Archive for June, 2008
Carlsbad converting to solar water heaters
June 28th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– While in Oregon for a family vacation and to do the Pacific Crest triathlon, I caught a glimpse of an article in the local paper about Hawaii passing a bill mandating solar water heaters on all new home construction.
I have been very tempted to go solar with both our hot water and electrical needs. There is a neighborhood near mine, The Summit, where it seems as though half the homes have solar hot water heaters. I feel guilty everytime I drive by. Living in San Diego county, we surely get our share of sunshine!!
So, the biggest concern I have is cost. I know that there is $1500 rebate offered which should bring down my cost to about $2500. Additionally there are tax credits also, but I can not find a good reliable number on this.
Now, according to FINDSOLAR.com, at the cost of $2500 I should be able to break even in about 3 years from my energy savings and the tax credit. The bug benefit though is in the process, I would save 33 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. Seems like a no brainer.
Once home I am going to use the FINDSOLAR.com site to start the process of finding a contractor and verifying this information. Stay tuned.
If you have experience with converting your home to solar could you please send a comment. Thank you.
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Carlsbad’s 92010 most affordable housing in city
June 24th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad Real Estate, Carlsbad east, Carlsbad schools
CARLSBAD–The plus side of the current real estate market is that affordability is increasing as housing prices decrease. I can remember not too many years ago, Carlsbad residence were expressing concern that their children would be priced out of their own city. Well times are changing and it may be time for you to get in the game.
The HOMEDEX report provided to local realtors such as myself, reports that the affordability rate in Carlsbad’s 92010 nearly doubled for single family detached homes since the same time in 2007.
Affordability is defined by this report as 20% down with the payment not exceeding 33% of the household income.
If you are in the market for an attached home,Carlsbad’s 92009 has the highest affprdability rate.
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What happens in (Carlsbad) housing, stayed in (Carlsbad) housing
June 24th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– The Anderson Forecast report from UCLA was released last week and the forecast holds that we still will not see a recession. They reason that the economics effecting the housing market have not spread into other sectors.
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The shortsightedness of California offshore oil drilling
June 19th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Beaches, Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad Outdoor Events
“We are in this situation because of our dependence on traditional petroleum based oil”– Govenor Schwarenegger, North County Times,6/19/2008
SAN DIEGO–The best thing to come out of the rapid rise in cost of crude oil prices is the increased focus it has cast on alternative energy. But now, President Bush is trying to turn California offshore oil drilling in to a solution to the current situation. What I appreciate about our Govenor is his strength of resolve to call himself a Republican, yet not tow the party line when he knows it is bad for California.
Offshore, California is reported to sit on a reserve of approximately 11 billion barrels of oil. According to a 2005 report from the California Energy Commission California’s current oil production reached its peak of 72 million barrels 
in 1995. Now with new technology it should be safe to assume that production could be increased from this number, but we’ll stick with the 72 million figure. Using this number it would take less than 16 years to pump all of the esimated reserve.
Now, let’s pretend we will be opening this NEW supply as well as areas of the Atlantic and the Gulf Coast region not in production to help our current crisis. When could we expect these regions to come online and what would be the impact?
According, to a 2007 report by the Energy Information Administration using official US government data, we should not expect these resources to come online until sometime around the year 2017 and the impact of these new resource through 2030 would be ‘insignificant’ with only an increase of production near 7%.
The cost of offshore drilling in California
Local congressional Representative Darrell Issa(Vista) has weighed in as, in favor of opening the coast to drilling. His reasoning according to todays North County Times is twofold. 
First he feels we are “running out of options” and there is a “greater likelihood of spills from ships than from platforms” that are now needed to bring oil into California. While the first comment made from the congressman shows either his ignorance to the importance of developing new energy alternatives or his desire to tow the party line, the second comment is not based on fact.
Californian, in 2005 burned 44 million gallons of gas and 10 million gallons of diesel EVERYDAY. Our oil consumption is so great that in 2005 we could only produce 37% of the oil needs of the state. The only way to turn back those ships Congressman Issa is so worried about is to stop using so much oil. In order to do this we need to invest in alternative energy strategy and look at new ways of developing biodegradable non petroleum based ‘plastics’.
Besides the occasional oil spill, which we are all keenly aware of, a not so apparent impact on the coastal environment would be the removal of the old offshore oil platforms themselves.
They have already started to decommission old oil platforms and many more will be running dry. There are a couple schools of thought going and a state assembly bill about this problem.
