October 29, 2026
"F West is an approximately 3.8-acre parcel that will be separated into three planning areas and provide native habitat preservation and enhancement, development of public trails, visitor-serving commercial uses, and, most importantly, is designed for future adaptability." David Gatzke, vice president of development at H.G. Fenton Co., said this to the California Coastal Commission on Oct. 8, according to KPBS.
His last phrase, "designed for future adaptability," explains the outcome. The commission voted 7-4 for land-use changes that clear the way for 120 rental townhomes on the vacant lot south of South Ponto Beach. It also left the western edge of that lot in reserve for a possible future Carlsbad Boulevard. If South Carlsbad gets a coastal park, it now depends far less on the 11.1 acres of Planning Area F and far more on what the city decides to do with its own road.
The Coast News reported that the vote came after about five hours of discussion at the Oceanside Civic Center. Ninety-three people spoke, 41 in person and 52 remotely, and most opposed housing on the site. The vote changed land use. It did not approve a building. The PI Townhomes project still needs approval from the Carlsbad City Council.
According to The Coast News, the commission's decision followed its staff's recommendation. The Coastal Commission staff report, dated Sept. 24, divides the site this way:
| Portion of Planning Area F | What the staff recommendation allows |
|---|---|
| Residential area, about 7 acres | Up to 120 homes; none of the suggested changes apply here |
| District 1 | Up to 3,000 square feet of pedestrian-oriented visitor-serving uses, such as a small market or restaurant |
| District 2, westernmost strip along Carlsbad Boulevard and the campground | Removable at-grade features only: pavers, fire pits, food carts, surfboard-rental stands |
| District 3 | Habitat restoration and public trails, protected by a recorded deed restriction |
District 2 is the key piece. Staff wrote that keeping it to removable structures "allows the site to support visitor-serving uses now, without foreclosing future inland relocation options for critical public infrastructure such as Carlsbad Boulevard and the South Carlsbad State Beach Campground." The report says both the city and the property owner support all of the suggested modifications.
Some project details still vary by source and will be settled when the project reaches the City Council. The staff report lists 18 affordable units. KPBS reported 24. The developer's project page promises that at least 15 percent of the homes will be affordable to low-income households. The application described by The Coast News in July included about 6,340 square feet of commercial space and more than 340 parking spaces. That is more than double the 3,000-square-foot cap staff recommended for District 1.
The disagreement over this lot comes down to how parks are counted. In a statement to The Coast News, city staff said Carlsbad measures park obligations by quadrant, not by neighborhood. The city's Growth Management Monitoring report found that all four quadrants exceed the standard of three acres of community or special-use parkland per 1,000 residents. That report also counts the planned 93.7-acre Veterans Memorial Park as a citywide facility and assigns part of its acreage to each quadrant. Grading for that park has begun near Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road, and the city expects it to open in about two years.
People for Ponto measures by distance to the coast. The group counts 10 coastal parks west of Interstate 5 in North Carlsbad, totaling about 37 acres, and none in South Carlsbad. At the hearing, co-founder Michael Sebahar told commissioners, "There are over 2,000 homes here that don't really have any walkable or even bike access to a public park," according to KPBS. The Coast News reported that the Trust for Public Land ranked Carlsbad last among 29 coastal cities from Santa Barbara to Imperial Beach for park access within a 10-minute walk. The group's stated minimum is a six-acre community park.
The commission sided with the city's method. As inewsource reported, staff cited a Carlsbad analysis showing the city was not short on park space and said the project would help the city meet its housing goals. Commissioner Christopher Lopez, who made the motion, said, "We're in a moment where we need housing." Vice Chair Caryl Hart, Chair Meagan Harmon, and commissioners Mike Wilson and Suzanne Smith voted no, citing coastal recreation and the permanent loss of undeveloped land.
State housing law also limits the city's options. KPBS reported that Eric Lardy, Carlsbad's assistant director of community development, explained that state laws such as SB 330 can restrict a city's ability to downzone residential land. He also said that finding undeveloped coastal-zone property gets harder as Carlsbad nears buildout. The site's residential designation dates to the 2015 General Plan update, which the Coastal Commission approved in 2016.
The question the vote left open is the city's South Carlsbad Coastline project. The city is studying the three miles of Carlsbad Boulevard from Manzano Drive to La Costa Avenue. Shifting traffic to the easternmost lanes could free about 60 acres of city-owned land for parks, walking paths, bike lanes, parking, and picnic areas.
For scale, the city's own page compares the 60 acres to Poinsettia Community Park, Carlsbad's largest park at about 42 acres, and to the beachfront park at Pine Avenue, which is less than one acre. The same page notes that most recent coastal improvements have been in the north, between Palomar Airport Road and the Oceanside border. South Carlsbad's coastline, it says, is "largely unchanged from the car-centric 1950s."
This plan and the District 2 restrictions point the same way. The Coastal Commission kept the western strip of Planning Area F to removable features so that a relocated boulevard or campground could still fit there. Councilwoman Teresa Acosta told The Coast News in July about ongoing council discussions of a beachfront coastal park through the Ponto area if South Carlsbad Boulevard is moved inland.
The project is on hold for now. The city has worked on a grant-funded pilot study of the first mile, from Manzano Drive to Island Way. The city states that "the City Council has not directed staff to proceed with the next steps," which would be preliminary design and engineering for the full three miles, along with more community engagement.
The road that might someday become a park is getting emergency work this season. The city declared a local emergency on Sept. 9 and is extending the rock revetment about 192 feet north on the bluff north of the Las Encinas Creek bridge. The city's Oct. 9 update reported boulder deliveries and a crane on site. The southbound bike lane is closed between Solamar Drive and Island Way, and work is expected to continue through late 2026. The earlier notice also said southbound lanes between Palomar Airport Road and Island Way would close intermittently.
South of the work zone, these are the amenities near Ponto:
The State Parks page lists no food or retail beyond The Camp Store on the beach side of Ponto. That fits the staff report's description of District 1 as space for something like a small market or restaurant serving "residents and campground users."
On the seven acres east of Ponto Drive, the next decision is the City Council vote on the project. On the 3.8 acres to the west and the 60 acres of city land along Carlsbad Boulevard, decisions about the coast are still ahead.
The council's choices on Planning Area F and the boulevard will set what sits between South Ponto, Poinsettia Shores, and the water for years to come. If you own on this part of the coast and want to understand how these decisions bear on your property, the Cathleen Shera Team can help. Request a complimentary home valuation and private consultation.
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