Terry Gaasterland was elected to serve on the Del Mar City Council in November 2018, for four years through December 2022, and re-elected in 2022 for four years through December 2026. During Terry’s 20+ years as a Del Mar resident, she has served the community as Chair of the City’s Finance Committee, Chair of the Sea Level Rise Technical Advisory Committee, and Board Member of the Design Review Board (DRB).
As a Council member, Terry’s priorities are to protect the unique and special character of Del Mar, support local control of zoning and development plans, and follow the City’s Community Plan when deciding land use issues. Terry is committed to listening to all sides of an issue before deciding the best course of action for Del Mar, and strives to make fair decisions that put Del Mar residents first.
During her time on Council, Terry has been focused on the specific goals of utility undergrounding, establishing plans for Shores Park, crafting a financial plan for annual beach sand replenishment, and more important than ever – finding feasible ways to fulfill Del Mar’s affordable housing allocation, including pursuing 54 low income units on State land at the Fairgrounds.
As Del Mar’s primary SANDAG Board Member since January 2021, Terry has sought to work with local, state, and federal elected leaders to protect access to Del Mar’s beaches and coastal bluff-top trails with the goal of relocating the railroad tracks off the fragile Del Mar South Bluff by 2035.
Protecting the safety of our community is extremely important to Terry. She will continue to work toward enhanced Sheriff services and improved response times, updating a fire protection plan for Crest Canyon and Del Mar’s hillside neighborhoods, and establishing a safe access trail down to Del Mar beach between 8th St and 7th St. Getting overhead utility wires underground in high wildfire risk zones will make our neighborhoods, parks, and open spaces safer and more scenic – a high priority for Terry.
Terry Gaasterland is a scientist and professor of computational genomics. She has spent her professional life trying to improve the lives of people who need it most by building computer tools to read DNA, understand disease risk, and help people use their genome information for improved personal medicine. In her personal time, Terry enjoys spending time with her family, reading historical fiction and science fiction novels, hiking, biking, running on the beach, and experiencing the countless amenities that the Del Mar community has to offer. Terry is at the Del Mar Farmers’ Market most Saturdays around 1:30pm, so if you have not met her or want to express any of your concerns, please come by and say hello – or send an email with your ideas or concerns to tgaasterland@delmar.ca.us.