Beyond the monetary costs, of course, are the costs to the environment. I agree with Mr. Lee's analysis. This is poorly thought out, and could create a dead zone. The managed retreat proposal hasn't been sufficiently studied. I actually feel seawalls, which I oppose, could be less harmful than too much sand dredged and dumped. A fifty year program is excessive.
When the recent sand was dumped, through SANDAG all the tidepools in Cardiff died. So sad. Then Winter storms washed most of the sand away. The coastline here, in Encinitas, has changed throughout the years. It is not just storms that carry the sand away, but mostly man's intervention, eliminating natural sand build up. Also the Oceanside pier collects a lot of sand, preventing more from coming south.
Encinitas tends to make rules and regulations more and more complicated so that Council must be "spoon-fed" what to think, what actions to take, by staff, contractors and outside consultants who have a vested interest in increasing density, promoting more and more development for more development fees, property and sales taxes to fund ever-increasing unfunded pension liabilities, skyrocketing operating and maintenance expenditures, and escalating Capital Improvement Project costs, all increasing at much more than the rate of inflation!
Council's recent vote to eliminate the super majority Council vote instead of a public vote for upzoning only pertains to the "significant public benefit" exception. First of all, there is no guarantee that the new ordinance will be on the ballot for the November 2014 General Election.
Secondly, huge loopholes are not being eliminated by the ordinance pertaining to Policy 3.12 of our General Plan with respect to council's overriding a public vote by a simple majority though categorization of intensity, and definition of intensity of use within different categories, the less-than five-acre exception, and the ability to raise height limits beyond the 30 ft., two stories. These are all exceptions allowing Council, by a simple majority, to bypass a public vote, as currently referenced in our General Plan, which loopholes would also be eliminated by Passage of Prop A, but NOT by Council's drafted ordinance.
Again, the general public wanted to adhere to the 30 ft., two-story density and height limits through our input on Specific Plan Action Review Committees and Community Advisory Boards; our feedback was discounted by a supermajority vote by past Councilmembers. Current Council also doesn't trust the intelligence and understanding of the people to be able to vote, just as they apparently do not trust their own judgment, but believe they must rely on staff, consultants and outside contractors to act as so-called experts, spoon feeding them information on what to think and how to vote.
It is completely illogical to claim that density bonus developments would increase. Every single developer who wants to increase height and relax set-back standards, etc., already does invoke density bonus State mandates to do so. A few developers who want to develop within current City zoning standards, do so.
The Desert Rose development, which the Planning Commission turned down, but which Council approved after an inequitable Public Hearing, wherein the community wasn't equally represented as Respondent, opposing Applicant/Appellant, the developer. The Planning Commission's decision and the Desert Rose Neighbors were discounted. In this case, now being litigated in Court because the City failed to require full Environmental Impact Report review, there are significant questions of public health and safety raised, which should supersede density bonus allowances. Please Vote YES on A!
Encinitas, or some other government entity, should take surveys at mixed use development projects, such as Pacific Station, which has made parking downtown more challenging, after eliminating 7 street parking spaces. John DeWald, Pacific Station developer, dumped construction dirt on Leucadia beaches when excavating the parking garages. That dirt clouded our beaches for weeks, then his firm was "self-awarded" for so-called "sand replenishment," for poor quality dirt, NOT sand.
Such surveys should determine how many people who live in these types of mixed use, high density developments still commute to work, to stores, or to recreation, how many average trips per day, by motor vehicles, as well as how many units are occupied full time, and how many cars per residential unit.
DeWald didn't create enough underground parking for all the residents, giving only one parking space, each, for affordable units. Pacific Station doesn't provide enough parking for residents and all of the offices, restaurants and retail stores that are there, now, even without full commercial capacity, and without full time occupancy of many of the condo units. Perhaps all of the residential units have sold, but how many of them are being rented out, or are being resold, now? The architectural design, facing the train, is not aesthetically pleasing.
