City Hall

Carlsbad’s Monroe Pool Updates Approved

by The Editors on December 13, 2022

While it shouldn’t be all that surprising (seeing as Carlsbad seems loaded with members of the “screw you, me-first” crowd) more than 25,000 people actually voted against updating the facilities at Carlsbad’s 40-year-old Monroe public pool. It’s sad that nearly half the voting community didn’t see the need for a good swimming pool facility that can be used by both the community and the students of Carlsbad High School. Thankfully, 26,576 people voted in favor of spending close to $24 million to update the entire pool facility. So it’s going to happen. And to those people we say thank you!

Here are a few of the things we can all look forward to:

• Expansion of pool for larger swimming (50% more lanes) and water polo competitions
• New 8-foot wall with gates along Monroe Street side to reduce sound from the pool
• Larger pool deck with lockers
• New exterior deck showers
• Renovated locker rooms
• More shade structures
• More bleachers
• Larger parking lot
• New entrances including an outdoor option that will no longer require passing through the locker rooms
• Reconfigured lobby, new first aid/administration offices and meeting/event room
• Replacement of pool tile, plaster, piping, pool deck, drainage, pumps and filters
• New building with mechanical room and family restrooms
• Separate mechanical room access for service vehicles to reduce parking lot impacts for users
• Replacement of existing solar water heating system and installation of rooftop solar panels to generate electricity
• Enhancement of equipment storage space

We’re seriously looking forward to the Village finally having a pool that’s as nice as the one at Alga Norte. A place where all of Carlsbad’s kids can learn to swim, cool off in the summer, and develop skills that may help them get a full ride college scholarship. And to those who voted NO, you’ll still be able to use the updated pool anyway. We are a community, after all. If you’d like to stay updated on any and all projects the City of Carlsbad has in the works, click here to sign up for the emails!

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Carlsbad Taps $2 Million For Traffic Safety

by The Editors on August 31, 2022

Have a problem that needs a solution? First thing you need is money. And thanks to a vote by the Carlsbad City Council last night (August 30, 2022) the City of Carlsbad, through its “state of emergency” proclamation, now has $2 million more to put toward making our streets safer for everyone. . . even entitled, belligerent drivers who believe that anything on the road that is not a speeding car is a nuisance.

According to the City, the money will be immediately spent on the following:

Increasing traffic enforcement by the Police Department
Buying more message boards and speed feedback signs
A new traffic safety training program offered by the city
A safe driving and riding education program
Projects to change the striping on roads to allow more space for bikes and increasing the visibility of bike lanes and crosswalks

Sure, some will argue that emergency proclamations simply allow a city to get around all kinds of red tape when it comes to spending money, but it is great to see the City moving forward on street safety. And really, who doesn’t want more money going to the hard working men and women of law enforcement? For the official word from the city of Carlsbad, please follow the jump.

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Local Emergency Declared For Traffic Safety

by The Editors on August 23, 2022

After an apparently huge increase in the number bicycles being hit by cars (233% increase since 2019) the City of Carlsbad, California has declared a local state of emergency. Here’s how City Manager Scott Chadwick explains it.

“The exponential increase in ridership, especially among young people, has significantly changed how people are using Carlsbad’s roads,” Chadwick said. “In addition to adding miles of new bike lanes, we’ve passed new laws, promoted awareness and ramped up enforcement. Despite these efforts, we continue to see collisions, including two tragic fatalities within the past 17 days.”

As much as the Carlsbad Police Department seems to like blaming bicyclists for these collisions, the truth is that the distracted driving of automobiles plays a very large part. While the digital sign board on Carlsbad Boulevard reminds people that the Police are “enforcing all bicycle laws,” there is much more that needs to be done to enforce all laws of the road, including the 3-foot rule that protects cyclists.

We will all need to work together to make Carlsbad’s streets safer for everyone. If you drive, put your phone down and drive slower. If you bike, do you best to be visible and make your intentions known ahead of time. And it great that the City is taking action.

