Solana Beach to consider improvements to decomposed granite along city streets

Solana Beach City Council members are considering ways to improve the parkway, or space between the edge of the pavement and the property lines along the sides of public streets.

With the goal of making the right of way “more user friendly” for residents, council members discussed options on April 24 with a plan for city staff to present some options at a future council meeting.

The city has typically required private property development to include bonded and compacted decomposed granite for walking and parking along the sides of public streets. But, in part due to requests from local residents, the city has been looking into other options. A presentation by city staff compared some of the different materials used along different streets throughout the city.

“Bonded and compacted DG is an aesthetically pleasing surface, particularly when it is first constructed. DG is durable on flat or gradually sloped areas,” according to a city staff report. “However, in steeper sloped areas, DG surfaces erode and require frequent maintenance. The erosion of DG into streets and storm drains is undesirable because of reduced traction and storm drain issues. Walkway erosion can pose trip hazards for pedestrians and DG can become very soft when mixed with rain or surface water.”

The report added that there were “signs of deterioration” in multiple locations visited by staff where decomposed granite has been installed over the last 10 years.

“In addition to asphalt and concrete, there are countless alternatives for pavers and other types of surfaces,” the city staff report said. “Many of these alternatives have been placed in the parkway areas in Solana Beach.”

This story originally appeared in Del Mar Times .