Good news for utility undergrounding: Lower-than-expected SDG&E costs

A cheaper-than-expected SDG&E cost estimate has triggered a new round of calculations for Del Mar’s Utility Undergrounding Program, which has faced financial challenges tied directly to SDG&E costs.

Last year, the utility had estimated its share of costs for the Stratford Court South undergrounding district would total $3.6 million. On April 21, staff reported to the City Council that a revised SDG&E estimate places the utility’s costs at $1.6 million. That’s a $2 million or 55% reduction.

The Undergrounding Program seeks to remove utility poles and overhead cables throughout Del Mar. 

Based on current data, total costs range from $91 million to $93 million in today’s dollars, down from a November 2024 estimate of $105 million.

According to SDG&E, lower-than-anticipated labor costs and a reduced scope of work are responsible for the price reductions.

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City releases ADU survey

Are you interested in building an accessory dwelling unit on your property? If so, what would it take for you to agree to rent that ADU to low-income tenants?

Those are the key questions in a brief survey published this week by the City of Del Mar.

As part of its State-certified Housing Element, Del Mar has set a goal of creating 15 ADUs for low-income households by April 2029. The survey is designed to help the City meet that goal.

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Open Accessory Dwelling Units webpage

Council accepts Coastal Commission revisions

As Del Mar moves toward opening commercial and public facility zones for housing development, the City Council voted April 21 to accept revisions stipulated by the California Coastal Commission.

The revisions apply to an earlier ordinance, adopted in April 2024, to amend the Del Mar Community Plan, Zoning Code, and Local Coastal Program to allow for up to 20 dwelling units per acre in the Central Commercial and Public Facilities zones.

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Council receives public safety presentations

In presentations to the City Council April 21, Sheriff's Captain Shane Watts and Fire Department Chief Josh Gordon shared data and spoke to their priorities.

Crime numbers dropped heavily for the first quarter of 2025 when compared with the same period in 2024.

For the first three months of 2025, crimes against persons have dropped by 50% and crimes against property dropped 63%, Sheriff’s Capt. Shane Watts told the council.

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Fire chief presents data

In 2024, the Del Mar Fire Department was assigned to 1,860 incidents, with 911 of them within Del Mar and the balance in neighboring jurisdictions, Fire Chief Josh Gordon told the City Council April 21.

In a presentation of 2024 statistics, Gordon also covered: Response times, which averaged just over 9 minutes; mutual aid, with Solana Beach giving and receiving more than any other neighbor; transportation, with Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla being the most frequent destination, and incident types, with medical aids being the most common.   

During the first quarter of 2025, the Fire Department responded to 283 incidents, including 155 medical aids, eight structure fires and three vehicle fires.

Saturday: Rx Take Back Day

Collections of unused prescription drugs begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 26, at locations across the county.

The DEA coordinates the annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to counter medication misuse and opioid addiction.

For Del Mar residents, the closest take back location is the San Diego Police Department station at 12592 El Camino Real, San Diego.

Other locations can be found online.

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Crime blotter: April 10-17

Cases: 0

Source: San Diego County Sheriff's Department

May 20: Community meeting to cover wildfire preparedness

A community meeting to cover wildfire preparedness and review Cal Fire’s updated “Fire Hazard Severity Zone” maps is set for 5:30 p.m. May 20 at the Del Mar Civic Center.

Residents can gather information on general fire preparedness and ask questions about the new maps.

Released March 24 by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the maps display hazard levels—moderate, high and very high—based on the likelihood of a fire reaching an area and the fire’s potential intensity.

Open Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps webpage

May 15: Bike Anywhere Day

May is National Bike Month, which the City of Del Mar is recognizing with a Bike Anywhere Day pit stop from 7 to 10 a.m. May 15 at L'Auberge Del Mar, 1540 Camino Del Mar.

Bike Anywhere Day (formerly Bike to Work Day) is designed to get commuters excited to ride to work, school, the gym or anywhere else.

The pit stop tent at L'Auberge Del Mar will be well stocked with bottled water, snacks, coffee and chilled towels. 

The stop is one of more than 100 along nearly 1,800 miles of bikeways from Oceanside to El Cajon to Tijuana. Complete details can be found online.

Bike Month webpage

Bike Anywhere Day webpage

Trash Talk: Did you know that...

...foam packaging goes in the gray trash cart?

Learn more about the City's sustainability programs at Go Green Del Mar. 

Go Green Del Mar webpage

Welcome, Camino Books!

Camino Books is open for business at the Del Mar Plaza after a welcoming ceremony hosted by DMVA and attended by City officials.

"We've been slinging books for 45 years!" the store's website says. "We are known for our passion for reading, our selection of books, our personable reader-oriented booksellers, our expertise, and our casual professionalism."

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52-Week Challenge No. 41

Project Clean Water challenges residents to adjust their sprinklers.

Open notice

Measure Q Citizen Advisory Committee (1 voting, Del Mar resident or business representative.) Closes 4:30 p.m. May 2.

Committees, Vacancies and Volunteer Requirements