June is going to be a busy month in Carlsbad. Here’s a rundown of what’s coming up along with some other “news you can use:”
- Congratulations to Carlsbad graduates
- New “Skip the Stuff” rules taking effect
- Reminder about changes to trash service
- What’s going on with the drought
- Give input on Veterans Park
- June 7 election and mail ballots drop off
- New art exhibit opening
- National Trails Day this Saturday
- Upcoming meetings
- Summer camps filling up
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Congratulations to Carlsbad graduates
This week the first of four school districts serving Carlsbad will release students for the summer and, for seniors, onto their next adventures in life.
With this milestone comes some safety reminders from the Carlsbad Police Department that I’d like to pass along…
Sadly, graduation parties often include underage drinking. According to the Police Department, alcohol is a leading cause of death among youth, especially teenagers, and these statistics generally go up during graduation season.
Remember, providing teens with alcohol and hosting parties with underage drinking is against the law in Carlsbad. Adults who ignore these responsibilities can face mandatory fines under the city’s Social Host Ordinance.
Also, as schools let out for the summer and host graduation ceremonies, traffic patterns change. If you are driving by a school in the next two weeks, please use extra caution and plan a little extra time.
I may be biased, but I happen to think Carlsbad kids are the very best and brightest. Let’s work together to make sure these annual rites of passage are celebrated safely. Thank you!
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It’s time to Skip the Stuff
A new law took effect June 1 aimed at reducing the amount of unused and unwanted single-use plastics that end up in landfills and littering our streets.
It’s commonly referred to as “Skip the Stuff” because it requires places that offer to-go food to provide plastic utensils, straws and condiment packets only upon request. Be sure to look for that option if you’re ordering take out and try to skip the stuff whenever possible.
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New trash service July 1
We are just about a month away from a change in the city’s trash contractor. By now you should have either received new trash carts or been notified that new trash carts are coming. Here’s some other information so you know what to expect:
- Your trash pickup day will remain the same
- You can still put used batteries in a clear bag on top of your recycling cart for safe disposal
- Bulky item, e-waste and household hazardous waste services will still be available. You’ll get something in the mail from our new contractor, Republic Services, about the first two, and the city’s website will have info about household hazardous waste drop off and pick up services
About organic materials
- The only thing you need to do differently is to add food scraps and other “organic” materials to your green waste cart starting July 1.
- Organic materials refer to food scraps, food soiled paper and yard waste that, under a new state law, residents and businesses must now recycle.
Why is the city switching waste haulers?
In case you’re wondering (and I have gotten this question, so I know at least some of you are), the city is switching trash contractors because our contract with Waste Management was expiring. The city put this service out to bid and received two proposals, one from Republic and one from EDCO. Both companies were deemed qualified to perform the services. After reviewing both proposals, the City Council chose Republic Services.
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Update on California drought
If you’ve been hearing more about the ongoing drought lately, there’s good reason. After calls for voluntary conservation did not produce enough water savings, last week the state issued a new requirement that all water agencies implement additional conservation measures.
- Here in the San Diego region, we have invested billions of dollars over the past 30 years in new, locally controlled and drought proof water supplies like recycled water and desalination.
- As a result, we are not as vulnerable to the effects of drought as other parts of the state.
- However, with our climate and the extremely dry conditions statewide, conserving water is always the right thing to do.
Next week, City Council (okay, technically on water issues they serve as the board of the Carlsbad Municipal Water District) will consider implementing additional water conservation actions outlined in our drought contingency plan. Some of the additional conservation measures will be familiar to those who lived in Carlsbad during the last round of mandatory water cutbacks almost 10 years ago, such as:
- Limit watering to three days a week, except those using recycled water like golf courses and HOAs.
- Limit irrigation systems to 10 minutes each, unless the system already uses water saving features like a drip system.
- Repair leaks within 72 hours of being notified.
I’ll share the full list next week, based on the City Council’s decision Tuesday. The changes wouldn’t go into effect until June 10 and would still be considered voluntary, although the state has indicated that will change if conservation goals aren’t met.
Fun fact: Only about 85% of Carlsbad residents live in the Carlsbad Municipal Water District service area. Those who live in the east may be part of the Vallecitos district, which passed its updated rules June 1, and those in the south are part of Olivenhain Municipal Water District.
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Veterans Memorial Park input
The city’s newest park is coming right along. City staff has developed the overall design for Veterans Memorial Park based on community input gathered in 2019. Now they’d like feedback on a plaza specifically designed as a place to honor those who have served.
To see the designs and provide input, you can take the online survey through June 11.
