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It looks like we might get a little sunshine this weekend after all of the recent rain, even if we are still waiting for temperatures to warm up a little. In this update, I’ll share a few fun ideas for activities if you’re looking to spend some time outside this weekend, along with these important updates.
- Partnering with schools to teach the rules of the road
- Traffic projects to be discussed next week
- Good news about a feathered friend before World Wildlife Day
- Ideas for your next outdoor adventure
- Free e-waste recycling event
- Apply to serve on our Planning Commission
- Learning about Women's History Month with the Library
- Carlsbad Reads Together
- Tax help for seniors
- Fun facts about the Flower Fields
- Upcoming meetings
- A special shoutout for Team Carlsbad
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Partnering with schools to teach the rules of the road
You’ve heard me say it before, but I think it’s worth repeating: Keeping everyone safe on the road is a team effort. Each of us has a role to play when it comes to traffic safety, and it takes all of us working together as a community to keep each other safe.
That’s why I’m thrilled about our partnerships with Carlsbad schools.
This week, we teamed up with Sage Creek High School and Calavera Hills Middle School to talk to students and parents about the rules of the road for bikes and e-bikes.
On Wednesday, we hosted an after school class on bike and e-bike safety, led by the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition and our Carlsbad Police Department.
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Earlier today, we spoke with students at Calavera Hills Middle School about bike and e-bike safety during all school assemblies, and followed it up with a bike rodeo after school. If you’ve never seen a bike rodeo in action, it’s basically a way for kids (or adults) to get hands-on practice with bike safety skills and maneuvers.
- Certified instructors with the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition led kids through a series of activities designed to help them be safer, more confident bike riders.
- Our Police Department was on hand to talk with parents and students about the rules of the road, including Carlsbad-specific e-bike laws.
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Every time we talk to students or families about staying safe on the road, we get a new perspective. It’s been incredible to hear from so many people about why traffic safety matters to them, and what they are doing to stay safe on the road.
Here are a couple of perspectives from local middle school students, Hazel and Jayden.
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In the weeks ahead, we’ll have more events where students, parents and anyone in the community can learn more about staying safe on the road, whether they are walking, biking or driving.
Join us Thursday, March 16 for a Parent University webinar all about traffic safety. During this one-hour virtual webinar as part of the Parent University series, where you will learn:
- The top causes of local collisions and how to prevent them
- How to talk to your kids about safety
- 3 simple ways to improve safety when walking, driving and biking
- Carlsbad-specific e-bike rules and what happens if you break them
- The very best way to motivate teens to follow traffic rules (It’s not what you think)
Keeping our kids safe on Carlsbad streets
What all parents should know
Thursday, March 16
6 to 7 p.m.
Zoom
Register today
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Traffic projects to be discussed
On Monday, city staff will discuss several traffic safety related projects with the Traffic & Mobility Commission.
Traffic & Mobility Commission
March 6, 4 p.m.
Council Chamber at City Hall
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive
Watch online
Some of the topics include:
Paying for and completing projects in the Sustainable Mobility Plan, which focuses on traffic safety, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing travel options for people of all ages and abilities.
- The plan includes projects like bicycle and pedestrian access improvements, transit and trail connections, Safe Routes to School programs and improvements in underserved communities.
- City staff are evaluating how to complete the projects and how to pay for them to be constructed, including an updated fee collected from developers.
An update on how the city evaluates our transportation network for people who walk, bike and drive.
- In the past, transportation around cities was almost exclusively focused on driving, except for dense urban areas where public transit is well utilized.
- Now, we’re focused on moving people rather than cars.
- We are finding ways to make other modes of transportation a safe and inviting alternative where that makes sense.
The Traffic & Mobility Commission meets on the first Monday of each month and is a good place to learn about projects in the works and provide input.
The agendas and agenda packets are posted on the commission page. Sign up to get notified when they are available. You can watch the meetings live on the city’s website or cable TV channel.
