ADU CASE STUDY

6352 Cleo St, 92115

6040-46 Mesita dr (College Area)

ADDRESS: 6140 Mesita
VHFSZ:      Yes
CTCAC:             low
ZONE:         RS1-7
REF #:           

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TITLE:   Regulatory Strain in College Area: RS-1-7 Single-Family Zoning Challenges Under Unpermitted Multi-Unit Expansion (violation: BLUE# 0536754)  that was corrected. But still.... 

Grid Strain and Infrastructure Capacity: Evaluating Infrastructure and Fir

STORYLINE: I bring up Mesita, because a poster on next-door said there was a fire as a result of overload by added use of the power grid (SDGE/electrical grid overload), considering all these new builds and the infrastructre that gets overworked, because it wasn't designed to take in all this added density. A recent fire burned a fence and some vegetation. . This easily could've been someone's house, and not one of the ADU builds that are completly overrunning the College Area.  With Sean Elo-Rivera's continuing charge forward with more density, these problems might become more frequent, resulting in even higher insurance bills, and more draconian state rules that require us to live on a moonscape, while our surface temperature goes up 15 degrees on average. Mesita, Pembroke, 63rd, Rockford, Pontiac must have at least 8 or 9 builds going on in that little piece of College.  This is just the tip of the iceberg.  When will the next fire emerge? it sits in a RS1-7 zone, just to its left is an RM3-8 , RM4-11.  Big changes are happening here.    Single family zoning doesn't exist.   It looks like the project was started without a permit, per the violation stated in the scope.  Do our representatives take into consideration:  1`) Sewer lines being able to handle all the additional toilet flushes and gray water runoff, or are we still dealing with pipes from 50-60 years ago that are near the EOL?  Could DIF's of been assessed to the developers to pay for some of the added abuse that these projects will do to the infrastructure. The permit was filed on 10/17/25, and it seems to be midway through the process with the black paper up..  Seems like this one was fast tracked even more than the larger ADU Projects.

TRANSIT INFORMATION: to get to the zoo, it's a 14 minute walk to catch line 215, and 46 minutes total.   Other ways, the 936 to 7 connection, with some walking inbetween, take as long as 1 hour 6 minutes from door to door.  Getting to SDSU , catch the 936, which runs every 30 minutes but probably stops running early.   3 minute walk to College and Mesita, and then a short ride on the 856 to the sDSU transit center.   You can also catch the 936. These combination of lines run every 15 minutes.

SCOPE OF PROJECT:  Project Scope: COLLEGE AREA, Combination building permit propose conversion of the garage and part of the existing dwelling unit into an attached ADU. The attached ADU will consist of an additional: 3-Bedrooms, 2-Baths, Kitchen and Living areas, and the remodel also includes enlargement of the existing front covered patio. Addition of one stacked ADU duplex: the addition will consist of (2) stacked ADUs detached from the single family dwelling. ADU #1 will consist of 5-Bed, 2-Bath, Kitchen, Living area and a roof deck. ADU #2 will have 2-Bed, 1-Bath, and a open Kitchen/Living area at an existing SDU. This is a Code Code Violation Case: BLUE# 0536754.

841 & 855 Winston (Emerald Hills)

Winston Parcel Redevelopment: 24 New Units Planned Amid Incomplete Infrastructure and Brush Fire Risks

Parcel Address         841 & 855 Winston

Total Units:                22

VHFSZ:                           yes

ZONE:                              rs1-2

Opportunity Level: (CTCAC) :      LOW , but changing

 post date: 27.08.26

The developer behind these projects, operating under an LLC associated with Mario J. Taren, has held the ~0.5-acre parcel at 841 Winston since 2009. Originally containing a small 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom house, the lot was razed to make way for 10 to 12 micro-units, which currently await final occupancy permits following inspection follow-ups. Permits for 841 Winston noted the addition of a contiguous sidewalk, a condition omitted in similar local projects like those on College.

In early 2025, the same owner acquired the adjacent 855 Winston lot (~11,000 sq ft) and secured permits in June 2025 to add another 10 units. While the original structure on 855 Winston remains standing next to a newly paved concrete parking lot, permit approvals are expected to move forward.

Combined, these developments will bring 22 to 24 new micro-units to the area between Geneva and Roswell in Emerald Hills—joining other large-scale proposals along Hanover and Derby, as well as D.R. Horton’s 124-home development near the radio tower hill.

This growing density introduces several local infrastructure and safety concerns:

Key Site & Parcel Details

• Location: Winston Drive, between Geneva Avenue and Roswell Street in Emerald Hills.

