It came as no real surprise to anyone, but last night the Carlsbad City Council voted unanimously (as the seemingly do for most development plans) to approve the environmental impact report on the Ponto Village Beachfront Vision Plan, according to a story in the San Diego Union Tribune.
It envisions 180 hotel rooms and 126 time-share units in an upscale resort overlooking the lagoon; a 215-room Hilton at Poinsettia Lane and Carlsbad Boulevard; and a 269-room hotel on Ponto Drive. . . . The plan also projects 128 condominium units, shops, restaurants, a wetland interpretive park and trails.
Looks like it’s all downhill from here.
“This is a very special place in our community,” Councilwoman Julie Nygaard said before voting for the plan. “There’s a lot of increased amenities. In the end we’re going to come out with a really nice place for our community.”
Yeah, special like Main Street in Huntington Beach. Wahoo!
[Link: San Diego Union Tribune]
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Basically the Ponto Vision plan will consist of: hotels, timeshare units, condos, retail space, restaurants and the token park trail.
Hmmmmm…Why would we replace Carlsbad’s Southern gate of open coastline with a very dense concrete development which would increase noise, pollution, traffic and crime while interrupting the equilibrium between nature and man, impeding the views and dividing our community.
Its very simple…Carlsbad, Incorporated in 1957, gains Operating Revenue through different sources. The majority of that revenue is made up of the General Fund.
WHERE DOES THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE COME FROM?
ANSWER – The taxes from:
1. Property
2. Retail
3. Hotel
Did I just list what consists of General Fund or the Vision Ponto Plan?
Along with the above tax sources, the General Fund grows from a Business License Tax and from Development Revenues, which both will be exercised in the Ponto Vision Plan.
“Overall, General Fund revenues are expected to grow by about 5.7%, or $6.5 million, in the upcoming year. Most of the growth is coming from the tax revenues: mainly property and TOT (Hotel). Although the City experienced revenue growth between 9% and 17% in the late 1990’s, it was not sustainable growth. Much of those increases were due to the opening of new hotels,restaurants, retail centers, and new home development.”
-2007-2008 Carlsbad Operating Budget Plan
The city found the last undeveloped beach front land and now is pushing to use it to profit from tourist, retail and property taxes while ignoring the public concerns. They have chosen to replace or beach community with a large step towards what makes Orange County so disturbing.
Like our Carlsbad City Council, the Ponto Vision Plan is nothing more than a glutton of tax revenue stuffed by its greed and and willingness to destroy what makes Carlsbad beautiful.
How do you feel?
Huh. That’s a bummer. I just moved here because it didn’t feel like the same concrete jungle that the rest of california is turning into. Oh well, guess I can always move again.