CARLSBAD, CA—Caruso Affiliated has announced plans for 203 acres of coastline south of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad, CA. Called Agua Hedionda 85/15 Plan, the idea is to preserve 176 acres, or 85%, of the land to serve as open space for the community, and then develop the remaining 26 acres, or 15%, of the space into a retail, restaurant and recreation center. The proposed plan will be competed at no cost to the taxpayers. 

Caruso learned of this opportunity three years ago, and has spent that time speaking to residents in the community about the project. “What emerged from our conversations is not only a strong interest in the community for unique restaurants and retail and places to spending time with their friends and family, but also a strong desire for new open space and access to the land around the lagoon,” Matt Middlebrook, EVP of development at Caruso Affiliated, tells GlobeSt.com. “We'll improve and then protect 176 acres of open space and only build on the remaining 15 percent of the property. It's a great opportunity to deliver to the community everything they asked for, and all of it will be done at no cost to the taxpayers. So far the reaction from the community has been strongly favorable.”

Today, the area is mostly inaccessible to the public. A portion of the space will be dedicated to maintaining the historic strawberry fields and coastal agriculture that has grown along the shoreline. A qualified environmental non-profit will manage 155 acres of the project, while the remaining 21 acres will be permanent open space. “Now it is up to the community to decide that this is the right way to protect open space and the community's heritage the Agua Hedionda 85/15 Plan will immediately begin collecting signatures to put this important decision in the people's hands,” says Middlebrook. “From there the decision rests with City Council to decide the best next course of action, which could be a vote of the council to enact the plan as is or to place it on the ballot. It could be to the City Council around September.”

Caruso Affiliated has been expanding its wings lately. While the developer is well known for its retail and mixed-use multifamily developments, it also recently stepped into the creative office space. Caruso Affiliated purchased a Masonic Temple, a historic landmark, a vacant lot and two adjacent buildings in Glendale with plans to develop a creative office campus with a retail component.