Preserve Calavera v. City of Oceanside

In 2023, Preserve Calavera and the City of Oceanside agreed to a settlement that mandated all-electric housing with no gas hook-ups and a comprehensive “transportation demand management program” to reduce the number of single-occupant vehicle trips, among other requirements.

The plaintiffs challenged the City’s approval of a housing development under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Subdivision Mapping Act in the San Diego County Superior Court. The plaintiff’s claimed that the City approved the project in spite of its “(1) violations of federal and state air quality standards as to greenhouse gas emissions, (2) inconsistenc[ies] with the City's General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and State policies as to fire safety, (3) improper offsite carbon offset mitigation measures, and (4) violation of State Policy in the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 as to the development of agricultural lands for urban uses.” The San Diego Superior Court denied a motion to dismiss the lawsuit as time-barred under the Subdivision Map Act.