council@ci.encinitas.ca.us
Here is my brief list of 2008 goals:
*Create an urban tree policy for maintaining our classic old growth trees and planting new trees for future generations to enjoy.
Notice the gaps in the "tree tunnel" and how ugly the NCTD area is.
*Establish the property line along the L101 and NCTD territory. Can we plant a nice hedge along our side so we don't have to look at the hideous scorched earth train track area?
*Improve the unsightly and dangerous Leucadia Blvd/Hwy101/Vulcan Ave intersection. This will mean working with the notoriously hostile NCTD. However, we are spending heaps of money to beautify Leucadia Blvd and it shouldn't lead to a crappy and dangerous intersection with frustrating long red lights and hideous landscaping (orange sandbags, weeds, etc).
*Once the Leucadia Blvd improvements are finished it's only natural that a sidewalk should continue up west Leucadia Blvd to Beacon's beach. Then you could walk safely all the way from the golf course to the beach.
*Repave and repaint the Leucadia Blve/Hwy101 intersection. Right now there are no turning lanes, no clear crosswalks and it's wearing out our tires.
*Beautify Leucadia's 101 center medians which are chronically plagued with weeds and dying plants. A lot of Leucadians want to volunteer to take care of these medians themselves but obviously there is a safety issue. The medians don't need super fancy expensive landscaping, something simple and cheap will suffice.
*Lower the southbound speed limit on L101 to 35 mph.
*Consider a stop sign at Grandview Ave on the L101, it's almost impossible to turn left there.
*Consider some sort of traffic control in the Pannikan area of L101. Maybe ban left turns and create a nice U-turn lane or put in a stop sign. That area is a death trap.
*Install port-potty restrooms in the parking lot areas of Beacon's Beach and Grandview Beach. Both these beach access points are incredibly popular with families but there is nowhere for the wife and kids to go when nature calls.
*The popular park on Vulcan and Hillcrest needs port-i-potty or permanent restrooms. Right now all the little skater kids are using the bushes.
*Can we work with the NCTD to lower the sound of the train horns and spread wood chips or something around the barren track areas? Everytime the train goes blasting through Leucadia the train kicks up a huge dust cloud covering L101 business and homes in a layer of grim. There is like, 80 trains a day! That's a lot of dust and noise.
*Kind of minor, but I want the Leucadia sign at the north entryway to have a light on it at night.
*This will probably fall under the upcoming streetscape program but some humble pedestrian friendly streetlights on the coast would be great. Nothing towering and obnoxious, just some cool old style streetlights so we can walk down the L101 on warm summer nights.
Obviously my list is Leucadia specific. There are many other needs around town like the Hall Park and the Cardiff downtown specific plan.
Here are three ideas for Encinitas:
*We need a multi-screen movie theater. The closure of the AMC on El Camino Real has been brutal. It's silly for us all to drive to Carlsbad and San Marcos to see a movie. How much tax revenue is the city losing not having a local modern movie theater?
*The San Elijo lagoon that opens up to the incredibly popular Cardiff Reef has the worst water quality in all of north county beaches. It constantly rates a D on the Surfrider water quality report cards. What can we do to improve this? Who else besides me is tired of sore throats and ear infections after surfing Cardiff Reed?
*Encinitas needs a bowling alley. Seriously. Bowling is a great American pastime and not having a bowling alley for the families of Encinitas is just unpatriotic.
The trees are being cut down and Leucadia blighted to make room for Jerome's friends.
ReplyDeleteWhere is our high paid 101 coordinator? Shouldn't he be up at NCTD working on the goals JP just outlined?
I'm in total agreement about the loud train horns and the dust the trains raise. But NO wood chips along the train right-of-way please.
ReplyDeleteSouth of Santa Fe Drive the city allows landscapers to dump wood chips on the west side of San Elijo adjacent to the tracks. Becasue of parking these wood chips turn into mush when it rains and dust when the wind blows and cars spin their tires.
The actual railway right-of-way in Cardiff is not so bad because of vegetation. Granted it is mostly weeds, but the NCTD usually mows it in the Spring. It's those dang chips, which are especially bad in front of the Cardiff Elementary School.
Why the right-of-way in Leucadia looks like a no man's land is something only Jerome can explain.
Here's a e-mail I sent to every council member:
ReplyDeleteHi, my name is (deleted) and I'm 18 years old. I lived in the same house, on the same street in Leucadia for my entire life. I'm at college now, but after seeing pictures/eye-witness accounts, I am deeply concerned about the lack of landscaping on the 101 median as well as the sides of the tracks between La Costa Ave. and Leucadia Blvd. It looks really, really bare and I'm concerned that a distinct quality of Leucadia has been destroyed.
