If you’re considering a multiple-family property on Orange Avenue, the immediate answer is straightforward: Measure D did not receive enough votes in the first unofficial count, so its proposed four-story height rules were not adopted. The existing three-story, 35-foot limit described by the City Attorney remains in place while the election result awaits certification.
As of November 4, 2026, the count is unofficial and the county’s certification is scheduled by December 3. This is general information and not legal advice.
What happened to Measure D?
Measure D appears to have failed based on the first unofficial election results.
The Coronado News reported 3,833 votes against the measure and 1,067 votes for it. The county will continue counting ballots, and certification is scheduled by December 3.
A “No” vote opposed revising the R-4 height limits described in the City Attorney’s impartial analysis. Because the count has not been certified, buyers and investors should distinguish between the reported outcome and the final certified result.
Nothing in the documents reviewed says what the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the Coronado City Council or the state will do after the vote. They also do not identify a resulting penalty, deadline or lawsuit.
We spoke with a Coronado homeowner who thought parts of Measure D might still take effect despite its rejection. He had followed the campaign but was unsure which rules were existing law and which changes depended on voter approval. We separated the rejected proposal from the requirements that remained in place afterward.
What would Measure D have changed?
Measure D would have increased the maximum height for multiple-family development in the R-4 zone to four stories and no more than 42 feet.
The full text of Measure D proposed changes to Coronado Municipal Code Section 86.56.048 and Section B.2 of the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan. Its new code language would have applied a four-story, 42-foot maximum to multiple-family development in the R-4 zone.
The proposed Specific Plan language separated the limit by roof form. A multiple-family dwelling with a flat roof or a roof sloped less than 2:12 could have reached 40 feet. A dwelling with a roof slope of 2:12 or greater could have reached 42 feet. Both forms would have been limited to four stories.
Measure D did not propose the same change for every building type. The stated limits for nonresidential main buildings would have remained at three stories, with height limits of 33 or 35 feet depending on roof slope. The single-family and duplex limits in that section also would have remained unchanged.
What height limit stays in the code?
The City Attorney’s impartial analysis describes the existing maximum for multiple-family development in the R-4 zone as three stories and 35 feet.
The analysis says Coronado Municipal Code Section 86.56.048 and Section B.2 of the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan currently impose that maximum. If the unofficial result holds at certification, the Measure D amendments will not be adopted and the existing rules will remain.
That answer concerns the general R-4 rules described in the City’s documents. It does not establish the development potential of a particular parcel. The documents do not say how the vote affects any property’s value, rents, density rights or pending project, and they do not confirm whether a specific site can use another rule to reach four stories.
For a property-level review, check its zoning, the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan and the current code rather than relying only on a listing description. Other site questions may also require separate research, including applicable ADU rules or recorded association documents covered in the California HOA disclosure guide.
Where does the R-4 zone apply?
The R-4 zone applies to designated properties within the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan.
Coronado Municipal Code Chapter 86.16 directs readers to Title 88 and the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan for the zone’s land uses, development regulations and design criteria. The City’s code also places R-4 properties, along with several other listed zones, inside the Specific Plan area.
Measure D’s recitals state that Coronado has approximately 14.8 acres of R-4-zoned property. An argument against the measure, printed with the ballot materials but not presented as a City finding, described the zone as governing the core of Orange Avenue between Second and Eighth Streets.
That description is useful context, but it is not a substitute for confirming the zoning of a particular parcel.
Are there existing exceptions to the height rules?
Yes, the current code contains limited provisions for certain railings and portions of some roofs.
Under Coronado Municipal Code Section 86.56.048, certain see-through cable railings may extend two feet beyond the allowable building height on a flat or low-slope roof.
The same section allows a limited share of the building footprint to reach 40 feet if three conditions are met. The roof above 35 feet must have a pitch of at least 2:12. Building volume beside the taller portion must be reduced proportionately so that total building volume does not increase. The increased height must also be compatible with adjoining properties, as determined by the Design Review Commission.
These provisions are part of the current code. They are different from Measure D’s proposed general allowance of four stories and up to 42 feet for multiple-family development throughout the R-4 zone.
Why was the measure placed on the ballot?
The measure text and the City Attorney’s analysis say Program H-1.F called for the City to place Measure D before voters.
In reviewing Coronado’s Sixth Cycle Housing Element Update, the State Department of Housing and Community Development took the position that a three-story, 35-foot limit constrained development seeking the permitted density of 40 dwelling units per acre. HCD guidance cited in the ordinance called for at least one story and 10 feet of height for each 10 dwelling units per acre allowed. For 40 units per acre, HCD called for no less than four stories and 40 feet and expressed a preference for 42 feet.
The measure’s recitals say Coronado voters approved Proposition R in 1972, capping multiple-family developments in the R-4 zone at three stories. Because voters enacted Proposition R, the measure text says its height limits can be changed by another vote or by state law that preempts its provisions.
The City’s Housing Element Update page says SANDAG allocated 912 planned new housing units to Coronado for the 2021-2029 cycle. The Council adopted the update on April 9, 2024, HCD certified it on August 29, 2024, and later municipal code actions completed the update process.
The measure text describes Program H-1.F as a suite of actions required for continued compliance with state housing law. The complete program text was not reviewed, and the documents read do not say what happens next after the No vote.
What should a buyer or investor check now?
A buyer or investor should verify the parcel’s zoning, current code limits and property-specific constraints before treating added height as available.
Start with the official zoning designation. If the site is in the R-4 zone, review Title 88, the Orange Avenue Corridor Specific Plan and Coronado Municipal Code Section 86.56.048. The general limit described by the City Attorney remains three stories and 35 feet, subject to the current code’s limited provisions.
Also keep election status separate from property due diligence. Certification could finalize the reported result, but it would not answer every parcel-level question. Review the applicable documents and confirm any proposal with the City. For broader ownership planning, account for matters such as a possible California supplemental property tax bill and location-specific land-use information, including the Coronado North Island Accident Potential Zone guide where relevant.
The short version
Measure D’s proposed four-story, 42-foot R-4 height rules were not adopted in the first unofficial count.
As of November 4, 2026, the reported vote is 3,833 against and 1,067 for, with county certification scheduled by December 3. The current rules described by the City still limit multiple-family development in the R-4 zone to three stories and 35 feet, with narrow existing provisions for certain railings and a limited taller roof area.
The documents do not say what the City, HCD or the state will do next. They also do not determine the value or development rights of a particular parcel. Check the certified election result, current municipal code, Specific Plan and site-specific records before relying on a development assumption.
For an initial look at a property’s estimated value, use the home value tool.
Common questions
Did Coronado voters approve Measure D?
No. The first unofficial results showed 3,833 votes against Measure D and 1,067 votes for it. County certification is scheduled by December 3, 2026.
What is the current R-4 height limit?
The City Attorney's impartial analysis describes a maximum of three stories and 35 feet for multiple-family development in the R-4 zone.
What would Measure D have changed?
Measure D would have allowed multiple-family development in the R-4 zone to reach four stories and no more than 42 feet.
Does the vote determine what an R-4 property is worth?
No. The City documents do not state what the rejection means for any specific property's value, rents, density rights or pending project.
