PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
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VOL. 38, N0. 4
Jan. 26, 2024
Storm clobbers Leucadia .com SAN MARCOS -NEWS
Heavy rains, flash floods inundate area around Europa Street
THE VISTA NEWS
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By Jordan P. Ingram
ENCINITAS — Heavy rainfall and flash floods on Monday wrought havoc on a Leucadia neighborhood, transforming the Europa Street alleyway into a knee-deep stormwater river and damaging several homes and businesses. Early morning rains pounded coastal North County, prompting several emergency advisories at approximately 8:21 a.m. on Jan. 22 in Encinitas, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Solana Beach and Oceanside. The National Weather Service reported 3.1 inches of rainfall over the past four days in Encinitas, overwhelming the city’s drainage infrastructure and forcing road closures at several intersections along Vulcan Avenue and Orpheus Avenue. A portion of South Coast HighTURN TO FLOODING ON 13
RANCHO SFNEWS
.com LEUCADIA RESIDENTS Thaddeus Gardner, left, and James Gates, wade through knee-deep stormwater in the Europa Street alley on Jan. 22 during a winter storm that inundated cities across San Diego County. The watery deluge flooded several homes and businesses in the Leucadia neighborhood, leaving residents to sift through their waterlogged belongings and begin the long process of renovation and recovery. Photos by
Del Mar closer to STR ordinance City sets direction for new short-term rental guidelines By Laura Place
ARTIFICIAL ART?
Artificial intelligence’s foray into the art world has generated equal parts controversy and wonder with its novel creations. So where does the future of art stand in the strange new world of AI? 15.
Dredging work gets underway The long-awaited beach replenishment project kicked off Jan. 16 in Solana Beach. 3
DEL MAR — City leaders are slowly inching closer to developing a new ordinance for short-term rentals, setting direction this week for key issues, including a citywide cap and grandfathering in existing rentals. The City Council discussion on Monday marked the fifth meeting in the last year regarding short-term rentals (STRs), defined as those rented for 30 days or less after the city re-started the process last January. Following three hours of discussion and public comments, the council agreed on several elements for a new ordinance, including limiting STRs to a primary residence (where someone permanently resides for at least six months
THE CITY is looking at ways to regulate the short-term rental market, including setting limits on the number of citywide vacation rentals. Photo by Jason A.
of the year), setting a citywide cap of 129 new STRs, setting a three-night minimum stay, and implementing a transient occupancy tax. A council majority of Tracy Martinez, Terry Gaasterland and Dan Quirk also supported accommodating existing STR operators until the property owner changes, the permit is revoked due to noncompliance, or the permit is not renewed. Initially, city staff pro-
posed giving existing STRs five years to comply with the ordinance terms, including operating out of a primary residence. This did not sit well with several current owners, who said they had run their STR out of a second home for decades. “Your policy only allows us to operate for another five years and then be outlawed. That is not grandfathering,” said short-term rental owner Debbie Church. Resident Ron Fletch-
er, who operates a vacation rental out of a second residence with his mother, Barbara, said they rent it out during the year to afford to use the property for family reunions. “With this ordinance, we’re disqualified,” Fletcher said. “The short-term rentals, we only do it so we get to use the house ourselves… I want to continue to share the house and use the house.” Del Mar Principal Planner Amanda Lee claimed that existing STRs do not have inherent rights to continue operating in the city and noted that Del Mar is under extreme pressure from the state to preserve and create housing opportunities. “It’s something the city has to proceed with cautiously. We have STRs that have been in place for various periods of time, but they don’t have rights to grandfathering,” Lee said. “We need TURN TO RENTALS ON 19