The Coast News
VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 11, N0. 8
April 12, 2024
Mayors set sights on D5 seat
Franklin, Jones vie to replace termed-out supervisor in ’26 By Laura Place
the short-term permit would cost operators $250 plus an initial $231 property inspection fee. The draft statute would update the municipal code with definitions and establish a system for reporting and responding to complaints regarding shortterm rentals. Licensed operators would receive a $1,000 fine for the first violation, $3,000
REGION — Two North County mayors have set their sights on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for the 2026 election in hopes of making changes at the county level. While many voters are looking ahead just to JONES this year’s election, Vista Mayor John Franklin and San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones are getting an early start on their campaigns for the District 5 Supervisor seat in a couple of years. Jones launched her campaign last month, while Franklin hit the ground running in late FRANKLIN 2023, amassing over $400,000 in contributions since, according to campaign filings. Current District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond will be termed out and unable to run in 2026, opening up the seat representing Escondido, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Camp Pendleton and the rest of the county’s northern communities. Both Jones and Franklin have praised Desmond for his leadership and legacy. “One of the reasons I feel compelled to run is because [Desmond] has done such a great job, and since we can’t keep him, we need a great leader, a common sense leader to follow him. And I think I’m the right person for that job,” Franklin said. Currently, in his first term as Vista’s mayor and his tenth year on the City Council, Franklin said his priorities for the
TURN TO STR ON 14
TURN TO SUPERVISOR ON 14
Pitching in, standing out JILLIAN ALBAYATI, a sophomore softball player at Cal State San Marcos, pitched an inning for the school’s baseball team on Sunday, becoming the first Division II player to compete in collegiate softball and baseball games on the same day. STORY ON 9. Photo by Greg Siller/CSUSM Athletics
Escondido weighs STR regulations By Samantha Nelson
Color explosion Thanks to early rains and favorable temperatures, it’s a banner bloom at the Flower Fields in Carlsbad. Hit the Road on 11
ESCONDIDO — The city is fine-tuning a draft ordinance to regulate and tax shortterm rentals. Currently, there are 181 short-term rentals in Escondido. Since the municipal code is silent on transitory dwellings or rentals of 30 days or less, they are technically not allowed. The draft ordinance, presented by staff from the city’s economic development
department to the Planning Commission on March 26, would require short-term rental operators to possess a business license — a requirement for all businesses operating within Escondido — and a short-term rental permit. The city would also conduct code enforcement inspections of the applicants’ homes when they apply for a shortterm rental permit and during renewals.
If adopted, the city would begin collecting a transient occupancy tax, or TOT, traditionally obtained from visitors to hotels and motels (and short-term rentals in cities with regulations). According to Director of Economic Development Jennifer Schoeneck, the city anticipates collecting approximately $300,000 per year in TOT from its existing short-term rentals. Schoeneck said
Mariachi Serenata San Diego Concert
D E N O P T POS Saturday, April 20, 2024 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Band Plays 5:30p.m.- 8:30p.m.
Veterans Association of North County 1617 Mission Avenue, Oceanside, CA 92058
Make checks payable to AGIF Education Foundation
Dinner/ Concert Tickets
$
60.00
Per Person
Advanced Ticket Sales
Jerry Alaniz 760-583-3870 • Manny Astorga 760.681.2576 • Debra Acuna 760.445.3723
Sponsored by: American GI Forum Education Foundation of Oceanside