Tier 3 · Human approved · Updated Aug 25, 2026

The Escondido City Council voted to let a developer formally ask the city to change its long-range land use plan so that 125 multi-family units could be built on a property now designated Estate I (E1). The council adopted Resolution No. 2026-101, which authorizes city staff to take in and process a General Plan Amendment application submitted on behalf of Hill Valley, LLC to amend the adopted 2012 General Plan. Council Member White made the motion and Council Member Fitzgerald seconded it, and it was approved 5-0.

The vote does not itself approve the housing or change the plan. What it approves is the first step: staff are now allowed to accept the application and work through it. The change being sought is an amendment to the adopted 2012 General Plan, the document that sets the land use designation for the site, which is currently Estate I (E1).

Esteban Danna, Principal Planner, presented the item to the council. Two members of the public spoke, and both spoke against it: Laura Hunter expressed opposition, and Truth Tonix expressed opposition.

Residents who want to follow the application can look for File Number 0830-20 in the city's records. The record of this item does not say where the site is, what Estate I (E1) means or allows, what the project would cost, or what steps the application goes through next.