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News from the City of Carlsbad | Nov. 26, 2025

As we head into Thanksgiving, I want to express how much I appreciate you being a part of this community and taking the time to read these updates each week. It truly means a lot.

If your holiday weekend plans include heading down to the coast, please know some detours are in place on Carlsbad Boulevard along the upper sea wall as we make improvements. I’ll give you the specifics and a map below, along with a preview of a City Council agenda item next week on instituting an e-bike minimum age.

Here’s the full lineup:

• Proposed e-bike safety measures head to City Council
• Staying safe on the road this holiday season
• Sidewalk closure along Carlsbad Boulevard
• Make a big impact on Small Business Saturday
• Practice shopping safely — online or in person
• Don’t let your engine idle on holiday errands
• How to safely dispose of cooking fats, oils and grease
• Community events and activities
• What’s on the agenda for your next City Council meeting
• Thanksgiving holiday city service hours

Proposed e-bike safety measures head to City Council 

New e-bike safety measures, including adopting a minimum age of 12 for riding e-bikes, will go before the City Council next Tuesday, Dec. 2. The recommendations are coming from staff and the city’s Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission. Here’s the background on each:

Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission recommendations

Cities in San Diego County and the county itself can prohibit children under 12 from riding e-bikes under State Assembly Bill 2234, which passed in 2024. As such, the Carlsbad City Council requested that the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission hold a meeting to gather community input on the potential minimum age. At that meeting, the commission voted to recommend the City Council:

• Adopt a minimum age of 12 to operate an e-bike
• Pursue legislation prohibiting riders under age 16 from riding with passengers
• Pursue legislation that would allow Carlsbad to join Assembly Bill 1778, a pilot program in Marin County that allows local agencies to prohibit anyone under age 16 from riding a class 2 e-bike, which means it is throttle-assisted.

The city received more than 550 comments from community members before the commission meeting, most expressing support for a minimum age.

Additional staff recommendations

This summer, the City Council directed staff to develop recommendations to enhance enforcement tools to maintain public safety and address aggressive e-bike riding behavior, particularly among youth. 

Staff has returned with those recommendations, which the City Council will also consider at the Dec. 2 meeting. The recommendations are for new rules to strengthen Carlsbad’s approach and adjustments to clarify existing Carlsbad-specific e-bikes laws, including: 

• Updating the existing local e-bike law to clarify unsafe riding behavior, equipment requirements and the responsibilities of parents and guardians
• Prohibiting e-bikes at Poinsettia and Pine parks, following review of community feedback and calls for service received at these locations
• Establishing fees to recover administrative costs related to impounding e-bikes, as allowed by Assembly Bill 875
• Prohibiting anyone under 16 years of age from operating an e-bike when it’s dark outside

City Council meeting

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.

City Council Chamber

1200 Carlsbad Village Drive

View the staff report for more details.

Staying safe on the road this holiday season 

With the Thanksgiving holiday and school break this week, you’ll notice more people walking, biking and driving around Carlsbad and on local freeways. The American Automobile Association estimates that about 81.8 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more around Thanksgiving — about 1.6 million more than last year.

• Before you get on the road, please give yourself extra time to get where you need to go and avoid distractions.
• If you have e-bike riders at home, now’s a good time to review the rules of the road together.
• Slow down. Even a 5 mph decrease in speed can help save lives.
• Parking will be at a premium this weekend, so if you’re parking along the street, check behind you before opening your car door, as cyclists could be approaching. You can try the Dutch Reach, which involves opening the driver’s side door with your right hand, forcing you to look back (this video shows how it works).

Also, please celebrate responsibly. The Carlsbad Police Department will have increased enforcement out and about to help keep everyone safe.

Sidewalk closure along Carlsbad Boulevard 

If you’re planning to visit the beach or take a walk along Carlsbad Boulevard over the holidays, please give yourself extra time and bring your patience. Crews have started construction to replace the beach stairs and widen the sidewalk between Tamarack and Pine avenues. As part of the work, the west-side sidewalk is now closed between Maple and Tamarack avenues.

• If you’re walking along that stretch, you can use the stairs to get to the lower sea wall or cross Carlsbad Boulevard at one of the marked crosswalks to use the sidewalk on the east side of the street. The closest crosswalks are at Sycamore Avenue at the north end of the project and Tamarack Avenue at the south end.
• For your own safety and the safety of others, please do not step around construction barriers or the guardrail into the bike lane.
• If you’re driving through the area, remember to slow down – the speed limit in the construction zone has been temporarily reduced to 20 mph.

Remember, a little patience and kindness go a long way. Thank you for doing your part to help make it a safe and happy holiday for all.

Make a big impact on Small Business Saturday 

As the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear, please consider supporting Carlsbad’s small business community on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 29, and every day. Small businesses bring character and collaboration to every corner of Carlsbad, and your support makes a big difference in our community.

• When you shop at small businesses, your money stays in the community, recirculating and fueling economic growth.
• Small businesses are the primary job creators in Carlsbad, employing a significant portion of our workforce.

Small business owners take pride in providing exceptional customer service, offering a high level of attention and expertise. They often offer unique products and services that you won’t find elsewhere, adding to the diversity and vibrancy of our community. By supporting Carlsbad small businesses, you invest in the future of our community, sustaining a strong local economy.

Explore local businesses

Use the city’s Shop Local tool to discover Carlsbad businesses by category, location or keyword. Don’t see a business listed? You can easily click “Add a missing business to the list” to help keep the tool up to date.

