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Date: |
September 16, 2026 |
07 |
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To: |
Board of Directors, San Diego County Sanitation District |
Title
General Services - Sanitation District Sewer Easement Quitclaim in the Lakeside Community Plan Area and CEQA Findings (Vacation No. 2026-0031) (District: 2)
End
Overview
The Real Estate Division of the Department of General Services is processing a request from the owner of Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 395-190-33 to quitclaim the San Diego County Sanitation District’s (Sanitation District) interest in a sewer easement encumbering a portion of the owner’s property. The owner’s property is located on the north side of Lakeshore Drive, just west of its intersection with Lakeview Road in the Lakeside Community Plan Area of unincorporated San Diego County (Attachment A). Quitclaiming an easement is a process to give up all rights, title, and interest granted to the Sanitation District within that portion of the subject property. Health and Safety Code section 4743 authorizes the Sanitation District to dispose of property or interests in property that are no longer required or needed. Quitclaiming a sewer easement can provide a public benefit by releasing the land for potentially improved use.
This quitclaim is being requested because the property owner discovered that the easement currently has a home constructed within its boundaries and the easement grants several rights to the District including removal of buildings. The Sanitation District confirmed this portion of the sewer easement does not contain any existing sewer facilities and there is no anticipated future use of this portion of easement. Therefore, the District has determined this portion of easement to be excess to its needs and can be quitclaimed.
If authorized by the Board of Directors of the Sanitation District, the Director of the Department of General Services or a designee will execute and record a deed to quitclaim the Sanitation District’s interest in the sewer easement described and depicted in Attachment B (“Sewer Easement Vacation”).
Body
Recommendation by Chief Administrative Officer:
1) Find that the proposed action is not subject to review under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(2) and (3) because it would only result in the quitclaiming of an unnecessary easement interest that is not needed for public purposes, and will not have a direct or reasonably foreseeable direct or indirect change in the environment and is therefore not a project as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
2) Find that the sewer easement is no longer required for District purposes.
3) Approve and authorize the Director, Department of General Services, or a designee, to execute and record a quitclaim deed for the sewer easement described in Attachment B.
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Equity Impact Statement
The removal of an encumbrance from private land that is no longer needed for sewer purposes will provide an overall public benefit and improve use of the land made available by the termination of the easement. The property is in a residentially zoned area, and the owner will be able to further use and develop the property. Although, there are no known plans to develop at this time.
Sustainability Impact Statement
The County Sanitation District implements sustainability goals adopted by the County of San Diego (County). The proposed action to quitclaim a sewer easement contributes to the County Sustainability Goal No. 1 to engage the community to partner and participate in decisions that impact their lives and communities. This action will remove an encumbrance within the owner’s property allowing them to develop the property.
Fiscal Impact
Funds for these requests are included in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Operational Plan in the Department of General Services. If approved, this request will result in estimated costs and revenue of $6,500 to obtain District authorization and process the proposed quitclaim. The funding source is a deposit from the applicant. 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
The owner of Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 395-190-33 has requested the San Diego County (County) Sanitation District (Sanitation District) to quitclaim the portion of sewer easement that encumbers their property. The portion of the sewer easement that would be vacated by the proposed action is a 30’-wide strip of land consisting of approximately 0.07 acres (Attachment B). This easement is excess to the District because this portion of sewer easement does not contain sewer facilities and there is no anticipated future use for the easement by the Sanitation District. Quitclaiming an easement is a process to give up all rights, title, and interest granted to the Sanitation District within that portion of the subject property. Health and Safety Code section 4743 authorizes the Sanitation District to dispose of property or interests in property no longer required or needed.
The sewer easement is located on a property in the Lakeside Community Plan Area of unincorporated San Diego County. The County Department of Public Works (DPW) operates and administers the Sanitation District and has determined that the sewer easement described and depicted in Attachment B is no longer required by the Sanitation District.
Staff have determined the following findings can be made to support the quitclaim request:
1. Pursuant to State of California Health and Safety Code Section 4743, the sewer easement is no longer required by the Sanitation District because the sewer easement does not contain sewer facilities and there is no anticipated future use for sewer purposes.
2. Staff have considered the use of the easement area for non-motorized transportation. The easement to be quitclaimed is exclusively for sewer purposes and is not authorized for non-motorized transportation uses. Accordingly, the easement area is not useful as a non-motorized transportation facility.
3. The County’s Planning & Development Services has reviewed the proposed action and determined it conforms with the San Diego County General Plan.
The subject property is located on the north side of Lakeshore Drive, just west of its intersection with Lakeview Road in the Lakeside Community Plan Area of unincorporated San Diego County.
The proposed action is in the public interest because it would eliminate an encumbrance on private land that is no longer needed by the Sanitation District. The proposed action would relieve the County from potential liabilities and maintenance responsibilities associated with the unnecessary easement.
Environmental Statement
The proposed quitclaim is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) because the proposed action of quitclaiming an excess public service easement that is not needed for public purposes or requested by the property owner for any planned development would not have a reasonably foreseeable direct or indirect physical change in the environment, is merely an organizational or administrative action to terminate an unneeded and unused easement and is therefore not a project as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. If the project was subject to CEQA review, the proposed quitclaim would be categorically exempt under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15305 because it is a minor alteration in land use limitation in an area with slopes of less than 20% that will not result in land use or density changes and none of the exceptions listed in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 would be applicable to the project.
Linkage To The County Of San Diego Strategic Plan
The proposed action supports the Sustainability, Community, and Equity Strategic Initiatives in the County of San Diego’s 2026-2031 Strategic Plan by promoting opportunities for property owners to exercise their right to be civically engaged and access economic opportunity.
Respectfully submitted,
Dahvia Lynch
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Attachment(s)
Attachment A - Location Map
Attachment B - Exhibit “A” Legal Description and Exhibit “B” Plat