For the official word from the City of Carlsbad, please click the link.

[Link: City of Carlsbad]

 

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Carlsbad Lays Down The Law On E-Bikes

by The Editors on March 25, 2022

The City of Carlsbad is apparently cracking down on the roving gangs of e-bikers who continually swerve through our city streets by adding some new rules of the road for the underage electric motorcycle riders.

What are these new rules? Well, things like “always ride with care,” no passengers “on handlebars,” don’t ride “on sidewalks,” and rather than scaring the bejeezus out of dog-walking pedestrians by blasting past them on the city’s trail systems, e-bikers must now “get off their e-bike on trails less than 5 feet wide when they’re within 50 feet of a pedestrian.” Get out your tape measures.

It will be interesting to see how the Carlsbad Police department will enforce these new rules. For the official word from the City along with a list of e-bike info sources, please follow the jump.

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Carlsbad Police Traded License Plate Data Illegally With Out Of State Agencies

by The Editors on January 7, 2022

Inewsource has a great, in-depth story by Cody Dulaney about how San Diego County Police Departments are using the data they collect from license plate reading cameras illegally–including, but not limited to, our own Carlsbad Police Department. 

inewsource found police in Carlsbad, Coronado, Escondido, La Mesa and Oceanside had been sharing location data collected in those jurisdictions with hundreds of other agencies across the country. Small police departments in states like Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois have been given access to information about drivers in San Diego County. State law says license plate data can only be shared with agencies in California.

To their credit it appears that the Carlsbad Police Department has changed several of their policies after being questioned about them. But still, if you care about how Carlsbad police are using technology to follow you around 24-7, then you really should read this report.

[Link: Inewsource]

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Carlsbad Libraries Out of COVID Rapid Tests

by The Editors on December 30, 2021

Before we even knew that Carlsbad’s Libraries were helping the County of San Diego distribute COVID rapid tests (The library got .01 kits per City of Carlsbad resident) we’re getting word that the Libraries of Carlsbad are already out of the kits. No real surprise there.

Here are all the details from the City of Carlsbad:

Carlsbad libraries out of COVID-19 test kits

Carlsbad libraries have given out their full supply of free COVID-19 rapid test kits provided through a partnership with San Diego County. The county provided 1,500 rapid test kits to Carlsbad libraries Monday, Dec. 27, as part of a program that distributed kits to libraries throughout the San Diego region.

When and how to get tested

The California Department of Public Health issued updated testing guidance Dec. 17. It recommends testing in the following circumstances:

If you have symptoms
Vaccinated or not, get tested immediately if you’re feeling any COVID-19 symptoms.

If you were exposed
Vaccinated people should get tested within 5-7 days of exposure.
Unvaccinated people should test immediately, and again 5-7 days after.

If you go to a high-risk event
Unvaccinated people should test before and 3-5 days after.
For mega-events of more than 1,000 people, all attendees should test within 1 day (antigen test) or 2 days (PCR test) and bring proof of negative results. Children under 2 are exempt from testing.

If you travel
Unvaccinated people should test 1-3 days before travel, and 3-5 days after.
Vaccinated or not, anyone entering or re-entering California should test 3-5 days after arrival.

Read more in CDPH’s testing fact sheetPDF and travel guidelinesPDF.

To find a testing location, visit the San Diego County COVID-19 website.

Yes, it’s rather comical that we are here on the edge of 2022 in the leading country in the world and no one can figure out how to make COVID testing both FREE and EASY. Because, 1,500 kits for the City is a joke. And trying to get tested through one of the County of San Diego FREE sites is a cluster of bureaucracy that we’ve so far been unable to plow through. 

If you really need to get a test for your kids (and they attend a Carlsbad Unified School district school) you can schedule a test by clicking here. For everyone else, check in with Walgreen’s. They offer free drive through testing if you make an appointment.