• Developer/Owner: Mario J. Taren.

• Parcels Involved:

  • Parcel 1 (841 Winston): ~20,000 sq. ft. lot owned since 2009. Original 2 bed/2 bath (616 sq. ft.) home was demolished to construct 10–12 micro-units. Currently in inspection follow-up pending occupancy permit.

  • Parcel 2 (855 Winston): ~11,000 sq. ft. adjacent lot purchased in early 2025. Permits approved June 25, 2025, for another 10 micro-units. Currently features an open-permit concrete parking area while the original 2 bed/1 bath (500 sq. ft.) home remains standing.

• Total Density Impact: 22–24 micro-units across ~0.7 acres.

Policy & Infrastructure Vulnerabilities

• Public Safety & Fire Risk: The site falls within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ). Adding high-density housing adjacent to brush zones—where recent fires occurred between Elwood and Hilltop—creates severe egress risks during emergency evacuations.

• Fire Safety: The area sits in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFSZ) and recently experienced a brush fire between Elwood and Hilltop.

• Public Services & Transit: Public transit requires a steep 10-minute walk down and up the hill, grocery options are limited, and nearby facilities like the library at Roswell and Market face uncertainty.

• Utility Capacity: The existing electrical grid and sewer lines may face strain from added load, raising questions about whether SD&E and municipal systems have been upgraded accordingly.

• Zoning Context: Development has proceeded under the RS1-6 zone's Footnote 7 provision, allowing high-density projects to move forward regardless of potential future policy updates.

• Food Desert Conditions: Compounding the DR Horton 124-home development nearby, adding 20+ units strains a neighborhood already devoid of adequate grocery infrastructure.

6515 Kelly, 92117   (Linda Vista)

ADDRESS:  6515-21 Kelly, 92117, Linda Vista
VHFSZ:  YES
ZONING:   RM1-3
CTCAC:   HIGH.
total units projected:    18. (including the existing MDU)

SUMMARY:

This is a Christian Spicer/ SDRE stalled, abandoned project. this place looks abandoned. Overgrown.   It's slated to have an additional 12 units added to the existing 2 story apartment building, which will stay put. It looks a little rough. There are open windows on the second floor. End of Kelley where it meets up with the connectino to Via Los Cumbres in Linda Vista.   It is in a higher density area already, but nothing will compare to what Spicer is planning here.   Sits in a VHFSZ, of course, with density all around. It's opportunity (CTCAC) is high. Zone is RM (1-3).  Transit is not great.  You'll likely get an uber downtown, because the MTS takes too long..   Maybe, WAYMO will work down those hills. Here is your example of what a place looks like when a shyster developer like Spicer waits out the permit process.   Got news for you, it happens with all these pariahs.   Shkolnik, Rucker, Reuter, Risman. They let it go to pot, piss off the neighbors, put up construction and then fire up the bobcats.   No notice on when things are "moving along" You only  find that out by checking City information--- it's there, but how many of you know where to check that  information, including the amount of ADU's going into this parcel who the principals are, ways to contact the construction companies.   That information is all on my website, http://www.sdcitydisasters.com. the permit was filed on 2/12/25.   for 12 units.  *NEWSFLASH*  INFILL INNOVATION is cash poor and looking for more suckers to invest.

TRANSIT:  

The 120 is your best option to Fashion Valley, but it runs every thirty minutes.   Does that even qualify for the SDA??   Buses need to run every 15 minutes….  Takes 20 minutes to get to fashion valley, after your 13 minute walk to the bus stop to catch the 120.  However, heres your more frequent option... it also takes longer to get to the same place, and you're on two different lines, they 44 and the green line or the 41. You still have to walk 12 minutes to get to the intial stop where the 44 is.    The stop you walk to is at Tait and Linda Vista. The 120 does not qualify for the SDA, because at no time, does it run every 15 minutes, which is a requirement under the SDA.   Your other options are awful. to get to Fashion Valley and long walks.

4645 Seminole (Rolando Park)

Case Study: How the Bonus ADU Program and SDA Loopholes Transformed 4345 Seminole Drive

A major shift in local density is unfolding in Rolando Park. At 4345 Seminole Drive, a single-family parcel has officially broken ground to make way for a 12-unit multi-family complex. This project serves as a stark example of how San Diego's citywide housing programs override traditional neighborhood zoning, strain local infrastructure, and operate with minimal corporate transparency.

Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the timeline, financial transactions, and policy loopholes defining this development.