The oil companies would prefer to remove the above sea structure while leaving the submerged legs in place. This process is termed ‘rigs to reefs’. The idea being that these legs become artificial reefs. In fact in 1996, 2,700 tons of mussels, scallops sponges and other sea creatures were left 
rotting on the docks in Long Beach when Chevron removed four platforms off Carpinteria. This tactic could save the oil companies approximately 600 million dollars. But this is not just favorable to the oil companies. The blasting necessary and other heavy work required to remove these legs from the sea floor would be very detrimental to sea life.
It seems the environmentalist most opposed to this have teamed up with an adversary, the fishing industry. See the fishing industry is opposed to this solution as it would prevent them from using trawlers to fish for fear of snagging their nets. This method of fishing in and of itself is not environmentally friendly.
The beginning of the end.
Ultimately, there seems to be nothing gained from opening offshore oil reserves to drilling. Instead of having the government and energy companies 
investing hundreds of millions to extract this finite energy source many years down the road, our citizens deserve this money to be used in developing alternative energy sources and other alternatives to petroleum based products. More is learned in the time of crisis than during periods of abundance. That is when complacency sets in.
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The balloons over Carlsbad’s new power plant
June 16th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events
CARLSBAD– Currently there are big green balloons floating over Carlsbad on the east side of I-5 just south of Tamarack. The reason for the balloons are to help the ‘story poles’ standout that have been set up to show the location and size of the proposed new power plant by NRG West.
The new plant would be an air cooled plant so would not necessarily need the proximity to the lagoon as is necessary for the existing plant. It is water cooled. The city of Carlsbad website says that if this happens that the existing plant and smoke stack would remain, however city of Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis is on record acknowledging that the old plant would be removed.( After a phone call to the city, this information is being removed from the site)
“When the (existing) plant is removed, of course, that opens up that whole area to recreation and a hotel site,” Mayor Bud Lewis said.-North County Times, 9/20/2007.
The city is currently on record as opposing the construction on the new plant on NRG’s existing property and is hoping to persuade them to build on an inland site. However these two sites do not have the existing infrastructure such as the high tension lines and towers or the fuel supply lines. Additionally, one of the sites is next to the Ocean Hills retirement community of Vista, while the other site near the Oaks North industrial center is in the flight path of Palomar McClellen airport.
On NRG’s side of issue the city is looking less than the partner it should be. The city lobbied NRG to give Poseidon property on the power plant to build the proposed desalinization plant. Now having lobbied hard to get the desal 
plant built there is question why the city would want one type of plant and not another on the site.
The city’s preference for one industry on the coast, but not another, may be a problem with the California Energy Commission, one expert said.
“If you’re going to give a thumbs up to a desalination plant, it’s a hard sell to say you don’t like a state-of-the-art air-cooled plant,” said Bill Powers of Powers Engineering, a local energy consultant.– San Diego Union Tribune, 5–17–2008
Additionally, David Lloyd an executive with NRG West, questioned at a council meeting why the council was now speaking out against the plant when,”the city’s own South Carlsbad Coastal Redevelopment Area document calls for building a new station on the proposed site.”
The bottom line here is that NRG opened a door and initially the city liked what they saw. However the give an inch take a mile scenario is coming in to play. The city now wants ALL the land. Is there value in this land absolutely, but I suggest a better alternative. Leave the project as is and 
get the land you can and develop it appropriately. Do not make the heavy community concessions the city would need to make to get NRG to move.
The land considered less desirable lets build a nice large community of single family homes that fall under affordable housing guidelines. This would show the compassion of the council not the greed.
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Carlsbad triathlete JP Theberge wins World Championship Gold
June 15th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad 'best of', Carlsbad Outdoor Events
CARLSBAD– Former triathlon club of San Diego member, CAF athlete and 
Carlsbad resident J.P. Theberge won the Gold medal for Team USA at the Vancouver Triathlon World Championships competing in the Athletes with a disability division. JP had his right leg amputated in 1997 following a motorcycle accident in San Francisco.
With the conditions on race day being downright ugly, the triathlon was turned into a 3k-40k-10k duathlon and it took JP into the second run to catch and pass eventual second place finisher Martin Falch of Austria.
Once in front, JP had an auditory advantage over Martin.
“The Austrian had a prosthesis that made some sort of hissing noise, so I could hear him behind me,” Theberge said. “I knew I had to keep up my intensity to keep that noise from gaining on me. He had beaten me twice before so I was motivated, especially since my wife and kids were watching and my in-laws flew in to spectate.”-North County Times, 6/15/2008,Rick Hoff
Rounding out the top three was another American, former New York police officer Tommy Koehler.
If you see a handsomely tan 6’0 man running down the coast highway betweenLeuacadia and Carlsbad, chances are that’s JP. Give him a shout and a wave he’s earned it!! Congratulations JP!!!
