View as Webpage

Following Carlsbad’s picture-perfect beach weather for the July Fourth holiday, we’re ready to kick off another summer tradition – TGIF Concerts in the Parks. The first concert of the series is tomorrow at Stagecoach Community Park. I’ll share all the details below, along with these updates:

• Ride with confidence: Police Department debuts new e-bike training classes
• Turning the tide on plastic pollution
• Happy new (fiscal) year!
• Carlsbad's drinking water earns high marks for safety
• Celebrate Parks and Recreation Month by exploring Carlsbad's favorite trails
• First meeting scheduled for new Community-Police Engagement Commission
• Upcoming city meetings 

TGIF Concerts in the Parks kicks off

Our TGIF Concerts in the Parks summer concert series kicks off tomorrow at Stagecoach Community Park with Band Overboard, a Point Loma group with a classic soft rock sound (aka “yacht rock”).

• Field opens at 4 p.m. Concert starts at 6 p.m.
• Pack a picnic – food and drink not for sale this year
• If you live nearby, consider using our new bike valet service
• Free parking at La Costa Canyon High School and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Camino de los Coches. No shuttle service for concerts at Stagecoach because we have parking close by.
• Please carpool if possible to reduce traffic (or arrange to be dropped off)
• Please leave your furry friends at home (with the exception of service animals)
• Bring a low back chair and bug spray (just in case)

Safety first

• Whether you bike, walk or drive to the concert, follow the rules of the road and bring your patience.
• For bikes, that means riding in the same direction as cars, following all traffic signs and signals and riding in the street, not on the sidewalk.
• Please also wear your helmet (it’s required for riders under 18), use front and rear lights and wear bright, high-visibility clothing to make sure drivers can see you.

Police Department debuts new e-bike classes

The Carlsbad Police Department has been working with the four school districts that serve Carlsbad to increase traffic safety, especially with the dramatic increase in students riding e-bikes. One of the outcomes of this collaboration is a new bike permit program in the Carlsbad Unified School District and new training provided by our police officers.

If you have a student getting ready to ride a bike or e-bike to school next year, whether they attend a school in the Carlsbad Unified School District or another one of the four districts that serve Carlsbad, mark your calendar for a free one-hour class to make sure they’re ready to ride safely.

Certified bike instructors from the Carlsbad Police Department will cover the basics to help students stay safe on two wheels:

1. The rules of the road for bike and e-bike riders
2. Carlsbad specific e-bike laws
3. Signs and signals and what they mean
4. Where to ride in specific situations, including on neighborhood streets and busy corridors

These upcoming classes will be held Mondays and Saturdays at Sage Creek High School, Poinsettia Elementary School and Valley Middle School.

Registration is not required, and the classes are free and open to anyone wanting more information about e-bike safety – students, parents, friends and neighbors.

Turning the tide on plastic pollution

Environmental sustainability is one of the key goals in the City Council’s 5-year-Strategic Plan. One of the ways we are leading the way is by passing local laws to prevent disposable plastic products from ending up in our landfills, beaches and lagoons. Plastic bags, single-use plastic utensils, plastic straws and Styrofoam don’t break down in the landfill and can harm wildlife and pollute the environment.

• When passing these local laws in 2022, the City Council wanted to provide plenty of time to get the word out to residents and businesses so they could adjust to the changes.
• That’s why you’ll see a phased approach to when these new laws go into effect.
• Some of these new laws went into effect starting this week.

We are committed to supporting everyone during this transition, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, reducereuserecycle@carlsbadca.gov.

Happy New (fiscal) Year

July 1 marks the start of a new fiscal year for the City of Carlsbad. So, on behalf of Team Carlsbad – Happy New Year!

• The City Council passed a balanced budget for the new fiscal year on June 13.
• In addition to maintaining a AAA credit rating, the City of Carlsbad has been recognized for budget excellence by the Government Finance Officers Association.
• That said, this important document is more than 100 pages long, so today I will cover some of the highlights.

Aligning with the strategic plan

Over the past five years we have made some changes to our budget process to increase transparency, put safeguards in place through new City Council budget policies and better align resources with the City Council’s top priorities.

• Last year, the City Council adopted a 5-Year Strategic Plan.
• The plan focuses on five main areas, based on the Carlsbad Community Vision.
• The annual budget also serves as our work plan for the year, outlining how we are implementing the strategic plan.
• On July 18, we’ll roll out a new dashboard so you can track our progress on the individual projects and initiatives in the strategic plan.

A look at the General Fund

The city has different funds for different types of spending, including funds dedicated to future maintenance needs, big projects and the city’s digital infrastructure. The fund that covers basic city services and addresses key priorities from the strategic plan is called the General Fund.

Here’s a look at how spending in the General Fund breaks down in the 2023-24 budget:

The three main sources of General Fund revenue are property taxes, sales tax and the tax visitors pay when they stay in local hotels and short-term vacation rentals.

Increasing efficiency

Ongoing economic uncertainty remains a challenge, as does maintaining our high level of service in the face of increasing costs.

