EHL explained its litigation in Encinitas.
The Coast News Group covered EHL’s lawsuit over loss of rare coastal habitat and threatened California gnatcatchers in Encinitas (“Group sues Encinitas over sensitive habitat at Piraeus Point site,” Oct. 26, 2023). EHL's Executive Director was quoted.
“The city, for reasons I can’t explain, put a site that’s chock full of endangered species and plants into its housing element,” said Silver . . . “They’re basically saying it was the California Coastal Commission’s job to designate the environmentally sensitive habitat areas,” Silver said. “It’s the city’s job to designate it, not somebody else’s.”
The article noted that the US Fish and Wildlife Service had recommended alternatives with less impacts but these were not pursued. It also described how an earlier biological report had identified rare southern maritime chaparral on site. Silver clarified EHL’s position on growth:
“We want to meet the housing supply and provide it for all income levels in an environmentally sensitive manner. We are mostly concerned about the footprint of the project, and we welcome an opportunity to sit down with the city and applicant to search for win-win solutions.”
