It looks like more rainy weather is on the way this weekend and next week, while we get ready to “spring forward” with the time change on Sunday. With the wet weather and the sun rising later, please remember to take extra care on the road. Leave early, slow down, turn your lights on and remember to never drive through standing water. This week, I am sharing more traffic safety tips plus these updates:

What parents need to know about traffic safety and kids

Why all the focus on walking and biking?

Short term fix in place on Carlsbad Boulevard

Two close calls, one important warning about battery fires

Spring forward and take these 5 steps

Preserving our agricultural heritage

Experience art in Carlsbad

Weekend rail closure

Upcoming meetings

Join the experts to talk about keeping kids safe on Carlsbad streets

When kids are old enough to get around on their own, whether walking, biking or driving, it can be a tough time for parents. On the one hand, experiencing this independence is an important milestone for kids. Other the other hand, it can be very scary to think about all the “what ifs.” If you are in this life stage or know someone who is, we have a one-hour webinar coming up next week just for you!

Keeping our kids safe on Carlsbad streets

What all parents should know

Thursday, March 16

6 to 7 p.m.

Zoom

Register today

We are teaming up with the Carlsbad Unified School District, San Diego County Bicycle Coalition and Circulate San Diego to host this important Parent University virtual meeting, where we will address:

• 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)

Even though Carlsbad Unified School District is a co-host, the webinar is open to students and parents from all school districts. Please help us spread the word!

Join us in promoting our Safer Streets Together pledge

I also want to thank everyone who has taken the Safer Streets Together Pledge so far. I love seeing the yard signs popping up all over town. I also love hearing from folks who have the safer streets window cling on their cars – it really does remind them to be more cautious on the road.

To show your support for safer streets in Carlsbad, you can pick up yard signs and window clings at city libraries and the senior center. If you want to show your support by signing onto our official pledge, you can order these items to come right to your home. It only takes a minute, and you’ll be helping us set the expectation that here in Carlsbad, we care about safety and all do our part.

Enough about biking and walking?

I get it. We have been talking a lot about walking, biking and other ways to get around Carlsbad other than a single person driving in a car. There are a few very important reasons for this, but the takeaway is not that cars are bad. Let me explain:

• Decades ago, when most of our roads were first planned, the focus was almost exclusively on driving.
• Since that time, more people have decided they want the option of biking and walking, especially in places like Carlsbad, with a beautiful environment, near-perfect weather, and a population that prioritizes health and fitness.
• Walking and biking around Carlsbad helps people feel connected to the small-town beach community character that is one of the most important values of our Carlsbad Community Vision.

The beach and Village areas have always been popular for biking. Beyond that, you had to be pretty fit to make it work – we are a geographically large city at nearly 40 square miles, and then there are the hills. Lots of hills.

So, when e-bikes became popular, all of Carlsbad suddenly became bikeable, even for those who thought their bike riding days were behind them. We saw this coming:

• We’ve been monitoring trends in “micro-mobility,” which includes electric bikes, scooters and other similar things.
• We have also listened to our community. The last time we did a major update of our city plans, we first worked with residents to create the Carlsbad Community Vision, which has a heavy focus on living a healthy outdoor lifestyle, feeling more connected as a community and protecting the environment.
• Our City Council adopted new policies back in 2015 that reflect this vision, which includes rebalancing our roadways to better accommodate all the different ways people want to get around. 

Not one size fits all

• The important thing to know about these policies is that they are not one size fits all.
• On major “arterial” streets (major, high-capacity streets, like arteries in your body), cars get a higher priority.
• On coastal streets, we want to maximize room for walking and biking and design vehicle lanes to slow down traffic.
• You can see in the map below how we have put streets in different categories. Each category comes with a set of design guidelines that have already been approved by the City Council.
• With over 350 miles of roads in Carlsbad, it will take time to fully implement the design changes to our streets.

Because of the traffic safety emergency, the City Council has been able to reprioritize and expedite this work, focusing on areas people want to walk and bike. We focus on the walking and biking areas because those road users are the most vulnerable. 

I hope that helps explain why you are hearing about so many changes to city streets lately and why you’re hearing more about walking and biking safety.

Learn more. 

