Planning Commission approves Coast Highway median plantings, asks staff to tighten schedule and maintenance oversight

Alfa Santos, project manager for Public Works, and Evan Lee of SWA Group presented the city’s plan to install drought‑tolerant landscaping and drip irrigation in four Caltrans‑built medians along Coast Highway. Santos said the medians are 6 feet wide with a 4.5‑foot plantable area and that three medians have recycled‑water connections; the project aims to install low‑maintenance plants selected to fit narrow conditions and to avoid blocking driver sightlines. “For your consideration tonight is the city's project to install drought tolerant landscaping and a drip irrigation system in those medians,” Santos said.

Evan Lee said plant selections were chosen for compact growth and long‑term performance and that staff added additional species following public input to better match the corridor’s existing palettes. He described staggered triangular planting to maximize density in the narrow medians and proposed a cobble band for a maintenance walkway and to retain decomposed granite. Lee said the city has identified a local source for San Onofre breccia stone to be used as cobble banding.

Neighbors and South Laguna stakeholders urged careful selection of species and tighter maintenance. Anne Kristoff, who monitors the existing median planting, said maintenance is more frequent than staff estimated and cautioned that agave and some aloes can outgrow narrow medians unless carefully placed. “I think we need plants that are easy to maintain that don't look like they've been pruned,” she said, urging use of smaller succulents and a mix that preserves the look residents value.

Commissioners pressed staff to include the revised plant palette in the adopted resolution, to use contract provisions or liquidated damages to discourage construction delays, and to limit lane closures and their timing to reduce traffic impacts. Staff said Caltrans requires no lane closures before 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m., and that planting could start after fall to avoid summer traffic but the schedule could be adjusted if the commission requests. A motion to adopt Resolution No. 25‑2545 approving the design review and finding the action CEQA‑exempt passed by unanimous roll call.

The resolution was amended on the record to reflect the updated plant palette shown at the hearing; staff said contractor submittals, city inspections and the maintenance team’s review will be required to confirm species and sizes during installation.