Goals, Objectives, and Policies - (Original Page Nos. 31—33)

Goal 1
ESTABLISH WITHOUT DELAY A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO PRESERVE AND ACQUIRE PERMANENT OPEN SPACE SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE LONG-RANGE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, PRESERVE AND ENHANCE NATURAL RESOURCES, AND PROTECT AREAS AND PEOPLE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SEISMIC AND FLOODING HAZARDS.

Objectives and Policies

A.

SECURE SUFFICIENT LAND AS PERMANENT OPEN SPACE TO PRESERVE INTACT THE LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEL MAR: BLUFFS, BEACH, CANYONS, OUTSTANDING GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS, AND THE SAN DIEGUITO LAGOON.

B.

SECURE OPEN SPACE NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY DEL MAR AS A DISTINCT AND SEPARATE COMMUNITY, AND TO PROTECT SCENIC.

C.

SECURE SUFFICIENT OPEN SPACE TO MEET RECOGNIZED STANDARDS FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION AND EDUCATION, INCLUDING LAND FOR TRAILS AND SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.

1.

Consider the Comprehensive Planning Organization's recreational standard of 15 acres per thousand inhabitants (including in the total the acreage of beach above mean sea level) in defining the needs of Del Mar.

2.

Protect open space areas to satisfy recreational needs or to preserve particularly unique natural features in specific neighborhoods.

3.

Develop a continuous pedestrian loop trail which extends around the perimeter of the City while connecting and passing through areas of natural and scenic value without unnecessarily imposing on residential privacy.

4.

Establish a Parks and Recreation Commission to administer the parks and scenic preserves and to plan for specific development of open space areas.

D.

INSURE THAT ALL FUTURE DEVELOPMENT BE SUCH AS TO PRESERVE AN ATMOSPHERE OF OPENNESS AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC OPEN SPACES, INCLUDING THE BLUFFS AND BEACH.

1.

Undertake a comprehensive survey and legal analysis of areas of potential public prescriptive rights throughout the City. Where such rights are believed to exist actively pursue the establishment and recognition of such rights through judicial proceeding as appropriate

E.

PROTECT SPECIFIC OPEN SPACE AREAS AS SHOWN ON THE DEL MAR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.

1.

Preserve, as open space, areas such as the 100-year floodway and the beach bluffs west of the railroad tracks that are too hazardous to justify permanent construction.

2.

Preserve, as City-owned open space, areas desirable as City parks and preserves.

3.

Preserve, as open space, pending possible acquisition by other jurisdictions, areas of regional significance.

4.

Preserve and where necessary acquire easements for the protection of access to the beach and other public open space.

5.

Protect the scenic quality of the air space above the railroad tracks by allowing only railroad transportation and open space uses, and restrict stretches of right-of-way with adjacent landslide danger to single track usage.

6.

Control building, signing and paving on publicly owned open space so such use will not be objectionable to Del Mar residents.

7.

Open space areas should be managed with erosion control and pollution prevention measures in the forefront.

F.

AGGRESSIVELY DEVELOP BOTH INNOVATIVE AND CONVENTIONAL MEANS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE OPEN SPACE PROGRAM.

1.

Insure that the implementation of the Open Space Program be one of the highest priority planning activities within the City government.

2.

Establish and schedule revenue-generating techniques sufficient to accomplish a permanent program of open space implementation aimed at achieving the goals explicit in this Plan. This program shall include the creation of an open space fund which will be used exclusively to buy land for public use.

a.

Prepare a ballot measure to be submitted to the voters requesting approval of the mechanism for financing open space acquisition and improvements and the sources of revenues to be used for these purposes.

3.

Control the impact of private development on areas designated as having open space sensitivities.

4.

Require City approval prior to development of areas designated as neighborhood parks, so that if they are not acquired by the City, the neighborhood will have a reasonable period in which to form an assessment district following development application.

5.

Establish special controls to protect the natural environment in areas of bluffs, slopes, and canyons having special conservation sensitivity. (See Precise Plan for Bluffs, Slopes and Canyons.)

G.

COOPERATE WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO COORDINATE OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION, PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION POLICY.

1.

Encourage and support efforts of the City of San Diego to preserve sufficient open space within the Torrey Pines Community Planning Area that is adjacent to Del Mar.

2.

