Staff recommends approval for Valley Of Dreams mobile home park storm drain permit in Encinitas

City staff recommended approval Thursday of a coastal development permit for storm drain improvements at the Valley Of Dreams Mobile Home Park in the Lucadia neighborhood of Encinitas, but the hearing body deferred a final decision for a later date.

"The item before you is case number CDP-007190-2024, the Valley Of Dreams Mobile Home Park storm drain improvement project," Kaipo County, associate planner, said in an oral presentation. "The applicant is requesting a coastal development permit for storm drain improvements to an existing mobile home park located at 123 Jasper Street in the Lucadia community."

Staff told the hearing the proposal does not seek to connect to existing city drainage infrastructure; instead, it would install on-site storm drains and perform minor grading within the park's upper drive aisle to help mitigate on-site flooding during major rain events. Staff said the proposed drains would maintain existing drainage patterns flowing north toward Jasper Street and that additional curb-and-gutter improvements are proposed along West Lucadia Boulevard at the southern portion of the project site.

The planner said a coastal development permit is required under the Encinitas Municipal Code and that the property falls within the California Coastal Commission's appeal jurisdiction, meaning any city approval could be appealed to the Coastal Commission. Staff also said the project is exempt from environmental review under CEQA Guideline section 15301, which covers repair, maintenance or minor alteration involving negligible or no expansion of use.

Staff reported that the applicant mailed a citizen participation newsletter on Feb. 17, 2025, and that one member of the public submitted a comment raising flooding concerns southeast of the site near West Lucadia Boulevard and Lucadia Roadside Park; staff said one phone inquiry was also received with general questions about the scope of work. In response to concerns, "portions of previously proposed drainage improvements along West Lucadia Boulevard were removed from the project," Kaipo County said.

At the close of the presentation, staff recommended approval of the permit application; the record shows the hearing body did not take a vote that night and said a decision would be made at a later date. The presiding official adjourned the hearing at approximately 5:06 p.m.