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News from the City of Carlsbad | Dec. 31, 2025

If you’re interested in getting involved with the City of Carlsbad in 2026, today’s update is perfect for you. To ring in the new year, I’ll be highlighting a variety of ways you can make a positive impact on our community while making new connections.

I’ll also share some New Year’s Eve safety reminders as well as seasonal sustainability tips, including how to reduce your energy usage (and save some money at the same time).

Here’s the full lineup:

• Getting involved in Carlsbad in 2026
• Celebrating the new year safely
• New e-bike in the family? Review these safety rules
• 5 ways to save energy (and money) this winter
• See the city’s progress on clean energy and emissions
• How to recycle your holiday tree
• A fresh start for stuff you don’t need
• A Winter Reading Challenge for all ages
• Community events and activities
• Holiday city service hours
• Upcoming city meetings

Getting involved in Carlsbad in 2026

The new year brings new opportunities for community members looking to get involved with the City of Carlsbad. Here are a few ideas to get you started – all at no charge – with links to more information about each program:

Take part in our Citizens Academy or Citizens Police Academy. These seven-week programs offer a behind-the-scenes look at city operations.

• The Citizens Academy, which meets in the fall, combines presentations, hands-on activities and behind-the-scenes tours to help you understand city services and explore ways to get involved.
• The Citizens Police Academy, which meets in the spring, focuses on how the Carlsbad Police Department serves and protects the community, while strengthening police-community partnerships.
  

Serve on a city board or commission. Serving on a city board or commission is a great way to contribute to issues you’re passionate about, from arts to environment to recreation and senior programs. The City Council appoints the members to each board and commission, which generally meet once a month. Here’s a list of scheduled vacancies for 2026.

Volunteer on Carlsbad’s trails. The City of Carlsbad’s trail volunteers help care for the city’s 67-mile trail network by removing litter, doing minor trimming and improving trail surfaces, all while connecting with others who love the outdoors. Volunteers who want a larger role can apply to become trail captains. You can get a glimpse of what volunteering is like in this video. 

Become a CERT volunteer. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program teaches residents how to prepare for emergencies, including wildfires, and how to respond when disasters occur. The free CERT Academy meets in the spring and summer and focuses on disaster preparedness, basic response skills and neighborhood support. Residents can email Kim.Young@carlsbadca.gov to be added to the 2026 interest list.

Attend the Volunteer Expo. If you’re still not sure how you’d like to get involved, consider attending the Volunteer Expo at the Georgina Cole Library, 1250 Carlsbad Village Drive, on Jan. 24 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. At the expo, you can connect with local nonprofit organizations and learn about their missions, activities and opportunities.

Stay connected and communicate. The Carlsbad Connects App allows residents to report issues such as potholes, downed tree branches or flashing traffic signals. The app also provides information about city recreation and arts programs, classes and camps.

Celebrating the new year safely

The Carlsbad Police Department will have extra patrols out through New Year’s Day to help keep everyone safe. They’ll also be looking for other safety concerns, including violations of the city’s “social host ordinance.” This Carlsbad-specific law allows us to hold adults accountable for hosting parties where kids have access to alcohol and drugs.

As you’re making plans to celebrate, please remember:

• If drinking alcohol is part of your New Year’s Eve celebration, create a plan to arrive home safely. Designate a driver or consider leaving your car at home altogether and using a rideshare service.
• If you’re planning to host a party, let your neighbors know and ask them to contact you if the party gets too loud.
• If you’re going to serve alcohol at your party, develop a plan to get your guests home safely and make sure they’re on board.
• Supervise anyone under 21 at your gathering. The social host ordinance applies whether you provide the alcohol or people bring their own and consume it at your gathering. 
• If you’re driving, slow down and stay alert. Rain is in the forecast, which makes it even more important to watch for pedestrians, bicyclists and other cars around you.

Finally, if you see or hear suspicious activity, report it immediately. You can always call the non-emergency number at 442-339-2197. (You may want to save this number in your phone, so you always have it handy.) Always report an emergency or crime in progress by calling 911.

New e-bike in the family? Review these safety rules 

Did someone at your house get a new bike or e-bike for the holidays? Here are a few tips to help new riders stay safe:

• Bikes should follow all traffic signs and signals, just like cars
• Riders under age 18 must wear a helmet
• Always use lights on the front and back of your bike at night

New e-bike safety measures are coming to Carlsbad in the spring, including a minimum age of 12 for riding e-bikes and rules to strengthen and clarify Carlsbad’s existing e-bike laws. We will share more details on the new laws before they take effect. Sign up for email updates to make sure you get the latest information.

