appreciate the value of our history and distinctive architectural character.
I strongly urge you to consider adopting the Mills Act for the City of Del Mar. Doing so would help to protect the historical integrity of our community, safeguard our town’s legacy for future generations, and foster a deeper appreciation for the varied architectural styles that define our unique coastal city. The City of San Diego has adopted the Mills Act with excellent results preserving architecturally significant homes and preserving the character of older neighborhoods.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I am hopeful that you will support this important step toward preserving Del Mar’s heritage. Please feel free to contact me if you need further information or would like to discuss this proposal in greater detail.
Sincerely,
Jeff and Stacey Eaton
March 5, 2025 Item 01
1 Melinda Gould
From: Dolores Davies <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 12:00 PM
To: Terry Gaasterland; Tracy Martinez; John Spelich; Dan Quirk Cc: City Clerk Mail Box; Ashley Jones; Clement Brown; Kaitlyn Elliott-Norgrove Subject: Red Dot ⬤ for March 5, 2025 City Council Goal Setting Meeting CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor Gaasterland, Council Members, and City Staff:
We would strongly urge the Council to ensure that adequate fire prevention and protection measures—such as brush clearing and proactive home inspections in the WUI, and workshops for residents—included in the City’s work plan for the next year. In addition, we request that the City, along with our fire department, agree to collaborate with us and other interested residents in establishing a Del Mar Fire Safe Council and developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). We have been in touch with the program manager at the Fire Safe County of San Diego County, and have learned that this needs to be a citizen-intensive effort, and that having a community member take the lead in writing the plan—in collaboration with the fire department—is optimal. I have worked as a writer and editor and also have expertise in community engagement, and am prepared to help lead this effort, in collaboration with others. Given the fact that many efforts to strengthen our fire protection capabilities have been completed or are underway, and the fact that the Del Mar Heights community has already completed a CWPP, we don’t expect that this effort will require a great deal of staff time or too much in the way of funding. However, being at the very beginning of this process, we are learning as we move forward. With the City’s consent, we hope to move forward asap, with the understanding that we will map out a strategy within the required parameters of the CWPP, with the Fire Chief, City staff, interested residents, and the SD County Fire Safe Council.
Thank you for your attention to this. As longtime residents of Del Mar and San Diego, we believe we need to do all that we can to minimize the existential threat that a large wildfire presents to our beloved town.
Sincerely,
Dolores Davies Jamison + Richard Jamison Crest Road Del Mar March 5, 2025 Item 01