PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE:
May 18, 2026
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION PC 26-5201 FOR THE NORTH CITY WEST TENTATIVE SUBDIVISION MAP (TSM24-0004) TO CREATE THREE LOTS ON A 19.83 ACRE SITE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF 202 MULTI-FAMILY CONDOMINIUMS AND RESOLUTION PC 26-5197 RECOMMENDING TO CITY COUNCIL THE ASSOCIATED SUMMARY VACATION AND ABANDONMENT OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY, ALL LOCATED NORTH OF DISCOVERY STREET, WEST OF TWIN OAKS VALLEY ROAD, SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 78 WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT SPECIFIC PLAN AREA
LOCATION/APN:
NORTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF TWIN OAKS VALLEY ROAD AND THE FUTURE NORTH CITY DRIVE / ASSESSOR’S PARCEL NUMBERS: 220-181-40; 220-190-52; 221-080-05; 221-080-06; 221-100-02; 221-100-03; 221-100-04; 221-100-10; 221-100-35; 221-100-40; 221-100-62; 221-100-64; 221-100-65; 221-100-66; 221-100-69; 221-100-70; 221-100-72; 221-100-73; 221-100-74; 221-100-56.
CASE NUMBER:
TENTATIVE SUBDIVISION MAP TSM24-0004; RIGHT-OF-WAY VACATION VAC26-0002
Body
Recommendation
Recommendation:
1. APPROVE Resolution PC 26-5201 for the North City West Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM24-0004) to create three lots on a 19.83-acre site to allow the creation of 202 multi-family condominiums located north of Discovery Street, west of Twin Oaks Valley Road, south of Highway 78, and within the University District Specific Plan area; and
2. APPROVE Resolution PC 26-5197 to recommend approval to City Council the Summary Vacation (VAC26-0002) and abandonment of public right-of-way for an unnamed road within the boundary of Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM24-0004).
Body
Background/Introduction
The University District Specific Plan (UDSP) was approved by the City Council in November 2009 for an approximately 203-acre urban mixed-use center within the core of San Marcos. The Specific Plan area is comprised of a mixture of residential uses including town homes, multi-family condominiums, apartments, and student housing, as well as various commercial and office uses, park land, and civic/institutional uses.
Since its adoption in 2009, the University District Specific Plan (UDSP) has been amended multiple times to reflect evolving planning objectives. Formal amendments were approved in 2014 to modify land use locations, grading, and street configurations, and in 2022 to provide additional design flexibility, increase allowable building heights, revise mobility requirements, adjust overall Specific Plan density, modify permitted land uses, and expand the Plan boundary to include two additional parcels. Administrative amendments approved between 2014 and 2025 addressed alcohol sales regulations, building height and street standards, open space and pedestrian circulation elements, signage and wayfinding, planning area and property line adjustments, and street type and design modifications. Recently a Specific Plan amendment was approved by City Council in November of 2025 to create a self-storage overlay zone, to permit updates to the Transportation Demand Management plan, enable revisions to the public art section, expand the Specific Plan boundary area to include the Hampton Inn hotel site, and remove the site from the Heart of the City Specific Plan.
On January 17, 2019, North City Community Partners, LLC (Shea Homes) submitted an application for a Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM19-0002) for a portion of the UDSP located west of Twin Oaks Valley Road and north of Discovery Street, referred to as North City West. The approved map authorized development of up to 480 multi-family condominium units within this portion of North City West; however, only 425 units are being constructed due to the San Marcos School District’s acquisition of Lot 7, which removed 55 units from the original total.
The proposed Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM24-0004) would create approximately three additional lots and associated condominium units along the eastern boundary and facilitate the development of the remaining North City West area. The project would allow for the construction of up to 202 additional multi-family units, resulting in a total allowable buildout of 627 multi-family units, consistent with the UDSP.
Discussion
Project Description
The applicant requests approval of a Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM) to subdivide a gross area of 19.83 acres into 3 Lots with six remainder parcels to enable the construction of 202 multi-family condominium units through a separate Site Development Plan (SDP). TSM24-0004 will create the three new parcels and enable 202 multi-family residential condominiums, completion of the public right-of-way for North City Drive, and unnamed Street “A”.
The proposed development would create a maximum of 202 multi-family condominium units, storm water quality retention basins, landscaped parkways, public streets, private drive aisles, and supporting infrastructure. Water and sewer utilities will be provided by Vallecitos Water District via connections from Discovery Street through future unnamed Street A, North City Drive, and Twin Oaks Valley Road
Grading on-site will include a total of 145,000 cubic yards of cut and fill. A significant portion of North City West is currently being rough graded under a mass grading permit (GP19-00008) consistent with the approved UDSP. Due to the existing topography of the site, several retaining walls are proposed, which range from 2’ to 23’ high.
The lots created by TSM24-0004 will front along North City Drive, Twin Oaks Valley Road, and Street A. North City Drive will serve as the primary public access, providing internal circulation to the three proposed lots as well as to the areas previously established under Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM19-0002).
Site Development Plans
The future development of the lots within TSM24-0004 will be subject to a Site Development Plan (SDP). The SDP will provide for review of the architecture of the proposed homes and the internal site layout for consistency with the design elements of the UDSP, similar to the previous SDP21-0004 that permitted the construction of the units within TSM19-0002. As required by the UDSP, approval of the SDP is under the purview of the City Engineer and Planning Division Director.
Street Vacation:
Resolution PC 26-5197 is for consideration by Planning Commission to recommend to City Council a Summary Vacation (VAC26-0002) for the abandonment of a public right-of-way associated with an unnamed road located within the boundaries of TSM24-0004. The approximately .28 acre right-of-way was originally dedicated in fee for public street purposes by Map No. 806, recorded December 21, 1895 in the Office of the San Diego County Recorder. In accordance with California Streets and Highways Code (CSHC) Section 8313 and Government Code Section 65402, the local planning agency is required to consider the proposed vacation action and to report on the conformity with the adopted General Plan. Staff reviewed the limits of the proposed right-of-way summary vacation, the existing and proposed road and utility infrastructure, and the General Plan. Staff concluded that a public road is not needed for the portion of the unnamed road to be summarily vacated. Staff determined that the proposed vacation is consistent with the City’s General Plan and the University District Specific Plan. In addition, the proposed action has been evaluated in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act and is covered under a previously certified Environmental Impact Report, and therefore no additional environmental review is required. Following Planning Commission action, the proposed vacation and abandonment of excess right-of-way can be considered by the City Council.
Environmental Review
The Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM24-0004) is within the scope of the certified Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) (SCH No. 2008101083), which is in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15162. CEQA Section 15162(a) allows a lead agency to utilize the existing and adopted/certified EIR when no substantial changes are proposed in the project that require a major revision to the previous EIR or when a substantial increase in the severity of the previously identified significant effects are not found. As such, staff has analyzed the proposed Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM) and found this project meets the intent of the certified FEIR, and it will not result in substantial changes in the original project, will not involve substantial changes to the circumstances for which the project was originally undertaken, and no major changes to the intent for original development or new information of substantial importance not known at the time of the initial CEQA review have been identified. Therefore, the City, serving as the lead agency, has determined that the proposed Tentative Subdivision Map can rely on the certified FEIR (SCH No. 2008101083) for the project without modification.
The vacation and abandonment of public right-of-way easement is within the scope of the certified Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) (SCH No. 2008101083), which is in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15162. Further, the proposed vacation and abandonment is deemed Categorically Exempt pursuant to Section 15305 Class 5 (Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations), in that this is a minor realignment of right-of-way.
Fiscal Impact
The proposed Tentative Subdivision Map will not result in a fiscal impact. Any fiscal impacts associated with future development of the condominium units will be evaluated at the time of Site Development Plan review.
Public Comment
No public comments were received during the processing of the Tentative Subdivision Map.
Attachments
Adopting Resolutions:
1. RESOLUTION PC 26-5201 (TSM24-0004) - A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS APPROVING THE NORTH CITY WEST TENTATIVE SUBDIVISION MAP (TSM24-0004) TO CREATE THREE LOTS ON A 19.83 ACRE SITE TO ALLOW THE CREATION OF 202 MULTI-FAMILY CONDOMINIUMS LOCATED NORTH OF DISCOVERY STREET, WEST OF TWIN OAKS VALLEY ROAD, SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 78, AND WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT SPECIFIC PLAN AREA
2. RESOLUTION PC 26-5197 (VAC26-0002) INCLUDING EXHIBITS A AND B - A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS FOR RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE SUMMARY VACATION AND ABANDONMENT OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR AN UNNAMED ROAD WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF TENTATIVE SUBDIVISION MAP TSM24-0004 FOR NORTH CITY WEST PROJECT
A. Vicinity Map
B. Requested Entitlement
C. Project Lot Area Characteristics/Data table
D. Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM24-0004)
Prepared by: Scott Nightingale, Principal Planner
Reviewed by: Stephanie Kellar, Deputy City Engineer
Submitted by: Joseph Farace, Planning Division Director