Preservation First. Redevelopment Before Destruction.
Save Encinitas & Cardiff-by-the-Sea's Remaining Open Spaces — Before They're Gone Forever.

I was born (well, almost, moved here at 3 months old) and raised in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Encinitas isn't simply where I live. It's my childhood, my memories, my roots, and the place I love deeply enough to fight for.

I've watched our beautiful coastal community change over the decades. The open fields, natural landscapes, wildlife habitats, and small-town charm that made this place so special are slowly disappearing. And with every new development that replaces untouched land, we lose something that can never truly be restored.

I'm starting this petition because I refuse to believe that progress must come at the expense of the natural beauty that defines our community.

This isn't about being a Democrat or a Republican. It isn't about which candidate you voted for or where you stand politically.

It's about something we all share: our love for Encinitas.

Whether you were born here, have lived here for 40 years, or recently made this beautiful community your home, we all have a responsibility to protect what makes it special.

Our Community Deserves a Voice Before Our Open Spaces Disappear

The 2026 local elections have brought renewed attention to the influence of development interests in Encinitas politics. Political action committees have spent money attempting to shape the outcome of local races, raising important questions about whose interests will be represented when decisions about our remaining land are made.

For those of us who grew up here or have called Encinitas home for decades, the concern is deeply personal.

We have watched open land disappear, familiar landscapes change, and development pressure reshape the character of our neighborhoods.

And too often, residents feel they have little meaningful opportunity to intervene before another piece of natural land is permanently transformed.

California needs more housing, including genuinely affordable housing. We recognize that. But addressing our housing needs should not mean automatically sacrificing our remaining natural spaces.

We are not against housing. We are not against responsible growth. We are against destroying nature when opportunities exist to redevelop land we've already built upon.

Why aren't we doing more to revitalize aging commercial centers, vacant buildings, underutilized shopping centers, and existing developed properties?

Why should untouched natural land be the next target when we could be improving what already exists?

And why don't residents have a fair opportunity to organize, raise funds, and purchase environmentally valuable land for preservation before it disappears into another development project?

We need a better plan. And we need it before it's too late.

What We're Asking the Encinitas City Council to Do
We call on the City Council to establish an Open Space Preservation and Smart Redevelopment Initiative, with six clear priorities:

1. Protect Our Remaining Undeveloped Land

Explore stronger, legally enforceable protections that limit new development on qualifying natural open spaces, wildlife corridors, environmentally sensitive parcels, and agricultural land.

Our remaining natural landscapes should be treated as irreplaceable community assets, not simply vacant land waiting to be developed.

2. Make Redevelopment the First Choice

Prioritize new housing and commercial growth on land that has already been developed.

Encourage the revitalization of aging buildings, vacant commercial properties, underutilized shopping centers, and existing parking lots before allowing additional natural land to be consumed.

Create incentives and streamlined processes that make responsible redevelopment more attractive, while remaining consistent with state housing requirements.

3. Require Public Transparency When Undeveloped Land Goes Up for Sale

Create a publicly accessible registry of environmentally significant undeveloped properties and explore legally permissible public notification requirements when qualifying land becomes available for purchase.

Residents should have the opportunity to learn about potential preservation opportunities before it's too late.

4. Give Residents the Opportunity to Save Land

Explore legislation establishing a community purchase-opportunity period, potentially 90 days, for qualifying undeveloped properties.

This would give local residents, conservation organizations, land trusts, and private donors time to organize competitive, fair-market-value offers before land is sold for development.

Property owners' rights must be respected, but preservation deserves a fair opportunity.

5. Create an Encinitas Open Space Preservation Fund

Establish a dedicated fund supported by voluntary community donations, philanthropic contributions, conservation partnerships, grants, and other legally available funding sources.

Imagine what we could accomplish if residents who love this community had a transparent, organized way to collectively purchase and permanently preserve its remaining open spaces.

6. Demand Accountability and Transparency in Development Decisions

Require clear public reporting on the environmental impacts of proposed developments, the availability of redevelopment alternatives, and the actual number of affordable housing units being delivered.

Residents deserve to understand what our community gains—and what we permanently lose—with every major land-use decision.

This Is Bigger Than Politics. This Is About Our Home.
There are very few things that unite people across political parties, generations, and backgrounds quite like the love they have for the place they call home.

We may disagree about taxes, elections, housing policies, or who should sit on City Council.

But surely we can agree that our children deserve to experience the natural beauty that made us fall in love with Encinitas in the first place.

They deserve open skies, wildlife, natural landscapes, and a community that hasn't been entirely replaced by concrete.

They deserve to know what makes Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Leucadia, Olivenhain, and Encinitas different from every other developed coastal city.

And they deserve leaders who understand that responsible growth includes knowing what is worth protecting.

This is not a petition against people who move here. It's a petition for the place we all love.

It's not about stopping change. It's about making thoughtful choices before irreversible changes are made.

It's about recognizing that land can have value far beyond what a developer is willing to pay for it.

And it's about ensuring that the people who live here have a meaningful voice in the future of their community.

Our Request to City Council
We respectfully ask the Encinitas City Council to:

1. Place the proposed Open Space Preservation and Smart Redevelopment Initiative on a public meeting agenda.
2. Direct city staff to evaluate stronger conservation protections, redevelopment-first planning policies, and legally permissible community purchase opportunities.
3. Establish a working group that includes residents, conservation organizations, landowners, and planning experts.
4. Develop a concrete, publicly accessible action plan for protecting priority open spaces, including potential funding sources and implementation timelines.
5. We are asking for action, not another conversation that ends without results.

Please Sign to Protect the Encinitas We Love
I think about the Encinitas I grew up in, and I want future generations to experience that same connection to nature, community, and the beautiful coastline we are so fortunate to call home.

I want my children, and someday their children, to know that we didn't simply stand by while our remaining natural spaces disappeared.

That we cared enough to speak up.

That we came together, regardless of political affiliation, to protect something bigger than ourselves.

Once our natural open spaces are gone, they're gone forever.

We cannot turn back the clock, but we can decide what happens next.

If you love Encinitas, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Leucadia, or Olivenhain—whether you've lived here your entire life or just arrived—please add your name.

Sign this petition. Share it with your neighbors. Help us give preservation a voice.

Because some things are worth more than another development.

PRESERVATION FIRST. REDEVELOPMENT BEFORE DESTRUCTION.

 

Our Goal: 1,000 Signatures Before December 9!
On December 9, 2026, at 6 p.m., the Encinitas City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on proposed zoning code amendments. The city has also been working on updates to its Resource Management Element, which addresses important issues related to natural resources and open-space preservation.

This is a critical opportunity to make our voices heard about the future of Encinitas. While our preservation proposal is not currently a confirmed agenda item, we want City Council to understand that protecting our remaining natural spaces must be a priority.

Our goal is to collect at least 1,000 signatures by December 8, so we can present a united message to City Council before the meeting.

Why 1,000? Because we want to demonstrate that preserving Encinitas isn't the concern of just a handful of residents. It's a community-wide priority that deserves serious consideration and action.

We are asking City Council to explore stronger protections for undeveloped land, prioritize redevelopment over destruction of natural habitats, and create opportunities for residents to purchase and preserve open spaces.

Whether you're a Democrat, Republican, or independent, our love for Encinitas is something we can share.

Please sign, share with your neighbors, and help us reach 1,000 signatures before December 9.

Preservation First. Redevelopment Before Destruction.