After years of work by successive City Councils to gain approval for a regulatory framework for short-term rentals (STRs) in Del Mar, a recent flurry of actions means that the City’s STR regulations will now go into full force and effect, with the STR permit application period opening on March 2. The key approval came on February 5, when the California Coastal Commission approved the STR ordinance/Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA) without modifications, by a 7-2 vote. A motion to reduce the minimum STR stay from 3 to 2 days failed.
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No, we do not yet have masked federal agents storming Del Mar neighborhoods. But we are affected in profound ways by the federal violence perpetrated in Minneapolis, LA, Portland, Chicago, Washington and other targeted Blue cities.
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As I look down at my hands crusted in cocoa powder and bread shavings, I am reminded that 6,288 miles separate me from my family. Over the years, dishes like Nudli, Gulyás, and Csirkepaprikás cultivate
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The number of potential sites for affordable housing on the Del Mar Fairgrounds has increased from three to six, according to a map presented to the Fair Board at their February 10th meeting (see map below).
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The Del Mar Schools Education Foundation (DMSEF) helps to fund educational programs in our public schools in the areas of art, science, physical education, music, and innovation technology, collectively known as STEAM+. For the 2026-27 school
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How often have you walked by the Del Mar Library and wondered about the names of the amazing plants there? Or perhaps you have been curious about how the pile of rocks at the Del Mar
MoreWe aren’t the only animals whose behaviors are being scooped up, fed to, and swallowed by the AI “machine learning” process to surface as data. AI is also focused on other animals and insects in various
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March is the month the Del Mar Lifeguards recruit student lifeguards for seasonal part-time and possibly full-time employment. The job: focus on the safety of the more than 3,000,000 (!) yearly beach visitors. In 2025, busy
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With good intentions, most of us try to be the best people that we can be. We see our doctors, try to eat right, exercise, and manage our stresses as best we can. It’s hard to
MoreFeeling the Love! DMCC’s Champagne and Chocolate Open House had an incredible turnout on Friday 2/13 and we really felt the love from the community! An annual event that has been held around Valentine’s Day for
MoreMarch 2026
Volume 23, Number 2
Print Edition
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In Brief
ENRA End?
The Exclusive Negotiating Rights Agreement (ENRA) signed by the City of Del Mar and the 22nd DAA provides for “exclusive” negotiations for a mutually agreeable Fairgrounds housing site consistent with Del Mar’s 6th Cycle Housing Element, and requires the 22nd DAA to identify suitable sites. However, the sites reviewed on Feb. 10 include two that are in the City of San Diego (see below), and the 22nd DAA Board regularly discusses terminating ENRA negotiations. The State’s Department of Housing and Community Development has previously notified Del Mar that if “development of the Fairgrounds project within the planning period [is] rendered infeasible,” then Del Mar must implement a contingency program that requires an upzone of North Bluff and/or South Stratford properties to accommodate at least 54 lower income units.
Memorial Dog Rocks
Covid/Flu Update
The bad flu season continues with 152 weekly flu hospitalizations in San Diego County through the week of February 7th and 15 deaths recorded since July 1, 2025. By comparison, COVID-19 infections resulted in 17 weekly hospitalizations, but the total number of deaths due to COVID since last July is 5 times higher at 75.
An mRNA flu vaccine developed by Moderna proved safe and effective in clinical trials, but the Federal Drug Administration initially refused to consider licensing the vaccine, reflecting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s bias against any mRNA product and the current administration’s denial of scientific findings. The currently available traditional flu vaccine is only a partial match to this year’s circulating flu strain. An mRNA vaccine could be quickly manufactured to match any flu variant. Another missed opportunity to protect your health.
Del Mar Doings
