FAQ

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  1.        How will Watermark Del Mar relate to the community and its character?

    Watermark Del Mar is designed to be a gateway to Del Mar from the north and will create a welcoming, timeless, coastal-inspired architectural statement that joins and enhances the architectural tradition established in Del Mar. Watermark Del Mar includes building facades and rooflines that provide a variety of architectural elements along Jimmy Durante Boulevard and maintain important vistas along San Dieguito Drive. Brick, cultured stone, architectural siding, a seaside-inspired color palette and coastal architectural elements found throughout Del Mar have been incorporated into the design to provide for compatibility with the broader Del Mar community.

  2.        Is Watermark Del Mar planned to be built as a ‘for sale’ or ‘for rent’?

    Watermark Del Mar is planned to be built to ‘for sale’ standards and will include a condominium map. The 48-home proposal features an average home size of over 1,300 square feet and the 38-home proposal has an average home size of nearly 1,600 square feet. Both alternatives include a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom offerings, and private, secure parking. Watermark Del Mar’s buildings are situated around central landscape-accented courtyards with vined trellis entry points. Each of the homes has been carefully situated to ensure privacy yet ease of access to the central courtyards and walking paths, and offers ample-sized living and bedroom spaces and enhanced views to surrounding landscape areas.

  3.        How will the community benefit from Watermark Del Mar?

    Watermark Del Mar will:

    • Create a beautiful, coastal-inspired gateway to Del Mar.
    • Revitalize a blighted site that is a primary entrance to the community.
    • Support and enhance the residential character of the neighborhood.
    • Increase property tax revenue for the city.
    • Provide an expanded customer base to boost local businesses.
    • Help meet the goals of Del Mar’s adopted Housing Element.
    • Propose a donation of affordable homes to the City of Del Mar.
    • Offer multi-generational housing opportunities.
  4.        Will the public have input in the process?

    Yes. Watermark Del Mar’s proposed Specific Plan process, adopted by the Del Mar City Council (Click here for Adopted Specific Plan Process), includes formal and informal public participation that has provided multiple opportunities for community input. The formal process has included implementation of the Citizens Participation Program, three public workshops, and Planning Commission and Design Review Board interim presentations and review. There will also be public hearings at the Planning Commission, Design Review Board, and City Council. The informal process includes an interactive website, a list-serve (a database of interested parties used for direct notice of meetings, workshops, availability of documents, etc.), meetings with neighbors, interested parties, and community leaders to gather feedback and respond to concerns, as well as an internal Community Advisory Group that includes representatives from a broad range of categories.

  5.        With respect to traffic, how does Watermark Del Mar compare to the approved Riverview Office Complex?

    The 48-home proposal for Watermark Del Mar is expected to generate significantly less traffic than the Riverview Office Complex. Preliminary estimates show a 17% reduction in daily traffic, including a 52% reduction of AM peak traffic and a 35% reduction in PM peak traffic. Additionally, Watermark Del Mar’s pedestrian-friendly design and proximity to the Village and commercial areas encourages alternative modes of transportation. The 38-home Community Response Alternative further reduces traffic impacts. The traffic generated from this alternative is 21% less than the 48-home proposal, and 34% less than the approved Riverview Office Complex.

  6. What kind of parking will Watermark Del Mar have?

    Parking will be accommodated in a secure parking garage that is carefully integrated into the topography of the site. The design will screen vehicles from view, reduce light and noise impacts, and provide secure parking for residents and guests. The 48-home proposal includes 108 parking spaces – two spaces per unit and 12 guest stalls (0.25 guest spaces per unit). The Community Response Alternative proposes a structure with at least 100 spaces – 81 resident spaces (at least 2 spaces per unit) and 19 guest stalls (o.50 guest spaces per unit, twice the required amount). The parking structure will be gated and available only to residents and their guests.

  7. Why does Watermark Del Mar potentially include affordable homes?

    The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) periodically produces a Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) that allocates cities’ housing needs in four “affordable” income categories (Very Low, Low, Moderate, and Above Moderate). State law requires that cities, including Del Mar, provide affordable housing consistent with the RHNA and detail how this will be accomplished in a certified Housing Element. The City of Del Mar Community Plan Housing Element 2013-2021 was adopted by the Del Mar City Council on May 20, 2013 and certified by the State of California on June 6, 2013. Watermark Del Mar is proposing to meet a portion of the city’s obligations for affordable homes as detailed in the Housing Element.

     More information can be found here.

  8. Who would qualify for these affordable homes?

    It has not yet been determined what category of affordability will be attributed to each of the designated homes. However, the income levels associated with Very Low, Low, and Moderate income levels are set yearly for the San Diego region and can be viewed here.

    By way of example, if it is determined that affordable homes will be available to individuals and households of “Moderate Income,” then individuals or households that earn between 81 percent and 120 percent of the County’s Area Median Income would qualify.  So, individuals with annual incomes up to $61,750 or a family of four with an annual income of up to $88,200 could qualify.

    San Diego HUD 2016 Income Limits
    Family Size 1 2 3 4
    120% Income Level $61,750 $70,550 $79,400 $88,200
    80% Income Level $47,600 $54,400 $61,200 $68,000

    Examples of people who may qualify for the moderate income affordable homes are as follows:

    i.  Teacher: The average teacher salary in Del Mar Union Elementary School District is $57,382.
    ii. Fire Fighter: The Del Mar Fire Fighter salary range is between $54,199 and $78,575.
    iii. Registered Nurse: The average registered nurse salary in San Diego County is $68,000.

  9. Will the affordable homes look any different than the rest of Watermark Del Mar?

    No. The affordable homes will be designed to be indistinguishable from the market-rate units. They will share the same amenities and be a part of the Watermark Del Mar Homeowner’s Association.

  10. Are there other projects in Del Mar that have a density comparable to Watermark Del Mar?

    Yes. There are approximately 20 existing projects located within the city of Del Mar with densities comparable to the 48-home Watermark Del Mar proposal’s density of 20.25 dwelling units per acre. The 38-home Community Response Alternative has a density of 16.3 units per acre, less that the highest density of 17.6 units per acre currently zoned in Del Mar.

  11. Will Watermark Del Mar be using the State Density Bonus Incentives (allowed for projects that include affordable housing)?

    No. Watermark Del Mar has elected to pursue a Specific Plan that will provide appropriate development standards for the requested density, and will not utilize the density increase and development incentives specified in the Del Mar Municipal Code and state law.