CORONADO, Calif. — The Coronado City Council unanimously approved a draft housing plan that will now be sent to the state.
The council hopes the plan puts Coronado in accordance with state law and increase the city's number of lower income housing units. The plan would open the door for more than 1,000 new housing units to be constructed in Coronado with about half as lower income housing.
"I know that many of our teachers, police officers and navy community cannot afford to live here where they work," Coronado resident Rebecca King.
The new plan looks to boost lower income housing. It doesn't require the units to be built, but changes zoning to allow for this type of construction. The plan includes adding more accessory dwelling units and adding kitchens to carriage housing.
The city has identified 10 sites around Coronado where new housing might be built but many residents are pushing back.
"Where do we draw the line, do we fight now or fight later. I vote on fighting now," said a Coronado resident.
The city says more than 100 units could go where the Smart and Final Store is located on B Avenue. More than 300 units of military housing could be built on a large bayfront property. A site owned by the Coronado Unified School District, known as site 9, allows for an additional 100 units.
"You go past Alameda and it's a special little world there. What you've proposed with site 9 would nuke that," said resident Debra Brown.
Other residents worried adding more housing would have negative impacts to traffic on Coronado.
Tuesday's vote comes after the state sent a letter to Coronado city leaders last December. It said the city is out of compliance with the state’s affordable housing requirements. If Coronado didn’t do something soon, the state threatened to fine the city between $10,000 and $100,000 per month for persistent noncompliance. If Coronado remained noncompliant, a court could then multiply those penalties.
After hearing from more than a dozen residents, the city council voted unanimously to send the draft plan to the state. They're hopeful to get approval in the spring which would put Coronado in compliance with state law.
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