News from the City of Carlsbad | Feb. 26, 2026 | | |
New e-bike safety laws are set to take effect in Carlsbad starting March 26, with a focus on education and awareness in the first two months. I’ll share specifics below, and you can get a quick overview in this video, which I hope you’ll share with any riders you know.
Also, I’m excited to share a major milestone this week for Veterans Memorial Park, which is officially moving into the construction phase after years of thoughtful planning and preparation. Here’s the full lineup:
- New e-bike laws coming soon to Carlsbad
- Veterans Memorial Park advances to construction
- City making progress on Strategic Plan goals
- Economic and financial report presented
- New stop signs coming to the Barrio
- Habitat Management Plan annual meeting set for March 3
- Community events and activities
- Upcoming city meetings
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New e-bike laws coming soon to Carlsbad
Stronger e-bike safety laws will take effect in Carlsbad starting March 26, after the City Council formally adopted the laws at its meeting this week. Here is what to expect once the new laws begin:
Minimum age to operate an e-bike
Anyone operating an e-bike must be at least 12 years old, as allowed by Assembly Bill 2234. The City of Carlsbad co-sponsored AB 2234, which allows cities in San Diego County, as well as the county itself, to establish a minimum age of 12 for riding e-bikes as part of a pilot program.
Consequences for reckless riding
Safety is the city’s top priority. When a minor breaks the rules and creates an immediate or substantial public safety risk, their e-bike may be impounded. The minor must complete an in-person safety course to retrieve the e-bike, and a parent or guardian must be present when the e-bike is released.
The Police Department can also impound e-motorcycles, which are not street legal.
Clarification on riding safety
In 2022, Carlsbad became the first city in San Diego County to pass local e-bike safety laws. The city has gathered more data and community input as e-bikes have continued to gain popularity and updated the laws to more clearly specify these details:
- Riders must go at a safe speed for the conditions, factoring in weather, whether pedestrians are present and how quickly other traffic is moving.
- Riders under 18 years old must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet.
- Only e-bikes designed for passengers can carry more than one rider.
- Parents are responsible for knowingly allowing their children to commit violations.
E-bike restrictions at parks
E-bikes are prohibited at Poinsettia and Pine Avenue community parks.
Next steps
The new laws will take effect on March 26, 2026, beginning with a 60-day warning period. During the warning period, officers will focus primarily on education and increasing awareness of the new laws. The warning period will end on May 25, which happens to be Memorial Day.
The city will continue to share updates throughout this process. Sign up to receive emails with the latest information.
This video summarizes the new rules. Please share it with any riders you know.
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Veterans Memorial Park advances to construction
Thanks to another City Council action this week, Veterans Memorial Park is one step closer to becoming a reality after the City Council approved the construction contract. The nearly 94-acre park will move from years of planning into the construction phase, with work expected to begin this spring.
The milestone follows extensive community outreach, environmental review, master planning and design, public art selection and the City Council’s approval of the final construction plans.
What happens next
The selected contractor will finalize required paperwork, including insurance and bonding documents. Once everything is in place, city staff will give the official green light to begin construction.
Work is expected to start a few months from now, with construction anticipated to last about two years.
What you’ll find at the park
Veterans Memorial Park is designed to balance recreation with the preservation of the site’s natural setting. More than half of the site is designated as protected habitat and will not be developed. Overall, the park includes amenities that will total $50 million, including:
- A Veterans Memorial Plaza with a flagpole and six descriptive panels honoring each branch of the U.S. military
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Public art at the park’s highest point, creating a space for reflection with sweeping views
- Three playgrounds
- A family-oriented bike park
- Fitness equipment
- Picnic areas and family gathering spaces
- Walking trails and scenic overlooks
- Street improvements along Faraday Avenue to enhance safety for drivers and bicyclists near the park
| | After years of planning and public input, I’m excited to see this long-anticipated project begin construction. I look forward to sharing updates as work gets underway and the new park begins to take shape over the next two years. | | |
City making progress on Strategic Plan goals
Speaking of projects that enhance quality of life in Carlsbad, the City Council this week received the latest annual update on its 5-Year Strategic Plan, outlining progress on major initiatives and priorities that continue to shape the city’s work.
The report highlights accomplishments across all five strategic goals and continued work on 65 priority projects as the city enters the fourth year of the plan. It also helps guide upcoming budget discussions by aligning funding decisions with the City Council’s long-term priorities.
Adopted in October 2022 and inspired by the Carlsbad Community Vision, the Strategic Plan provides a clear framework for delivering results in five key areas:
- Maintain Carlsbad’s unique community character
- Prioritize the safety and well-being of the community
- Protect the environment and natural resources
- Foster a healthy economy
- Be a model for effective and efficient local government
By establishing a five-year roadmap, the City Council created a structured approach to advancing complex, multi-year projects while continuing to deliver essential city services.
Priority projects completed 2025
Since the last annual update, several priority projects have been completed, including:
The annual report offers a detailed look at work completed to date and priorities for the year ahead. Community members can also follow ongoing progress through the city’s online Strategic Plan dashboard, which provides an overview of progress toward the plan’s goals.
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Economic and financial report presented
Along with updates on major projects and priorities, staff also presented the city’s mid-year budget and economic review at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Halfway through the fiscal year, most revenues for the City of Carlsbad have met or exceeded expectations and the city continues to operate with, and project, a balanced budget through the end of the fiscal year. Despite the slower revenue growth, the city’s overall economy remains stable.