Coordinate and request assistance from the Comprehensive Planning Organization, the State of California, the City of San Diego, San Diego County, and other jurisdictions in preserving areas of mutual concern.

3.

Obtain community comment through the public hearing process on any proposal to encourage acquisition of land within the City of Del Mar Planning impact area by other jurisdictions.

4.

Support open space acquisition as part of the Los Penasquitos and San Dieguito Watershed Management Plans. In order to do this, close coordination should take place with the County, the cities, stakeholder organizations, and the various special districts whose decisions and activities affect open space, water resources, and water quality in these watersheds.

H.

CONSERVE THE NATURAL CHARACTER OF LAND, WATER, VEGETATIVE AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

1.

Participate in regional and/or statewide efforts to evaluate and control beach and bluff erosion problems.

2.

Prohibit the encroachment of private development on the public beach.

3.

Prohibit the use of private vehicles on the public beach

4.

Insure that future development results in a minimum disturbance of existing or natural terrain and vegetation and does not create soil erosion, silting of lower slopes, slide damage, flooding problems and/or severe cutting or scarring.

5.

Minimize particulate matter pollution that leads to sedimentation or siltation through implementation of erosion control plans and permits for new and redevelopment projects which pose such a threat to water quality.

6.

Minimize land uses which pose a major threat to water quality-including commercial and industrial uses such as automobile dismantlers, transportation and vehicle storage facilities, waste transfer disposal facilities, light industries, and other uses that have a significant potential for pollution of streams, reservoirs, or percolation facilities or where pollutants could easily come in contact with flood waters, high groundwater, flowing streams, or reservoirs.

7.

Require commercial and industrial facilities and residential developments which pose a high threat to water quality to reduce any threat of pollution to an insignificant level, as a condition of approval.

8.

Reduce the quantity and duration of runoff and discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable by integrating low impact design features, surface runoff source and treatment controls into new development and redevelopment land use decisions through conditions of approval.

9.

Implement the City's jurisdictional urban runoff program to maximize pollution prevention and control measures that reduce and control the discharge of pollutants into Del Mar's storm drains, local creeks, beaches, and lagoons to the maximum extent practicable.

10.

Work with other local government agencies to develop cross-jurisdictional land use development standards and policies in order to maintain a watershed-based approach to land use, erosion, flood control, and nonpoint source pollution.

11.

Minimize or prevent development in hazard and resource areas with the following characteristics: flood potential; wetlands; riparian corridors and areas with a greater than 25% slope.

12.

Encourage reductions and modifications to air pollution generating activities and sources to reduce the deposition of air-borne pollutants and improve urban and stormwater runoff water quality.

I.

RETAIN AND ENHANCE NATURAL BENEFITS WITHIN THE SAN DIEGUITO RIVER FLOODWAY AND LAGOON HABITAT.

1.

Establish a comprehensive master plan and management program for the lagoon including biological productivity potential, health controls, future water supply, the preservation and enhancement of wildlife, and opportunities for educational and recreational enjoyment.

2.

Land use policies established within the San Dieguito River Floodway and Lagoon Habitat should be consistent with the long-range goal of returning the entire area to the natural lagoon condition.

3.

Identify public ownership and public use rights in the lagoon and tidelands and restrict therein uses inconsistent with such public rights.

4.

Support and continue education with regard to biological resource values of the lagoon ecosystem.

5.

Require the placement of beach quality sand on Del Mar beaches whenever beach quality sand results from the dredging of the San Dieguito lagoon. If placement within Del Mar is not needed or desirable, consideration shall be given to placement elsewhere within the Oceanside littoral cell or where exceptional biological benefits can be demonstrated.

6.

Require the proper disposal of less than beach quality sand in a manner that protects against the pollution of beaches, lagoons, or other waterways and minimizes as much as possible any potentially adverse environmental impacts that could result from the disposal.

7.

Prohibit the placement of sand in areas that may result in negative long term impacts including, but not limited to, the filling of wetlands, the closing of the river mouth, or the disturbance of sensitive habitat near shore or in the lagoon unless exceptional biological benefits can be demonstrated.

8.

Prohibit any development, dredging, protective devices, and/or enhancement that would exacerbate flooding or erosion.

9.

Prohibit placement of fill within the effective flow area as delineated using the FESWNS (Federal Highway Administration, 1992) Model.

