OCEANSIDE -- It's a radically different concept for historic Coast Highway -- one that turns a busy street dominated by car-oriented businesses into a pedestrian-friendly corridor with themed development clusters and, possibly, traffic roundabouts.

Known as the Coast Highway "vision plan," the 118-page document took the city about a year to prepare. The Oceanside City Council voted 4-1 Wednesday to use the document as a planning tool, but stressed that it is simply advisory.

"We have to go through a whole series of studies before we can take any further action," Councilman Rocky Chavez said.

Coast Highway, known to some as historic Route 101, is a three-mile, north-south arterial west of Interstate 5. It's an aging but iconic road lined with auto dealerships, motels, restaurants and other businesses.

The plan, which cost more than $360,000, is intended to guide legislative decisions and coordinate projects so they aren't done piecemeal. Specific projects would still need city approval.

Councilwoman Esther Sanchez said she supported only about 60 percent of the plan and didn't think the city should swiftly shell out money on the next steps. She cast the dissenting vote.

Aside from a short stretch through downtown, the plan encompasses all of Coast Highway and some surrounding areas.

Development is clustered in four areas called "nodes" -- a tourist area near the city's northern gateway, two mixed-use areas near the train stations and a retail area in south Oceanside. One possibility is to replace several traffic signals with roundabouts.

To the north, the plan envisions midscale hotels and a promenade over the San Luis Rey River. To the south, it calls for an arts-and-technology district along nearby Cleveland Street.

The seaside neighborhood is preserved.

Charles "Chuck" Lowery, president of the Oceanside Coastal Neighborhood Association, said the plan provides a good "starting point" for discussions.

"If we do nothing," he said, "Coast Highway will continue to develop as a three-mile long strip mall with rundown buildings, used-car lots, massage parlors, check-cashing stores and a hodgepodge of other uses."

Many of the 26 speakers supported the plan, but some said they were uneasy about how it could affect traffic and views.

It could take decades for the plan to come together. Change will be market-driven. The city won't acquire properties through eminent domain, officials said.

City staff members will get the ball rolling by pursuing grants to pay for parking and traffic studies. They also will start drafting changes to other land-use documents as well as a policy for development incentives.

"This is a great start," Councilman Jack Feller said. "We need teeth to it now."

To read the plan, visit: www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/chv/.

Contact staff writer Craig TenBroeck at (760) 901-4062 or ctenbroeck@nctimes.com.