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Carlsbad’s Jazz in the Park series 2008 schedule
June 11th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad 'best of', Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events, Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– The city of Carlsbad’s widely successful TGIF Jazz in the Park series kicks off June 20th at Stage Coach park.
In its 23rd year, yes 23 years!!, the series will continue the tradition of moving throughout the community. The first four concerts are scheduled for Stage Coach park, with three each scheduled for Poinsettia Park and then finishing up at Calavera Hills Park.
The city would like to remind everyone that umbrellas or canopys are not permitted during the concert along with pets or personal BBQs. This is a great time however to bring along a picnic basket and enjoy a nice salad, sandwiches and a refreshment of your choice.
For all the latest information you can follow this link and we hope to see you there!!!
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San Diego looking for drought solutions
June 6th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad 'best of', Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City
CARLSBAD– “Cutbacks panic landscapers; sales at nurseries dive As dead lawns and fallow fields replace yellow ribbons as a sign of patriotism in this parched state, local nurseries and growers are bewailing the departure of more than one kind of green. Sales to area landscapers are down to “basically nothing,” at one major wholesale nursery, a trend repeated at other outlets.”-San Diego Business Journal, March 1991, Bradley Filkes
So goes the opening of an article in the San Diego Business Journal in their March 1991 member paper. The yellow ribbons were from the Desert Storm under the first President Bush and we were in a drought. Funny thing history.
But not too worry in 2003 a solution was found!!!
“Despite the recently signed Colorado River water transfer deal that would guarantee San Diego County enough water for the next 75 years, city and county water officials, landscape architects, grounds superintendents, 
property managers, builders, business owners, and even entrepreneurs are getting more involved in water conservation.” -San Diego Business Journal 10/27/2003.
Oh really?!!!
On Wednesday Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger formally declared a statewide drought and while rationing has not yet begun, it does look large. 
Currently Carlsbad is in the process of building a desalinization plant on the site of the Encinas power plant and I believe this is an excellent idea. The problem is, we can not just continue to farm new sources of water, we need to be more resourceful with the water already in service.
Many communities have already started using reclaimed water for irrigation and in fact can produce more than they are currently able to distribute.Carlsbad currently does not have any plants for reclaiming water and purchase it from both the Vallecitos and Leucadia water districts.The problems currently holding back this resource are financial. With the current stresses facing municipal budgets it may be a while before they can 
get the infrastructure in place to better distribute this water. Additionally, another source of funding for these improvements, development, is out the window right now and growth, well that is just an add stress on the fresh water supply.
This brings to toilet to tap as I have written about before. Yes I know, public perception is against this, but I will be the first in line to take a nice big drink. I trust the technology.
Lastly, the City of San Diego has a conservation website on ways to help save 20 gallons a day, the 20Gallon Challenge. Additionally they are 
offering incentives on everything from toilets to artificial turf.
Much like how $4+ gallon gas has boosted scooter sales, been the death nail of the SUV and slowed cars down on the freeway to increase fuel mileage, what is it going to take to change our attitudes about our water supply?
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Habitat For Humanity building homes for Carlsbad and Oceanside
June 4th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– Habitat for Humanity started off this week in coastal north county with a building blitz on their 20 home Oceanside project near Libby Lake. The plan is to build four homes this week and then construct the other 16 over the next year and a half. If you would like more information about this project please go here.
The Carlsbad project, built on the site of an old condemned home, will be named Roosevelt Gardens. The project is an 11 unit condo complex 
consisting of of eight 674 square foot one-bedroom units and three 894 square feet two-bedrooms. You can go here to the Habitat for Humanity site for all the information.
This is a great opportunity for the individual or family that meets the criteria. A 30 year 0% loan!?! OUTSTANDING!!!
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Carlsbad animal shelter holding a ’sale’
June 2nd, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events
CARLSBAD– Have I told you I love my dog? I think I have.
Now through the August 30th, the San Diego County animal shelters , which includes the Carlsbad location, will be waiving fees on some pet adoptions. This promotions waives the adoption fees for cats older than 6 months and dogs older than 5 years. Additionally, any cat or dog that has been at the shelter for more than 30 days will have the adoptions fees waived.
While a dog or cat, especially dogs :-), can bring so much love and enjoyment in to your life, they can also bring plenty of frustration and 
expense. Before you adopt, PLEASE research breeds, learn everything you can about how to identify potential problems when adopting, make sure your lifestyle is conducive to adding a long term commitment to your pet and lastly, remember that your pet will need food, toys, routine medical and dental care and also possible emergency care. Here is a nice article to get you started, but the internet is full of information, so GOOGLE away.
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