View as Webpage

News from the City of Carlsbad | Dec. 18, 2025

One year ago today, I stepped into my role as Carlsbad’s City Manager, and I just want to say thank you to the community for making me feel so welcome and to the City Council for this opportunity to serve you. This position is an honor and I am so proud of what our incredible employees are accomplishing for all who live, work and play here in Carlsbad.

As we near the end of 2025, I thought this would make for a good time to review some of our larger accomplishments. Some of the highlights may be obvious, while others happen behind the scenes. Either way, a newsletter only has room for so much. If you want the full picture, please watch our annual State of the City video, which also features some of our youngest residents.

As a refresher, the City Council’s 5-Year Strategic Plan serves as our roadmap. As such, we prioritize projects that fit within the goals of Community Character & Connectedness, Quality of Life & Safety, Sustainability & the Natural Environment, Economic Vitality and Organizational Excellence.

Now, let’s look at a few highlights in each of these areas for 2025…

Community Character & Connectedness

In Carlsbad, we strive to provide opportunities for community members of all ages to make new connections through participating in the wide array of programs and events we offer and maintain Carlsbad’s unique community character. This year, we continued to build upon that.



• Sunday library hours returned for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning you can now check out books and movies and participate in a wide range of programming seven days a week. Thanks to the additional hours, we will have more than 1 million checkouts of materials and over 320,000 checkouts of virtual materials like e-books by the end of this year. We’ve also seen a huge bump in library card signups, with more than 15,000 signups this year.
• Improving access along the Sea Wall: Construction is underway on the upper Sea Wall along Carlsbad Boulevard to provide wider sidewalks and brand-new staircases to get down to the lower Sea Wall and the beach. Here’s where you can find the latest on the project.
• Growth management: We continue efforts to protect our community character while meeting new state-mandated housing laws that require more housing and significantly reduce the city’s discretion in approving new projects. We’re taking steps to preserve as much local control as possible through work on an updated growth management plan and objective design standards developed in partnership with the community to help ensure new projects fit in with the existing character of the community.
• Veterans Memorial Park: Construction plans were adopted for the park, which will be located on 93.7 acres near Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road. When complete, the park will offer a mix of quiet reflection areas, family gathering spaces and opportunities to be active outdoors, with more than half the site set aside as undisturbed habitat. The park will also include a memorial plaza and a separate public art piece to honor veterans.
• Pool enhancements: We reopened the renovated Alga Norte Aquatic Center and renovations are underway on the Monroe Street Pool, which will feature a larger pool, rebuilt locker rooms and modern amenities. Watch the excitement as the community counted down the seconds to the Alga Norte Aquatic Center reopening. The Monroe Street Pool is expected to reopen in late summer 2026, but in the meantime, you can watch a behind-the-scenes construction update.

Quality of Life & Safety

Carlsbad remains one of the safest cities in the region thanks to the City Council’s investments in our police, fire and emergency medical services, as well as maintenance of our infrastructure like roads and pipes.

• Expanding fire mitigation efforts: After the Los Angeles wildfires in early 2025, the City Council approved a series of fire mitigation measures, including hazard reduction, brush management and fire protection plans. Then, in September, crews installed a new ALERTCalifornia camera in the La Costa Ridge community to provide real-time visibility and help spot wildfires early. You can see angle 1 and angle 2 here.
• New aerial ladder truck: As part of this year’s budget, the City Council approved the purchase of a new aerial ladder fire truck to enhance emergency response.
• Urban Search & Rescue rig: And a new Urban Search & Rescue rig replaced the city’s original 1996 unit with one that represents the highest level of technical rescue in California (pictured below). Carlsbad is proud to be one of only four fire departments in San Diego County maintaining a Type 1 Urban Search & Rescue capability.