Veterans Memorial Park will be built near the intersection of Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road. In addition to the memorial plaza, the new park will feature sweeping ocean and lagoon views, walking trails, a nature inspired playground and a bike track.
The master plan report has the park layouts and renderings that give a feel for what to expect. The park is currently planned for completion in Spring 2025.
P.S. The city is looking for veterans who would be interested in working with our park planning team to provide more in-depth feedback on memorial elements. If you or someone you know might be interested, please email [email protected].
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Election is June 7
Don’t forget there is an election June 7. The City of Carlsbad is providing mail ballot drop-off services at all three city library locations. You can drop off your signed and sealed mail ballot during regular library hours from
- 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday*
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
* On Election Day, June 7, mail ballots will be accepted at any Carlsbad library from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
The City of Carlsbad has one item on the June 7 ballot. We are asking voters if they support eliminating the part-time elected City Clerk position. If so, the duties would be handled by existing city staff.
More information, including arguments for and against this change, is on the city’s website (and your voters guide from the Registrar of Voters).
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New exhibition at Cannon Gallery
The City of Carlsbad’s Cannon Art Gallery is opening a new exhibition on Saturday, June 4, highlighting the art faculty at MiraCosta College and their incredible mentorship to local students.
The exhibition, Artists Together: Today and Tomorrow, will feature work by MiraCosta faculty artists and select students across a wide spectrum of media including painting, printmaking, photography, installation, furniture and ceramics. Pieces on display will range from bright abstracts to painted sculptures.
The exhibition runs from June 4 to Aug. 13. Admission is free.
You can get a sneak peek at a free opening reception at the gallery from 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday, June 4, hosted by the Carlsbad Friends of the Arts. The event will include light refreshments and a chance to meet some of the featured artists.
The William D. Cannon Art Gallery is in the Carlsbad City Library complex at 1775 Dove Lane. The gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday, from noon to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m.
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National Trails Day hike
The City of Carlsbad will celebrate National Trails Day with a group hike on Saturday, June 4, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Hosp Grove. Two hikes, one shorter and one longer, will be led by speakers who will point out local habitat and wildlife along the way.
- National Trails Day is the country’s largest celebration of trails. It began in the late 1980s and is organized by the American Hiking Society.
- Hosp Grove trails are in one of the oldest areas of Carlsbad and were the first city trails built and maintained by volunteers.
- The scenic unpaved trails pass through Eucalyptus groves and up and down steep slopes for approximately three miles.
- On the west side of the grove, the trails offer a great view of the adjacent Buena Vista Lagoon.
Learn more about the group hike, including a full schedule of the day, on the city’s website.
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Get involved: Upcoming meetings
The next regular City Council meeting will be Tuesday, June 7, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council chamber. Here is what’s scheduled to be discussed.
- Annual reports from the city’s tourism business improvement district and golf lodging business improvement district, as well as setting public hearings regarding the annual assessments
- An agreement with a vendor to provide audio/visual services to the city
- A contract to replace city computer servers that have reached the end of their useful lives
- A new memorandum of understanding with the Carlsbad Police Officers’ Association regarding wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment
- Consider awarding Winning Teams Grants to the Carlsbad High School Speech & Debate Team and Carlsbad Pop Warner to help fund travel to national competitions
- Authorization to put an LED Street Light Replacement Program out to bid
- Adoption of an updated water conservation ordinance to make Carlsbad’s drought response plan more consistent with similar statewide and regional drought response plans
- Public hearing to approve projects that will receive TransNet Local Street Improvement Program funding for fiscal years 2022-23 through 2026-27
- Consider creating a Carlsbad Community Police Engagement Commission
- The third quarterly progress report on the city’s Homeless Response Program
- Next steps for businesses allowed to move operations outdoors due to the COVID-19 emergency
- Authorizing the Carlsbad Municipal Water District to implement water conservation measures included in level two of district’s drought response plan
- Proposed fiscal year 2022-23 major city construction projects and investments in digital infrastructure
These city meetings are also planned in the coming week:
- June 6, 4 p.m. – Traffic & Mobility Commission
- June 7, 4 p.m. – Beach Preservation Commission Special Meeting
- June 9, 6 p.m. – Housing Commission
I started by mentioning the end of the school year, and I’ll end there too. The city’s summer camps are more popular than ever, so if you’re considering signing up your kids, I recommend doing that now, before they are all sold out. We have lots of different options, running from June 14 to Aug. 19 for kids 3 to 16.
I’ll be back next week with more updates.
Scott Chadwick
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Fun things to do
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