I'm not here to blame people. I am here to ponder what can be done to make the 101 corridor more appealing and representative of the true spirit of Leucadia.
Here are some questions I would love to have answered:
1) What can be done in terms of planting new plants/trees that fit our climate?
2) Will this happen?
3) What are the issues that would prevent a re--planting?
4) Can volunteers plant trees/plants at their own expense?
And most importantly: What is your opinion on the future of Leucadia?
Thank you for your input and I appreciate your concern in this matter.
Yes- bring back the old Leucadia bowling alley! Plenty of us remember bowling there and it was great!
ReplyDeleteI would like to add more goals:
ReplyDelete*Please resume vacuuming standing water out of traffic lanes as long as there is no proper drainage system in place.
*Consider roundabouts on La Costa at Vulcan and Hwy101. (Tell Carlsbad to build their own Ponto access.)
*Fix the fence at the top of the bluff at Beacon's. In December 2006 the fence blew down, they installed a very temporary looking chain link and never came back. Could you imagine them leaving something like that at Moonlight?
Also, can anyone tell me if “Dark Sky” is a good thing or another excuse to ignore / punish Leucadia?
PS – Great letter, LeucadiaTeen
And here's JStock's response:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your email and your concern for the future of your hometown.
The tree removal project was an NCTD project as the trees were on their property and they had a certified arborist report identifying those trees as a danger to the public as well as the train tracks because they were either dead or very sick.
NCTD has already stated that they would work woth Leucadia stakeholder groups like the Leucadia 101 and the City to discuss replacement trees. The replacement trees will need to be native species, and planted in a way so as to not hinder the rail line.
You could contact the Leucadia 101 Association (760-436-2320) to find out when and where their meeting with NCTD will be, and failing your personal attendance at that meeting just email me your thoughts on the matter and I'll make sure their a part of the discussion / decision process.
It is my opinion that Leucadia will continue to be a diverse and dynamic part of the fabric that creates the City of Encinitas.
Thank you,
Jerome Stocks
Mayor, City of Encinitas
Board Member, NCTD
I liked your list of goals for the city of Encinitas for 2008, I would simply like to add one to that list. I would like to see some follow through from the city on the issue of providing a mechanism for people to legally cross the railroad tracks, without having to walk to the major street crossings. Bridges have been proposed for several spots but the spot most relevent for me (b/w leucadia and la costa) has been shelved apparently. I'm tired of getting harassed by the police for this and i want my kids to have a safe option as well.
ReplyDeleteA big no show at the goals "agenda" item tonight. Perhaps it was because the City, up to now, has always held a workshop where citizens gathered with department representatives and engaged in a productive dialogue. This year, under Mayor Stocks, the City simply made it a done deal by posting it as an agenda item. During the meeting, Teresa Barth and Maggie Houlihan pushed for a workshop but Stocks and his gang were having none of that. Shame on you Stocks, Bond and Dalager. Of course, Sabine was there in agreement. More erosion of our right to participate in our own government and further evidence of Stocks's agenda of less transparency and participation.
ReplyDeleteActually, Bond was open to the idea.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Ribeye2k- Put it a roundabout at La Costa, Vulcan and Sheridan. Let Carlsbad's future Boxy Ponto take access from Avenida Encina and Poinsettia Lane. We should not have to pay for their development.
ReplyDeleteGoals are nice, but we don't have any money to do anything. The City Manager and Council gave it all to staff forever! Our overhead costs are huge. Try 96%. Have you ever heard of such irresponsibility?
ReplyDeleteThe City budget will grow because of the huge appreciation of real estate over the last 11 years.
the only problem is council gave all the money to staff salaries and benefits so there is no money for improvement projects. Why does 96% of the City's revenues go to staff salaries and retirement?
That is ridiculous.
The City Council should be calling out the City Manager on this atrocity against the Encinitas citizens and fired tomorrow. We need a City Manager with Fiscal prudence- Not a lifer government employee who's city manager through attrition (can you say "watching the clock until my retirement day, when I get 100% of my $200,000 salary forever! Fire me Council- I don't give a shit about your fiscal problems- Just keep giving me my raise and don't ask about why we spend so much on staff")
Councilmember Barth suggested a Recession Management Plan to address how the city will handle a loss in revenue. With all the bad economic news lately it would be smart to have a plan in place ahead of time rather than in the middle of a crash. Things like staff layoffs, service cuts, capital project delays and other other issues should all be on the table for discussion with the public included.