• This year, we once again called on all departments to increase efficiency and find new ways to reduce ongoing spending.
• In addition to reducing city staffing by the equivalent of 12 positions, the FY 2023-24 budget includes a $3.3 million reduction in ongoing spending.
• This is in spite of a general inflation rate of 6% and double-digit inflation for many of the supplies and services we rely on to run the city.

TLDR: Of course, I highly recommend reviewing the budget itself – we work so hard to make it user friendly! But we have also created a two-page summary.

Carlsbad drinking water earns high marks for safety

The Carlsbad Municipal Water District just released its latest water quality report, which shows we are continuing to meet or exceed all state and federal drinking water standards. Water districts are required to publish information about drinking water quality in a report each summer. 

This year’s report includes:

• Detailed water quality test results
• Information about where our drinking water comes from
• Conservation tips to help residents use water wisely
• Contact information for local, state and federal water agencies

High quality water and providing peace of mind for customers are top priorities for our water utilities staff. They frequently test water quality for a variety of potential contaminants and continually monitor stored water to keep it safe and reliable 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can read the Water Quality Report on the city’s website.

P.S. There are actually three water districts that serve Carlsbad. The Carlsbad Municipal Water District delivers water to about 85% of the city. The southern part of the city is served by the Olivenhain Municipal Water District and the southeastern area is served by Vallecitos Water District. Here are their water quality reports:

Olivenhain water quality report

Vallecitos water quality report

Celebrate Parks and Recreation Month by exploring Carlsbad's favorite trails

July is Parks and Recreation Month, and all month long we’ll be sharing some stories about how our parks, trails and programs help keep our community healthy, strong and connected.  

This week’s focus: Our amazing trails.

• Carlsbad has 67+ miles of trails, including trails for every fitness level, whether you’re an experienced hiker or a beginner who wants an easy walk with some great views.
• As the weather warms up, as an alternative to the busy Batiquitos Lagoon North Bluff Trail you can try the Aviara Trails – Eucalyptus Trail.
• Bookmark our GoHike app to get instant access to everything you want to know about Carlsbad’s trails. 

Want to get involved in keeping our trails clean and beautiful? Become a trail volunteer. It's a great way to have fun, keep fit and learn about our natural environment, all while making a lasting contribution that benefits the community for generations.

This video highlights one of our recent volunteer events at Lake Calavera:

Our next volunteer event is on September 30 for National Public Lands Day.

First meeting of Community-Police Engagement Commission

The city’s new Community-Police Engagement Commission will meet for the first time Monday, July 10. The City Council voted to form the commission last December with a goal to strengthen and maintain the excellent relationship between the Carlsbad Police Department and the community.

The commission will work collaboratively with the Police Chief to provide recommendations relating to police policies and programs. Five Carlsbad residents were appointed by the City Council in March to serve on the commission:

• Patrick Connolly, District 1 (Mayor’s appointment)
• Michael Zepeda, District 1
• Taffy Cannon, District 2
• Terri Novak, District 3
• Dan Frazee, District 4

The agenda for Monday’s meeting is posted on the city’s website. You can also sign up to receive future agendas via email. 

Monday, July 10, at 2 p.m.

Council Chamber

1200 Carlsbad Village Drive

Get involved: Upcoming meetings

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

• Accepting a $65,000 donation from the Friends of the Carlsbad Library to support library programs and a $35,000 donation to support cultural arts programs
• Renewing the city’s excess workers’ compensation insurance coverage
• Adjusting the tax rates assessed on certain properties throughout the city to help pay for major projects and facilities
• Approving an operating agreement with Visit Carlsbad allowing it to manage funds collected through the Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District to promote a healthy local tourism industry
• Approving an agreement to update the city’s parking-related plans and policies in the Village & Barrio Master Plan area to reflect recent changes in state law and find ways to make more parking available downtown
• Reaffirming the City Council’s Code of Ethics and Public Service Values
• Giving final approval to the annual assessments collected through the city’s two lighting and landscaping districts
• Accepting a $2.3 million state grant to be used to help people living in encampments in the Downtown Village area move out of homelessness
• An update from San Diego County District 3 Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer
• Nominating two residents for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to consider appointing as Carlsbad’s representative on the county’s Palomar Airport Advisory Committee
• An update on the city’s ongoing progress in improving traffic safety and extending the traffic safety emergency through the summer
• How to proceed with electric power-only options for new buildings in the next update of the city’s Climate Action Plan
• Considering a request from a City Council member to discuss constituents’ requests to fly commemorative flags at City Hall

A link to the full agenda and staff reports is available on the city’s website. You can watch the meeting live on the city’s website or cable TV channel.

In addition to the Community-Police Engagement Commission meeting I mentioned earlier, there’s one city subcommittee that’s also meeting next week. 

July 11, 9 a.m. – Legislative Subcommittee

I’ll be back next week with more updates. Have a great weekend, and if you’re planning to go to the TGIF kickoff, don’t forget your dancing shoes!

Scott Chadwick