Leichtag has long planned to get around "agricultural in perpetuity" zoning

This is making the rounds in the fight over the Leichtag Foundation's plan to get zoning changes to allow a parking lot for homeless families.

In 2018, the Urban Land Institute prepared a report for Leichtag on Leichtag's history and future development opportunities:

In 1994, the Ecke’s got approval to develop their 950-acre poinsettia ranch into shopping centers and housing developments. The City carved out the 67.5 acres to remain agricultural.

The Leichtag Foundation purchased the property in 2012, known today at Leichtag Commons.

In 2014, Leichtag got the city council to change the definition of agricultural zoning to allow non-agricultural office buildings. And according to the report, that's only the beginning.

• The city of Encinitas is not compliant with the state mandated housing element. The Foundation is in a unique position to work with the city of Encinitas to address local housing affordability on a portion of the Coastal Roots property.

• The TAP recommends preserving a portion of the property for agriculture, food production and the greenhouse program. The site has an agricultural legacy. The Foundation can establish a farmer apprentice program, which offers a new opportunity to deliver the mission. The greenhouse program can become a center for innovation in food production and research.

• Finally, the TAP recommends the expansion of the Hive to become a more public and high profile programmatic element. It can grow to include a retreat or conference center, expansion of the non-profit hub, and an educational / cultural destination linked to the mission.

I guess we should have seen this coming. Founder Lee Leichtag's granddaughter, Heather Greene:

My grandfather always had the attitude of, "if you can't get in through the front door, you go around and you go in the back door."

The Leichtag - Jewish Federation connection

Several commenters have made an issue of Tony Kranz having accepted a free $5000 trip to Israel from the Jewish Federation of San Diego, then having voted to allow the Leichtag Foundation to use its agriculturally-zoned land for non-agricultural general office use. The rule change likely saved Leichtag tens of thousands of dollars per year in commercial office space rental.

Without some connection between Leichtag and the Jewish Federation, this would be a non-story. One Jewish non-profit doesn't necessarily have anything to do with another.

However, it appears that Leichtag and the JF are quite interconnected. The Jewish Federation operates out of the offices of the Jewish Community Foundation San Diego at 4950 Murphy Canyon Road.  Essentially, the JF is the networking umbrella organization, while the JCF is the charitable fund.

The Leichtag Foundation is one of the primary funds listed as a part of the JCF.



The JCF has two staff members listed as working with Leichtag, one of whom is an executive there.





Obviously, laws regarding the improper financial influence of public officials are meaningless if gifts can be given to politicians from nominally separate, but clearly related, organizations, before a politician votes to give substantial financial benefits to a group.

We'd say Kranz should have disclosed and recused at the time of the Leichtag vote.