Moreover, the original restrictions of our General Plan, according to Policy 7.10 were simple. Portions of Encinitas Municipal Code and Specific Plans,which were adopted against the wishes of the people, discounting our input and feedback through Specific Plan Action Review Committees, SPARCs and Community Advisory Boards, CABs. The will of the people, including our desire to be able to vote on upzoning was overruled or "nullified" by the Planning Dept., the Planning Commission and a supermajority of Council who raised the height limit, for example, for the North 101 Specific Plan to 33 ft, 3 stories, rather than the General Plan's 30 ft., two stories, not including basements, the upper limits which residents wanted the City to uphold.
A supermajority of Council, overruled the community's expressed desire to be able to upzone and raise the height limits through a public vote. Passage of Prop A will rectify that. Pre-existing development would be grandfathered with vested property rights, including the right to remodel. Historic structures such as La Paloma Theater or Self Realization Fellowship's Lotus would be preserved. One of the Boathouses could still become a museum with a minor or major use permit without a public vote's being required to rezone that property, which is highly subsidized by the City of Encinitas through our affordable housing funds, through a foundation, Encinitas Preservation Association with Peder Norby and Paul Ecke III on its Board of Directors. Norby is currently a well-paid contractor for the City, acting as 101 Coordinator, with no academic training in urban planning.
Had Superintendent Baird done the "responsible thing" initially, and given adequate notice to all parents, including notice of their alternative to "opt out," then there probably wouldn't have been so much controversy!
Just as some students can opt out of saluting the flag, so can they opt out of Yoga classes. But yes, simply using Yoga positions, with "Americanized" names, instead of Sanskrit, and not doing an invocation or blessing to the sun, would be preferable, in making sure that one system of religious or spiritual beliefs is not given preference over another.
I personally, would not object, to Yoga stretching exercises, but respect the opinions of those who do, and who feel that EUSD Superintendent again acted irresponsibly.
Baird has failed to get a required appraisal of the Surplus School Site, Pacific View, which is donated land, and which should remain in the public/semi-public domain. Baird is again demanding of Encinitas City Council and staff that Pacific View must be privatized, by rezoning, for short term profits and Baird's own career ambitions.
Baird has refused to honor the intentions of the Naylor Act which requires 30% of a surplus school site should be offered to the city and county and other public entities for sale at 25% of its appraised value, for open space, providing the site included playing fields eight years prior to its initially being offered for lease or sale. The property was initially offered for lease to the City of Encinitas for a temporary public works yard, for $1 per year, after the school was permanently closed in 2003, when it was in fact, surplus.
Baird doesn't have deep roots in our community, and has only been here for three years. Before he was Superintendent for the Ojai Unified School District, where Baird tried to privatize a surplus school site, there, for a "strip mall art center" despite much public outcry. The community had been promised they could lease it as a skatepark, which was finally built after Baird came to Encinitas Union School District at $200,000 per year, plus ample benefits, $65,000 more than he was making in Ojai.
Baird recently got a raise, so he's now making $215,000 per year, when teachers have been given pink slips. He's a poor administrator and doesn't represent the needs of the general public, in our opinion. I do feel Yoga can be beneficial, but we feel Baird handled this situation, like others, poorly.
I hope that the "internal investigation" finds that there was excessive force used against a probably over 50 year old woman who simply didn't want to provide date of birth at her own home.
I feel that from the surface facts presented, the deputy was over zealous and did not have to respond so forcefully to a noise complaint. Some deputies are ageist, I was told by an officer, himself.
Internal investigations are typically whitewashes because some bad eggs have gotten away with violence, even homicide, under the color of authority.
Some officers serve with honor and distinction. Some don't.
63° Overcast
Encinitas, Solana Beach Leaders Propose Sand Replenishment For North County Shores
Beyond the monetary costs, of course, are the costs to the environment. I agree with Mr. Lee's analysis. This is poorly thought out, and could create a dead zone. The managed retreat proposal hasn't been sufficiently studied. I actually feel seawalls, which I oppose, could be less harmful than too much sand dredged and dumped. A fifty year program is excessive.
