Oceanside

Despite vocal opposition, the Oceanside City Council on Wednesday voted to permit apartments in the city’s planned residential development zones. The approval of a Planning Commission recommendation came on a 4-1 vote, with Councilman John MacDonald opposed.

Rental units, usually condominiums converted and managed by absentee property owners, have long existed among the single-family homes in Oceanside’s planned residential zones, and were not illegal. However, city planners advised the council that by amending ordinances governing the zone to specifically permit apartments as long as two other housing types exist in the area, officials can better monitor and control the mix and number of units built.

“I favor this because it means we’re calling a spade a spade,” Councilman Ted Marioncelli said. “Now we’ll know when an applicant comes in that he’s building an apartment and we can control and condition it.”

Several residents of the affected zone, however, protested that the council’s action will encourage construction of apartments and erode the quality of life in their neighborhood.

“This is a concession to developers that will bring in a transient population and damage our property values,” resident Val deSaussure said.