In 2008, The Lightfoot Planning Group is celebrating its 30th Anniversary.  Since its founding in 1978, the firm has grown to the current level of 25 employees that includes a family of land planners, landscape architects, graphics designers, and administrative staff.  We thank all our clients – past and present – for their support and our continued success.

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) conferred upon TLPG a 2007 Merit Award in the category of Landscape Details for Windward Townhomes in Oceanside and a Merit Award in the category of Academic Institutions for Los Coches Creek Middle School in El Cajon.  For the townhome project, TLPG Landscape Architects took Storm Water Best Management Practices to a level of art form, by creating a seamless integration between the project landscaping and the various filtration basins on site.  Our charge was to make storm water structures and devices landscape amenities that would blend in with the tropical project theme.  Designing the landscaping for the Los Coches Creek Middle School was an opportunity to provide a balance between indoor and outdoor learning and juxtapose the built environment against the natural landscape.  We took our design cues from historical and natural landscapes of the region, architectural design, and owner input to provide a thoughtful landscape for the students’ educational environment.

Eco-friendly or Green Development has become the “hot” new trend in the development industry.  This topic is being heavily featured in land planning and development literature, as well as being presented as one of the main topics at the national American Planning Association conference we attended in Las Vegas this year.  Some developers are choosing to construct environmental-friendly buildings, from multi-family housing to high-rise commercial buildings.  The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is quickly becoming a national standard for rating sustainable development.  LEED-certified buildings are designed with energy-efficient features with the intent of improving human and environmental health.  These features have also been doubling-up as amenities for prospective buyers and occupants.  Constructing “green” buildings is not mandatory; however, state and local governments are currently adopting laws and building standards.

Our firm is currently involved in three eco-friendly projects with our clients.  The first is Vista Pacific – 17 condominiums proposed in Oceanside.  All units will feature State of California recognized Zero Energy Home (ZEH) status and will be designed with photovoltaic cells on all rooftops.  With today’s fuel cost, it is projected that future residents could save as much as 80% on their energy bills.  Similarly, Pacific Station will be designed with solar systems as part of the rooftops on 47 townhomes.  Pacific Station is a mixed-use project proposed in Encinitas.  Finally, The Villa will be a new senior living community proposed at the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside.  The framing for the retirement home will be constructed with old metal shipping containers.  At this scale, it will be the first time this new green technology will be used in California.

On a grander scale, even the location of new development will soon be regulated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) on the environment.  This has been indirectly addressed with the “Smart Growth” movement but now, the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) by residents to destination points will soon serve as the measurement of a development’s GHG contribution.  As a result, regulating VMTs could significantly affect future property values and require a reconsideration of zoning, especially for outlying undeveloped areas in municipalities.

Brian Sullivan is our newest addition to The Lightfoot Planning Group.  Mr. Sullivan is our Educational Facilities Planner, assisting school districts in establishing effective facility planning and operations.  Brian’s professional career has included many years as an educator and Principal with the Oceanside Unified School District, and the last 15 years as its Facility Planning Program Manager.  He also volunteered his time for 14 years to serve on the Oceanside Planning Commission and other local boards and committees.

Chris Harrison, one of our Senior Planners at TLPG, is the Co-Chair of the North County San Diego BIA Legislative Committee.  His duties involve discussing issues affecting projects in North County and making recommendations to the San Diego BIA Board about action items that require priority status for the San Diego BIA and California BIA.  One of the biggest issues he is closely tracking is Senate Bill 1185 (Lowenthal), the State law that will automatically extend the life of an approved Tentative Map to two years.

This year The Lightfoot Planning Group was a conference sponsor at the Developer’s Forum in the City of Oceanside.  The annual forum is designed to inform real estate professionals, investors, property owners, and interested parties about downtown Oceanside’s rapidly expanding real estate market.  There were presentations on a number of projects currently in the planning or construction stages in downtown Oceanside, including CityMark’s mixed-use development that will span five blocks, the S.D. Malkin Resort Hotel, and the newly built Wyndham Timeshare Resort.  As development in downtown Oceanside evolves, the Forum gives attendees a snapshot of what to expect for the upcoming year.