When the recent sand was dumped, through SANDAG all the tidepools in Cardiff died. So sad. Then Winter storms washed most of the sand away. The coastline here, in Encinitas, has changed throughout the years. It is not just storms that carry the sand away, but mostly man's intervention, eliminating natural sand build up. Also the Oceanside pier collects a lot of sand, preventing more from coming south.
June 15, 2013 at 1:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Encinitas Divided Over Growth
Encinitas tends to make rules and regulations more and more complicated so that Council must be "spoon-fed" what to think, what actions to take, by staff, contractors and outside consultants who have a vested interest in increasing density, promoting more and more development for more development fees, property and sales taxes to fund ever-increasing unfunded pension liabilities, skyrocketing operating and maintenance expenditures, and escalating Capital Improvement Project costs, all increasing at much more than the rate of inflation!
Council's recent vote to eliminate the super majority Council vote instead of a public vote for upzoning only pertains to the "significant public benefit" exception. First of all, there is no guarantee that the new ordinance will be on the ballot for the November 2014 General Election.
Secondly, huge loopholes are not being eliminated by the ordinance pertaining to Policy 3.12 of our General Plan with respect to council's overriding a public vote by a simple majority though categorization of intensity, and definition of intensity of use within different categories, the less-than five-acre exception, and the ability to raise height limits beyond the 30 ft., two stories. These are all exceptions allowing Council, by a simple majority, to bypass a public vote, as currently referenced in our General Plan, which loopholes would also be eliminated by Passage of Prop A, but NOT by Council's drafted ordinance.
Again, the general public wanted to adhere to the 30 ft., two-story density and height limits through our input on Specific Plan Action Review Committees and Community Advisory Boards; our feedback was discounted by a supermajority vote by past Councilmembers. Current Council also doesn't trust the intelligence and understanding of the people to be able to vote, just as they apparently do not trust their own judgment, but believe they must rely on staff, consultants and outside contractors to act as so-called experts, spoon feeding them information on what to think and how to vote.
It is completely illogical to claim that density bonus developments would increase. Every single developer who wants to increase height and relax set-back standards, etc., already does invoke density bonus State mandates to do so. A few developers who want to develop within current City zoning standards, do so.
The Desert Rose development, which the Planning Commission turned down, but which Council approved after an inequitable Public Hearing, wherein the community wasn't equally represented as Respondent, opposing Applicant/Appellant, the developer. The Planning Commission's decision and the Desert Rose Neighbors were discounted. In this case, now being litigated in Court because the City failed to require full Environmental Impact Report review, there are significant questions of public health and safety raised, which should supersede density bonus allowances. Please Vote YES on A!
June 1, 2013 at 4:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Encinitas Divided Over Growth
Encinitas, or some other government entity, should take surveys at mixed use development projects, such as Pacific Station, which has made parking downtown more challenging, after eliminating 7 street parking spaces. John DeWald, Pacific Station developer, dumped construction dirt on Leucadia beaches when excavating the parking garages. That dirt clouded our beaches for weeks, then his firm was "self-awarded" for so-called "sand replenishment," for poor quality dirt, NOT sand.
Such surveys should determine how many people who live in these types of mixed use, high density developments still commute to work, to stores, or to recreation, how many average trips per day, by motor vehicles, as well as how many units are occupied full time, and how many cars per residential unit.
DeWald didn't create enough underground parking for all the residents, giving only one parking space, each, for affordable units. Pacific Station doesn't provide enough parking for residents and all of the offices, restaurants and retail stores that are there, now, even without full commercial capacity, and without full time occupancy of many of the condo units. Perhaps all of the residential units have sold, but how many of them are being rented out, or are being resold, now? The architectural design, facing the train, is not aesthetically pleasing.
