News from the City of Carlsbad | Jan. 30, 2025 | |
After a series of red flag warnings in Carlsbad, our city got some much-needed rain over the weekend. I appreciate everyone working together to keep Carlsbad safe amid Santa Ana conditions that gave way to wet weather.
Speaking of safety, this week’s update includes our latest crime statistics, which show that Carlsbad’s crime rate continues to decline. I’ll tell a story of some top-notch police work and give you the key data points, plus:
- Progress on reducing homelessness and its community impacts
- Repainting “scramble” intersections in the Village
- Carlsbad Reads Together book announced
Here’s the full lineup:
- Crime down in Carlsbad through mid-2024
- Annual report on efforts to reduce homelessness
- 2025 Point in Time Count happened this morning
- San Diego County Water Authority sheds light on rising rates
- Additional parking spots added to the Village
- Repainting “scramble” intersections in the Village
- Nominations open for Citizen of the Year
- Community events and activities
- What’s on the agenda for your next City Council meeting
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Crime down in Carlsbad through mid-2024
Recently, Carlsbad Police responded to a call about a theft occurring at one of the malls in our city. When officers arrived, they arrested two people who had allegedly stolen $2,100 worth of goods. But our Police Department knew the incident was not isolated.
Enter the Police Crime Suppression Team, a unit whose purpose is to identify and apprehend those who are suspected of committing crimes in our city. The team worked with officers to identify a crew of 15 people suspected of being responsible for 15 thefts from a local store, resulting in more than $30,000 in losses. Several members of this organized crew have since been arrested, and charges are pending for the remainder.
That story is just one reason crime continues to drop in the City of Carlsbad.
From mid-year 2023 to mid-year 2024, the city saw an overall 4% decrease in crime, based on regional mid-year data released by SANDAG. The Carlsbad Police Department presented an update on the latest data, crime trends and department response at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
The data show that year-over-year Carlsbad experienced:
- A 5% reduction in crimes against property, including theft, robbery, burglary, vandalism, auto theft and fraud.
- A 5% drop in crimes against society, such as drug, weapons and prostitution violations.
- A 5% increase in crimes against persons — an uptick of 18 incidents, most of which were aggravated assaults in which the suspect knew the victim.
Visit our website to learn more about the latest trends and police response.
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Progress on efforts to reduce homelessness
Last fiscal year, the City of Carlsbad’s homeless response team transitioned 89 people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing.
That’s one of several updates the team shared with the City Council Tuesday as part of its annual report on reducing homelessness and its impact on the community.
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The report outlines progress in the city’s Homelessness Action Plan, which includes the programs and initiatives the city will carry out over the next several years and measures that will be used to track progress.
- The report reflects data from the last fiscal year, July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, and the 2024 Point-in-Time Count results.
Here are some highlights.
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The report shows continued improvements in reducing the impacts of homelessness on the community when comparing the same period from the last fiscal year.
- Overall, the total number of police calls for service related to homelessness decreased 16%.
- Dispatched calls for service, or calls initiated by community members, dropped 22%.
The City Council also accepted $3 million in grant funding that will help address increasing concerns about people living in their cars in the Village and Barrio areas.
This grant, along with two others the city received, was included in a proposed funding plan presented to the City Council for next fiscal year’s implementation of the Homelessness Action Plan.
Annual Point in Time Count happened this morning
While I’m on the topic of homelessness, today city staff and volunteers were up before dawn completing the annual Point-in-Time Count. The count is part of a nationwide effort to collect data on homelessness on the same day over a four-hour period.
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The data collected in Carlsbad is one of several metrics we use to gauge the success of our Homelessness Action Plan.
- It also helps us better understand the population experiencing homelessness and how we can best direct resources to address the problem and the effects on our community.
We expect to have the results from the count in a couple of months. If you’d like to stay updated on the city’s efforts to reduce homelessness, you can sign up for email updates.
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Cost of buying water going up
On Tuesday, the San Diego County Water Authority — the agency that Carlsbad Municipal Water District purchases water from — updated the City Council about its recent water rate increases.
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In total, the Water Authority is increasing its rates 14% in 2025 for member agencies like Carlsbad Municipal Water District.
- The Water Authority purchases imported water from the Colorado River through the Metropolitan Water District, which recently raised its rates 11%.
Purchasing water accounts for about 65% of Carlsbad Municipal Water District’s cost to provide water service.
Our team recently completed new cost of service studies and will present the findings at the City Council meeting on Feb. 11, including what all this means for rates in Carlsbad.
I will share all the details with you once they are available, and in the meantime, you can watch the Water Authority’s presentation online.
(Three water districts serve the City of Carlsbad. You can see if your property is located in the Carlsbad Municipal Water District or another district on our water district map.)
