ESCONDIDO — City officials are moving forward with review of a residential proposal that would redevelop a nearly 10-acre vacant parcel on Escondido’s western edge into attached, for-sale housing, a plan that would require changing the site’s land-use designation to allow townhomes instead of large-lot single-family homes.
Project details and planning action
On July 29, the Escondido City Council unanimously authorized staff to process Rincon Homes’ application for a General Plan amendment on a 9.72-acre property at Hill Valley Drive and Hill Valley Road. The change would permit attached multifamily development on a parcel that is currently zoned to allow only detached single-family homes on large lots without the amendment.
The developer, operating under the working name “Hill Valley Escondido,” proposes to construct either 125 or 126 for-sale townhomes offering three- or four-bedroom floor plans. The application includes a commitment to set aside seven units as deed-restricted homes for very-low-income buyers and to preserve approximately 33% of the site as open space.
“The company is unique because it is one of the only builders in the region that includes for-sale, on-site, deed-restricted affordable housing with its projects.”
The statement was made by Jonathan Frankel, vice president of forward planning for Rincon Homes, who emphasized the builder’s approach to including on-site affordable units in for-sale developments.
Location and context
The property abuts the City of San Marcos to the north and west, light industrial uses to the east and large-lot residential parcels to the south. Rincon Homes cited the site’s proximity to regional amenities as a selling point, pointing to Palomar Medical Center, State Route 78, the Nordahl Sprinter Station and nearby retail and dining options.
- Site: 9.72 acres at Hill Valley Drive and Hill Valley Road
- Units proposed: 125–126 for-sale townhomes (3–4 bedrooms)
- Affordable units: 7 reserved for very-low-income purchasers
- Open space: about 33% of the property
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Site area | 9.72 acres |
| Proposed units | 125–126 townhomes |
| Affordable units | 7 (very-low-income) |
| Open space | ~33% |
Rincon Homes already has a footprint in Escondido, with the company responsible for approximately 500 units elsewhere in the city, including work on the former Escondido Country Club site. Frankel also noted that nearby projects—most prominently the Valiano development, a 326-unit project under construction in Eden Valley—will alter the character of the area in the coming years.
Potential impacts and next steps
Because the application requests a General Plan amendment, it will undergo a formal review process by city planning staff and advisory bodies before returning to the City Council for decisions on entitlements. The amendment is required because the property’s current land-use designation would permit only large-lot, detached single-family homes without a change.
For residents near the site, the proposal raises questions about traffic, neighborhood compatibility, school impacts and public services. The developer’s inclusion of a small number of deed-restricted affordable, for-sale units addresses a portion of Escondido’s housing affordability conversations, but the majority of homes would be market-rate.
Planning staff will evaluate the project’s environmental effects, circulation impacts and consistency with city policies during the review. Public hearings and opportunities for community comment are likely in the coming months as the city processes the amendment request.
The decision to proceed with the application does not approve the project; it allows staff to prepare analyses and bring formal recommendations back to decision-makers and the public.
