Originally built in 1970 as the Del Mar Turf Club, Solana Highlands was acquired by H.G. Fenton Company in 1998.
In 2010, we began meeting with neighbors to discuss our intent to revitalize the decades-old apartment community. A community outreach program began in 2012 to keep neighbors informed and solicit their input on project design, which resulted in several project plan modifications.
In March 2014, the project plan was presented at two community open houses where neighbor feedback resulted in further modifications prior to the plan’s submission to the City in June 2014. The View Assessment process rolled out over the spring and summer of 2015, and neighbors provided significant and specific feedback that took time to incorporate into the overall project plan. As of April 2018, new story poles were installed to indicate where major modifications to height have been made. An Environmental Impact Report was released by the City in June 2018 and was finalized in October 2018.
The City Council unanimously approved the Development Review Permit and Structure Development Permit in December 2018. Fenton received conditional approval of the Coastal Development Permit for the project from the California Coastal Commission in the following year and submitted building permits for approval to the City of Solana Beach.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the project’s development timeline as H.G. Fenton Company chose to extend property operations so residents would have certainty and stability during the pandemic environment.
Fenton and the City continued to refine the plans with extensive input from neighbors and other stakeholders. As a result, a final landscaping plan and final traffic calming plans were brought to the City Council for approval – along with a revised design for the clubhouse – in March 2022. The Council unanimously approved the final plans and thanked Fenton for its example of community engagement and responsible approach to development.
Throughout the process, H.G. Fenton Company has prioritized communicating with existing tenants and keeping them informed of plans to redevelop the project as well as likely timelines. In late 2022, Fenton staff individually met with each resident and indicated their plans to proceed with construction in the Fall of 2023.