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No City Council meeting to report out on this week (but we have two next week!). So instead, I’ll start with some seasonal updates, especially important if you’ve got kids headed into spring break.
- Beach safety
- Distracted driving
- EGGstravaganza returns!
- Help the county update emergency plans
- Support for animal lovers
- FixIt clinic helps reduce waste
- Free transit passes for youth
- Upcoming city meetings
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Staying safe at the beach
These days spring break seems to span anywhere from late March to the end of April. Our largest school district, Carlsbad Unified, will be off next week (did you know four different school districts serve Carlsbad, depending on where you live?). So whether you’ve got kids home from school or are just in the mood to hit the beach, now is a good time to review some important precautions.
Fun fact: most of Carlsbad’s coastline is owned and managed by California State Parks. In the north, from around Oak to the Oceanside border, is not part of the state parks system. The city launched a beach lifeguard program a few years ago to patrol this ¾ mile stretch. Our lifeguards have also put out several beach safety videos:
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Here are some highlights:
Rip currents
Rip currents account for more than 80% of rescues performed by lifeguards. Before you enter the ocean, check for signs of a rip current:
- Channel of churning, foaming or choppy water
- Different colored water than the surrounding water
- Breaks in incoming waves
General safety tips
- Never swim alone
- Check-in with lifeguard for current conditions
- Always swim near a lifeguard
- Know your limits. When in doubt, don’t go out
- Watch your kids
- Stay hydrated
- Wear sunscreen
More information
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Distracted Driving Awareness Month
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the City of Carlsbad Police Department is partnering with the California Office of Traffic Safety to raise awareness and encourage drivers to stay focused and be safe whenever they’re behind the wheel.
Carlsbad police will be conducting increased enforcement, looking for drivers who are violating the state’s hands-free cell phone law. Distracted driving is just about phones – it could be anything that causing you to take your eyes off the road.
Under state law, using a handheld cell phone while driving is punishable by a fine. Drivers caught violating that law twice within 36 months get a point added to their driving record, which can affect their car insurance rates.
Carlsbad’s extra enforcement this month is made possible by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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EGGstravaganza Spring Festival
After a two year hiatus, we will be hosting our popular EGGstravaganza Spring Festival this Saturday, April 16, at Poinsettia Community Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
In addition to Carlsbad’s largest egg hunt, an ongoing egg scramble where kids race to collect candy-filled eggs, we’ll have face-painting, crafts, cookie decorating, a fun zone, soak the bunny and more.
Activity cards for the fun zone and other activities can be purchased in advance at community centers or at the event. No registration is needed to attend.
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County emergency plan survey
Carlsbad residents are being encouraged to take an online survey to provide feedback on two countywide emergency plans being updated by the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services.
The plans cover hazards like earthquakes, flooding, fires, tsunamis and even terrorist attacks.
If you choose to include your email address in the survey, you’ll be invited to attend a virtual forum on May 23, where the Office of Emergency Services will review the survey results and offer residents a chance to provide additional feedback on the plans.
If you haven’t done so already, please also sign up for AlertSanDiego, a system to notify people if they are in danger of being impacted by an emergency or disaster.
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Support for animal lovers
Monday, April 11, was National Pet Day, which is all about celebrating the joy pets bring to our lives and encouraging adoption to reduce the number of pets in animal shelters. It’s also a chance to remind our residents of the services available through the city’s contract with the San Diego Humane Society:
- Call 619-243-3466 for animal-related concerns such as strays and barking dogs
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Visit sdhumane.org for information about adoptions and lost pets
Shelters
Two shelter locations serve Carlsbad:
619-299-7012 (same for both locations)
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
San Luis Rey location (dogs only)
2905 San Luis Rey Road
Oceanside, CA 92058
(Oceanside) Airport Road location (for cats and small animals)
572 Airport Road
Oceanside, CA 92058
The County of San Diego's shelter on Palomar Airport Road is open to the public for adoption services and to claim stray pets picked up in unincorporated parts of San Diego County.