• Investing in Police response: Six positions were added in the Police Department to improve response times, assist with traffic mitigation – particularly for special events – enhance digital forensics services and assist in resolving internet crimes against children.
• Reducing homelessness: Progress continues on efforts to reduce homelessness and the impact on the community. This year we updated and began enforcing a city law that prohibits overnight camping in vehicles in public spaces, while at the same time launching a new grant-funded vehicle outreach program in the Village, Barrio and beach areas to connect those living in vehicles to key services and stable housing. 
• E-bike safety: The City Council approved a series of new e-bike safety measures, including a minimum age of 12 for riding e-bikes and rules to strengthen and clarify Carlsbad’s existing e-bike laws. The city will launch a 30-day public information campaign in the new year to raise awareness of the new laws before they go into effect in early 2026.
• Barrio improvements: The City Council approved traffic calming plans for the Barrio, and work will begin soon to bring more lighting to the neighborhood. And since January, more than 40 new parking spots have been added in the Village and Barrio through restriping, sign removal or repainting red curbs that no longer need to be red (think of a red curb near a driveway that is no longer being used). 
• Traffic calming near Kelly Elementary School: This summer, the city replaced two interim traffic circles along Kelly Drive with all-way stop signs and repaved and restriped the road to bring it up to city standards. The City Council recently approved more traffic safety improvements for the area, including the development of a Safe Routes to School Plan.
• Coastal infrastructure improvements: Construction is nearly complete on a project that replaced aging water and sewer pipelines in the Terramar area. The City Council also approved updated plans for transportation projects along Carlsbad Boulevard. The Terramar area will receive new sidewalks in addition to street repaving and restriping. Additionally, new high-visibility crosswalks, ADA-compliant ramps and wider sidewalks are now planned at Tamarack.
• Improving major traffic corridors: The El Camino Real Widening project is in full swing, with construction underway between College Avenue and Jackspar/Rancho Carlsbad drives. The project includes adding a third northbound car lane with a buffered bike lane, building new sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and adding new streetlights. Early next year, construction will begin on the next phase of El Camino Real widening, between Poinsettia Lane and Camino Vida Roble.
• Daily streets maintenance: Every day our Public Works crews are filling potholes, repaving roads and addressing reports made through our city app, Carlsbad Connects. Simply download the app and make service requests from the ease of your smartphone device.

You can learn more about how the city promotes quality of life and safety in this segment from the State of the City video.

Sustainability & the Natural Environment

Each year, the city and community work together to care for our natural resources — from our beautiful coastline to picturesque lagoons and our expansive trail system. This year was no exception.

• Tracking progress on Climate Action Plan goals: The city released the Climate Action Plan dashboard, which highlights key strategies, measurable outcomes and the status of actions the city is taking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• New Stagecoach Park Community Garden: In April, the City Council cut the ribbon on Stagecoach Park Community Garden, the first of its kind in south Carlsbad. With 35 raised planting beds, the garden is designed to support healthy plant growth while conserving water.

• Water conservation: A newly constructed recycled water reservoir near the intersection of Poinsettia Lane and Black Rail Road will increase the city’s recycled water storage capacity, helping to ensure a reliable water source for irrigation.
• New Environmental Sustainability Commission: In July, the Beach Preservation Commission became the Environmental Sustainability Commission. Now, it has a broader role investigating, researching and making recommendations to the City Council on topics related to natural resources, open space, beach nourishment and climate adaptation, to name a few. 

Economic Vitality

Carlsbad’s economy is going strong, with more than $17.6 billion in goods and services produced right here in our city. That kind of momentum helps keep our unemployment rate low — around 4.5%. 

• New Small Business Liaison Program: Small business owners can now connect with dedicated city staff, including by-appointment office hours at our libraries to get the guidance and resources they need for success. 
• New Digital Resource Hub: Carlsbad businesses and entrepreneurs can now tap into key data through this new hub to identify growth opportunities, refine strategies and stay competitive.
• Business growth: New businesses are continuing to expand or move into Carlsbad, from retail to restaurants to tech and manufacturing. Recently, Novartis, a pharmaceutical company, opened a new facility in Carlsbad to produce specialized cancer treatments that will be distributed across the western U.S.

You can see many of this year’s business highlights in this segment from the State of the City.