South Carlsbad Boulevard 

If you’ve traveled along Carlsbad Boulevard between Palomar Airport Road and Poinsettia Lane recently, you’ve probably seen our crews out cleaning up storm debris from the western-most lane. You might also remember that we are working on a “climate adaptation” grant project to reconfigure a portion of this road to protect against future sea level rise. That project is still in the early stages and will next go the Traffic & Mobility Commission sometime this spring.

As a short-term solution, we have changed the striping on southbound Carlsbad Boulevard from Manzano Drive to Island Way, including:

• A shoulder on the west side of Carlsbad Boulevard that can be used by pedestrians. Previously there was no place to walk, so walkers used the bike lanes.
• One vehicle lane and one buffered bike lane between Solamar Drive and Island Way.
• This reconfiguration also allowed us to create 13 new beach parking spaces and a place for bike parking.

We also added green paint to highlight potential conflict points between drivers and cyclists at the following intersections along Carlsbad Boulevard:

• Solamar Drive
• Island Way
• Lanikai Lane
• Breakwater Road
• Poinsettia Lane
• Ponto Road
• Avenida Encinas

We will have crews out next week to put the finishing touches on the project. Please keep an eye out for temporary lane closures and crews.

Be careful with your lithium-ion batteries

Fire departments across the country are reporting an alarming increase in serious fires linked to lithium-ion batteries. This trend appears to have arrived in Carlsbad, with two fires in the past 10 days or so, one initially reported to be related to an electric scooter battery and the other suspected of being from an e-bike charger. Investigations are still underway.

You might not recognize the name lithium-ion battery, but I can guarantee you have several in your home right now. They are used for cell phones, computers, tablets, gaming devices and power tools, in addition to e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards and the like.

When they overheat, they can catch fire and even explode. Our Fire Department urges you to follow these safety tips and share them with your friends and family:

• Look at your device to make sure it has a label from qualified testing laboratory. UL is a common one.
• Avoid purchasing after-market batteries and charging devices that are not listed or made for the device.
• Take the manufacturer's instructions seriously.
• Check your batteries often for an odor, change in color, too much heat, change in shape, leaking or odd noises. Stop using them if you notice any of these things.
• Store e-bikes, e-scooters and batteries outside of your living space and away from exit doors and anything that can get hot or catch fire.
• Only use the battery and the charger that it was designed for and came with the device.
• Don’t exceed the recommended charging time.

Learn more.

Spring forward and take these 5 steps 

Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday, March 12. While you’re setting your clocks forward an hour, making a few other quick changes can help keep you and your home safe.

1. Change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

• Test smoke detectors monthly to make sure they work. (Smoke detectors should be replaced every 8-10 years, so check your unit for the purchase date.)
• P.S. our Fire Department has a program with the Red Cross where they’ll come to your home and help you install your smoke and CO2 detectors. Call 442-339-2665 or email firepreventionpublic@carlsbadca.gov to sign up. 
• Recycle old batteries by putting them in a plastic bag and setting them on top of your recycling cart on trash day.

2. Make sure your home emergency kit is up to date. If you don’t have one, put one together this weekend.

3. Adjust the automatic timers that are controlling lights inside and outside your home. This will help save energy, too, as the days get longer. 

4. Check your irrigation timer to make sure you’re watering between dusk and dawn, which saves water lost to evaporation. 

5. If you’re walking or biking, wear reflective strips, bright colors and carry a light (make sure your bike has front and back lights if you’re riding in the dark).

Learn more.

Preserving our agricultural heritage

On Tuesday, the City Council awarded $374,000 in grants to support agricultural, coastal and wetland restoration projects that enhance quality of life in Carlsbad, including a “living shoreline” project that will restore a section of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon.

Funding for the grants comes from fees paid by developers when former agricultural land in the city’s coastal zone is used for development. A seven-member citizens committee appointed by the City Council reviews the grant applications and recommends projects for funding.

• The largest grant, $230,000, was awarded to Carlsbad Aquafarms to create a living shoreline project on 11,483 square feet of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, east of I-5 near the strawberry fields.
• Living shorelines use natural materials such as plants, sand or rocks to stabilize a coastal edge. Unlike concrete seawalls or other hard structures, which inhibit plant growth, living shorelines grow over time.
• The aquafarm project will install native Olympia oyster reefs and Eelgrass meadows to provide foraging and a habitat area for a diverse community of fish, invertebrates and birds. This will all help improve water quality and stabilize the shoreline.
• The project will take about three years to complete, including planning, restoration and post-restoration monitoring.