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Good news before World Wildlife Day
Friday is World Wildlife Day and in Carlsbad we’re celebrating with our very own success story about the California gnatcatcher.
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If you’re lucky, you’ve spotted or heard a gnatcatcher when you’re out on one of our city trails.
- It’s a tiny bird with dark blue-gray feathers on its back, grayish-white feathers on its underside and white rings around its eyes.
- It makes a high-pitched sound similar to a kitten mewing.
New data shows the California gnatcatcher is still thriving here.
A recent count looked at how many gnatcatchers were found in local habitats last year compared to counts in 2010 and 2013. Since 2010, the number of gnatcatcher pairs has increased by more than 50%, from 85 to 134 pairs! This shows our preservation efforts are having the positive impact needed to help protect this threatened species.
Protecting the federally threatened gnatcatcher and preserving the coastal sage scrub it calls home was one of the top priorities when the city created the Habitat Management Plan 18 years ago.
- The City of Carlsbad is the only city in North County with an approved Habitat Management Plan.
- The plan was created in part to guide sustainable development, conserve habitat and permanently protect 47 rare plant and animal species, including the California gnatcatcher.
- The plan sets aside nearly 6,200 acres of open space as preserves for native plants and wildlife through a comprehensive environmental program.
The survey results were included in the city’s annual report about the Habitat Management Plan presented at a community meeting earlier today.
The new report also highlights all the work done by the city, land management organizations and nonprofit conservancy groups over the past year to protect natural lands within the city. It’s an impressive list of projects that demonstrates our commitment to preserving open space and native species for future generations.
Learn more.
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Explore Carlsbad’s open space
Speaking of Carlsbad’s beautiful open spaces, with spring just around the corner and the weather (hopefully) getting warmer soon, it’s a great time to hit our 67+ miles of city trails. Our winter/spring edition of Happy Trails is available now on the city’s website.
Read about:
- Where and how to spot the gnatcatcher in Carlsbad
- An update on a program to eradicate an invasive plant species called Ward's Weed
Enjoy this latest issue of Happy Trails and please share it with your friends!
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Free e-waste recycling event
We’ve shared a lot of tips recently about recycling, reducing or reusing. Properly recycling old electronics is one important way we can help protect our environment.
If you have old electronics and small appliances (50 lbs. or less) that can’t be repaired, you can drop them off this Saturday at Dove Library.
Saturday, March 4
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dove Library
1775 Dove Lane
FREE
Accepted items include:
- Computers
- Printers
- Fax machines
- VCRs
- DVD/CD players
- Microwaves
- TVs
- Fans
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Opening available on the Planning Commission
If you want to help to make a difference in our community, consider applying for a vacancy on the City of Carlsbad Planning Commission.
- Applicants must be Carlsbad residents who are registered to vote in the city.
- This vacancy is for a term that runs through December 2026.
- The Planning Commission holds public hearings to consider land use matters, such as the General Plan, Local Coastal Program, Growth Management Program, zone changes, special studies, discretionary development permits and more.
- Commission members are nominated by the Mayor and approved/confirmed by a majority City Council vote.
- Planning Commission meetings are held the first and third Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m. in the Council Chamber.
Applications are available on the city’s website or in the City Clerk’s Office, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive, and must be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office by noon Monday, March 20.
Learn more.
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Celebrating Women's History Month
March is Women’s History Month and we have some great resources at the Carlsbad City Library that celebrate the historical and modern-day achievements of women. Visit your favorite library location in person or online to find displays and resources that highlight remarkable women who have helped make our world a better place.
Need more help finding a book you’ll enjoy? You can also try the library’s Personalized Reading Recommendation Service.
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Carlsbad Reads Together
Speaking of the library, Carlsbad Reads Together is coming up in April and this year’s book selection has just been announced. Carlsbad Reads Together is an annual celebration connecting the entire Carlsbad community through reading.
- Library patrons helped pick the 2023 selection, “The Line Becomes a River” by Francisco Canti. It’s the true story of a U.S. Border Patrol Agent’s experience on the front lines of the U.S.-Mexico border and how he tries to balance courage and compassion in the line of duty.
