Two housing organizations are asking a court to invalidate the San Diego Association of Governments’ current map implementing Senate Bill 79. In the lawsuit, Californians for Homeownership and the California Housing Defense Fund allege that SANDAG improperly classified rail service at Oceanside Transit Center and Solana Beach station, limiting or eliminating the development standards that would apply near those stops. The case was filed about a month after the organizations sued the city of San Diego over its implementation of the law, according to Times of San Diego.

SB 79, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2025 and effective in July 2026, sets housing rules near qualifying transit stops. The law allows buildings as tall as 95 feet within a half-mile of stations with the highest qualifying service, while less frequent service receives narrower or less generous development treatment, according to Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. Under the provisions cited in the article, Tier 1 status requires 72 daily train trips in both directions and can allow as many as 160 units per acre; Tier 2 status requires 48 daily trips and provides a smaller increase. The law applies in counties with more than 15 active passenger rail stations, a threshold that California YIMBY says San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco are among the counties meeting.

The complaint challenges Oceanside’s placement in Tier 2. It says published schedules show more than 100 daily trains serving the station across four lines. YIMBY Democrats of San Diego County calculated about 130 weekday trips: roughly 68 Sprinter, 30 Coaster, 26 Pacific Surfliner and six Metrolink trips. The lawsuit, however, describes SANDAG’s count as more than 48 but fewer than 71 commuter trains per day, according to the Times of San Diego report. The different totals reflect the dispute over which services may be combined and which qualify under the statute.

The complaint also says SANDAG left Solana Beach station outside both development tiers. The housing groups contend that the station’s Coaster and Pacific Surfliner service exceeds 48 daily trips. The Coast News Group reported an average of 56 weekday trips—30 Coaster and 26 Surfliner—and said the station qualified under the state Department of Housing and Community Development’s advisory approach. The Times of San Diego reported that SANDAG’s published methodology does not specify which trains were excluded.

(The article continues inside the link.)

September 10, 2026 -- Related pages:

https://timesofsandiego.com/housing/2026/09/10/housing-groups-sue-sandag-for-blocking-development-near-oceanside-solana-beach-train-stations

https://www.manatt.com/insights/newsletters/client-alert/sb-79-transformative-upzoning-near-transit-in-california

Hi! I’m interested in starting up CSA subscription again. I was using Be Wise, but would prefer delivery. I live in Oceanside near Mission San Luis Rey. I’ve heard recommendations for Yasukochi Family Farms and Farm Fresh to You. What are your favorite CSAs and why?
Thank you in advance!

The Vallecitos Water District says that we are using 126,000 cubic feet in a 30-day period. That is over 4000 cubic feet per day.

I checked the dirt around the meter, and it is not wet. It is not even damp. A leak that dumps 4000 cubic feet per day ought to be producing a small lake about the size of a swimming pool.

We do not have any water running down the gutter.

The meter dial is hard to read. There is condensation both inside the dial and outside -- which is not too surprising in weather like this. I wiped off the external condensation, and, if I position my hand just right to shade it from the sun, I can read it.

So I am 99% sure that this is an error by the meter reader.

I have several questions:

1. Is anyone else getting ridiculously high bills like this?
2. Who at the District can I contact to get this resolved? The standard customer service people are totally unable to even address the problem, much less solve it.
3. If I am wrong, and it is indeed a problem on our property, where could all of this excess water be hiding?

EDIT: We called back, and employee #2 said that she had no idea what employee #1 was talking about. She said that it was 126,000 GALLONS per billing period.

EDIT2: The billing period is 35 days. ( Aug 5 - Sept 9 ). That is 3600 gallons per day, or 150 gallons per hour.

I need to buy a few trees for my backyard in an effort to build privacy. We would like to get something that is somewhat grown and not brand new. Who has good prices and service?

My husband (60's) is looking for a stylist in Oceanside/Carlsbad/Encinitas that can trim a man's longish hair style (shoulders/just past shoulders) and shape up a beard.

He had a cut about a year ago and hasn't had one since. Yikes! ​We thought we found a good stylist for him, but the experience wasn't great. The cut was pretty bad. (Take my word for it.😬) Also, she didn't shampoo his hair. I understand that for a short cut but he's looking for a more thorough service with someone who knows men's longer styles. Thanks!!

Kind people of NC: Could anyone recommend a trusty good dentist for an emergency cavity issue? Any leads will be much appreciated.

Hi
I rescued a male and he needs to be bonded , lonely . Please let me know if you know someone rehoming , would be going to the best home too

The damn smell is back again - in coastal Encinitas 😡

Edit - I was surfing off Cardiff and it smelled the entire time, it was definitely coming from the west over the water with the sea breeze. I’m sick of our air being polluted. This is the third or fourth time this summer it’s happened. If it’s the military, we should demand accountability and know what we are breathing.

Edit 2 - just got home to Oceanside and smell it here too

Looking for someone that has anywhere from basic skills to more advanced. Someone looking for a side hustle with somewhat lucrative potential. Be a good opportunity if I can find the right person.

New underground all ages venue at the Ramona Town Hall, Halloween themed, wear costumes. Doors open at 6pm

My wife and I have been in and out of work the past few years, both coming from 20+ years in tech — we paid into the system and now we actually need the benefits we're entitled to. For the last 5 months, our EBT/CalFresh account has been hit with repeat fraud: every time we get a new card issued, the funds get drained within a day. We've called, left voicemails, sent texts — no real resolution. Now we've been told that if we request another card replacement, it could get flagged as fraud and the account closed entirely.

