Archive for the 'Carlsbad Community Events' Category
Carlsbad’s new high school to be delayed
August 27th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events, Carlsbad schools
CARLSBAD– Starting back in the 90’s Carlsbad initiated a habit plan in the Calavera Hills Preserve for the California gnatcatcher. More recently an 
area in the southeast section of the Calavera Hills area was designated a habitat area for the least Bell’s vireo. This area was part of a mitigation plan for the recent development of Calavera Hills and Robertson Ranch project.
The good news is the habitat efforts seem to be working as two nests for the vireo as well as gnatcatcher were recently found in the designated habitat area and in an adjacent property currently used for farming.
The bad new is that this property is the site of and adjacent property designated for the new high school Carlsbad voters approved in proposition P.
In what for me, a Carlsbad homeowner and supporter of Prop P, can only be summed up as “you’ve got to be kidding me”, the success of these habitat programs and proximity to a major aspect of the school site is now delaying the construction of the new high school and may alter the planned facilities permanently. It is very surprising that this habitat and its potential impact was seemingly not taken into account when designing and spending Prop P money on the development of the site plan. Between the fencing and signage 
the boundaries of the habitat are very apparent. I could absolutely understand if the district released a best case site plan and a separate contingent site plan. However I can find no evidence that this was done.
The school district on August 18th released their own statement regarding this ‘new‘ information and its possible effects on the construction. Firstly, there will be a delay in construction of approximately a year which they believe will add approximately 3–4% to construction costs. Additionally, I would predict construction cost may as be effected if there are mitigation costs and site adjustments that will need to be added to the site to help maintain these habitat sites. Secondly, there will most like be changes made to the facilities planned for the site with the possibility that the proposed football stadium will have to be cut from the plans.
“The district may have to abandon plans to build a football stadium at the new campus. According to site plans, the visitors’ bleachers border the least Bell vireo nesting sites.
“There’s obviously concerns about lighting and noise, because bleachers (during sporting events) are very noisy,” (Elisa)Williamson said.– SD Union Tribune, 8/16/2008
However, we need only to look at our new golf course to see how quickly construction costs can escalate because of time delays, habitat expenses and site changes.
Originally the Carlsbad municipal golf course was projected to cost $10 - $15 million. In 2005 when the Carlsbad City Council finally went ahead and moved forward with final construction, they were told the project’s costs would be $37 million. When actually completed late last year and opened for play, the costs had ballooned to (approximately)$63 million.– San Diego Institute For Policy Research, 2/28/2008
While walking my golden retriever, Dave, yesterday out in the Calavera area we came across two different areas where sound tests were being conducted. They seemed to be set up to monitor road noise from the Cannon College interchange. I have a call in to the school district to get further information about the sound testing and if they plan to simulate stadium noise in order to determine the potential impact.
What was Dr. Roach’s, Carlsbad school district superintendent, feelings about these developments?
It’s not surprising. The city created a special habitat there for the bird after Corky McMillin Cos. upset least Bell’s vireo habitat at its nearby Robertson Ranch housing project, Roach said. McMillin paid the city to establish the habitat as part of a mitigation agreement, he said. – SD Union Tribune, 8/16/2008
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Carlsbad’s Alga Norte park placed on hold…. again
July 24th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad 'best of', Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events, Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– The Alga Norte Park project has been delayed yet again. This time the council in a 4–1 vote decided it was prudent to wait for the state to produce a signed budget. The state’s budget can have a significant impact on revenue to the city’s.
However in a surprise to me and probably many others, San Diego county assessor Gregory Smith announced that assessed property values in San Diego were up 4.8% to 409.3 billion. This is more than double the value in 2000.
After building what is believed to be the most expensive municipal golf course in the country, the city council owes the average citizen of Carlsbad this park. It has been promised for over 4 years and is in the budget as noted by Councilwoman Ann Kulchin, the lone dissenting vote. This project would have the most SIGNIFICANT impact on citizens of all economic class not just those that can afford $60–80 dollar green fees.
Kulchin said the city has promised its residents for years that it would build the park’s proposed swim complex and that it should go ahead and obtain the construction bids while waiting for news about the state budget situation.
“This is in our budget,” she said of the money for the construction work. “We promised- and I think this is the time. We can’t just keep putting off, putting off.”– North County Times, July 22, 2008
I love Carlsbad and generally feel that the council does a great job, but they have lost site of what it means to serve. If the increasing costs was received as ‘unpleasant news’ in 2006, it will not get any better the more time that elapses before the bid process.