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The City of Carlsbad Gives $175,000

by The Editors on May 11, 2020

The Carlsbad City Council has approved increased funding to expand a local homeless shelter and provide increased rental assistance, food service other basic needs for the city’s most vulnerable community members.

At its May 5, 2020 meeting, the City Council approved $58,000 to Catholic Charities, which runs the La Posada de Guadalupe homeless shelter. The money will be used to expedite a planned expansion of the shelter. for all the details, please follow the jump.

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Carlsbad’s Trails, Parks, and Beaches Still Closed After Special Council Meeting

by The Editors on April 25, 2020

We watched most of the meeting. Keith Blackburn and Mayor Matt Hall are ready to open, while Cori Schumacher and Priya Bhat-Patel pressed for more analysis and maybe a bit more of a plan, since this really is a life or death situation.

Here’s what the city sent out following the meeting:

The Carlsbad City Council voted Saturday to keep its beach, parks and trails closed for now and hold a special City Council meeting May 1 to review plans for a phased reopening. The County of San Diego’s public health order is in effect until May 1.

The specific topics of the May 1 meeting will include city parks and trails as well as the city-owned golf course and the three-quarter of a mile stretch of beach north of Oak Avenue.

The six miles of Carlsbad’s coastline controlled by California State Parks also remain closed, and city officials said they would like to coordinate the opening of all beaches in Carlsbad at the same time.

On Friday, April 24, the County of San Diego announced it would lift the restrictions on going into the ocean starting Monday, but left it up to the cities and State Parks to decide whether to open the beaches. 

County requirements

County public officials have said they will consider allowing parks to reopen for passive activities such as walking, jogging and bicycling once cities complete and submit to the county a protocol template for each park as to how public health protections will be addressed. The same template applies to beaches. Requirements include:

Post signs about maintaining a 6 foot distance from those not in the same household and not entering the park if you have a fever or cough.

Wear face coverings if you are within 6-feet of someone not in your household.

No gathering except for people from the same household.

“Social Distancing and Sanitation Protocol” to be posted at each entry to the park.

Minimum of one employee must be present at each park to monitor compliance.

All employees shall receive temperature screening prior to each shift and shall not be allowed to work if employee’s temperature is 100 degrees or higher.

Break rooms, bathrooms and other common areas shall be disinfected at least every two hours.

At a minimum, close off every other parking space.

Keep playgrounds, community centers and gyms closed.

At a minimum, limit use of courts and fields to members of the same household.

Golf courses and trails

The county also has provided templates for trails and golf courses.

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Yes, We Should Save The Stack

by The Editors on September 9, 2019

Retired Navy vet Jim Strickland told The San Diego Union Tribune that he likes the Carlsbad Stack and he thinks we should keep it. We totally agree (not only because its part of our logo).

“I like it, and I think it’s crazy to get rid of it,” said Jim Strickland, a retired Navy veteran and 19-year Carlsbad resident who has long admired the distinctive column. 

We also agree with Susan Gutierrez.

“It’s an iconic, visible symbol of Carlsbad,” said Gutierrez, president of the Carlsbad Historical Society. . . “As a resident, when I see the power plant stack from anywhere on the coast, I know I am in Carlsbad, and home,” she said.

Exactly. Apparently, the issue will be discussed by the Historic Preservation Commission tonight. For all the details, please click the link.

[Link: SDUT]

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Give Input on 2020 Carlsbad City Budget

by The Editors on February 12, 2019

On Monday March 4, 2019 the City of Carlsbad will hold a public budget workshop to get input on the City’s 2020 budget and how and where they are going to spend money. If you’re interested in putting in your two cents this is the time to do it. For instance, if you’d like to see the city build a skateboard park that is closer to the village, this would be a great meeting to attend. Or if you think a mountain bike park would be nice, let them know.

The workshop will be help from 6 to 8 PM on March 4, 2019 at the City of Carlsbad Administration Center at 1635 Faraday Ave, Carlsbad, CA.

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