Del Mar and Solana Beach Reaffirm Their Commitment to Fire and Emergency Services Amid Organizational Transition

The City of Encinitas unanimously voted on June 11, 2025, to exit the Cooperative Management Agreement (COOP), under which Encinitas provides fire administration and management services to the cities of Del Mar and Solana Beach.
Established in 2009, the COOP consolidated fire executive leadership and administrative services under the Encinitas Fire Department to promote regional coordination and operational efficiency across the three coastal cities.

As discussed by their Council, the Encinitas decision was largely driven by the increasing and evolving needs of the Encinitas community, making it no longer feasible for their City to provide fire management services to its partner communities.

As a next step, Del Mar and Solana Beach will undertake a process to explore other options for fire management services and will work with the Encinitas City Manager and Fire Chief over the coming months to develop a smooth transition plan that ensures continuity of fire operations and response for all of the communities involved.

The cities of Del Mar and Solana Beach are committed to maintaining exceptional fire and emergency response services for their residents and prioritizing and supporting their fire professionals as each City determines the best fire management structure for their respective communities moving forward.

It is anticipated that the Fire Governance Committee, made up of Council and management representatives from each of the three cities, will play an important role in facilitating this process. The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for June 18, 2025, at 9 a.m. at Encinitas City Hall, to discuss the next steps.