The latest data, from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, shows Carlsbad continues to have San Diego County’s second-highest gross regional product, a measure of the total value of goods and services produced in the city. Carlsbad’s five key industry clusters – life sciences, technology, clean technology, sports and active lifestyle, and hospitality and tourism – continue to provide economic diversity and long-term resilience.
At the same time, the local economy is sending mixed messages amid uncertainty. Hiring, commercial leasing and housing momentum softened modestly, consistent with broader national cooling trends.
- The city uses a variety of data and models to forecast economic activity, which has a direct effect on city finances used to pay for local government services.
- By receiving quarterly updates, the City Council can closely track city spending and revenue trends to help inform its policy decisions.
About 80% of city revenues that fund day-to-day services like the Police and Fire departments, parks, recreation and libraries come from three sources: property tax, sales tax, and the tax visitors pay when they stay in Carlsbad hotels and short-term vacation rentals. All three are influenced by the strength of the economy.
Mid-year budget adjustments
On Tuesday, the City Council approved several mid-year funding adjustments for various operational needs, including:
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$200,000 for the state’s medical transportation reimbursement program or Public Provider Ground Emergency Medical Transportation program, which reimburses cities for ambulance transports for Medi-Cal patients. Cities must make quarterly payments that are matched with federal funds and returned as reimbursement for eligible transports. The required local payments have increased due to program changes, and as a result additional funding was needed to cover the remaining cost.
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$150,000 for ambulance services to address a temporary service gap created after the City of Oceanside suspended an ambulance that serves both Carlsbad and Oceanside due to an unforeseen budget issue in Oceanside. In order to maintain service levels, the city put an additional ambulance into service to meet the increased need while Oceanside addresses their internal challenges. We are optimistic the transportation cost recovery will offset the temporary personnel expenses.
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$150,000 in non- general funds for vegetation and sediment removal from various concrete channels to help reduce potential flooding risks.
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$90,000 for a police mobile trailer unit to enhance public safety by providing a visible, mobile crime-prevention tool that can be quickly deployed to high need areas, special events and emerging crime hot spots. The city owns one unit, and adding a second will provide greater flexibility and ensure coverage when the other is already in use or out of service for maintenance.
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$50,000 for one-time transportation needs such as additional stop signs, striping improvements and additional traffic studies.
The full mid-year budget and economic review, along with approved adjustments, is available on the city’s website.
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New stop signs coming to the Barrio starting this week
Starting Friday, the city will begin installing new all-way stop signs at four intersections in the Barrio to help reduce speeds and improve safety.
- Chestnut and Madison
- Chestnut and Roosevelt
- Magnolia and Madison
- Oak and Jefferson
If you’re in the area, here’s what you can expect during construction:
- Crews will be working from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- Temporary lane closures and parking restrictions will be in place during construction hours.
- Crews will complete this work as quickly as possible to minimize inconveniences. No impacts to resident access are anticipated.
- You may notice noise from pavement grinding and construction vehicles.
The intersection of Chestnut Avenue and Roosevelt Street is up first. Crews will start there and should finish installing all four stop signs in the next two weeks.
Additional construction in the Barrio
This work is part of a larger set of infrastructure improvements taking place in the Barrio this year and lasting through spring 2027. Improvements include:
- Traffic safety measures
- Water and sewer pipeline replacements
- Pedestrian lighting improvements
Learn more about what’s planned.
| | Thank you in advance for your patience while work is underway. | | |
Habitat Management Plan annual meeting set for March 3
Tuesday, March 3, is World Wildlife Day, and it’s also when we’ll host this year’s annual meeting on Carlsbad’s Habitat Management Plan. It’s the perfect time to highlight the work happening year-round to protect our city’s natural open space and the plants and animals that depend on it.
Adopted more than two decades ago, the Habitat Management Plan guides how we conserve and manage sensitive lands across the city. To date, 6,235 acres of open space have been preserved to support threatened species and maintain habitat connectivity throughout Carlsbad.
At the meeting, city staff and preserve managers will share updates from the past year, including habitat restoration, species monitoring and ongoing stewardship efforts. The annual report will also be presented.
Habitat Management Plan annual meeting
Tuesday, March 3
10 a.m. to noon
1635 Faraday Ave.
Conference Room 173B
If you’re unable to attend, a recording will be posted on the city’s website. I’ll also share highlights and a link to the annual report in a future City Manager’s Update.
Protecting our natural environment remains a key priority in the City Council’s 5-Year Strategic Plan. The Habitat Management Plan continues to play an important role in carrying out that work while maintaining the character that makes Carlsbad unique.
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Community events and activities
Here are some community events and activities happening soon at our city libraries, community centers and the Carlsbad Senior Center:
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Cinema Club Friday: "Foster Boy" – Friday, Feb. 27, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
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Saturday Game Exchange – Saturday, Feb. 28, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Carlsbad Senior Center
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Matthew Quirk Author Event and "The Night Agent" screening – Saturday, Feb. 28, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dove Library
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Echoes of Harlem: Art, Music and Words that Changed America – Saturday, Feb. 28, 2 to 4 p.m., Georgina Cole Library
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Reel Wednesday: "Hamnet" – Wednesday, March 4, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
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