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News from the City of Carlsbad | May 1, 2025

Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 18. At 1 p.m. that day, the Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane and the Georgina Cole Library will open for Sunday hours for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ll share more details below in this week’s update.

We also had several items of note at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, including a decision made on safety enhancements at the intersection of Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue, as well as the city’s regulations on drive-thru restaurants.

Here’s the full lineup:

• Sunday library hours return May 18
• Safety enhancements at Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue
• Drive-thru restaurants to be considered on case-by-case basis
• Beach sand project extended through May 8 at Agua Hedionda Lagoon
• Wildfire preparedness community connection event May 10
• Local businesses recognized for going green
• Carlsbad Village Street Faire is Sunday
• Plan ahead to avoid traffic delays
• Community events and activities
• Upcoming city meetings

Sunday library hours return May 18

Starting Sunday, May 18, the Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane and the Georgina Cole Library will once again offer Sunday hours, expanding community access to library services in time for summer.

Library Sunday hours

1 to 5 p.m.

Georgina Cole Library

Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane

William D. Cannon Art Gallery

During the midyear budget update on February 25, the City Council approved funding to reopen libraries on Sundays for the first time since hours were reduced at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• While libraries had not been open on Sundays, the library has progressively added hours back into the schedule since the full closure amid the pandemic.
• In recent years, the city has received requests from the community to reopen the library on Sundays. 
• In the past few months, the city has arranged staff and scheduling to prepare for the reopening.
• Once Sunday operations restart, Carlsbad will be in the top 5% of branches in the county in terms of the number of hours open. 

Learn more about Carlsbad City Library services and hours.

Safety enhancements at Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue

On Tuesday, the City Council directed staff to pursue a smaller scale project at Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue that focuses on ADA-related safety enhancements. 

This is a change from the previous City Council direction in July 2023 for a roundabout at the intersection, which included an important caveat to first return with information about how another coastal roundabout planned at Carlsbad Boulevard and Cannon Road was performing. Since there is now updated information regarding SANDAG grant funds associated with this project, the City Council wanted to reconsider the options for this intersection.  

The project now will include these intersection improvements:

• New high visibility crosswalks
• New ADA-compliant ramps
• Improved medians with new ADA-complaint pathways and pedestrian signals
• Removing the bus stop bench in the middle of the median
• Removing most of the guardrail along the west side of Carlsbad Boulevard south of Tamarack, providing 1.5 feet of more space to walk

While the funds and timeline to complete these improvements haven’t been finalized, they come at a much lower cost and can be completed more quickly.

Thank you to everyone who sent in comments and who came to speak directly to the City Council on this project. If you want to be kept up to date, please sign up for email updates.

And if you’re interested in other traffic safety topics and projects, you can sign up to get the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission meeting agendas directly to your email. Those meetings are generally held the first Monday of the month at 4 p.m. 

Drive-thru restaurants to be considered on case-by-case basis

A ban on drive-thru restaurants has been in place since 1997 due to concerns about community character, traffic flow, quality of life and other issues.

• As a result, today Carlsbad has just the original 12 drive-thrus that were already in place when the ban took effect.    
• We originally had 13, but one closed, and that property was redeveloped.  

Given the amount of time that had passed and renewed interest in the issue, in May 2024, the City Council asked staff to gather public input and develop options for potential changes to the city’s drive-thru regulations, which were presented this week. Thank you to everyone who provided input on the options.

The City Council decided to keep the citywide ban on drive-thru restaurants, but consider individual proposals on a case-by-case basis. New drive-thru restaurants still will not be allowed in the Village and Barrio.

Private businesses or developers could ask the city, through a privately initiated amendment to the zoning ordinance and a conditional use permit, to allow them to build a drive-thru restaurant at a location where they’re normally not permitted. The City Council would look at each request individually after a recommendation from the Planning Commission to lift the restriction. The City Council would then decide if it makes sense for that location and could require certain conditions for approval.

The permit applicant would be responsible for costs and environmental analysis needed. 

Beach sand project to continue through May 8 at Agua Hedionda Lagoon

To make sure as much sand as possible ends up on Carlsbad beaches before our busy summer season, dredging at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon has been extended for one more week, through May 8.

Originally scheduled to end on April 30, Channelside Water Resources, which operates the Carlsbad desalination plant, worked with city staff to secure the necessary approvals to extend the work a bit longer.

The dredging project takes place every two to four years. Channelside Water Resources removes sand that builds up on the bottom of the outer lagoon basin. That sand is then used to replenish Carlsbad beaches.

