The agenda for this week’s meeting of the Coronado City Council includes a ballot measure to increase height limits for a stretch of Orange Avenue, a look at next year’s budget, a final vote on a citywide kratom ban, and more.
The meeting is at 4 p.m. on May 19 in the City Council Chamber at 1825 Strand Way, and will be broadcast here. The full agenda is here. A recording of the meeting will be posted here.
A November ballot measure to raise building heights in the R-4 zone
The meeting’s most consequential item asks the council to formally call the November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election and place a ballot measure before voters that would raise the maximum allowable height for multifamily developments in the R-4 zone — a stretch of Orange Avenue between Second and Eighth Streets — from three stories and 35 feet to four stories and 42 feet.
The current height limit dates to 1972, when Coronado voters approved Proposition R. Because it was enacted by voters, it can only be changed by a new vote of the people or by state law. The proposed ballot measure was driven by the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), which certified the city’s Housing Element on condition of meeting certain requirements, including pursuing this height increase.
The HCD determined that the existing 35-foot limit would constrain development at the R-4 zone’s allowed density of 40 units per acre. Under state guidance, a zoning district allowing 40 dwelling units per acre must permit at least four stories and 40 feet of height. The HCD has indicated it prefers 42 feet to avoid constraining density.
The R-4 zone covers approximately 14.8 acres. The council will also be asked to introduce Ordinance No. 2026-04, which would implement the height change in the zoning code and the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan, but only if voters approve the November ballot measure.
The same item formally calls the November election for two City Council seats. Councilmembers Carrie Downey and Kelly Purvis’s terms expire in December 2026. The item also requests consolidation with the San Diego County statewide election. Consolidating with the county reduces administrative costs to the city; election expenses are estimated at $40,000 to $100,000.
FY 2026-27 budget preview
The council will receive a presentation on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27, which City Manager Tina Friend describes as balanced without drawing on reserves. General Fund revenues are projected at $89.0 million — up roughly $5.1 million from the prior year — while expenditures are budgeted at $88.6 million, leaving a $435,000 operating margin. Total spending across all city funds, including capital improvements, is estimated at $135.2 million.
Property tax is projected to grow 6.3% year-over-year. Transient occupancy tax — temporarily reduced during a major hotel renovation — is expected to rebound to an all-time high of $23.5 million. Sales tax is projected to jump 12.3% to $5.7 million.
The budget message flags caution around broader economic uncertainty, including potential effects of federal trade and tariff policy on consumer spending and tourism, ongoing interest rate dynamics, and cross-border water pollution’s potential to affect coastal activity. The city’s total estimated year-end General Fund balance is projected at $87.0 million.
The council will not adopt the budget Tuesday; final adoption is scheduled for June 2.
Finalizing the kratom ban
The council is expected to take a final vote on an ordinance banning the sale and distribution of kratom in Coronado. The ordinance was introduced at the May 5 meeting; Tuesday’s action is the second reading and adoption.
Kratom is a plant-based substance used for its psychoactive effects and sold commercially as powders, tablets, gummies, and extracts. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against its use due to risks including liver toxicity, seizures, and substance use disorder, and the DEA has labeled it a “Drug of Concern.” The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a 1,200 percent increase in kratom-related poison exposures from 2015 to 2025. The substance is not federally regulated, meaning there are no standards governing ingredients, purity, or dosage. Coronado would join San Diego, Solana Beach, Oceanside, and Newport Beach in banning it locally. Violations would be enforceable as infractions or misdemeanors.
Public hearing on city staffing and police vacancies
The council will hold a required annual public hearing on the city’s employee vacancies, recruitment, and retention efforts under Assembly Bill 2561. As of April 30, the city’s overall vacancy rate stood at 8.0 percent — down from 9.2 percent in April 2025 — across 257.75 authorized full-time positions.
The highest vacancy rate is with the Coronado Police Officers’ Association, at 22 percent. Of 59 authorized positions, 13 are currently unfilled, including seven police officers, four corporals, one sergeant, and one newly approved property and evidence technician. Because the CPOA vacancy rate exceeds the 20 percent threshold established by state law, the council will receive additional data on hiring timelines and applicant numbers.
To address the shortage, the city has launched a dedicated police recruitment website and established a pilot bonus program offering $20,000 for lateral officers, $10,000 for academy graduates, and $2,000 employee referrals. Multi-year salary increases approved through recent labor negotiations include a 6 percent raise in FY 2025-26, 5 percent in FY 2026-27, and 6 percent in FY 2027-28.
Spreckels Park permit parking update
A resolution on the consent calendar would modify the permit parking zone along the west side of C Avenue abutting Spreckels Park. The change extends required permit hours from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays to 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays — but only on Sundays between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, to align with the Coronado Promenade Concerts in the Park schedule.
Board and commission work plans
The council will review proposed FY 2026-27 work plans from the Library Board of Trustees, the Historic Resource Commission, and the Planning and Design Commission.
