ATTACHMENT J
DRAFT PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
OCTOBER 20, 2025
MINUTES
Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission
MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2025
City Council Chambers
1 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos, CA 92069
CALL TO ORDER
At 6:30 p.m. Planning Commission Chair Guerrero called the meeting to order.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Commissioner Rico led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
ROLL CALL
The Secretary called the roll:
PRESENT: COMMISSIONERS: BARNETT, CAVANAUGH, SAULSBERRY, GUERRERO, CARROLL, KILDOO, RICO
ALTERNATE COMMISSIONERS IN AUDIENCE: NONE
ABSENT COMMISSIONERS: NORRIS, MARCINKO
Also present were: Planning Division Director Joe Farace; Associate Civil Engineer Brad Holder, Senior Planner Chris Garcia ; Deputy City Attorney Punam Prahalad ; Office Specialist Susie Neveu, Senior Management Analyst Song LeBaron, and Principal Planner/Sustainability Program Manager Sean del Solar.
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES, 10/06/2025
Regular Planning Commission
Monday, October 20, 2025 | Page 2 of 4
2 Action:
COMMISSIONER SAULSBERRY MOVED TO APPROVE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM #1 AS PRESENTED; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER KILDOO. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE.
AYES: COMMISSIONERS: BARNETT, CAVANAUGH, SAULSBERRY, GUERRERO, CARROLL, KILDOO, RICO
NOES: COMMISSIONERS: NONE
ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: NORRIS, MARCINKO
ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: NONE
2. Project No: VA25-0002
Applicant: City of San Marcos
Request: A Summary Vacation and Abandonment of Public Right -of-Way for La Cienega Road, Reserving Therefrom Utility Rights
Recommendation: Staff recommends approval to City Council
Action:
COMMISSIONER SAULSBERRY MOTIONED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO CITY COUNCIL PC25-5179 FOR VA25-0002 AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER KILDOO. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE.
AYES: COMMISSIONERS: BARNETT, CAVANAUGH, SAULSBERRY, GUERRERO, KILDOO, CARROLL, RICO
NOES: COMMISSIONERS: NONE
ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: NORRIS, MARCINKO
ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: NONE
PUBLIC HEARING
3. Project No: SP24-0003, SP25-0001, GPA25-0002, TA24-0004, CUP24-0005, & EIR25-005 Applicant: Urban Villages San Marcos, LLC
Request: Request for UDSP Self Storage and District Expansion Recommendation: Staff recommends approval to City Council
Senior Planner Chris Garcia and Associate Civil Engineer Brad Holder: gave staff presentation.
Darren Levitt with Urban Villages: gave the applicant presentation.
OPEN PUBLIC COMMENTS: None
Regular Planning Commission
Monday, October 20, 2025 | Page 3 of 4
3 COMMISSIONER DISCUSSIONS: Clarify build of new CubeSmart ; time when changes to hotel will occur; interesting proposal; penalties if this build does not occur; confirm art going up.
APPLICANT RESPONSE: We are the party responsible for delivering the new building. Upon providing their certificate of occupancy, we will hand them the keys, take ownership of their property with a one-year lease with the clock ticking. After one year, that property lease expires and there is language in our conditions of approval to demolish the existing CubeSmart. The hotel changes will start soon after approval. We are the owners of the new property and will not be trading deeds without 100 percent certainty. We will gain ownership of the old facility, and they will have one year to vacate. There is a restriction of self -storage to be used on that property. The art will be the last thing to go up and security will be present.
Action:
COMMISSIONER SAULSBERRY MOTIONED TO APPROVE PC2 5-51710 FOR SP24-0003, PC25 -5172 FOR SP25-0001, PC25-5173 FOR GPA25-0002, PC25-5174 FOR TA24-0004, PC25-5175 FOR CUP24-0005 AND ADOPT EIR25-0005 AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CAVANAUGH . MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE.
AYES: COMMISSIONERS: BARNETT, CAVANAUGH, SAULSBERRY, GUERRERO, CARROLL, KILDOO, RICO
NOES: COMMISSIONERS: NONE
ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: NORRIS, MARCINKO
ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: NONE
CLOSED PUBLIC COMMENTS
CREEK SPECIFIC PLAN UPDATE: Three primary discussions for today; Flooding, Mobility, and Land Use.
The flood plain around the Creek District has other flood plains wanting to go here and that can’t happen.
The freeway was built with inadequate culverts. We must get a 100 -year flood p lain water flow into the creek with no easy way to do it. Three possible ways to address that are: having Caltrans shut down the 78 to redo the culverts; installing multiple pipes installed under properties from Bent to the creek; build converts within the properties that would align the flow from San Marcos Blvd. to the creek. If properties along San Marcos Blvd. want to rebuild to become better, they will no longer be grandfathered in and will have to deal with the 100-year flood problems.
Commissioner Kildoo showed a new plan with redoing the streets along San Marcos Blvd by the Creek District that enhances walkability and bicycle use, as well as the proposed different types of plan use in the area.
An Environmental Impact Study will occur now and December 2025, and have the plan brought forth to the Planning Commission in May 2026 and City Council in June 2026 for approval.
PLANNING DIVISION DIRECTOR COMMENTS: At the last meeting when the Costco Business project was presented to you, the feasibility of having EV chargers was brought up. Costco has reached out to us and Regular Planning Commission
Monday, October 20, 2025 | Page 4 of 4
4 communicated that they can put EV chargers on that property. They are going to take the next steps and contact their corporate office to start the installation process. The Zoning Ordinance update will be brought to City Council on November 10th and I’ll report back on that.
PLANNING COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS: Commissioner Saulsberry thanked staff for the presentation.
ADJOURNMENT
At 7:16 p.m. Chair Guerrero adjourned the meeting.
______________________________________________
FATIMA GUERRERO, CHAIRPERSON
CITY OF SAN MARCOS PLANNING COMMISSION
ATTEST:
_____________________________________________________
GINA JACKSON, SENIOR OFFICE SPECIALIST
CITY OF SAN MARCOS PLANNING COMMISSION