Editing Del Mar, California (section)

==History==
[[File:2010-1026-CanfieldWrightHouse (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|The historic [[Mission Revival architecture|Mission Revival]] style [[Canfield-Wright House]].]]
Del Mar was first settled in the early 1880s by Theodore M. Loop, a railroad official, and his wife Ella. Ella gave the site its name, inspired by [[Bayard Taylor]]'s poem "The Fight of Paso del Mar".<ref>{{cite book|last=Bright|first=William|author-link=William Bright|date=1998|title=1500 California Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning|location=[[Berkeley, CA]]|publisher=[[University of California Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Eric |date=August 1, 2008 |title=History of Del Mar |url=https://www.delmartimes.net/sddmt-history-of-del-mar-2008aug01-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 9, 2021 |work=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune|Del Mar Times]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929143553/https://www.delmartimes.net/sddmt-history-of-del-mar-2008aug01-story.html |archivedate=September 29, 2020}}</ref> In 1885, Colonel Jacob Taylor purchased {{convert|338|acre|km2}} from Enoch Talbert, with visions of building a seaside resort for the rich and famous.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.delmarhistoricalsociety.org/history.html |title=Del Mar city history |publisher=Delmarhistoricalsociety.org |access-date=February 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027094334/http://www.delmarhistoricalsociety.org/history.html |archive-date=October 27, 2008 }}</ref>

The [[United States Navy]] operated a [[U.S. Naval Air Facility Del Mar|Naval Auxiliary Air Facility]] for [[blimp]]s at Del Mar during [[World War II]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ref/USN-Act/CA.html|title=U.S. Naval Activities World War II by State|publisher=Patrick Clancey|access-date=March 19, 2012}}</ref>

Much of the population is on the coast and nearby [[Beach ridge|bluff]] which are vulnerable to sea level rise caused by climate change.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Diehl|first=Phil|date=October 18, 2019|title=California coastal regulators blast Del Mar for rejecting 'retreat' from sea-level rise|url=https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-10-18/coastal-commission-blasts-del-mar-for-stance-on-sea-level-rise|access-date=January 3, 2021|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2019, the city refused to develop a [[Managed retreat|managed retreat strategy]] for moving infrastructure and population centers from the water.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> This decision was made against the recommendation of the [[California Coastal Commission]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> Instead the city is planning on using other [[climate change adaptation]] strategies, such as [[seawall]]s and [[beach nourishment]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

The [[Surf Line]] railroad tracks are adjacent to [[Raised beach|coastal bluffs]] some {{convert|40|feet}} above the beach for {{convert|1.7|mi}}.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Del Mar Bluffs Stabilization Project|url=https://www.sandag.org/index.asp?classid=13&subclassid=9&projectid=312&fuseaction=projects.detail|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=SANDAG : San Diego's Regional Planning Agency|archive-date=October 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028222408/https://www.sandag.org/index.asp?classid=13&subclassid=9&projectid=312&fuseaction=projects.detail|url-status=dead}}</ref> Coastal erosion eats away at the bluffs each year.<ref name="LAT 2020-10-25">{{Cite news|last=Diehl|first=Phil|date=October 25, 2020|title=California opposes district's bid to control Del Mar bluffs, erect chain-link fence|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-25/california-del-mar-bluffs-chain-link-fence|access-date=October 25, 2020|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> The [[North County Transit District]] drove steel beams into the beach at the base of the bluffs in September 2020 to stabilize the face of the bluffs for 20 or 30 years.<ref name="NBC 2020-09-22">{{Cite news |last=Little|first=Joe|date=September 22, 2020|title=Steel Beams Installed to Reinforce Del Mar Beach Bluffs |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/steel-beams-installed-to-reinforce-del-mar-beach-bluffs/2410679/ |access-date=September 24, 2020|work=NBC 7 San Diego|language=en-US}}</ref> The city wanted to require the transit agency to cover the shotcrete wall on the bluff with natural soil and native plantings. The city council, the [[California Coastal Commission]], and residents have opposed the district's plans to install a chain-link fence that would stop pedestrians from crossing the tracks to get to the beach.{{r|LAT 2020-10-25}} The district considered this to be a safety issue as trespassers along the right-of-way have been hit by trains.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 30, 2023 |title=STB declines to rule in Del Mar Bluffs case |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/stb-declines-to-rule-in-del-mar-bluffs-case/ |access-date=June 2, 2023 |work=Trains |language=en-US}}</ref> This mile-and-a-half stretch (2.4&nbsp;km) along the southern half of the city does not have legal access to the beach. Due to offshore reefs and wave patterns, this section has some of the best surfing in San Diego County.<ref>{{cite news |title=When Turf No Longer Meets Surf : Del Mar is feeling the pain of change. First, Amtrak sidelined the town's historic station. Now, a long-ignored law banning access to the beach via railroad property is being enforced |date=March 12, 1995 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |first=Tony |last=Perry |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-03-12-mn-41957-story.html}}</ref>

In 2023, the city was out of compliance with the state Housing Element Law. They submitted a housing plan to the state that did not meet guidelines for future housing. They were working with the state to get in compliance, but until they did, they couldn't block new housing projects based on city zoning laws alone.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Rivas |first1=Alexis |last2=Dorfman |first2=Mike |last3=Yoo |first3=Jay |date=March 2, 2023 |title=Developer May Bypass Del Mar Zoning to Build 259 Units Above the Beach |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/investigations/developer-may-bypass-del-mar-zoning-to-build-259-units-above-the-beach/3176601/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |work=NBC 7 San Diego |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gregorczyk |first=Kasia |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Del Mar to add more than 100 affordable housing units over next six years |url=https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/del-mar-to-add-more-than-100-affordable-housing-units-over-next-six-years/ |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=FOX 5 San Diego |language=en-US}}</ref>