Moreover, the original restrictions of our General Plan, according to Policy 7.10 were simple. Portions of Encinitas Municipal Code and Specific Plans,which were adopted against the wishes of the people, discounting our input and feedback through Specific Plan Action Review Committees, SPARCs and Community Advisory Boards, CABs. The will of the people, including our desire to be able to vote on upzoning was overruled or "nullified" by the Planning Dept., the Planning Commission and a supermajority of Council who raised the height limit, for example, for the North 101 Specific Plan to 33 ft, 3 stories, rather than the General Plan's 30 ft., two stories, not including basements, the upper limits which residents wanted the City to uphold.
A supermajority of Council, overruled the community's expressed desire to be able to upzone and raise the height limits through a public vote. Passage of Prop A will rectify that. Pre-existing development would be grandfathered with vested property rights, including the right to remodel. Historic structures such as La Paloma Theater or Self Realization Fellowship's Lotus would be preserved. One of the Boathouses could still become a museum with a minor or major use permit without a public vote's being required to rezone that property, which is highly subsidized by the City of Encinitas through our affordable housing funds, through a foundation, Encinitas Preservation Association with Peder Norby and Paul Ecke III on its Board of Directors. Norby is currently a well-paid contractor for the City, acting as 101 Coordinator, with no academic training in urban planning.
June 1, 2013 at 4:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Controversy Won't Stall Encinitas Yoga Plans
Had Superintendent Baird done the "responsible thing" initially, and given adequate notice to all parents, including notice of their alternative to "opt out," then there probably wouldn't have been so much controversy!
Just as some students can opt out of saluting the flag, so can they opt out of Yoga classes. But yes, simply using Yoga positions, with "Americanized" names, instead of Sanskrit, and not doing an invocation or blessing to the sun, would be preferable, in making sure that one system of religious or spiritual beliefs is not given preference over another.
I personally, would not object, to Yoga stretching exercises, but respect the opinions of those who do, and who feel that EUSD Superintendent again acted irresponsibly.
Baird has failed to get a required appraisal of the Surplus School Site, Pacific View, which is donated land, and which should remain in the public/semi-public domain. Baird is again demanding of Encinitas City Council and staff that Pacific View must be privatized, by rezoning, for short term profits and Baird's own career ambitions.
Baird has refused to honor the intentions of the Naylor Act which requires 30% of a surplus school site should be offered to the city and county and other public entities for sale at 25% of its appraised value, for open space, providing the site included playing fields eight years prior to its initially being offered for lease or sale. The property was initially offered for lease to the City of Encinitas for a temporary public works yard, for $1 per year, after the school was permanently closed in 2003, when it was in fact, surplus.
Baird doesn't have deep roots in our community, and has only been here for three years. Before he was Superintendent for the Ojai Unified School District, where Baird tried to privatize a surplus school site, there, for a "strip mall art center" despite much public outcry. The community had been promised they could lease it as a skatepark, which was finally built after Baird came to Encinitas Union School District at $200,000 per year, plus ample benefits, $65,000 more than he was making in Ojai.
Baird recently got a raise, so he's now making $215,000 per year, when teachers have been given pink slips. He's a poor administrator and doesn't represent the needs of the general public, in our opinion. I do feel Yoga can be beneficial, but we feel Baird handled this situation, like others, poorly.
January 5, 2013 at 8:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
How To Rescue the Golden State from the Junk Heap
I also feel that businesses, not residences, should be taxed by the State Assessor for property tax purposes on a percentage of the current value.
July 10, 2009 at 1:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SD Sheriff to Probe Use of Pepper Spray at Political Fundraiser
I hope that the "internal investigation" finds that there was excessive force used against a probably over 50 year old woman who simply didn't want to provide date of birth at her own home.
I feel that from the surface facts presented, the deputy was over zealous and did not have to respond so forcefully to a noise complaint. Some deputies are ageist, I was told by an officer, himself.
Internal investigations are typically whitewashes because some bad eggs have gotten away with violence, even homicide, under the color of authority.
Some officers serve with honor and distinction. Some don't.
June 30, 2009 at 11:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )