Torrey Crest
After years of planning, the Torrey Crest development in Encinitas has been approved and will consist of 30 single family homes with 3 being deed restricted affordable homes. The site is located on the north side of Melba Road between Balour and locally admired Crest Drive. Future homeowners in the Torrey Crest neighborhood will be within the boundaries of highly acclaimed San Dieguito Union High School District and Encinitas Union Elementary School District, featuring convenient walkable access to Ocean Knoll Elementary, Oak Crest Middle School, and San Dieguito Academy- all within one mile of the development site. The site also features convenient access to the many shops and amenities on El Camino Real and is just minutes from the pristine coastline and bustling downtowns of Encinitas and Cardiff-by-the-Sea.
Below is the tentative map for the Torrey Crest development:
Torrey Crest will feature 8 different floor plans for prospective Buyers to choose from, but 2 of the plans will be exclusive to the 3 affordable homes. The 27 market rate homes range from 2,467 square feet to 4,193 square feet. The smallest homes will feature 3 Bedrooms and 3 bathrooms while the largest plans will have 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. For those that enjoy single level living, there will be 5 one-story residences to choose from. All plans feature at least a 2 car garage and the larger homes include second-story lofts and home offices on the entry level. The market rate homesites range from 6,224 square feet to 11,013 square feet, with the largest lots exceeding ¼ acre. Lot dimensions vary greatly from more narrow lots with greater depth (as little as 52 feet wide) to lots with more evenly distributed dimensions (as wide as 87 linear feet). Consequently, the new home designs were finely tailored to accommodate the varying degree of street frontage. The homes at Torrey Crest will be influenced by Modern, California Coastal, and Farmhouse architectural styles, which is reflective of current consumer trends and similar to the styling of the nearby Cove development by Toll Brothers off La Costa Boulevard in Encinitas.
To review the specific floor plans that will be offered, please email grobertson@classrealtygroup.com.
For those interested in past public comments regarding the Torrey Crest development, below is a summary:
After years of back and forth with community members and municipal staff, it finally appears that the Torrey Crest residential development of 30 detached single family homes located off Melba Road in Encinitas will be moving forward. The developer, Torrey Pacific Corporation, had accumulated the 7 lots of the proposed new home development prior to submitting its first development plans to the city in 2021. The total new construction project spans over 6 acres and includes the demolition of 3 residential structures currently onsite. The R-3 base zoning allows for 20 single family homes on the development site but California’s Density Bonus law permitted waivers of local development standards and an additional 10 homes to be included in the plan so long as 3 of the homes were designated to be deed restricted affordable homes. As with most infill projects with state mandated density bonuses in Encinitas, the proposed new construction faced opposition from neighbors but ultimately received approval from the Encinitas Planning Department (subject to conditions), Planning Commission and City Council. The main opposing force, Melba Alliance for a Safe and Healthy Environment “MASHE”, lost their appeal to the city council on November 13th, 2024 during an over 5 hour meeting where all four present members of the Encinitas City Council voted to deny the appeal.
Most public comments were in opposition to the development while others welcomed more housing supply in a city that is increasingly becoming unaffordable for most aspiring homeowners and residents. Some of the main concerns addressed were regarding contaminated soil on the project site, storm drainage, tree preservation, wildlife preservation, use of Island View Lane, historical significance of the property, development standard waivers, and design critiques. The rebuttal from the developer and city staff indicated that the testing and mitigation plans for the contaminated soil were sufficient & appropriate. The approved mitigation plan involves removal of 20% of the contaminated soil (200 yards) offsite while burying the remaining 80% onsite. The contamination was concentrated on the northern section of the property where greenhouses were located over the past few decades. As it relates to wildlife, the city staff asserted that all reports provided by the developer and opposition do not contain any species that are considered sensitive or endangered by the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife. Critics of the tree replacement plan lament losing many large mature trees and the open space but the developer’s arborist defended the 1-to-1 replacement plan with younger, non-invasive trees planted from 15 gallon pots. In response to a complaint about parking spaces, the city representative asserted that the project exceeded required standards. City approved building standard waivers for the project included: reduced lot sizes, side yard setbacks, lot coverage, and maximum height.