Organizational Excellence

Here at City Hall and at all of our facilities, our team is protecting taxpayer dollars and making sure we provide only the best services. 

• Balanced budget: This year, the City Council passed a balanced budget that invests in the community’s highest priorities, sets aside money for future infrastructure needs and grows the city’s cash reserves. Think of cash reserves like the city's rainy day fund. This year, reserves reached 61% of the previous year's annual operating budget — well above the 40% goal.
• Maintaining financial excellence: With one of the lowest pension debts in the region, Carlsbad was once again awarded an AAA credit rating. Carlsbad has also received honors for its budget and annual financial reporting from an association dedicated to financial transparency in the U.S. and Canada. The city has received these honors for more than three decades.
• Fleet and tech achievements: More recently, Carlsbad’s Fleet was named the top public fleet in the nation, while our city was named a Top 10 Digital City for streamlining services using the latest technologies.

You can see our organizational excellence at work in this segment from the State of the City. I hope this year-in-review gave you a meaningful glimpse into all we’ve accomplished together for our community.

Now let’s move on to a few holiday reminders…

Stay safe this holiday season and new year

As the busy holiday season ramps up and students begin their winter break, our streets are busier than usual. Please help keep everyone safe by slowing down, staying alert and watching for more people walking and biking— especially kids and families.

• Avoid distractions while driving, wear bright or reflective clothing when walking or biking at night, and make sure bikes have required front and rear lights.
• If you have new riders at home, review the rules of the road, including Carlsbad-specific e-bike rules, and don’t forget well-fitting helmets (required for anyone under 18).

As we ring in the new year, the Police Department will have extra patrols out through New Year’s Day to promote safety, including enforcement of the city’s social host ordinance, which holds adults accountable for parties where minors have access to alcohol or drugs.

• If alcohol is part of your celebration, plan ahead for a safe ride home, supervise anyone under 21, and help ensure guests get home safely.
• If you’re hosting, be considerate of neighbors and provide a way for them to contact you if needed.

If you see or hear suspicious activity, report it immediately to the Police Department’s non-emergency number at 442-339-2197. Always report an emergency or crime in progress by calling 911.

Holiday tree recycling

When you’re ready to recycle your holiday tree, Carlsbad residents can take advantage of free curbside pickup or drop-off at several convenient locations. Curbside pickup will be available on Friday, Dec. 26, through Friday, Jan. 16. Be sure to follow the directions for preparing your tree to ensure it gets picked up. We’ll also have several drop-off locations available through Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Community events and activities

Take a break from shopping or celebrating and enjoy these community events and activities happening soon at our city libraries, community centers and the Carlsbad Senior Center, including:

• Cinema Club Friday: "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" – Friday, Dec. 19, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Front Row Saturday performance: Swingin' with Dean – Saturday, Dec. 20, 5 p.m., Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium, Dove Library
• Cinema Club Friday: "8 Femmes" – Friday, Dec. 26, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Saturdays in the Courtyard: "Dance at the Dove" event with Blame Betty – Saturday, Dec. 27, 4:30 to 6 p.m., Dove Library
• Yin Yoga Free Workshop (Adults 50+) – Saturday, Dec. 27, 11 a.m. to noon, Carlsbad Senior Center

City services schedule over the holidays

City offices, libraries and community centers will be closed on Wednesday, Dec. 24 and 31, at 2 p.m. and all day Thursday, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, in observance of the winter holidays. Trash pickup will be delayed one day on Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1 and Jan. 2. (There’s no change to trash service on the other days.)

You can see the full list of holiday city service hours on our website.



Wrapping up

Once again, I have loved every day as your City Manager. The highlights of the year are too numerous to share but I am so excited for the opportunities ahead in 2026 to work with the City Council to continue to deliver excellent customer service, quality programs, a safe community and a local government that makes you proud.

I hope you have an opportunity to spend time with those you love in the coming weeks. I won’t send out a City Manager’s Update next week due to the holiday, but will be back with one more to end the year on Wednesday, Dec. 31. I look forward to connecting with you on New Year’s Eve.

Happy Holidays!



Geoff