1. Project Timeline and Regulatory Delays

The transformation of this property has been years in the making, navigating an extensive administrative process before physical work began on the ground:

• February 4, 2023: The initial project application was filed with the City of San Diego.

• Two-Year Administrative Window: The project sat in the municipal pipeline for over two years as permitting and clearances were secured under state and local density programs.

• July 2026: Construction fencing was erected around the perimeter of the large lot, and grading machinery began clearing the site.

• August 2026: Heavy concrete mixing trucks arrived on-site, signaling the transition into foundational pouring and active structural framing.

2. Corporate Flipping and Financial Background

Public records reveal that this parcel was treated as a financial vehicle, passing through corporate hands specifically to capitalize on density entitlements before construction ever started:

• September 2022: Baja Norte Ventures purchased the property, which featured an older single-family home on a disproportionately large lot.   Price was 669K

• The Entitlement Phase: The corporate entity held the asset for roughly two to three years. Instead of developing the land themselves, they focused on securing the multi-unit entitlements from the city, exponentially increasing the land value.

• The Sale for Profit: Once the permitting was locked in, Baja Norte Ventures flipped the real estate to the current owner—Brett Marani of 4645 Seminole LLC—netting a swift $91,000 profit strictly off the value of the municipal permits.

3. The Policy Loophole: RS-1-7 Zoning vs. The Bonus ADU Program

Geographically, 4345 Seminole Drive sits squarely within an RS-1-7 single-family zone, roughly 200 feet away from an RM-1-3 multi-family zone. Under normal city guidelines, building 12 units on an RS-1-7 lot would be entirely illegal.

However, local zoning maps no longer dictate what happens on these parcels. The project was authorized by utilizing San Diego’s Bonus ADU Program and its Sustainable Development Area (SDA) criteria.

Under these rules, if a parcel falls within a half-mile radius of a designated transit stop "as the crow flies," the underlying single-family zoning is completely superseded. The developer is granted an uncapped density bonus to build micro-apartment units, despite the neighborhood being historically designed, engineered, and plumbed for single-family homes.

4. The Transit Disconnect: Paper Rules vs. Pedestrian Reality

While the city classifies this location as transit-accessible to justify a 12-unit footprint, the physical reality on the ground tells a completely different story. The property sits isolated on a geographic plateau, turning theoretical proximity to transit into a burdensome pedestrian chore:

• Accessing the Trolley / SDSU Transit Hub: A resident must walk 12 minutes just to reach the 215 Rapid Bus line at College Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard. The bus ride to the SDSU Hub takes another 5 minutes, making the total trip 17 minutes—meaning tenants walk for nearly 70% of their journey.

• Commuting to the San Diego Zoo / Balboa Park: A tenant faces a 16-minute walk to catch the 215 bus. The bus drops them off near Zoo Parkway, followed by another 5-minute walk to the entrance. The total commute spans 47 minutes for a destination that is a brief drive away.

Because these walking times are so restrictive, the "transit-oriented" label falls short. The vast majority of the residents in these 12 units will realistically rely on private vehicles, severely overwhelming street parking and local right-of-ways on the plateau.

5. The Transparency Deficit: Anonymous Builders

A rising concern for Rolando Park residents is the lack of direct accountability from the companies executing these hyper-dense infill builds.

On official city documentation, the construction entities are increasingly hiding their names. The project paperwork masks the builders by selecting "Applicant Type: Authorized Agent of Property Owner or Other Person per M.C. Section 112.0102." By utilizing this specific section of the Municipal Code, developers and contractors shield themselves from neighborhood scrutiny, leaving local residents with no clear corporate contact when construction issues, noise violations, or infrastructure damages arise.

What This Means for Our Community

The project at 4345 Seminole Drive highlights a systemic issue facing San Diego neighborhoods. When a state or city housing program relies on arbitrary map radiuses rather than the physical reality of infrastructure, parking capacity, and actual pedestrian walkability, the surrounding community bears the long-term burden.

Out-of-area LLCs pocket tens of thousands of dollars in quick flipping profits, anonymous builders clear the land, and the neighborhood is left with an overloaded infrastructure footprint that it was never engineered to support.

SCOPE: Project Number: PRJ-1083450

Project Created: 02/4/2023

Project Scope: MID-CITY:EASTERN AREA. Combination permits for the proposed 5 new structures for 9(N)ADU's at the (E)SDU site. Scope to include: One detached 1-story ADU, 8(N)ADU's will be in four detached 2-story duplex structures.& (E) garage Demolition (DEMOLITION PERMIT IS EXEMPT).