Solana Beach finalizes election process

Solana Beach’s City Council last week took the last step needed to finalize the result of its May 7 mail-in ballot special election.

Council members voted 5-0 Wednesday, June 12, to adopt a resolution declaring the defeat of Measure B, with 1,727 voters — 51.52 percent — casting “no” ballots, and 1,625 — 48.48 percent — in favor.

Measure B asked voters if they would change the city’s general plan to allow a senior-care apartment complex offering up to 99 beds on a 2.9-acre vacant lot at 959 Genevieve Street. The site is directly east of Interstate 15 and west of Marine View Avenue.

The issue was put on the ballot because of a proposition passed by the city’s voters 20 years ago that requires general plan changes resulting in increased land-use intensity to be put before the city’s voters.

RhodesMoore, the development firm that proposed the change and project, paid for the special election, which was conducted by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters on behalf of the city. While the bill is still pending, the election was expected to cost from $85,000 to $125,000.

The county registrar certified the election result May 22.

A number of residents living in the neighborhood along Marine View participated in a grassroots campaign to defeat Measure B.

One resident appeared before the council on June 12 and expressed disappointment that the city allowed the project to go to an election and didn’t actively oppose it.

Mayor David Zito said, however, that Prop. T required the issue to go before the voters, and that the council ultimately would have been responsible for deciding whether the development would be allowed. Therefore, council members could not take a public stance on the project.

“This project was treated no differently than other project that comes before the city,” Zito said.

Councilwoman Kelly Harless said she was pleased to see the community’s activism in the election.

“This to me is yet another good example of community involvement and how involved community members can make a difference,” Harless said.

“Our process works,” she concluded.