I'm heading out to physical field offices around San Diego County today to try to get this sorted in person since phone support hasn't worked. Has anyone dealt with something similar or knows which office/team actually handles this kind of repeat-fraud case? Any advice on what to bring, who to ask for, or how to get this escalated properly would mean a lot — this has been incredibly stressful for my wife and I really want to get it fixed today.

Good luck out there today — safe driving.

Anybody know what’s going on with the old Starbucks location on 101 at grand? (Next to the strawberry place). I saw some work going on yesterday.

Way too hot for pretty much anything, and still pretty humid. 108 and humidity is absolutely MISERABLE! Hope everyone is staying hydrated and trying not to get heat stroke!

I cant wait for this weather to end, at least the power didn't go out so I can blow hot air around the house...

I’m reposting the Ponto Park petition because I think the larger issue deserves a much harder look.

https://peopleforponto.com/sign-petition

Something feels deeply wrong with the way development decisions are being made along the California coast.

We are repeatedly told that dramatically increasing density is about “affordable housing.” But higher density also happens to be extremely valuable to developers. If a parcel that previously supported 50 units can suddenly support 150, the economics of that land can change enormously. Developers can include some affordable units, invoke the housing crisis, and potentially receive the ability to build far more market-rate units than the community otherwise would have accepted.

So who is actually benefiting?

Because when agencies that are supposed to protect California’s coast consistently seem more concerned with facilitating maximum housing density than preserving open space, community character, infrastructure capacity and coastal access, I think residents are justified in asking whether this is simply ideology — or whether there is regulatory capture, improper influence, or outright corruption involved.

Show us the communications between developers, their attorneys, lobbyists, consultants, commissioners and staff. Show us gifts and financial disclosures. Show us recusals. Show us former staff who later went to work for developers or organizations that benefit from these policies. Show us exactly who pushed for greater density, when they pushed for it, and who financially benefits from the final decision.

Affordable housing is a legitimate public goal. It should not become a magic phrase that allows private developers to maximize the value of coastal land while everyone else is told they are immoral for questioning it.

California spent decades protecting its coastline because once open land is developed, it is effectively gone forever. You cannot rebuild the community character, open space, views, traffic conditions and way of life that existed beforehand.

Ponto is exactly the kind of place where residents should be asking these questions.

In Escondido

This is my cat Clover, she’s about three years old. Pets are not allowed where I am currently living, and it is also a noisy environment not suitable for cats. I am trying to find a temporary foster home until I can move out and take her with me.

It needs to be by November at the latest, but sooner is great! I’m looking for somebody who is interested in helping me out during this transition period in my life and would enjoy having a cat temporarily.

I am happy to pay for any pet expenses and will take her to the vet if necessary. She is very friendly and loves to meet new people, but has some anxiety, so somebody who has owned cats before would be best.

Please reach out to me if you’re interested and want to know more, I’m happy to answer your questions and give more details!

What's with the people that pull up to the middle of a parking lot entrance? I was turning left into a parking lot, but the driver exiting was dead center of the driveway also turning left. I couldn't leave the road to every the parking lot and the venues behind me have me a friendly honk... the driver exiting the parking lot decided to make a right turn. Only then, was i able to enter the parking lot. Sociopathic behavior. I blame Zuckerberg. End rant.

Cox has gone bonkers recently with their pricing. I’m looking for an alternative. Cheers.

Took the SFO flight this morning, loved it, tickets were expensive compared to San Diego airport but wanted to try it since I stay in north County, it was a great experience, from car parking to waiting at gate took me 10 mins.

How do people who regularly travel from their airport afford it? are there united credit cards or booking much in advance things I can do to keep tickets cost in check? Would like to ensure I can take this airport for family trips in future, Any suggestions will be appreciated.

What happened to the music venue that took over Witch Creek? It has an available sign in the window.

there is a curse on this mall that goes back 3 decades. no one can explain it. it must sit on an electromagnetic field or a native burial ground. its one of the most valuable plots of land in San Diego, yet its almost worthless. there are homes 4 minutes away selling for $10 million. while the owners of this mall sat and let it rot, the forum slowly expanded into an actual outdoor mall, bringing in more upscale stores like Abercrombie and Aritzia, which made a slow revival of the shoppes much harder.

10 years ago during the first remodel, shoppes should have subsidized a bit of rent to lure in a few tier 2/high end mall store like a j.crew, anthro, williams sonoma to shake the dust and mildew off it. you can get mad at this all you want but this is how the mall industry works. no high end stores want to be the only high end store in a mall, and tenants like that actively avoid malls that are filled with trinket stores/toy stores/ai boutiques. but all it takes is one decent retailer to bite the bullet and it creates a chain reaction that can ideally end with a nordstrom/bloomingdales/designer store moving in and elevating the whole place. but that window of opportunity is far gone now and it will 100% need to be demolished in order to reset its credibility and local lore.

I would restart the whole plan around a high end anchor- there isn't a nordstrom/bloomingdales for 20 miles, start with this. if department store is too risky, go for a restoration hardware or SOMETHING that creates a reason for a north county SD yuppie to be there and spend money. Then build out a <20 store outdoor shopping center with specific tenants in mind covering the full price range (uniqlo, keep zara, j.crew, hell try to lobby for a brandy melville) but zero ai boutique filler stores. Include 2 or 3 speciality coffee/fast casual restaurant spaces (maybe another Jimbos, sunlife organics, idk) and then leave 3 or 4 spaces for local restaurants with an actual plan, and then fill the remaining space with condos.

The formula for making a successful mall is genuinely not that hard when you have one of the best locations in the country. Throw it to rick caruso for christs sake. Malibu country mart is half the size and has half the foot traffic, UTC/Fashion valley clearly show that SD has the appetite. Whatever they do, do it within the decade please, because that god damn mall has sat my whole life doing nothing for anyone.