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April 28, 2022
We’re wrapping up the month of April with an award from the taxpayers association, several new opportunities to experience arts and culture in Carlsbad, the return of the street fair and more (okay, technically the street fair is next month), but just barely.

  • Golden Watchdog award for protecting our ocean environment
  • Visit our “artist in residence” at the Batiquitos Lagoon
  • Carlsbad’s biggest book club
  • A tough hike that is worth the effort
  • Understanding new housing laws
  • Street Faire road closures and other details
  • Safe prescription disposal event
  • Upcoming public meetings
City receives Golden Watchdog award
Tonight, I’ll be joining others from the City of Carlsbad at the San Diego County Taxpayers Association 26th Annual Goldens Awards ceremony, where the City of Carlsbad will receive a “Golden Watchdog” award for using technology to protect our lagoons and ocean.
 
In announcing the award, the taxpayers association said the city “has used innovative, out-of-the-box thinking to harness the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning to maximize the efficiency of their water pollution inspections and operations.”

  • The ACTION (Automation, Compliance, Tracking, Inspection and Owner Notification) System is a comprehensive data management platform created by Carlsbad city staff to streamline and improve how the city manages its storm water protection program.
  • The previous system was time consuming and complicated, involving six different software applications and a significant amount of paperwork
  • The Action System has
  • Reduced the cost of the city’s inspection and verification program by 44%.
  • Reduced the use of paper and files by 73% and the associated costs by 57%.
  • Reduced staff time for verifications and inspections by 40%.
  • Reduced the time it takes residents and business owners to complete and submit verification information by 75%. (They can now instantly update contact information and submit maintenance verification data electronically.)
  • Saved the city between $100,000-$200,000 by eliminating the need to contract out inspection services.
 
I am so proud of our city staff for creating this new system and can’t wait to cheer them on as they collect their award.
 
P.S. The ceremony is tonight, but the award was announced earlier this week. Here are more details.
Meet our “guest artist in residence”
In 2018, the city completed our first Arts & Culture Master Plan, which serves as a roadmap for expanding access to arts and culture in Carlsbad. This is part of how we are working toward achieving the Carlsbad Community Vision, which emphasizes the importance of community character, arts and culture, and community connection, among other core values.

  • This weekend, you can experience one of the newer programs started as a result of this plan – our Guest Artist in Residence, featuring local artist Betsy K. Schulz. 
  • She will be featured in a series of “Watch and Learn” Pop Up Art events planned at the Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center.
  • Schulz is a renowned painter, sculptor and mixed-media artist whose vibrant creations are featured in public art installations throughout San Diego County. 

Last week, two oversized iconic Carlsbad beach chairs with depictions of flora and fauna painted by Schulz were installed at the Batiquitos Lagoon as part of the city’s temporary public art program. Schulz also created the firefighter heritage boxes on permanent display at Fire Station No. 3.

Through the Guest Artist Residency program, Schultz will share her artmaking process, provide some of her inspirational imagery and lead residents in creating their own pieces.

Pop Up Art: Watch and Learn with Betsy K. Schulz
Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center
7380 Gabbiano Lane, Carlsbad
Free, for all ages

  • Saturday, April 30, 2-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 14, 4-6 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 15, noon-2 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 21, noon-2 p.m.
Carlsbad Reads Together event 
As April wraps up, so does our 2022 Carlsbad Reads Together, an annual program that brings community members together and encourages them to read the same selection of books at the same time.

  • The month-long program culminates tonight in “An Evening with Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray,” who wrote this year’s Carlsbad Reads Together adult book selection, The Personal Librarian.
  • The book is a fictionalized account of the life of Belle da Costa Greene, who developed and managed the personal library of J.P. Morgan. 
  • Benedict and Murray will talk about their collaboration and their passion for highlighting women’s stories and voices through the written word.

I know it’s too late to read the book before tonight, but we’ll be recording the discussion if you want to watch later, or watch it live and read the book later, with some additional insights gleaned from the authors.

This virtual event will be held via Zoom at 7 p.m. and will be followed by an audience Q&A with the authors. Register here. It will also be livestreamed on the city’s Facebook page. 
Explore Village H North trail
We’ve had some exceptionally beautiful weather lately and there’s no better way to enjoy it than getting out on one of our scenic city trails. Our featured trail this month is Village H North, located in Calavera Hills. Don’t let the short distance fool you, this 0.4 mile trail features some big elevation changes as it wends through a Eucalyptus grove and traverses a narrow, long canyon with coastal sage and hilltops with beautiful views. If you’re lucky, you can see wildlife like kites, red shouldered hawks and various nesting raptors along the way.

For a closer look at the Village H North trail, here’s a new virtual tour.
You may have heard of the Village H South trail. That’s on the other side of Carlsbad Village Drive and was just recently improved. Plans are underway to create an off-leash dog area there.
 
You can get detailed info about all city trails on our convenient GoHike Carlsbad app.
New state housing laws and how they affect Carlsbad
The City Council, Planning Commission and Housing Commission held a special meeting Tuesday to get an update on California’s new housing laws, designed to make housing more affordable and accessible throughout the state.
 
