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Securing Carlsbad's long term financial health

As you may know, Carlsbad’s fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30. Every spring, as city staff finalizes the preliminary budget to be presented to the City Council, we consider not just our immediate financial forecast, but the long term outlook too. On Tuesday we shared an update on our long-term projected revenues and expenses with the City Council.

• Carlsbad has always been known as a financially healthy city.
• Planning ahead is one of the reasons we have been able to maintain a strong fiscal position, even during recessionary times and unanticipated emergencies.
• We put money away for ongoing infrastructure maintenance so we don’t face costly repairs later.
• The City Council has a robust set of policies that ensure we have money saved for a rainy day, responsibly manage our pension obligations and reinvest any funds left over at the end of the year into community priorities.

As cities move from development mode to maintenance mode, the community’s needs change, as do sources of city revenue. Carlsbad has been approaching this time of life for several years, and we are experiencing these changes.

• Developer fees have funded much of the infrastructure and community amenities we have today, including pipes, roads, parks and libraries.
• As the pace of development slows, so does the revenue from these fees.
• At the same time, our infrastructure is aging, and the cost of maintenance and replacement is significant.

Tuesday’s presentation to the City Council focused on four of the most common ways cities close a projected future gap between revenues and costs:

• Increase efficiency
• Align fees to the actual price of providing services
• Reduce staff and services
• Develop new sources of revenue

There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Fortunately for Carlsbad, we knew this new stage of life was coming and have the luxury of time to be thoughtful and strategic in how we respond. I encourage you to read the staff report, which goes into detail on all these issues, or you can watch the presentation and discussion online.

The City Council asked staff to come back with more information about potentially increasing the tax visitors pay when they stay in Carlsbad hotel rooms, timeshares and short-term vacation rentals. The transient occupancy tax, as it is known, is currently 10% in Carlsbad and hasn’t been increased since 1990. Carlsbad voters would need to approve the increase, and the next opportunity to put it on the ballot would be November 2024.

In the meantime, we are preparing to present a balanced budget to the City Council next month for review. I am very proud of our city staff, who have worked hard to reduce spending, find efficiencies and develop new ways to deliver services at a lower cost.

I will keep you posted on this important topic. As regular readers know, budget season is my favorite time of year. It’s the ultimate opportunity for total transparency. You have a right to see exactly how your taxpayer money is being spent, and that’s the goal of the budget document we prepare every year.

Eastbound SR-78 closure and traffic impacts

Speaking of the importance of rainy-day funds, we have a real-life example playing out at the north end of Carlsbad at this very moment (an emergency literally caused by rain).

First of all, if you’ve driven on the SR-78 lately, you have seen firsthand the size and scale of response efforts needed to complete an emergency repair. In this case, it’s Caltrans in the driver’s seat. So, what happened?

• During heavy rain, soil can get washed away under pipes and roads.
• Unfortunately, you often don’t know this is happening until the void becomes too big to support the infrastructure above and a sinkhole appears.
• When fixing one such “culvert” under the 78 following a recent storm, Caltrans quickly discovered several more in need of shoring up.
• The good news is that by working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they were able to complete the work on the north side of the 78 in about 21 days when it would have otherwise taken six to nine months, according to Caltrans.
• This week they moved to the south side (eastbound).
• Caltrans estimates eastbound SR-78 could be closed for up to three weeks between El Camino Real and College Boulevard while they complete the repairs.

Local impacts

We can expect continued heavy traffic around the intersection of El Camino Real and 78, so please take alternate routes if you can.

• We should also expect heavier than normal traffic throughout Carlsbad as drivers find alternate east-west routes, like Carlsbad Village Drive, Cannon, College, Faraday and especially Palomar Airport Road and Rancho Santa Fe Road.
• Please leave extra time to get where you need to go. Remember, speeding is one of the main causes of collisions in Carlsbad.
• Eliminate distractions and put your phone away.
• Look out for and yield to pedestrians.
• Share the road with cyclists. Give them the space they need to ride safely.

View real-time traffic and road closure information on the Caltrans website.

Emergency repairs on Haymar Drive

On Tuesday the City Council approved emergency actions to address a sinkhole next to the 78 on city property. While nowhere near the scale of the work on SR-78, this sinkhole needed immediate attention because of its proximity to a major sewer line.

I want to thank the City Council for authorizing this emergency work and our Public Works staff for quickly making the repairs. At next week’s City Council meeting staff will ask the City Council to consider extending the emergency so crews can install liner to reinforce the entire pipeline segment.

Reducing neighborhood speeding

We’ve been in the community a lot lately talking about the city’s traffic safety efforts, and how the changes people are seeing to our roads can help encourage people to drive safely.

In the last few weeks, we have taken our show on the road talking to the Chamber of Commerce, school PTAs and other community groups to explain the rationale behind some of the changes you are seeing on local streets and encouraging everyone to commit to using our roads safely.

Long story short, if you are annoyed by some of these changes, that means they are working. Put another way, piles of evidence show that people will drive as fast as the conditions allow.



• Stop signs and posted speed limits matter far less than how wide and straight the lanes are. 
• Narrowing travel lanes with painted stripes, installing traffic circles and adding curb extensions and speed humps are all ways to change driver behavior.

After the city makes these changes, some drivers complain that we have made the roads less safe. That’s because they feel a little uncomfortable driving on roads like this. When people feel uncomfortable, they tend to slow down and pay closer attention, two critical behaviors that literally can save lives in our community.

