The Encinitas City Council voted 5-0 Wednesday, June 11, to withdraw from a three-city Cooperative Fire Management Agreement with Solana Beach and Del Mar.
“Encinitas is deeply proud of the collaboration we’ve had with our partner cities,” Fire Chief Joshua Gordon said in a city news release. “This decision was not made lightly, but it reflects the evolution of our public safety priorities and the need for a structure that supports long-term operational resilience.”
The agreement was established in 2009 and placed leadership and administrative functions for the three cities under the Encinitas Fire Department. A joint Fire Governance Committee meeting is scheduled June 18 to mover forward with the cooperative’s dissolution and next steps for Solana Beach and Del Mar.
In separate announcements, Del Mar and Solana Beach acknowledged Encinitas’ desire to focus its fire protection efforts at home.
“As discussed by Encinitas City Council, that City’s decision was driven largely by the increasing and evolving needs of the Encinitas community, making it no longer feasible for the City to provide fire management services to its partner communities,” a Del Mar news release stated.
The change does not reflect any issues with relationships between the cities, Encinitas Mayor Bruce Ehlers indicated in the city’s announcement.
“We are committed to maintaining strong relationships with our neighboring communities,” Ehlers stated. “Public safety remains our top priority, and we will move forward thoughtfully and respectfully.”
Del Mar and Solana Beach officials will work with Encinitas’ city manager and fire chief to develop a transition plan to maintain service continuity and coverage, Solana Beach stated in its news release.
The June 18 meeting is set for 9 a.m. at Encinitas City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Ave.
The agreement’s end comes as residents of Encinitas’ Olivenhain community continue to express concern over services in the wildfire-prone area. Fires that swept through communities in Los Angeles at the start of the year brought renewed attention to Olivenhain residents’ worries. The community has one fire station with a single fire truck.
In a North Coast Current report at the time, Fire Chief Gordon said he hoped the station can be expanded.
“It is in conversation about upgrading that to a full fire house with the right staffing and the right type of equipment,” Gordon said. “The council is very supportive of going that direction, it’s just about figuring out the exact spot that it needs to go and the funding for it.”