5 ways to save energy (and money) this winter

We enjoy great weather year-round in Carlsbad, but winter’s cooler temperatures and shorter days can cause energy bills to rise. Small adjustments at home can help you use less energy and stay comfortable. Clean Energy Alliance customers can save money through the PeakSmart Savers program by reducing energy use during high-demand hours. Here are a few no-cost or low-cost ideas to try:

1. Let the sun do the work. Open blinds and curtains during the day to bring in sunlight, then close them in the evening to help keep indoor heat from escaping.
2. Unplug devices that aren’t in use. Chargers, gaming consoles and countertop appliances continue to draw power even when they’re off.
3. Warm only the spaces you need. If you use a space heater, run it only in the room you’re in and turn it off when you leave. Keep it clear of anything that blocks airflow.
4. Adjust your water heater setting. Lowering the temperature just a few degrees can cut energy use while still providing plenty of hot water.
5. Switch to LED lighting in high-use areas. If you still have older bulbs, start with the rooms you use the most or outdoor fixtures that stay on longer.

See the city’s progress on clean energy and emissions

Taking small steps at home to reduce energy use also supports the environmental goals in the city’s Climate Action Plan, a long-term roadmap for meeting the City Council’s goal to protect the environment and natural resources.

Earlier this year, the city launched a Climate Action Plan dashboard, which tracks the city’s progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy use, transportation, solid waste and other sources. The dashboard makes it easy to follow along as Carlsbad works toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.

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 is available through Friday, Jan. 16, and we’ll have several drop-off locations available through Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Before setting your tree out for pickup, please follow these guidelines to ensure it gets picked up:

• Remove all stands, ornaments, lights and tinsel.
• Cut trees over 6 feet in half.
• Flocked or fire-retardant trees are not accepted.

A fresh start for stuff you don’t need

A new year is a good time to clear out clutter and make room for what you actually use. For Carlsbad residents, that doesn’t mean sending everything to the landfill. The Palomar Transfer Station and Recycling Buyback Center offer a one-stop shop with free services that make it easy to recycle and safely dispose of many common household items.

Whether you’re cleaning out a garage, upgrading electronics or tackling leftover materials from a home project, many items can be handled responsibly at one convenient location.

Free recycling and disposal options include:

• Batteries and light bulbs: Household batteries, lithium-ion batteries and LED light bulbs
• Most bottles and cans: Bottles and cans eligible for CRV (look for the "CA CRV" or other label)
• Cardboard: Large volumes of flattened cardboard
• Carpet: Clean, dry carpet for recycling
• Cooking and motor oil: Free used oil recovery kits are available; containers must be returned
• Electronic waste: Anything with a plug, including computers, printers, TVs and small appliances
• Mattresses and box springs: Accepted for recycling
• Medical sharps: Must be placed in a rigid, sealed container such as a plastic jug
• Paint: Interior and exterior architectural paints, primers, stains and sealers accepted through the PaintCare program (five-gallon maximum per drop-off)

Please note: Household hazardous waste is not accepted at the Palomar Transfer Station or Recycling Buyback Center. This includes items such as paint thinners and solvents, aerosol products, pesticides, pool chemicals and automotive fluids other than used motor oil. These items should be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, 1145 East Taylor Street in Vista or scheduled for a pickup service (free for residents over age 65).

Proof of residency is required for all programs. Accepted documents include a utility bill, waste services bill or driver’s license.

Palomar Transfer Station

5960 El Camino Real

Monday through Sunday

7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Recycling Buyback Center (same location)

Monday through Saturday

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Starting the year with less clutter can also mean fewer items in the trash and more materials put to better use, while helping protect the environment. Look for more decluttering tips in January updates, including bulky item pickup and electronic waste collection services.

Winter Reading Challenge kicks off Jan. 1

Kick off the new year by joining The Reading Olympics, our month-long Winter Reading Challenge that starts tomorrow and runs through Jan. 31. All ages are invited to participate. You can set new reading goals, explore new genres and help us go for the gold — a community goal of 250,000 minutes read.

Register on Beanstack starting Jan. 1, then swing by any Carlsbad library location to claim your registration rewards, including Dave & Buster's Power Vouchers (while supplies last). Keep logging your minutes to track your progress.

Participants who read 240 minutes during the challenge will score raffle entries for experience-based prizes, including free skate passes to Ice Realm Skating Rink and free music and vocal lessons from Ascend Music Studios.

Community events and activities

Here are some of the community events and activities happening soon at our city libraries, community centers and the Carlsbad Senior Center:

• Cinema Club Friday: "The Congress" – Friday, Jan. 2, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Reel Wednesday: "Caught Stealing" – Wednesday, Jan. 7, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Saturdays in the Courtyard: Ethan Kalberg – Saturday, Jan. 10, 5 to 6 p.m., Dove Library

City services schedule over the New Year's holiday

City offices, libraries and community centers will be closed on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 2 p.m. and all day Thursday, Jan. 1, in observance of the New Year’s holiday. Trash pickup will be delayed one day on 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.

Upcoming city meetings

Carlsbad’s first City Council meeting of the new year will be Tuesday, Jan. 13. Several city boards and commissions are also scheduled to meet in the upcoming weeks, including the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission on Jan. 5 and the Housing Commission on Jan. 8. See the full meeting schedule on our city calendar.

Lastly, if you’ll be out in the wet weather, please review these rain safety tips and if you need sandbags, here’s information on where to get them.

Happy New Year!

Geoff Patnoe

City Manager