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General Services - Approve Lease Amendments for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office: North County Regional Gang Task Force and Miramar Training Facility; and CEQA Notices of Exemption (Districts: 2 & 5)
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Overview
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff’s Office) is the chief law enforcement agency in San Diego county, comprised of more than 4,700 employees. The Sheriff’s Office provides general law enforcement, detention, court security services, and performs civil processes, as well as regional investigative support and tactical emergency response for San Diego County. The Sheriff’s Office occupies multiple County of San Diego (County) owned and leased sites throughout the region, spanning approximately 4,200 square miles of service area.
Today’s request seeks approval to maintain two long standing Sheriff’s Office facilities that provide essential public safety services.
The first facility is the North County Regional Gang Task Force (NCRGTF), which has operated from leased space owned by the City of San Marcos since 2002. The task force’s mission is to dismantle and disrupt criminal organizations in North San Diego County. The lease expired on May 31, 2023, and the County has continued occupancy on a month-to-month holdover while negotiating an amendment to extend the lease term.
The second facility is the Miramar Training Facility, located at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar. The lease expired on December 31, 2025. Under a 2015 lease amendment, the County has two remaining five-year options to extend the lease, and Board of Supervisors (Board) approval is required to exercise the next option. The Department of the Navy has approved a holdover through September 2026 to allow the County time to obtain the necessary Board authorization. The training facility provides critical public safety training for the Sheriff’s Office and its law enforcement partners.
Today’s request is for Board authority to execute the amendment extending the NCRGTF lease, approve the 2015 lease amendment, and authorize the County to exercise the remaining lease extension options for the MCAS Miramar Training Facility.
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Recommendation by Chief Administrative Officer:
1) Find the proposed lease amendment for the North County Regional Gang Task Force is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.
2) Find the action of approving an amendment and exercising an option to extend the term of an existing lease for the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar Training Facility is exempt from CEQA pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.
3) Approve and authorize the Director, Department of General Services (DGS), or designee, to execute the proposed lease amendment with the City of San Marcos for the North County Regional Gang Task Force leased space.
4) Approve the lease amendment with the Department of the Navy, which granted County options to extend the term of the lease for the MCAS Miramar Training Facility; and authorize the Director, DGS, or designee, to exercise all options granted by this amendment and execute any documents required by the Department of the Navy to effectuate such options.
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Equity Impact Statement
It is anticipated that the extension of the lease terms for the North County Regional Gang Task Force and the Miramar Training Facility will contribute positively to the community by providing continued law enforcement services to the communities of north San Diego county and providing law enforcement training to Sheriff’s staff.
Sustainability Impact Statement
Implementing effective sustainability objectives is crucial to ensuring safe and healthy communities and contributing to the overall success of the region. The approval of these amendments and license agreement is appropriate as it supports the County’s Strategic Initiative of Sustainability to ensure the capability to respond to the immediate needs for individuals, families, and the region.
Fiscal Impact
North County Regional Gang Task Force
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Operational Plan for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff’s Office). If approved, this request will result in FY 2026-27 rent cost of $187,398. This includes $40,410.80 in back rent due to a retroactive rent increase effective June of 2024. For FY 2027-28, rent costs are estimated at $151,397, including an annual 3% increase to rent to be effective on June 1, 2027. Funds for the remaining lease term and each option year, if exercised, will be included in future operational plans for the Sheriff’s Office. The funding source is General Purpose Revenue. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
Miramar Training Facility
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Operational Plan for the Sheriff’s Office. If approved, this request will result in FY 2026-27 rent cost of $724,800. For FY 2027-28, rent costs are estimated at $746,544, including an annual 3% increase to rent to be effective on January 1, 2027. Funds for the remaining lease term and each option year, if exercised, will be included in future operational plans for the Sheriff’s Office. The funding source is General Purpose Revenue. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
Business Impact Statement
N/A
Advisory Board Statement
N/A
Background
North County Regional Gang Task Force
On October 22, 2002 (7), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved a lease with the City of San Marcos for approximately 3,940 square feet of office space located at 182 Santar Place, San Marcos, to house the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff’s Office) North County Regional Gang Task Force (NCRGTF). The NCRGTF is comprised of investigators and analysts from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is dismantling and disrupting criminal organizations by targeting gang leadership and members involved in ongoing criminal enterprises or violent activities. In 2013 the lease was amended to expand the premises to 4,701 square feet and extend the lease term. The lease expired on May 31, 2023, and the Sheriff’s Office has a need to continue operating from this location. The lease is on holdover, which has allowed continued occupancy on a month-to-month basis as additional time was needed to negotiate an amendment. Staff from the Department of General Services (DGS) have negotiated an amendment to extend the term by five years through 2028 and allow for two five-year options to further extend the term through 2033 and 2038 if exercised.
Miramar Training Facility
The Sheriff’s Office Miramar Training Facility has been operating at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar since 1969. Over the years, the County of San Diego (County) and its community law enforcement partners have funded significant improvements to the property including office space, classrooms, restrooms, storage, parking, a canine training unit, an obstacle course, firearms ranges and a sophisticated tactical training area. The Sheriff’s Office manages the training facility and coordinates its use, which provides critical public safety training to the Sheriff’s Office and federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.
A Board action on December 7, 2010 (11), approved a new five-year lease for the Miramar Training Facility and granted approval for DGS to negotiate a five-year extension. In 2015 an amendment was issued by the Department of the Navy granting four five-year options to extend the term and County exercised the first option. Pursuant to the 2015 amendment, each extension option requires a new appraisal to establish the annual base rent for the respective extension period. County has since exercised the second option and informed Navy of its intent to exercise the third option to further extend the term. County staff recently determined that additional Board authority is needed to exercise the options granted by the 2015 amendment. Today’s request is for the Board to approve the 2015 amendment and authorize County to exercise all options granted by this amendment. A holdover through September 2026 has been granted by the Department of the Navy allowing continued occupancy while staff seek Board approval.
Environmental Statement
North County Regional Gang Task Force
The proposed lease amendment for the North County Regional Gang Task Force is categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15301 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines because it involves amending an existing lease for use of an existing building, involving negligible or no expansion of the existing use. See Attachment A for Notice of Exemption.
Miramar Training Facility
The action of approving an existing amendment and exercising an option to extend the term of an existing lease for the Miramar Training Facility is categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15301 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines because it involves amending an existing lease for use of an existing space, involving negligible or no expansion of the existing use. See Attachment B for Notice of Exemption.
Linkage To The County Of San Diego Strategic Plan
Today’s proposed action to approve the lease amendment for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office supports the Community Initiative in the County of San Diego’s 2026-2031 Strategic Plan by providing services that support safe communities.
Respectfully submitted,
Ebony N. Shelton
Chief Administrative Officer
Attachment(s)
Attachment A: North County Regional Gang Task Force Amendment Notice of Exemption
Attachment B: MCAS Miramar Training Facility Amendment Notice of Exemption