Other services for residents
- Dog licensing and license renewal
- Adoptions
- Affordable community veterinary assistance programs such as spaying and neutering
- PAWS San Diego, a safety-net program for the elderly, home bound, chronically ill, homeless and other groups at risk of giving up their pets due to economic restraints
- Investigation and enforcement of animal cruelty laws and related activities
- Picking up and caring for injured domestic animals
- Addressing dangerous domestic animal situations
- Monitoring and responding to bites and enforcing rabies quarantine requirements
- Pet behavior modification programs
- Animal relinquishment, re-homing and euthanasia (upon owner’s request)
- Temporary boarding of pets belonging to people experiencing homelessness
Wild animals
More information
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Fixit Clinic helps reduce waste
This event will feature the SD Fixit Clinic and spotlight local repair businesses with informational booths and a series of classes and demonstrations on do-it-yourself repairs for items including bikes, skateboards, surfboards, clothing and small appliances
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Free transit passes for youth
Starting May 1, Carlsbad residents 18 and under will be able to ride North County Transit District and Metropolitan Transit System buses, trains and trolleys for free through a one-year pilot program being sponsored by the San Diego Association of Governments and County of San Diego.
Here’s how it works:
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To participate in the program, young people must sign up for a transit system PRONTO card or get the PRONTO app on their phone.
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After downloading the app, visit the transit system website to request changing your account to a “reduced fare card,” which includes the free youth passes.
- Once the pass is granted, young people can ride for free, but must bring along their PRONTO card and proof of eligibility like a school photo ID, a driver’s license or birth certificate.
- Children 5 and under can already ride MTS and NCTD buses, trains or trolleys for free and don’t need to show proof of eligibility.
More information
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Get involved: Upcoming meetings
The next City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, April 19, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council chamber. Topics scheduled to be discussed include:
- An update on the city’s investments
- Approving the documents required to accept a $591,600 grant from the state for safety-related improvements to six intersections on Carlsbad Boulevard
- Advertising for bids for a project to rehabilitate sewer pipelines
- Accepting a donation from the Friends of Leo Carrillo Ranch that will pay for restoration and display of period furniture at the ranch
- Introducing an ordinance to comply with a new state law related to the Police Department’s use of “military equipment”
- Adopting an ordinance that will phase in a ban on single-use plastic food ware at Carlsbad restaurants
- Amending the Housing Element, the city’s plan for future housing, to align with state laws
- Authorizing the city to remove dry weeds and rubbish on vacant lots whose owners have failed remove the hazards
- The annual report on the city’s Climate Action Plan and a status report on updating the plan
- Considering allowing new buildings in Carlsbad to be powered by electricity only, not natural gas
- Appointments to the Housing Commission, Arts Commission and Historic Preservation Commission
A link to the full agenda and staff reports is available on the city’s website. You can watch the meeting live on the city’s website or cable TV channel.
Next Wednesday, the City Council will hold a special meeting to discuss two topics:
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The city’s financial forecast and the results of a study about potential new revenue sources (this is the one I mentioned last week that included a survey asking voters about various tax measures). City staff will present the findings and the City Council may choose to consider the information further or give direction on next steps, if any.
- An overview of the city’s capital improvement project scheduled for the next five years. The City Council will review the list of projects to ensure it is in alignment with the goals of its five-year strategic plan, which is scheduled to be completed this summer. (Capital improvement project is a term referring to something resulting in permanent structural change or the restoration of some aspect of a property that will either enhance the property's overall value, prolong its useful life or adapt it to new uses.)
I’ll be sure to give you a recap of both of these important discussions next week. In the meantime, thanks, again, for following these updates, and have a wonderful weekend.
Scott Chadwick
City Manager
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Fun things to do
Quick Links
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CarlsbadConnects app is an easy way to report things that need repair or attention around town, like potholes, sidewalk cracks, traffic light outages, graffiti and code enforcement issues.
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