One of the reasons these new laws concern cities is that they take away a lot of our control over where and how much new housing is built. We have been tracking this new legislation and already held one similar joint meeting on the topic, along with getting regular updates at City Council meetings from our city’s lobbyists. This week’s session included an overview of the latest changes in laws and what they mean for Carlsbad:
 
  • Senate Bill 9, the Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency Act, or HOME Act, requires ministerial approval (meaning without discretionary review or a public hearing) of duplexes and urban lot splits on single-family zoned parcels if the proposed project meets certain requirements.
  • Senate Bill 10 gives local governments the option to increase the density of the zoning on certain parcels to allow up to 10 housing units.
  • Senate Bill 8 updates the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, which limits local discretion in approving housing projects.
  • Assembly Bill 1174 updates the Housing Accountability Act, which streamlines the ministerial approval process for multifamily housing projects.
  • Assembly Bill 345 requires local governments to allow the sale or conveyance of accessory dwelling units (granny flats) separately from the primary residence.
  • Updates to the state’s density bonus law that encourage greater housing density. The law enables developers to obtain more favorable development standards and include more total units in a project than would otherwise be allowed by local zoning in exchange for providing affordable or senior units.
 
City staff have prepared detailed summaries of these new laws, some of which are linked above. You can see them all on the city’s website.
You can also see the presentation and watch the meeting recording for more information. The City Council’s legislative subcommittee is actively engaged in this issue. And, last year the City Council approved an updated housing plan (officially called a “Housing Element”). Carlsbad has now joined a small percentage of California cities with a state-certified plan. This helps the city retain a little more control and be eligible for state funding.
 
In addition, a new citizens committee is working on an update to how the city maintains our excellent quality of life and financial health as we grow in the future. Their second meeting is tonight starting at 5 p.m. You can watch it on the city’s website live or the recorded version later. More to come on this important issue.
Downtown road closures Sunday
If you’re planning to come downtown this weekend, be aware that the Carlsbad Village Street Faire is happening on Sunday, May 1. Hosted by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, the biannual Carlsbad Village Street Faire takes place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Boulevard to Jefferson Street.
 
Streets that will be closed from approximately 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday include:
  • Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Boulevard to Jefferson Street
  • Washington Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to Christiansen Way
  • State Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to Beech Street
  • Roosevelt Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to Beech Street
  • Madison Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to south of Arbuckle Place
  • Christiansen Way between State Street and the east side of the Carlsbad Coaster Station entrance
  • All the alleys in between the above streets

City staff members will be on hand during the event offering voter registration resources and sharing information about Carlsbad’s commitment to sustainability through new single-use plastic restrictions and programs to protect our waterways.

Parking is limited. General and disabled parking spaces will be available in the area surrounding the event. Free shuttle service is provided at southwest corner of The Shoppes at Carlsbad, 2525 El Camino Real, and at the Poinsettia Coaster Station, 6511 Avenida Encinas. Shuttles run every 20-30 minutes between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
 
For more information
Visit www.carlsbad.org and click on Events or call 760-931-8400.
Get rid of prescription medication safely
This Saturday, April 30, is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, a twice-a-year event created by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to give people a safe way to dispose of unneeded or expired prescription drugs, including opioids, with no questions asked.

Join us for a special event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the City of Carlsbad Safety Training Center, 5750 Orion St., and help keep your unused medication out of the wrong hands.

If you can’t make it Saturday, as a service to our residents, the City of Carlsbad also offers a year-round Prescription Drug Drop Box at the Police & Fire Headquarters at 2560 Orion Way to dispose of prescription drugs safely.

Concert crew members wanted
If you or someone you know is looking for a summer job (or just loves our TGIF Concerts in the Parks), we are looking for people to work as part of the concert crew each Friday. The pay is $20.50 an hour. There are two shifts each of the nine Fridays:

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
+ One day of required training on either June 4 or June 11
 
TGIF Concerts in the Parks Schedule 2022:
Stagecoach Community Park
June 24, July 1 & 8
 
Poinsettia Community Park
July 15 & 22
 
Calavera Hills Community Park
Jul 29 & August 5
 
Alga Norte Community Park
August 12 & 19

Here is the link to apply carlsbadca.gov/jobs. Please help spread the word. Thanks!
Get involved: Upcoming meetings
The next regular City Council meeting will be Tuesday, May 10, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council chamber. A link to the full agenda and staff reports will be available on the city’s website the Friday before the meeting.

We will have a special City Council meeting May 3, starting at 1 p.m., to finish up the discussion about major project priorities. The City Council asked for an opportunity to talk about how these projects are prioritized prior to staff presenting the preliminary annual budget in May.

You can watch the meeting in person at City Hall. It will also be livestreamed on the city’s website and cable TV channel. (“Special meeting” is the official term used for any meeting that is not part of the schedule of meetings that the City Council approves each year.)

These other city meetings are also planned in the coming week:
  • May 2, 4 p.m. – Traffic and Mobility Commission
  • May 5, 3 p.m. – Senior Commission
  • May 5, 6 p.m. – Arts Commission

Finally, today I started with a story about protecting our natural resources, and that’s where I’ll end. This past week I got an email from a resident thanking city crews for rescuing a mother duck and her 12 ducklings from a storm drain inlet.
Hello,
I was not sure who to write regarding passing along a grateful thank you. This past week here in the Avellino neighborhood where we live we had a wild life incident that one of the city truck crews responded to.

A mother duck had her “12” ducklings get trapped in a drainage ditch and so between the city crew and the humane society coming out all were saved.

It was a nice feeling to know that there are still people out here that care and seeing the two teams working together was special. It gives hope!
Thank you to the crew!
Dave

Thank YOU, Dave, and all our other residents who take the time to share stories like this. Your appreciation means so much to our city staff, who are out working every day to make this city the very best.

Scott Chadwick
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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