California Coastal Commission to vote on Carlsbad housing development

The California Coastal Commission is scheduled to vote on whether to permit the development of 120 rental townhomes on an 11-acre stretch of undeveloped coastline in Carlsbad. The proposed PI Townhomes project, led by developer H. G. Fenton, would include more than 340 parking spaces on a parcel located between Coast Highway and Interstate 5, adjacent to the South Carlsbad State Beach campground.

The City of Carlsbad maintains that the land has been zoned for residential and commercial use since 2016 and that the current amendments would simply align the master plan with that existing designation. If the commission approves the changes, the matter will proceed to the Carlsbad City Council for a vote expected early next year.

The development faces significant opposition from the grassroots group People for Ponto. The organization advocates for the land to be preserved as a public park, citing geographic equity concerns. They note that while North Carlsbad has approximately 37 acres of coastal parks, South Carlsbad currently has none.