March 28, 2024

By Linda Lou
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
September 9, 2006

SAN MARCOS – The City Council will consider approving plans next week to build a small retail center in the southwest part of the city.

The proposed project, on the southwest corner of Melrose Drive and Sparrow Lane near the city’s border with Carlsbad, would consist of two buildings and 98 parking spaces. It would be on about 2 acres within the La Costa Meadows Industrial Park.

One building would be 4,000 square feet, the other 14,400 square feet. A 2,400-square-foot restaurant with outdoor dining would be part of the larger building.
To make that happen, the council has to approve various changes to its General Plan, including rezoning the parcel from light industrial to commercial.

Julian Piccioni, the developer, said the center could include a mini-market, smoothie store, dry cleaner, nail salon and coffee shop in addition to a restaurant.

If the project is approved Tuesday night, Piccioni said, he expects the center to open within a year. Chris Orlando, a planning commissioner, said the center would be good for residents of the Old Creek Ranch development. He said the nearest retail stores to them are miles away at San Marcos Boulevard and Rancho Santa Fe Road.

A nearby project, the San Elijo Town Center, which is under construction and will combine residential units and retail shops in multistory buildings, will open its first homes and stores in about a year in the San Elijo Hills development, said Curt Noland, the general manager.