• So, please know that we understand not everyone loves the changes we are making.
• Please also know that we would never design an unsafe road.
• Carlsbad’s streets are subject to many different engineering standards, regulations and laws, all with safety top of mind. They are safe.
•  Changing the design in areas with higher collision rates encourages drivers and others to change the way they are using our streets, and that’s the goal.

You can learn more about how street design improves safety in neighborhood settings in this video.

5 ways we can help with your spring cleaning (while protecting the environment)

For Carlsbad residents ready to do some spring cleaning, the City of Carlsbad makes it easy to get rid of old, broken or unwanted items in a convenient, sustainable way. In honor of Earth Month, here are five ways to recycle, reuse or safely dispose of various items you’re likely to unearth as you’re clearing out closets or your garage.

Dispose of sensitive paper documents for free at our biannual shredding and recycling event on Saturday. You have to register first, then we’ll send you more details, including a location and map.

Shred and Recycle It!

Saturday, April 8

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Register now

Donate used clothing and household goods to local charities like Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or the Community Resource Center. You can also participate in a “clothing swap” led by I Love A Clean San Diego at our Earth Month Celebration on Saturday, April 15.

Earth Month Celebration

Saturday, April 15

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pine Avenue Community Park

3209 Harding St.

Learn more

For large items like mattresses, furniture and appliances, arrange for a bulky item pickup through our waste disposal company, Republic Services. Items in good working condition will be reused/donated, and anything recyclable will be recycled. To schedule a pickup, call Republic Services at 760-332-6464.

Dispose of e-waste like broken or old computers, TVs, printers and other devices by calling Republic Services for a curbside pickup or taking them to the Palomar Transfer Station at 5960 El Camino Real.

Safely dispose of household hazardous waste like antifreeze, paint or other chemicals at the CleanEarth Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, 1145 East Taylor St. in Vista. You can also arrange for a pickup service. Learn more.

New public art installed at Fire Station 2

The City of Carlsbad’s latest permanent public art piece was recently installed at Fire Station 2 on Arenal Road in South Carlsbad. Taking advantage of the highly visible location on El Camino Real, across from the Batiquitos Lagoon, the colorful glass panels are even more beautiful at night.



• The piece was designed by artist Mary Carter Taub in collaboration with firefighters, the community, the Arts Commission and the city’s Cultural Arts staff.
• It’s made of vibrant illuminated kiln-fused glass, unlike any other public art we have in Carlsbad.
• The lines on the glass panels are actually a map of our major streets plus an outline of the shape of Batiquitos Lagoon, and the colors were inspired by beach sunsets, the Flower Fields, Batiquitos Lagoon and homes in Olde Carlsbad.
• The artist chose to focus on curved lines and vibrant colors to complement the more linear design of the fire station.
• This project is part of the city’s Arts & Culture Master Plan, which is focused on improving quality of life in Carlsbad by supporting art in our community. 

Celebrating Spring with EGGstravaganza at Poinsettia Park

We are expecting a nice crowd at Poinsettia Community Park this Saturday for our annual EGGstravaganza Spring Festival.

EGGstravaganza Spring Festival

Saturday, April 8

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Poinsettia Community Park

6600 Hidden Valley Road

If you’re stopping by, here’s what you need to know:

• This is one of the city’s largest events, so give yourself extra time for parking.
• The egg scramble is ongoing from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or until eggs run out. We’ll have two fields available for kids who want to race for eggs – one for children ages 6 and over and one for children ages 5 and under. There will also be a noncompetitive field for young children, children with special needs and for families wanting to pose for a photo opportunity.
• There will also be face-painting, crafts, cookie decorating, a fun zone, soak the bunny and more. 
• Activity cards and unlimited FunZone wristbands can be purchased for $5 each. Tip: You can avoid lines by buying these in advance at community centers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
• No registration is needed.
• Look for our Safer Streets Together team on hand to distribute yard signs and window clings to everyone who commits to safe behavior on our roadways.

Get involved: Upcoming meetings

The next City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, April 11, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chamber. Topics to be discussed include:

• Updating the city’s policy on the application, interview and appointment process for board, commission and committee members
• An update on the city’s investments
• An agreement that will give the city an online tool to expedite the permitting process for residential solar energy systems
• Approving a $77,848 state homeland security grant that will pay for night vision goggles for the Police Department’s SWAT Team and the Fire Department’s medic team
• An agreement for design services for the planned Robertson Ranch Community Park at the corner of El Camino Real and Cannon Road
• Authorizing bidding for the city’s annual concrete repair program, which will repair sidewalks, curbs and gutters on 169 street segments throughout Carlsbad
• Extending the storm-related emergency declared to make additional repairs on Haymar Drive
• A request from the City of Oceanside to have a Carlsbad representative serve as a juror for the design competition for Oceanside’s beach sand nourishment and retention pilot project
• Appointing one new member to the city Planning Commission

The full agenda and staff reports are available on the city’s website. These additional public meetings are also taking place next week.

April 11, 9 a.m. – Legislative Subcommittee

April 13, 6 p.m. – Housing Commission

Warmer weather is finally in store for Carlsbad, just in time for springtime holidays and observances. I hope you have a chance to enjoy this time with your loved ones and take in all the beauty that surrounds us here in Carlsbad.

Scott Chadwick