On Small Business Saturday, the Village and other popular shopping areas will feature special incentives, live music and other promotions to get the holiday shopping season off to a festive start.

The City of Carlsbad offers a variety of programs and resources to support small businesses and help them thrive. Learn more on our Life in Action website.

Practice shopping safely — online or in person

Whether you’re doing your holiday shopping in person or online, it’s important to stay alert and take a few simple steps to help you safeguard your purchases and prevent crimes of opportunity. The Carlsbad Police Department is increasing patrols this week and sharing some simple tips on our website to help residents avoid theft and fraud.

Don’t let your engine idle on holiday errands

Finally, if you’re picking up a curbside order at a restaurant or store, please remember to turn off your engine while you wait. Reducing idling helps cut air pollution, saves fuel and keeps the air cleaner for those nearby. Turning off and restarting your car uses less gas than idling, so you’ll also be saving money while helping keep our environment healthy.

How to safely dispose of cooking fats, oil and grease 

Holiday cooking often means using more fats, oils and grease, and those can cause real problems if they go down the drain. In some cases, they can block sewer lines and cause overflows into your property, your neighborhood and the ocean.

To keep things running smoothly and help protect our environment, follow these tips:

• Never put fats, oils or grease down your drain. That includes cooking oils, shortening, dairy products, sauces and salad dressings.
• Use your garbage disposal sparingly.
• Scrape oil and grease into the trash, NOT into your green compost bin.
• Do not rely on grease-cutting detergents or hot water to wash away grease.
• Wipe cooking pan residue with a paper towel and throw it in the trash.

Carlsbad residents can pick up a used oil recovery kit and drop off filled containers at the Palomar Transfer Station. You can also call Republic Services at 760-332-6464 to schedule a pickup. The kits have a 1-gallon capacity and a watertight lid.

Palomar Transfer Station

5960 El Camino Real

Monday – Saturday

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fixit Clinic adds a holiday twist 

And while we’re talking about ways to protect our environment over the holidays, a heads up that we are hosting a Fixit Clinic on Dec. 6 that includes a holiday twist (more on that in a bit).

At the clinics, residents can bring broken or well-loved household items and work side by side with volunteer coaches to troubleshoot repairs. It’s a hands-on way to keep useful items out of the landfill and learn basic repair skills. Registration ahead of time for repairs is recommended.

Next month’s Fixit Clinic will also include a session on simple ways to reduce holiday waste. Participants can refresh, repair and reuse their favorite things while picking up practical ideas for hosting and gifting.

Along with the standard repair activities, the December clinic includes:

• Furoshiki gift wrapping, a traditional Japanese method of wrapping with fabric. It’s reusable, easy to learn and reduces paper waste. (If you can’t make it, you can follow along in this quick how-to video.)
• Upcycled book page wreath craft
• Recycle broken or unusable holiday light strands with Republic Services

Fixit Clinic

Saturday, Dec. 6

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dove Library

1775 Dove Lane

Community events and activities

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

• Saturday Chess Meetup – Saturday, Nov. 29, 2 to 4 p.m., Carlsbad Library Learning Center
• Senior Center Lecture: Digital Skills Class (Adults 50+) – Wednesday, Dec. 3, 1 to 2 p.m., Carlsbad Senior Center
• Reel Wednesday: “Ben is Back” – Wednesday, Dec. 3, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library
• Cinema Club Friday: "Small Things Like These" – Friday, Dec. 5, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dove Library

What’s on the agenda for your next City Council meeting 

The next City Council meeting is on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chamber. Topics on the agenda include:

• The list of vacancies on city boards and commissions anticipated in 2026. The city is required to publish this list annually as a way to promote awareness to those who may want to be considered for an appointment.
• Approving the conditions of the San Diego Association of Governments Active Transportation Grant Amendment for the Carlsbad Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue Intersection Improvements Project
• A contract to remove litter and clean storm drains across the city
• The annual review of the city’s pension funding policy
• Adopting an ordinance to add stop signs to four intersections in the Village and the Barrio
• The California Coastal Commission’s requested changes to the city’s rezoning program
• Updating the Carlsbad Municipal Code sections related to building standards and fire safety to match recent changes in state law
• An update on the city’s efforts to reduce homelessness in Carlsbad
• The city’s e-bike safety strategies and potential new city regulations on e-bikes

The agenda and staff reports are available on the city’s website.

3 easy ways to participate

1. Sign up to get agendas and staff reports emailed to you directly
2. Provide feedback via email to clerk@carlsbadca.gov by 2 p.m. the day of the meeting
3. Sign up to speak at the meeting

… and 3 ways to watch

1. Follow the meeting live on the city's website
2. Watch the meeting live on the city’s cable channel: Spectrum channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99
3. Watch a recording of the meeting afterward (online or on our channel)

The city’s Arts Commission, Environmental Sustainability Commission and Legislative Subcommittee are also scheduled to meet next week. 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.

Thanksgiving holiday city service hours 

Remember, city offices, libraries and community centers will be closed today, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. and all day on Thursday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 28, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Trash pickup will also be delayed one day. You can see the full holiday city services schedule on our website.

Before I wrap up, I want to share some especially joyful news. Last week Mayor Pro Tem Priya Bhat-Patel and her family welcomed their second child, a sweet baby girl. As a parent, I know how life-changing those early days can be, and I couldn't be happier for them as they begin this next chapter. 

Again, Happy Thanksgiving and have an amazing weekend.



Geoff Patnoe

City Manager