10.

Maintain existing public uses of the beach.

11.

Preserve the natural appearance and open space character of the river mouth region.

12.

Protect and enhance the biological resources of the river mouth region.

13.

Maintain existing east-west public access to the beach from Camino del Mar. Public access shall be enhanced provided that there are no significant negative impacts upon the natural appearance and/or biological resources of the river mouth region.

14.

Maintain existing lateral, north-south access to the beach without negatively impacting the beauty and biological resources of the river mouth region. Public access shall be enhanced provided that there are no significant negative impacts upon the natural appearance and/or biological resources of the river mouth region.

15.

Mitigate for impacts that, while beneficial to the biological resources of the San Dieguito Lagoon, adversely impact public access. If lateral access across the river mouth is impacted by Lagoon restoration, access shall be enhanced between the beach and Camino del Mar both north and south of the San Dieguito River, including a pedestrian access connection over San Dieguito River.

16.

Preserve and, where necessary, acquire easements for the protection or enhancement of access to the beach and other public open space in the San Dieguito River mouth and Lagoon.

17.

Prohibit adverse environmental impacts from all types of uses and/or pollution including, but not limited to, public access, visual blight, noise, light, air, and water pollution.

J.

RESTORE ENVIRONMENTALLY DEGRADED AREAS TO THE HIGH QUALITY STANDARDS IMPLIED IN THE OBJECTIVES ABOVE.

K.

REQUIRE DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS OF ARCHEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO BE REVIEWED BY THE CITY OF DEL MAR TO INSURE THAT SUCH USES DO NOT RESULT IN A PERMANENT DESTRUCTION OF ANY ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES OR CULTURAL INFORMATION.

L.

REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND ENCOURAGE MATERIAL RECYCLING.

1.

Encourage the maximum feasible insulation in buildings.

2.

Encourage energy efficient heating, lighting and ventilation systems and discourage completely air-conditioned buildings in favor of buildings designed to maximize natural temperature regulating conditions (e.g., buildings with windows that open for ventilation).

3.

Encourage an increased degree of energy self-sufficiency through such means as solar heating, particularly for swimming pools.

4.

Establish and publicize a local recycling program for solid waste material.

5.

Support statewide use of returnable beverage containers.

M.

PROMOTE THE PRUDENT USE OF WATER RESOURCES BY ENCOURAGING NATURAL LANDSCAPING THAT REQUIRES LITTLE WATERING.

1.

Encourage conservation measures and water recycling programs that eliminate or discourage wasteful uses and urban water runoff.

2.

Maximize a development's pervious landscaping footprint by reducing lawn areas, promoting turf that requires low irrigation, and taking advantage of permeable material areas (i.e. mulch, gravel, porous pavers).

3.

Strategically plant and increase use of deciduous shade trees, evergreen trees, and drought tolerant native vegetation, as appropriate.

4.

Implement water conservation measures in buildings and landscaping site design.

N.

SUPPORT GASOLINE CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES SUCH AS CAR-POOLING AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

O.

MINIMIZE THE LOSS OF LIFE AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY FROM SEISMIC AND GEOLOGICAL OCCURRENCES.

1.

Develop a well-coordinated disaster plan, which includes preparation for earthquakes, Tsunamis and storm waves.

2.

Supplement and update geologic information available to the City.

P.

INSURES PUBLIC SAFETY WITHIN THE SAN DIEGUITO RIVER FLOOD PLAIN.

1.

Prohibit structures in the floodway.

2.

Locate proposed development so as to eliminate the need for protective construction such as seawalls, retaining walls, or flood control devices.

3.

Discourage landfill, land removal, and structures within the flood plain that would limit water-holding capacity or impede water movement so as to adversely affect other property.

4.

Development in the flood-fringe shall sustain periodic flooding without creating public burdens by aggravating the flood problem or impeding flood storage capacity.

5.

The water quality protection measures set forth throughout this Community (General) Plan are based on the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA), the Porter-Cologne Water Quality control Act (Division 7 of the Water code, commending with Section 13000), applicable state and federal regulations, all applicable provisions of statewide Water Quality Control Plans and Policies adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin adopted by the Regional Board, the California Toxics Rule, and the California Toxics Rule Implementation Plan.