California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
VISTA DETENTION AND RE-ENTRY FACILITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR)
The County of San Diego Department of General Services (County) is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Vista Detention and Re-Entry Facility (Project). The Vista Detention Facility (VDF), located at 325 South Melrose Drive in Vista, California, is a Type II adult detention center operated by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. It opened in 1978 and underwent a major expansion in 1989, increasing its rated capacity to over 800 beds across approximately 170,000 square feet (SF). VDF serves as the primary intake facility for male and female individuals arrested in northern San Diego County and is part of the North County Regional Center (NCRC) complex, which includes the North County Superior Courts and Vista Sheriff’s Station. The population at VDF consists primarily of incarcerated persons awaiting court proceedings for North County cases. In addition, VDF houses those with medical challenges, those under psychiatric care, an administrative separation unit, as well as defendants facing high-publicity trials. It also includes specialized units such as the Veterans Module, established in 2013 in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. For more information about the Vista Detention and Re-Entry Facility visit this website: Vista Detention Facility | Detention Facilities | San Diego County Sheriff
A Notice of Preparation (NOP) has been prepared for the Project as the first step in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) EIR process. The County is seeking input from the public, stakeholders, and agencies on potential environmental impacts of the project, ways to mitigate impacts, and alternatives that may lessen impacts.
The NOP is being made available for a 46-day public review period commencing on Thursday, December 4, 2025, and ending on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. An electronic version of the NOP is available using the link below. In-person viewing is also available at the County of San Diego, Department of General Services, 5560 Overland Avenue, Suite 410 San Diego, CA 92123, upon request.
A public scoping meeting will be held to solicit comments on the NOP on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Morris B. Vance Community Room, 200 Civic Center Dr, Vista, CA 92084.
Written comments on the NOP must be received no later than January 20, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. (a 46-day public review period). Comments should be emailed or mailed directly to the project contact listed below under the subject line “Vista Detetention and Re-Entry Facility”. Please contact the Project Manager listed below for additional information, request review of a hard copy, and submit comments.
Project Contact:
County of San Diego
Department of General Services
Attention: Marcus Lubich, Environmental Project Manager
5560 Overland Avenue, Suite 410
San Diego, California 92123
Phone number: (858) 414-4593
Notice of Preparation Public Review Period (December 4, 2025 – January 20, 2026)
Environmental Documents
Project Documents
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