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Readers who want to get an early start can reserve a copy from Carlsbad City Library, available in English and Spanish, in print, eBook or eAudiobook formats.
- The 2023 teen and children’s book selections for Carlsbad Reads Together have also been announced.
Find all the details on our website.
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Tax help for Adults 50+
Tax season is upon us and if you or someone you know is 50 or older and needs help preparing a return, we have assistance available at the Carlsbad Senior Center.
AARP tax-aide volunteers will be on hand through April 13 to provide free tax preparation and filing services. Volunteers are trained and IRS certified every year to ensure they are familiar with the latest changes to the U.S. Tax Code.
AARP Foundation Tax Help
Tuesdays and Thursdays
8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Carlsbad Senior Center
799 Pine Ave.
You can schedule an appointment at the Senior Center front desk or call 442-339-2650. Walk-ins are accepted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Here’s a quick checklist of items to bring to help your appointment go smoothly:
- Photo ID and Social Security Card
- 2021 tax return
- All relevant tax documents
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Completed intake form
For more information, visit the Senior Center webpage.
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Flower Fields now open
The Carlsbad Flower Fields opened for its 2023 season on Wednesday and, by all reports, the recent rainfall should make it a spectacular year for colorful blooms. Here are a few fun facts about the Flower Fields in honor of opening day.
- The fields feature 55 acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus, with millions of blooms each year.
- Originally, the ranunculus ranged in shades of red and yellow. Now there are 13 different colors.
- This year, the fields are open through May 14. Blooms usually peak from mid-March to mid-April.
- More than 300,000 people visited the fields last year.
You can find more information on the Flower Fields’ website. If you’re planning to visit the fields – or if you’re driving in that area over the next several weeks – please be mindful of additional traffic in the area and drive carefully.
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Get involved: Upcoming meetings
The next City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, March 7, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council chamber. Topics scheduled to be discussed include:
- Accepting a $40,000 federal grant that will pay for special training for the Police Department’s SWAT team
- Approving a workers’ compensation settlement for a retired police captain
- Agreements on wages, hours and other terms of employment for the labor organization representing city employees and firefighters
- Approving grants for preservation projects, funded by the fees developers pay when they develop agricultural land in the coastal zone
- An agreement with the county allowing the city to dig wells monitoring water quality during a sewage project
- Rejecting bids and authorizing new bids on a project to replace valves in water lines
- Approving the city’s continuing participation in future national opioid settlements
- A public hearing on the re-establishment of the Carlsbad Tourism Business Investment District under a different state law
- The annual work plans for the Library Board of Trustees and the Arts Commission
- An update on the negotiations to relocate SDG&E’s North Coast Service Center from its current location near Carlsbad Boulevard and Cannon Road
- Establishing reserve policies for the funds used to provide water, recycled water and wastewater services
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.
The only other city meeting taking place next week is the Traffic & Mobility Commission meeting on Monday, March 6 at 4 p.m.
Thanking Team Carlsbad
Before I wrap up, I want to give a special shoutout and thanks to City of Carlsbad staff before National Employee Appreciation Day, which is this Friday.
In each of their unique ways, Team Carlsbad works together toward one key purpose: to enhance the lives of all who live, work and play in our city by setting the standard for providing top quality, efficient local government services.
Over the years, I’ve either heard directly or been forwarded emails and handwritten notes from community members expressing their thanks to city staff and it truly warms my heart.
There is so much diversity of public service – community services, administrative services, public works, public safety and more – so if you’ve had a positive experience with any of our team members, I’d love to hear about it and pass along the thanks.
On behalf of our City Council, I want to express my gratitude for Team Carlsbad’s professionalism, expertise and teamwork. Call me biased, but Team Carlsbad members are really the best public servants around!
Here’s just a snippet of the smiling faces serving our community.
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I hope you enjoy the weekend, and I’ll be back next week with more updates.
Scott Chadwick
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