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The journey of one Carlsbad home
July 18th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– This is the story of one home, one buyer and graphic illustration of the current Carlsbad housing market.
This 3 bedroom 1563 square foot Chestnut Street home was last sold in December 2003 for $500,000 with the buyer financing $450,000. If the story ended here, everything would be great. It doesn’t and I believe this is why this home and many others have ended up in the bank’s hands.
The buyer, within 60 days took out what was most likely a HELOC or home equity line of credit of $270,000. That $500,000 home just became a 
$720,000 liability. It does look as though there were some improvements done on the home and on August 9th of 2005 the home was listed in the MLS. After 93 days with a listing price of $749,000 to $849,000 the first listing period expired. It immediately went back on the market at same price for an additional 114 days.
In this two year timeframe, this area of the Carlsbad housing market saw an increase in values of approximately 20%. The average selling price in 2003 
was $546,573 and in 2005 was $656,000. Unfortunately the homeowner was looking for almost a 70% premium at the high end of their range.
In January of 2008, the home came back on the market as a short sale. It was listed at $549,000 to $649,000. After 178 on the market, the bank has auctioned the property. I will up date this article as soon as I know the price.
What this illustrates to me and should to you, is the fact that many homebuyers looked to their homes as more than homes. In general we have only each other to look at for the current state of the real estate market. When one wakes with a hangover, you generally don’t blame the bar. Instead you question why you drank so much. It was the over exuberance of this false wealth that fueled lifestyles and our economy. The banks only filled glass. 
Had this particular owner not squandered what equates to over 50% of the market value of the home, they would still own their own 3 bedroom with a view slice of paradise less than mile from the beach with approximately a 17% appreciation to date.
Only 20 years ago, the U.S.’s total outstanding mortgage debt made up roughly 30% of our GDP. Homeowners held large stakes in their houses – close to 70% of the equity on average. Today, mortgage debt equals nearly 80% of GDP. The average homeowner owns less than half the equity in his home. This seismic change in the nature of home ownership and debt financing occurred nearly overnight – in less than one generation.– Seeking Alpha, 7/18/2008
Real estate as it pertains to this home was taken from SANDICOR and REALIST.
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2008 Carlsbad triathlon swim condition preview
July 12th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Beaches, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events
CARLSBAD– Here is a quick little video clip of what we should expect for the swim start tomorrow: flat and perfect water temperature. If you look at the bottom of the sidebar you will see the wavewatch.com surf report.
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Carlsbad involved in two lawsuits over parking and golf course
July 11th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Beaches, Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events
CARLSBAD– Well it has been a busy week of instigating litigation for the city. Earlier this week it was announced that the city is suing a resident for trademark infringement with the use of the city’s golf course name and logo. Now the city is suing to block the installation of an ‘iron ranger’ that would convert the Tamarack state beach parking lot from a free lot to a 
paid lot.
The Crossings at Carlsbad
Carlsbad’s new golf course is reported to be the most expensive public golf course ever constructed, $70,000,000, by almost double.
“I can’t think of anything that comes close, other than the one in Pleasanton,”($40 million) said Jeff Shelley, who tracks 4,000 to 5,000 golf course construction projects around the country for golfconstructionnews.com. -North County Times, 2/10/2007
The city’s lawsuit is against Prince Reza Shah and acusses Shah “ of numerous improper acts and (an) overall scheme to effectively hijack and unlawfully profit upon the name ‘The Crossings at Carlsbad.’ ” – San Diego Union, 7/10/2008. Shah filed trademark paperwork shortly after the city announced the name of its new course. In a quote from the city’s outside attorney, it apppears that Shah did in fact file prior to the city and he feels 
that they are infringing on his trademark.
“We’re a first-to-use country, not first-to-file,” when it comes to trademarks, Reinbolt said. “The theory is, once one starts using a trademark and building up good will, they should be able to trade off that.
“(Shah) was able to quickly get something on file,” but that doesn’t mean he owns the name, said Reinbolt, an attorney with Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch.
Reinbolt said the city established its right to the name by building and operating a golf course.
“Did he intend to operate a golf course?” Reinbolt said.– San Diego Union, 7/10/2008
Should be interesting.
Tamarack State beach parking lot lawsuit
Earlier I wrote about the state’s decision to change the Tamarack state beach parking lot to a paid lot, $8 a day. Obliviously with the lack of parking at Carlsbad beaches, other than residential streets, the city opposes this step. However the city needs to take additional responsibility here.
