Citizen Planners Vote Against ‘Complete Communities’ Policy Being Applied to Ocean Beach

One Planner Says — ‘OB Is Already a Complete Community’ in Discussion on Historic District

By Lawrynce Cecio

On November 4th at 6 p.m., the Ocean Beach planning committee began with one agenda item looming larger than the rest: the board’s recommendation on whether or not Complete Communities would be permitted in the Emerging Cottage Historic District.

The meeting opened first to public comment from community members in attendance. During this phase, comments were exclusively in favor of either ensuring proper surveys are conducted before any further action is taken or preserving Ocean Beach as a historical district in its entirety.

Cody Machado of the Ocean Beach Community Foundation, for instance, spoke in favor of petitioning for a complete and detailed study to determine the number of historical cottages and their locations, especially before any further action is taken.

One point raised during this portion was that preserving these properties can be costly, a financial burden that would ultimately fall on the homeowner if no other solution or funding method is found. Before the conclusion of the public comment period, there was also a push to establish a protective border for the entire area, rather than designating only specific buildings as historically significant. This approach would preserve many buildings for their future historical value.

Once the meeting progressed to the board discussion, each member spoke to their perspective on the matter. Virginia Wilson opened by stating that “Ocean Beach is already a Complete Community” that should be preserved as it is.

Tracy Denenzo emphasized the need to find funding to preserve these buildings; otherwise, she warned, they “will become eyesores.”

Stephanie Villamizar, who has worked in historical preservation for years and currently lives in a historic Ocean Beach bungalow, stated that while it does cost more money, preserving and restoring these buildings to their original footprint is not impossible. She noted that there are contractors in the area who will take on such projects and suggested homeowners get a “Historical Report” done on their building, which would definitively determine whether a particular structure is “Historic” or merely “Old.”

The lone, more vocal member speaking in opposition to any preservation, and in support of adding Complete Communities, was board member Tyler Martin. His opposition was unsurprising, considering his background as a real estate developer who could personally profit from expanded development in Ocean Beach.

Andrea Schlageter spoke last, focusing less on preserving specific buildings and more on why it makes little sense to build Complete Communities in the suggested locations. She pointed out that the “only area that could be correctly designated for such communities would be west of Sunset Cliffs,” which would place these communities closer to the water and at odds with rising sea levels.

The concept of moving large numbers of low-income people into an environmentally unstable area seemed counterintuitive to Schlageter. She concluded by making a motion to oppose Complete Communities being applied to Ocean Beach developments, citing existing language protecting the area’s historical significance, fears of rising sea levels and climate change, and the knowledge that many historic bungalows have not yet been properly designated or surveyed.

After some discussion, the motion ultimately passed with a vote of 10 to 1, with Tyler Martin casting the sole opposing vote.

The board will therefore recommend preserving Ocean Beach and keeping Complete Communities out of the area. The city’s Planning Commission will now take up the issue. Their hearing is scheduled for Thursday (11/6) at 9 a.m located at 7650 Mission Valley Rd. in Mission Valley (NOT downtown). It will be at the Development Services Department Edric Doringo Hearing Room “The Edric”, San Diego, California 92108. The issue then goes to a city council committee on Dec. 11 and then to the City Council later in either January or February of 2026.