• Work will take place daily, seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Noise from construction equipment can be expected
• Crews will direct beachgoers around active work areas as sand replenishment progresses along the beach
• Sidewalks along the seawall will remain open

Work will conform to all related resource agency biological permits conditions and requirements

Wildfire preparedness community connection event May 10

Next week is Wildfire Preparedness Week, and we're inviting the community to Fire Station 3 on Saturday, May 10, for our first-ever community connection event focused on wildfire preparedness.​

Staff from the Carlsbad Fire Department, Parks & Recreation, and Habitat Management will share essential information to help you protect your property and stay safe in the event of a wildfire.

Attendees can explore the state's latest wildfire hazard map and:​

• Learn how to harden your home and create defensible space
• Receive personalized advice from our fire team
• Sign up for emergency alerts
• Ask questions and connect with wildfire preparedness professionals ​

Community Connection: Wildfire Preparedness

Saturday, May 10

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fire Station 3

3465 Trailblazer Way​

Visit the city’s community programs page for more information and to download the official event flyer. You can also visit the fire & life safety page for tips on mitigating wildfire risk.

Local businesses recognized for going green

This week, the Carlsbad City Council recognized more than a dozen certified green businesses that have taken steps to implement green business practices, such as installing low-flow water fixtures, upgrading lights to more energy efficient options and making sure waste is sorted and disposed of correctly.

Ten businesses were certified for the first time and five were recertified. That brings the total number of certified green businesses in Carlsbad to 52.

If you own a small- or mid-sized business, I encourage you to learn more about the program. There’s no charge to get certified and every little action helps make our community more sustainable. On behalf of the city, congratulations to all these certified green businesses.

Carlsbad Village Faire is Sunday

If you’re planning to come downtown this weekend, a heads up that the Carlsbad Village Faire is happening Sunday, May 4. Several streets in the Village will be closed to make way for this popular community event, which features more than 900 vendors, international foods and children’s rides.

Downtown streets that will be closed from approximately 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday include: 

• Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Boulevard to Jefferson Street 
• Washington Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to Christiansen Way 
• State Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to Beech Street 
• Roosevelt Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to Beech Street 
• Madison Street from Carlsbad Village Drive to south of Arbuckle Place 
• Christiansen Way between State Street and the east side of the Carlsbad Coaster Station entrance 

The biannual event typically draws tens of thousands of people, so remember to slow down and be alert for people driving, walking or biking to and from downtown.

Enjoy stress-free parking with bike valet 

If you’re biking (or taking a scooter or skateboard) to the faire, head on over to our complimentary bike valet check in station.

Bike valet station

Lily Field Realty Carlsbad parking lot

2965 Roosevelt St.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

While you are at the street fair, stop by the Carlsbad Police Department’s bike-safety booth where you can get important information on doing your part to keep our streets safe, whether you walk, bike or drive. If you need a new helmet, you can get one by talking with the team and answering a few bike safety questions. And here’s a video refresher on how to make sure your helmet fits properly.

Plan ahead to avoid traffic delays

Speaking of safe streets, thank you to everyone who is making a habit out of viewing our weekly construction map to see where city projects are happening that may impact traffic.

For some of the bigger projects on our main roads, here’s a tentative schedule:

• Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3 – El Camino Real between Marron Road and Chestnut Avenue
• Monday, May 5 to Monday, May 12 – Paseo Del Norte between Cannon Road and Palomar Airport Road and between Poinsettia Lane and Camino De Las Ondas
• Work will take place between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Some lanes will be closed, impacting traffic

Remember, the map only shows city projects, not work being done by utilities or private companies.

Community events and activities

Here are some City of Carlsbad events and activities coming up soon at our libraries, community centers and the Carlsbad Senior Center.

• Cinema Club, “My People, My Homeland" – Friday, May 2, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Día Family Book Festival – Saturday, May 3, 12 to 3 p.m., Carlsbad City Library Learning Center
• Community Garden Club (adults 50+) – Tuesday, May 6, 10:15 to 11:15 a.m., Pine Avenue Community Garden
• Reel Wednesday, “Darjeeling Limited" – Wednesday, May 7, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library

Find more activities and information in our city calendar, the Senior Center’s Seaside Insider newsletter and our Spring Community Services Guide.

Upcoming city meetings

The next City Council meeting is Tuesday, May 13, starting at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chamber. However, next week there are meetings scheduled for several of our city boards and commissions, including the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission, and Housing Commission.

Board and commission meetings are livestreamed on the city’s website and available to watch afterward. You can see the full meeting schedule on our city calendar.

If you want even more information on what’s going on in Carlsbad please follow us on social media, where you can see behind-the-scenes videos like this one of our Arbor Day tree planting event at Stagecoach Community Park (thanks to all the volunteers).

Have a great weekend!

Geoff Patnoe

City Manager