• New bridges at Bent Avenue and Via Vera Cruz
• Widened roadway on Discovery Street and Via Vera Cruz
• 1.5 miles of restored habitat
• Park and 1.2-mile trail
• Currently under construction
• Construction end: summer 2024, pending any weather delays

• 40 acres of private development, with nearly three acres of private park and open space
• Up to 220 single-family homes
• Builds extension of Discovery Street per public/private partnership between developer and City of San Marcos
• Requires removal of pavers and landscaping on Twin Oaks Valley Road, Barham Drive and future Discovery Street
• Includes intersection improvements on Rush Driveand Twin Oaks Valley Road
• Currently under construction
• Approved under the Discovery Village South Specific Plan (adopted March 2018)

• 14 acres of private development for general and medical office space and multifamily housing
• 33 acres for open space, trails, parks and potential future school site
• Currently being mass graded
• Construction start: TBD
• Approved under the University District Specific Plan (adopted November 2009)

• 428,500-square-foot new hospital
• Adjacent to existing medical offices
• 206 hospital beds
• Emergency room, labor and delivery and surgical operating rooms
• No trauma center or helicopter pad
• Mature landscaping and walking paths
• Preliminary site work: TBD Late Fall 2020
• Construction completed in 2023

• Existing development underway

• Future private development of:

  • New Student housing building: Completion anticipated in Fall 2022
  • Urban Village: Multi-family housing, commercial, office and retail space (Construction start: TBD)
  • Approved under the University District Specific Plan (adopted November 2009)

• More than 70 acres of private development with townhomes and single-family residences
• Currently being mass graded
• Construction start: TBD
• Approved under the University District Specific Plan (adopted November 2009)

 

• Improved intersection at W. San Marcos Boulevard and Discovery Street
• San Marcos Boulevard roadway widening
• Construction start: Early 2022

Since the adoption of the 2012 General Plan, the average growth rate in San Marcos has been approximately 1.6 percent per year between 2011 and 2017. This percentage translates into an average of 470 new residential units built in the City per year. This is significantly less than the growth rate per year anticipated under the General Plan’s 20-year buildout horizon, which shows the community of San Marcos reaching full “build out” with an average of 705 residential units built per year.

Over the past decade, San Marcos has grown at a rate comparable to other North County cities including Escondido and Vista. Our current population is just under 100,000, similar to Vista and slightly less than Carlsbad.

Like all cities in California, San Marcos has a General Plan. The General Plan serves as a blueprint for growth and achieving the community’s vision for the future. It determines how much growth is allowed, what type and where, and helps balance a community’s current and future needs for housing, parks, schools, transportation and other important city infrastructure.

To address future needs, all general plans in California must include the appropriate residential growth needed to meet State-mandated housing standards. The housing requirements are based on the City’s fair share housing allocation assigned through the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), as part of the Regional Housing Needs Analysis.

While the City updates the General Plan as needed over time, it is up to private sector developers to implement this plan. The private real estate and development market drives the timing of development and new project applications with the City. Each new proposed development goes through an application process where the project is thoroughly reviewed by City staff to ensure the design and location meets City standards and is consistent with the general and specific plan goals. The projects are also subject to a public input process, and in some cases, environmental review.

Each development project in San Marcos goes through a comprehensive planning and review process, which typically can take several months, years, or even decades (in some cases), to complete.

All projects are approved under the current San Marcos General Plan which serves as the guiding documents for future development. All projects are also reviewed for consistency with the City’s planning policies, which are designed to preserve the small-town atmosphere of San Marcos’ past, while thoughtfully balancing growth for the future.

The General Plan Update project was restarted in the summer of 2021. As our community continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is as important as ever to plan carefully for the future of our City.

For more information go to: San Marcos General Plan Update

California law requires schools to accommodate students in the respective school district. When developers want to build new houses, they must pay impact fees to the school district to offset the impact of new students. When a developer impact fee has been paid, a City cannot withhold approval of a project based on concerns about school capacity.

School districts typically work with cities to monitor annual construction activity in the community to anticipate and forecast demands for additional schools in the future.

School districts can also reference the City’s General Plan to assist with projections for long-term future student demand

The City is required by State law to plan for the construction of higher density housing, typically required to be located near transit, to create opportunities for affordable housing in the community. The State determines how many affordable housing units the City must plan for in the approved Housing Element (which is a chapter of the General Plan).

Based on the parameters in the Housing Element, private affordable housing developers bring forth projects and applications to build this housing, often with funding contributions from the City and other government sources. Developers who build market rate housing also pay into a fund for affordable housing through inclusionary housing fees levied on each market rate unit.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) FAQ  (English) 

Unidad de Vivienda Accesoria (ADU) FAQ (español)  

General Plan: The state of California requires every city and county in California to adopt a General Plan, which is the local government’s long-term blueprint “for the physical development of the city and any land outside its boundaries that bears relation to its planning.” The General Plan represents the community’s view of its future and expresses the long-term growth and development goals. It addresses issues that impact the entire city, such as how land is used, where buildings are built, the locations of roads and parks, safety, noise, and more. The General Plan contains the goals and policies upon which the City Council and Planning Commission will base their future land use decisions. All city plans, zoning, and private development must be consistent with the diagrams and policies in the General Plan.

Specific Plan: A specific plan is a set of standards and policies that are developed for a specific neighborhood within the community.

Zoning: A zoning ordinance is a set of rules that define how property in specific geographic zones can be used. Zoning ordinances detail whether specific geographic zones are acceptable for residential or commercial purposes. Zoning ordinances may also regulate lot size, placement, density, the height of structures and design features.

Zoning ordinances also describe the procedures for how to handle any zoning rule infractions (including any penalties).

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The 1970 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is California's broadest environmental law. The City applies CEQA during issuance of development permits and approval of projects. CEQA applies to all discretionary projects proposed to be conducted or approved by a California public agency, including private projects requiring discretionary government approval.

The purpose of CEQA is to:

• Disclose to the public the significant environmental effects of a proposed discretionary project, through the preparation of an Initial Study (IS), Negative Declaration (ND), or Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
• Prevent or minimize damage to the environment through development of project alternatives, mitigation measures, and mitigation monitoring.
• Disclose to the public the agency decision-making process utilized to approve discretionary projects through findings and statements of overriding consideration.
• Enhance public participation in the environmental review process through scoping meetings, public notice, public review, hearings, and the judicial process.
• Improve interagency coordination through early consultations, scoping meetings, notices of preparation, and State Clearinghouse review.