See the city had an agreement in place with state and was paying $40,000 a year to keep the lot free. This was initiated the first time the state pulled permits to install an ‘iron ranger’ in 1994. Those permits expired in 2000 and so did the city’s payments. Had they kept up, we may not be here now.
So now with the state coffers in need of money the state is looking for additional revenues. They have predicted that the change at the parking lot could increase revenues $340,000–$500,000. The city and state have been in negotiations to try to restart the payments but they are far apart. With the slab and base for the pay station having been installed, the city obliviously felt backed in to a corner and filed a lawsuit against the California Coastal Commission.
In its request for a court injunction, Carlsbad argues that the state Coastal Commission acted inappropriately when it approved the proposal in May. Among other things, the city believes that state commission failed to give enough weight to environmental issues related to the project, Assistant City Attorney Jane Mobaldi said Thursday.
The city asserts that if the state starts collecting $8 to park at Tamarack Beach, beachgoers will look for free parking on surrounding
neighborhood streets and cause horrendous traffic troubles, Mobaldi said. Carlsbad is also arguing that these beachgoers will then use unofficial pathways down to the ocean from their vehicles, damaging sensitive coastal bluff areas.– North County Times, 7/11/2008
Now if you have ever been to the beach in Carlsbad you know the concern about the bluffs is a joke. The change in the parking at Tamarack will have zero impact on accessing the beach. There are numerous trails that exist and are being used in the TerraMar area that the city has never expressed concern about or offered to put in stair cases. 
After all the city is on record as stating the beaches belong to the states park and therefore all the responsibilities and maintenance.
The state has agreed to halt the installation process until the hearing on the suit in the beginning of October. However I imagine an agreement on a payment plan would cause this lawsuit to be dropped.
Either way, I believe the state is going to see six figures in income and Vigiluccis will lose their overflow parking.
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Carlsbad triathlon course preview
July 8th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad 'best of', Carlsbad Beaches, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events, Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– The 27th annual Carlsbad Triathlon will be taking place this weekend on July 13th. This race is in the top 3 of the longest consecutive running triathlons in the country.
I went out yesterday and shot a few clips identifying some key points of the bike course and run course. The swim course is pretty self explanatory and offers no real surprises. The surf and tides forecast for the weekend call for light surf and the tide will be high at the start of the race. The main thing to remember with the swim for athletes new to the ocean is to TRY to relax. The ocean is a great medium to swim in so make it your friend!!!
The first thing you are going to face coming out of the swim and leaving T1 is the hill that will take you out of the Tamarack state beach parking lot to the coast highway. You need to make sure you have selected a proper gear prior to the race as mounting at the base you will not have time to build any speed. I have seem people almost crash struggling to get up this hill.
Next out on the bike course, you will find a pretty flat nice road. Just south of Palomar Airport Road you will find the only ‘hill’ on the course. It is at the Encinas creek crossing just before the campground. While it is short, it will put a hamper on your effort so be prepared to hit this hill twice. Once on the way out and then on your second lap. One nice thing through this stretch is the city has 
repaved what used to be a very bad road.
Remember this is a two lap bike course. Your first turn around comes at La Costa Avenue just after crossing the Aqua Hedionda lagoon jetty. Remember to use caution as you move over from the right lane to the center divide to make your ‘U’ turn. There will definitely be some fast riders coming up and diving into that turn. Once you have made your turn try to get over to the right as soon as you can to allow others to pass.
The second ‘U’ turn comes at Solamar Drive which comes about 2/3 of the way back to the transition. It is just south of Palomar Airport road. If you were to look at the course on a map, it is a paper clip. When you approach this turn you will need to move in to the left traffic lane, again carefully, as the right traffic lane is reserved for the cyclists heading back for T2.
The run course is also pretty flat with a turnaround almost even with the smokestack of the power plant. The biggest thing to keep in mind with the run course is you leave T2 on the flat boardwalk. At the end of the boardwalk the course goes up a 
short steep rise at Pine Avenue. While this is short it will certainly spike your heart rate as you are already coming out of T2 with some anxiety, urgency, anticipation and an elevated heart rate as it is. If you have spectators coming to the race, the best place to spectate for the run is at the top of this little rise as you will be going pretty slow and they can identify you coming up the hill. From there they can easily get to the finish to see you cross.
Have a great race!!!
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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 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’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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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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