Other grants awarded include:

• $62,000 to the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation for improvements to its Discovery Center.
• $50,000 to the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch for a pilot project in a controlled area to test whether recycled water mixed with drinking water can be used in flower production. (Recycled water on its own has too much salt for certain flowers.)
• $30,687 to the Buena Vista Audubon Society for making improvements that increase energy efficiency at its nature center.

Read the staff report.

Art all around us

The City of Carlsbad has a very high-quality cultural arts program that provides so many different ways for residents to experience different kinds of art. Here are two coming up:

Pop Up Art: An Interactive Encounter

Saturday, March 11, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Dove Library

Showtime @ The Schulman

Soto Six Jazz Sextet

Saturday, March 11, 7:30 p.m.

New downtown mural

Speaking of art, next time you’re in the Village, head over to the Coaster Station to see our newest city mural on the west facing wall of the newly renovated New Village Arts building.

• Last year, artists submitted proposals for a Carlsbad-centric mural at the downtown site. The winning design was eventually selected by a panel of representatives from the Carlsbad Village Association, the North County Transit District and New Village Arts.
• The 97-foot-by-16-foot mural, titled “Passengers,” is considered temporary public art, meaning it can remain on the building for up to five years.
• The artist was inspired by the location in Carlsbad Village and some of the things that make Carlsbad unique, including the arts, travel, Carlsbad’s agricultural history and the ocean.
• It depicts a performer in a theatrical pose (a theater arts student served as the model) pointing toward the entrance to New Village Arts. Ocean-like colors are layered throughout the painting.
• Glass vases with flowers are a nod to Carlsbad’s Flower Fields. One of the vases shows a reflection of the Village COASTER Station roofline and palm trees. That part of the mural is also interactive – you can take a selfie that looks like you’re holding the vase.
• The artist also incorporated the structural features of the building into the mural, which actually hides a working loading dock.
• The mural is the latest example of the city’s temporary public art program and just one of the ways we support arts and culture in our community.

Heads up - Weekend rail closure

Another agency we work with often is the North County Transit District. They asked us to help get the word out about this weekend’s planned rail service closure.

• All coastal rail line service will be suspended between the Oceanside Transit Center and Santa Fe Depot in San Diego this weekend for routine maintenance and rail infrastructure work.
• The North County Transit District schedules these closures periodically so crews can work safely while making improvements and doing maintenance along the rail line.
• Regular service will resume on Monday, March 13.
• Because the weekend rail work could require speed restrictions afterward, COASTER passengers may experience delays of up to 10-15 minutes on Monday.

You can learn more on the transit district website by clicking on the COASTER tab.

Get involved: Upcoming meetings

The next City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, March 14, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council chamber. Topics scheduled to be discussed include:

• An agreement with SDG&E to install and maintain the infrastructure for electric vehicle charging stations at a city parking lot on State Street  
• Awarding an agreement to inspect and maintain the roofs of city-owned buildings
• Authorizing bidding on a project to complete part of the Coastal Rail Trail along Avenida Encinas, with new bicycle lanes, pedestrian ramps, sidewalks and other measures to improve traffic safety
• Approving an agreement with a landscape architecture firm to review landscape plans for private development projects
• Considering applying the city’s policy on equal employment opportunity and workplace civility to elected and appointed officials 
• Modifying the city’s order for 40 police patrol vehicles because manufacturers will not have the city’s preferred hybrid models available 
• Authorizing city staff to negotiate with the owner of The Shoppes at Carlsbad over the possible sale or lease of the parking lots the city owns around the shopping center 
• Creating a policy for the city and the Carlsbad Municipal Water District on setting fees in relation to the city’s actual costs as well as the related community benefits
• Appointing a new member to the city’s Senior Commission

A link to the full agenda and staff reports will be available on the city’s website no later than Friday. You can watch the meeting live on the city’s website or cable TV channel.

These city meetings are also taking place next week:

• March 13, 6 p.m. – Historic Preservation Commission
• March 14, 9 a.m. – Legislative Subcommittee
• March 15, 5 p.m. – Planning Commission

That’s all I’ve got (I know, it was a lot this week). Thanks for making it to the end. I hope you have a nice weekend and can sneak in some outdoor time between rainstorms. Stay dry, stay safe, and thank you for continuing to #Care4Carlsbad.

Scott Chadwick

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