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Cardiff to Get a New Fire Station on Birmingham Drive

Neighborhood groups have previously fought proposed developments on a large sloping parcel on the northwest corner of Birmingham Drive at I-5. So, there was much concern on Thursday, August 18, when a green-canvas-covered fence was erected at the site.

By Tuesday morning, August 23, bulldozers were clearing the overgrown sagebrush, weeds, and cacti from the property. Over a decade ago, a high-density condo development, like the three-story Cardiff by the Sea Apartments across the street, was proposed. It was turned down by the City of Encinitas, which was not willing to change zoning from “visitor serving” commercial to residential.

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Later, a local developer bought the parcel and proposed a Residence Inn hotel; it was never built. In 2006, the City of Encinitas bought the 2.15 acre parcel to expand the Cardiff fire station, which borders the property at the corner of Birmingham Drive and MacKinnon Avenue. The eastern side of the parcel borders the southbound off-ramp of I-5.

As Caltrans has long-range plans to widen the freeway to a possible 16 lanes, the fire department took that into account in siting the future station. The station’s access will change from the small driveway on MacKinnon Avenue to Carol View Drive, where a traffic signal already exists.

Approximately 15,000 cubic feet of dirt will be moved, and retaining walls will be built to level the hillside.

Unclear is the future of the infamous “Animal House” at 603 Birmingham Drive — a dilapidated, but still occupied home that has been the scene of college parties for many years. The structure will remain in between the existing station and the new project. It is a separate parcel that was not offered to the city.

Also of concern are the two large, mature Torrey pine trees on the new station's acreage. They will remain, according to deputy fire chief Scott Henry.

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Neighborhood groups have previously fought proposed developments on a large sloping parcel on the northwest corner of Birmingham Drive at I-5. So, there was much concern on Thursday, August 18, when a green-canvas-covered fence was erected at the site.

By Tuesday morning, August 23, bulldozers were clearing the overgrown sagebrush, weeds, and cacti from the property. Over a decade ago, a high-density condo development, like the three-story Cardiff by the Sea Apartments across the street, was proposed. It was turned down by the City of Encinitas, which was not willing to change zoning from “visitor serving” commercial to residential.

Sponsored
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Later, a local developer bought the parcel and proposed a Residence Inn hotel; it was never built. In 2006, the City of Encinitas bought the 2.15 acre parcel to expand the Cardiff fire station, which borders the property at the corner of Birmingham Drive and MacKinnon Avenue. The eastern side of the parcel borders the southbound off-ramp of I-5.

As Caltrans has long-range plans to widen the freeway to a possible 16 lanes, the fire department took that into account in siting the future station. The station’s access will change from the small driveway on MacKinnon Avenue to Carol View Drive, where a traffic signal already exists.

Approximately 15,000 cubic feet of dirt will be moved, and retaining walls will be built to level the hillside.

Unclear is the future of the infamous “Animal House” at 603 Birmingham Drive — a dilapidated, but still occupied home that has been the scene of college parties for many years. The structure will remain in between the existing station and the new project. It is a separate parcel that was not offered to the city.

Also of concern are the two large, mature Torrey pine trees on the new station's acreage. They will remain, according to deputy fire chief Scott Henry.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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