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Additional parking spots added to the Village
City staff recently added 15 on-street parking spots around the Village.
Parking in the Village is a high priority, so last year, city staff began studying areas where new spaces could go.
- Some ways to add parking include restriping, sign removal or repainting red curbs that no longer needed to be red (think of a red curb near a driveway that is no longer being used).
- In all, staff removed nearly 300 feet of red curb, two “no parking" signs and added a diagonal parking spot.
- As always, traffic safety is top of mind, so staff did not add any additional parking that created visibility concerns.
City staff will continue reviewing areas where parking could be added. We are scheduled to complete an additional study by the end of February.
Repainting “scramble” intersections in the Village
Speaking of the Village, fresh paint is on the way for the city’s two scramble intersections, which allow pedestrians to cross in all directions, including diagonally.
- The intersections are along Carlsbad Boulevard at Carlsbad Village Drive and Grand Avenue.
- To minimize traffic delays, the work will be completed at night, next Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Our staff will have traffic control in place and clear the area by sunrise. (Stay tuned for another behind-the-scenes video once the work is completed.)
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The scramble repainting project is one that you’ll find on our construction map, which shows city work that might affect traffic. The map is updated weekly to help you avoid or minimize traffic delays and detours that often come with construction.
Note: The map doesn’t include construction projects by local utilities, private companies or other agencies.
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Announcing this year’s Carlsbad Reads Together books
This year’s book selection for Carlsbad Reads Together is “The Cemetery of Untold Stories,” by Julia Alvarez, about a prolific author who decides to create a cemetery in the Dominican Republic for her unfinished manuscripts and notes.
Carlsbad Reads Together, which begins in April, is a communitywide program where everyone reads the same book at the same time. Thanks to the community for helping us choose this year’s book.
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Readers who want to get an early start can reserve a copy of "The Cemetery of Untold Stories" from the Carlsbad library.
- It’s available in English and Spanish and in print, eBook or eAudiobook formats.
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Julia Alvarez has also written teens' and children’s books, so rather than picking one from each category, Carlsbad Reads Together is offering a selection of “read-alikes” for kids and teens to choose from — all touching on themes from “The Cemetery of Untold Stories.”
Learn more about the books and what’s next on our website.
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Help select our next Citizen of the Year
The City of Carlsbad is accepting applications for Citizen of the Year, which honors community members who have given their time and energy toward the civic improvement, beautification and betterment of the City of Carlsbad.
- The Citizen of the Year program is 58 years old.
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Nomination forms are available on the city’s website and at City Hall, at 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive.
- Up to two honorees are selected by a five-person committee of Carlsbad residents appointed by the Mayor.
- Nominations will be accepted through April 4.
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What’s on the agenda for your next City Council meeting
The next City Council meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chamber. Topics include:
- Replacing a police vehicle totaled in an accident
- Contracts for traffic calming projects on Park Drive, Black Rail Road, Plum Tree Road and Carrillo Way
- An agreement for the computer-aided dispatch system and the in-car cameras used by the Police Department
- Updating the city policy on electronic signatures on contracts and other documents
- Appointing one member to the Senior Commission and one member to the Parks & Recreation Commission
- Introducing an ordinance to update the city’s regulations on local massage businesses
- Adopting an ordinance to amend the Carlsbad Municipal Code to modify the California Environmental Quality Act exemption determination approval process
- The annual work plans for the city’s Library Board of Trustees and the Arts, Beach Preservation, Parks & Recreation and Senior commissions
- Safe Routes to Schools program for Jefferson Elementary School
The agenda and staff reports are available on the city’s website.
3 easy ways to participate
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Sign up to get agendas and staff reports emailed to you directly
- Provide feedback via email before the meeting
- Sign up to speak at the meeting
… and 3 ways to watch
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Follow the meeting live on the city's website
- Watch the meeting live on the city’s cable channel: Spectrum channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99
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Watch a recording of the meeting afterward (online or on our channel)
Next week, several city commissions are scheduled to meet, including our Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission, Planning Commission, Beach Preservation Commission and Arts Commission. The meetings are a good opportunity to learn about projects and, in many cases, provide feedback before they come to the City Council.
For instance, next week the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission will review a project to add more lighting for people walking after dark in the Barrio.
- The Barrio is the City of Carlsbad’s oldest neighborhood and home to the Senior Center, Harding and Pine community centers, Chase Field, Pine Avenue Community Park, a community garden and ballfields used by residents from throughout the city.
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Information about where the lights are proposed and how to provide input is on our website.
Board and commission meetings are also livestreamed on the city’s website and available to watch afterward. You can see the meeting schedule on our city calendar.
Have a great weekend and I’ll be in touch next Thursday with the latest city news.
Geoff Patnoe
City Manager
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