Rancho Santa Fe, CA — March 17, 2026
The Rancho Santa Fe Art Jury voted 4–0 to approve the proposed Silvergate Rancho Santa Fe senior living community to advance from Conceptual Review to the next phase of design development, known as the Plan Review phase.
After concurring with the recommendation of the Rancho Santa Fe Building Department staff to move the project forward, the Art Jury’s unanimous vote marks a significant milestone in a comprehensive review process that has spanned more than two and a half years. During that time, the Silvergate project team has worked closely with the RSF Art Jury and community stakeholders to refine the design, incorporating more than 25 important modifications.
Most recently, the project footprint was reduced from 29 acres to approximately 23 acres, representing a nearly 20 percent reduction in overall land area use.
“We’re incredibly pleased with today’s outcome and grateful for the Art Jury’s thoughtful and professional review,” said Greg Petree, President & COO at AmeriCare Health & Retirement – the company that owns Silvergate. “Throughout this process, we’ve worked collaboratively with the Art Jury and the community to make significant design refinements, and we believe those changes have strengthened the project and enhanced its overall compatibility with the Ranch aesthetic.”
The meeting included robust public participation, with community members offering a range of perspectives. The Art Jury emphasized its role in evaluating the project’s design elements, including bulk, massing, scale, and aesthetics while noting that other considerations are addressed through separate governing bodies and processes.
“We appreciated the way the Art Jury conducted the meeting, allowing for ample public comment while maintaining a clear focus on the design considerations within their scope,” Petree added. “We’re encouraged by their decision to move the project into the next phase.”
While additional review and approvals remain ahead, the Conceptual Review approval represents a major step forward for a project aimed at addressing a growing local need for a senior living community in the Ranch.
“I was delighted to hear about the Art Jury’s approval of the Silvergate retirement community concept,” shared Jim Boyce, a more than 40-year resident of the Rancho Santa Fecovenant. “It’s terrific news! This wonderful family-owned company is the ideal group to steward Lilian Rice’s vision into the future and to bring this long overdue project to life.”
Silvergate Rancho Santa Fe will provide seniors with the opportunity to remain in Rancho Santa Fe - the community they have come to know and love - while maintaining independence and gaining access to supportive care as their care needs evolve. Early interest in the community has been strong, with more than 200 local Ranch households already expressing interest in residency.
“This milestone is particularly meaningful for the many local seniors who are eager to remain in Rancho Santa Fe as they age,” said Petree. “While there is still important work ahead, today’s unanimous vote represents meaningful progress toward delivering a community that will benefit residents and the broader Rancho Santa Fe area for years to come.”
“There are so few options for downsizing and staying in the community that many of us have called home for decades,” said Kathi Mallick, who has resided in the Ranch for more than 36 years. “I hope Silvergate can change that. A retirement facility does NOT compete with our community, it completes our community “
The project will now enter the plan development phase, where the Silvergate team will continue to work closely with the Art Jury to further refine architectural details, fine-tune landscaping plans, and sharpen outdoor lighting plans.
Silvergate Rancho Santa Fe is a proposed senior living community designed to offer independent living, assisted living, and memory care in a thoughtfully planned resort-style environment that reflects the character and values of the Rancho Santa Fe community.
For more than three decades in North County San Diego, Silvergate Retirement Residence has been locally owned and operated under its parent company, AmeriCare Health & Retirement, Inc. based out of Solana Beach, California. AmeriCare owns three other existing Silvergate properties in north San Diego county, including Fallbrook, San Marcos and Rancho Bernardo.
With an actively engaged leadership team that regularly demonstrates responsive operations and continual reinvestment in its boutique collection of senior living communities, Silvergate has consistently ranked among the top 1%-2% of independent, assisted living, and memory care providers in the nation.
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