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News from the City of Carlsbad | May 21, 2026

I’ve got several important updates to share as we head into Memorial Day weekend. First, at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, staff presented the proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

I also want to remind everyone that the 60-day warning period for the city’s new e-bike safety laws ends on Memorial Day. After that, violations could result in citations and impounded e-bikes, so today’s update includes a few key reminders.

And, continuing our tradition of taking you behind the scenes with city staff, I’m sharing a video celebrating our Public Works team in honor of National Public Works Week, along with a few fun facts about the work they do every day.

Here’s the full lineup:

• Balanced budget presented to City Council
• New e-bike laws: Warning period ends on Memorial Day
• Wider beach sidewalk opens this weekend
• Recognizing Carlsbad’s Public Works professionals
• Get to know local businesses at the upcoming Carlsbad Business Open House
• Apply to serve on our Library Board of Trustees
• Community events and activities
• Memorial Day city service hours
• Upcoming meetings

Balanced budget presented to City Council

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, city staff presented the preliminary budget for fiscal year 2026-27, which begins July 1.

• The proposed budget focuses on maintaining high levels of service for our community, completing major capital improvement projects and investing in public safety and core infrastructure.
• This is the second consecutive year the city’s proposed General Fund budget increase is lower than the statewide inflation rate of 3.7%.
• The proposed spending plan covers most day-to-day city services, maintains the city’s strong General Fund reserves, and allows the city to continue investing in key projects and services that support the City Council's 5-Year Strategic Plan goals.
• This includes key investments in public safety, sustainability, infrastructure, community connection and the efficiency of our organization.

If you missed the meeting, you can watch a recording of the budget presentation.

Next up will be the June 16 public hearing, when the City Council will consider adopting the final budget.

You can review the proposed budget and get an overview of what’s included in the budget on our website.

New e-bike laws: Warning period ends on Memorial Day

Memorial Day weekend is always a busy time on Carlsbad roads as people head to the beach or gather with family and friends. Please remember to slow down, share the road and, if you’re heading out on two wheels, brush up on Carlsbad’s new e-bike laws.

The 60-day warning period for the new e-bike safety laws will end on May 25, which is Memorial Day. While officers will continue to focus on education, people who break the new laws could begin to receive citations.

Here’s what to expect:

• Anyone operating an e-bike must be at least 12 years old.
• When a minor breaks the rules and creates an immediate or substantial public safety risk, their e-bike may be impounded. The minor must complete an in-person safety course to retrieve the e-bike, and a parent or guardian must be present when the e-bike is released.
• The Police Department can also impound e-motorcycles, which are not street legal.
• The operation of e-bikes is prohibited at Poinsettia and Pine Avenue community parks. Please park your e-bike when you arrive at these parks.
• Riders under 18 years old on any bike or e-bike, and riders of all ages on a class 3 e-bike must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet.
• Parents can be held responsible if they knowingly allow their children to break the rules.

This video summarizes the new laws. Please share it with any riders you know. 

Wider beach sidewalk opens this week

With summer on the way, many in our community are looking forward to spending time at the beach. As planned, construction on the city’s beach stair replacement and sidewalk widening project will pause beginning this weekend, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy the newly widened sidewalk along Carlsbad Boulevard between Pine and Tamarack avenues.

The wider sidewalk provides more space for walkers, joggers and other visitors who enjoy this popular coastal area. Traffic lanes, bike lanes and speed limits will also return to normal starting this weekend.

While the sidewalk portion is complete, work on the overall project — including beach stairway improvements at Cherry and Hemlock avenues — will resume after Labor Day. Throughout construction, at least two beach stairways between Tamarack and Pine avenues will remain open. The map below shows the beach access points available this summer.

The project remains on schedule for completion by summer 2027. Thank you for your patience as we continue investing in safe, durable and accessible coastal infrastructure.

Recognizing Carlsbad's Public Works professionals

Monday marked the beginning of National Public Works Week, a time to recognize the dedicated professionals who keep our city running smoothly. Our Public Works teams work hard every day to protect our natural resources, support sustainability efforts, keep our roads in good condition, ensure our water is safe and reliable, confirm construction projects are done right, and maintain our emergency and city vehicles and facilities.

Most of the time, their work goes unnoticed — and that’s exactly how it’s meant to be — but this week I’m giving them a special shoutout. Learn more about all they do by watching this behind-the-scenes video and reading through the fun facts below.

• Our utilities team maintains 827 miles of pipeline and delivers 4.4 billion gallons of drinking water each year.
• Our environmental sustainability team diverts almost 72,000 tons of material from the landfill through our recycling and organics recovery programs.
• Our facilities team maintains all city-owned facilities and our fleet team ensures 507 vehicles and equipment run safely and efficiently.
• Our transportation team maintains 350 miles of streets and nearly 8,000 streetlights.

Thank you to all our Public Works crews for working so hard to provide top quality services to our community.

Get to know local businesses at the upcoming Carlsbad Business Open House

Curious about the kinds of companies and career paths right here in Carlsbad? Join us for a new event designed to give our community an inside look.

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the City of Carlsbad’s Economic Development Department are hosting a Carlsbad Business Open House, an opportunity to meet local businesses and learn about the wide range of industries that make up our city’s economy.

Carlsbad is home to an incredibly diverse business community, including high-tech, biotech, manufacturing, action sports, gaming, healthcare and more. This event is your chance to connect with representatives from these industries and explore potential career paths all in one place.

Thursday, May 28

2 to 4 p.m.

Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

5934 Priestly Drive

Free to attend and no registration required

Apply to serve on our Library Board of Trustees

If you’re passionate about supporting learning, literacy and the vital role libraries play in our community, consider applying to serve on the city’s Library Board of Trustees.

The board advises the City Council on big-picture topics like staffing levels, library facilities, budget needs, library policies and other matters that help guide the future of Carlsbad’s library system.

Library Board of Trustees

One vacancy

Deadline to apply: noon on June 1, 2026

Applicants must be Carlsbad residents who are registered to vote. You can apply online or pick up an application in the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive.

Community events and activities

Here are some activities and events happening soon at our city libraries, community centers and the Carlsbad Senior Center:

• Community Friendship Builders – Friday, May 22, 11 a.m., Carlsbad Senior Center
• Cinema Club Friday: "Made in Ethiopia" – Friday, May 22, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Front Row Saturday concert: New Sunset Strummers – Saturday, May 23, 5 p.m., Dove Library
• Reel Wednesday: "Almost Famous" – Wednesday, May 27, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library

Memorial Day holiday city service hours

In observance of Memorial Day, city offices, libraries and community centers will be closed on Monday, May 25. A full holiday schedule for city services is listed below:

• Trash pickup: No delay
• City offices: Closed
• Emergency services: Regular service
• City libraries: Closed
• Cannon Art Gallery: Closed
• City sculpture garden: Closed
• Alga Norte Aquatic Center: Closes at 2 p.m.
• Community centers: Closed
• Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park: Closed
• Senior Center: Closed
• No street sweeping on city holidays
• Transit: For the holiday transit schedule, please visit gonctd.com or call 5-1-1

Upcoming meetings

There’s no City Council meeting next week, but some of our city boards and commissions are scheduled to meet, including the Library Board of Trustees and the city’s Investment Review Board.

Just like City Council meetings, board and commission meetings are livestreamed on the city’s website and available to watch afterward. See the full meeting schedule on our city calendar.

Before I close, I want to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day and honor those who have given their lives in service to our country. Their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Have a safe weekend. I’ll be back next week with more updates.

Geoff Patnoe

City Manager