Adding a Second Story in Solana Beach: Foundation Briefing

Briefing summary

• A second story puts new weight on footings that were sized for one. Whether they can carry it is an engineering question, answered on the specific lot.
• In Solana Beach, a new structure or addition taller than 16 feet triggers a Structure Development Permit under the City’s view assessment rules, with story poles, a surveyor’s height certification and notice to nearby owners and occupants.
• State coastal regulations list classes of improvements to existing homes that need a coastal development permit, including some height and floor-area increases near the shoreline and work within 50 feet of a bluff edge.
• Neighbors’ input, agency review and decision dates are outside an owner’s or contractor’s control. Nothing here predicts an outcome or a schedule.

Context

Owners in Solana Beach consider going up for the usual reasons: lot coverage is tight, the yard is small, and the view is upstairs. Boards hear the same question when a unit owner in a townhome or planned development asks about adding a level.

The planning conversation tends to start with height, views and design. The structural conversation needs to start at the bottom. This briefing walks through both tracks so owners and boards can see where they meet.

1. New weight travels to old concrete

Every pound of a new floor, its walls, its roof and the people and furniture in it travels down through framing into the walls below and then into the foundation. Adding a story increases that load. It also changes how the house responds to wind and earthquakes, because a taller building with more weight up high pushes harder sideways.

The California Residential Code sizes footings partly by the number of stories they support and by how much load the soil can safely bear. A footing that was adequate for a one-story house may or may not be adequate for two. The answer depends on:

1. the size and depth of the existing footings, which often have to be confirmed by digging test holes
2. the bearing capacity of the soil beneath them, which a soils report may need to establish
3. how the new loads are distributed, and whether new posts or walls concentrate them in spots
4. the condition of the existing foundation, including any cracking, settlement or corrosion

2. What the City’s view assessment process asks for

Solana Beach’s municipal code, Chapter 17.63, sets up a view assessment process. Its stated purpose is to balance the rights of property owners to develop with the interests of neighbors in their views, and it says plainly that it does not create a right to an unobstructed view.

The City’s information sheet on the process, most recently updated in June 2026, explains that a Structure Development Permit applies citywide to new structures, or additions to existing ones, that exceed 16 feet in height. The process includes:

1. a story pole plan showing the proposed outline of the addition
2. installation of story poles and a height certification from a licensed surveyor
3. notice to owners and occupants within 300 feet
4. a review period during which neighbors may file for a view assessment
5. if an application is filed, review by the View Assessment Committee

If no one files during the review period, the information sheet describes the application moving forward toward approval and building permit submittal. If someone does file, the process continues before the Committee. Either way, the timing and the decision belong to the City.

3. The coastal layer

All of Solana Beach lies within the Coastal Zone. State regulations (Title 14, Section 13250) describe which improvements to an existing single-family home need a coastal development permit. The list includes improvements within 50 feet of a coastal bluff edge, and, for properties between the sea and the first public road or close to the beach, improvements that increase floor area or height by more than set percentages.

A second story on a bluff-top or near-shore lot can therefore involve coastal review in addition to City review. The Coastal Commission permits page on this site explains the background. Which path applies to a given lot is a question for the City’s Planning staff and, where relevant, the Commission.

4. Where the two tracks meet

The view assessment and coastal reviews focus on height, bulk and location. The building permit focuses on whether the structure is safe. They intersect in a few predictable places:

1. Height. Raising foundation elevation or adding structural depth to floors can change the measured height of the addition.
2. Footprint. If footings must be enlarged or new ones added, the work may extend outside the existing building footprint, which can matter for bluff setbacks and coastal review.
3. Grading. Excavation for new footings near slopes or bluffs may carry its own requirements.
4. Revisions. A structural change made after story poles go up or after a planning approval can mean revisiting the approved design.

For that reason, it helps to understand the foundation before the design is finalized, not after.

5. Investigations to schedule early

Owners who want to avoid late surprises tend to line up:

1. A foundation inspection of the existing house, documenting cracks, levels, crawl space conditions and drainage.
2. Exploratory excavation at a few footings to confirm size and depth.
3. A geotechnical investigation if the structural engineer needs soil design values, or if the lot is near a slope or bluff.
4. A review of original plans and prior permits, if available.

We coordinate with licensed engineers as needed so those findings feed directly into the structural design.

6. Common structural outcomes

Without prejudging any house, the outcomes engineers reach generally fall into a few groups:

1. existing footings are adequate as-is for the new loads
2. footings are adequate in most places, with new isolated footings under new posts
3. some footings need to be widened or deepened
4. the existing foundation needs repair before any addition is considered

On bluff-top properties, the design may also need to account for the bluff setback and geotechnical recommendations, which our bluff-top foundation repair page discusses.

7. For HOA boards

When a member proposes an addition in an attached or planned community, boards often need to know whether shared walls, common footings or common-area ground are affected. Boards may want the owner’s engineer to address those points in writing before architectural approval, and to confirm that the governing documents permit the change.

Board takeaways on proposed additions

• Ask whether the existing foundation has been checked before the design is drawn.
• Note whether the addition will exceed 16 feet and trigger the view assessment process.
• Ask whether the lot is near a bluff or the beach, where coastal review is more likely.
• Treat every timeline as tentative until the City and any other agency act.

What widens or narrows the foundation scope

The scope of foundation work tied to an addition depends on footing size and condition, soil conditions, access for excavation, the number of new isolated footings, the extent of any repair, and the reports and reviews required. Those same factors drive cost. They are best sorted out before final design.

Before the architect draws the second floor

If you’re weighing a second story anywhere in Solana Beach and want to know what is under the house first, request a Free Quote. We’ll document the foundation and help you frame the right questions for your design team.