Main Content

Step-Down Housing presented by the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

On July 23 plans to build step down housing in the village were presented to about 50 Rancho Santa Fe residents in attendance.

John Kratzer, president and CEO of JMI realty led the meeting. JMI Realty is historically the third owner of the Inn since its opening in 1923.

Kratzer said The Inn is fairly early in the development process. It has received Covenant Design Review Committee approval of the master plan concept and the boundary adjustment (bifurcating the hotel from the residential uses) and has also gone through extensive review with the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District and developed a fire management plan.

It is their understanding that there is a huge demand for step down housing in Rancho Santa Fe considering that only 15% or less homes in Rancho Santa Fe are 3,000 square feet or less. Therefore the plan is to demolish and develop to create three new neighborhoods called The Grove, The Orchard and La Gracia Village.

The plan was welcomed with mixed reviews. Some residents expressed their concern of the project, residents such as LaDonna Monsees who stated:

“What they’re proposing is to take one acre and plop five homes on it,” she said. “I’m one home on three acres, and for them to come in and put that density in that neighborhood is wrong.”

Of course, Covenant modification takes two thirds vote to pass from surrounding neighbors so it will be interesting how it will play out.

What are your thoughts? Is it a good or bad idea?

Skip to content