ReplyDeleteBut I didn't hear any support from her "fiscal conservative" male countereparts.
Leucadiateen: I suggest you run for council if you are concerned about Leucadia, then you can be an advocate for the community. Leucadia has never had an advocate for the community yet has had many, many council members as residents.
ReplyDeleteYou want your cake and eat it too. These are wonderful things on your list and I want them too but most likely they come with new developments. But you a-holes here want to keep it "Funky" - a decription most find trashy. You don't want to get rid of trailer parks, you think the old metal building on the 101 - soon to be Whole Foods is a downgrade - YET you want all these wonderful things.
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE RUINING IT FOR THE MAJORITY - with your "Funky" talk. I overheard one of the City Council members at a party describe that phrase "Junky" while laughing and I tend to agree.
You all try to stop any type of new development and forget that is where new money and positive changes come from.
I think you don't want any change here because you know that you will be priced out of one of the last affordable beach communities and it scares the hell out of you that you may be moving to Vista.
Leucadiateen- Yes run for political office, you can't be any worse than the 5 idiots that run the city now!! Don't let your young age stop you from achieving success in life, Imagine starting to suck at the government tit at 18 years of age. Wow, boggles the mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm a freshman at Santa Clara University for this year, but for the 08-09 year, I'm going back to Leucadia to go to Mira Costa for a year so I can transfer to either UCSD, UCLA or some other UC. But for my junior year, I want to spend a year in Italy....so maybe some time after that!
ReplyDeleteBut when I'm there starting in June, I'll be active in local politics.
anon1:04 what good is cake if you can't eat it? Funky is not trashy. the area needs work but what do you expect after years of inattention? trailer parks are another source of housing and i think we should drag our feet grudingly over their elimination. the verdict on the whole foods is still out...i want to see the traffic impact from users and restockers before deciding whether it is an upgrade or a downgrade. which majority is it being ruined for...the yes on A majority or the no on A majority? any council member laughing at a party about the current condition of leucadia should be ashamed.
ReplyDeleteit is impossible to stop new development along the coastal corridor but it needs to take place slowly and at times painfully for each side, otherwise it becomes a development feeding frenzy and it ends up like carmel or worse.
i want change, most of the wonderful things you refer to off jp list.
but not at the cost of the communities very soul. and i do want some affordability in the housing sector retained so that those that love the beach for something other than a blue line on the horizon during cocktail hour have the opportunity....
i don't want the additional traffic coming from vista because the fish have to get to the beach to keep their scales wet, the east to west traffic already scares the hell out of me.
It's a fine line between funky and junky.
ReplyDeleteFunky=The bamboo tiki store.
Junky=NCTD wasteland.
Did you know that Leucadia provides the bulk of property tax revenue for Encinitas but receives the least amount of capital improvements?
Stop blaming the local residents for the crumbling infrastructure, that is the oldest trick in the book.
Yes JP. I know that and thats why I am voting for anyone beside Jerome Stocks. Dat Cat is bad for Leucadia and all of Encinitas. what he is good for is giving his fire buddies huge raises and Benefits. And spending $15,000,000 on firestation remodels and $60,000,000 on a regional sports complex, while the rest of the city crumbles and pits community against community for the measily remaining $1,000,0000 of debt.
ReplyDeleteGo figure- if I wasn't an Encinitas fireman or a wantabe sports hero, why would I vote for Jerome Stocks?
In eight years, what has he done for Encinitas beside get us in huge debt and give the unions everything they have asked for?
The Mira Costa College board of Trustees just spent untold amounts of $$$ to have a consultant tell them they must get along!!!
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine anything so stupid?? What did they expect this consultant to say?? Why do they need to spend thousands of dollars to learn this simple truth.
The Board of trustees is disfunctional and wasteful of tax payers monies. Stop them before they hire again!!
Re: 10:10
ReplyDeleteIn 1994 the city hired consultant Ted Krines from Tiburon so he could write us an essay on how Encinitas could become a "Can-Do" city. It was 40 pagest long. He was paid $40 grand. The report focused on each community specifying individual needs. The overall recommendation: Hire an Ombudsman to facilitate new business coming to Encinitas. The city took him up on the idea, ran an ad in the paper for an Ombusman position, and 6 people applied. TWO of them were Ted Krines and his wife bidding $120,000 per year for the team. Fortunately, the city decided not to hire an Ombudsman.
Leucadians;
ReplyDeleteYou can have:
Regional Sports Complex
Fairy Mary Statue
Three story hospital
Mega expensive Library
City truck park
They all yours or are they to funky?
They're too junky.
ReplyDeleteWe'd like to keep our trees and different styles of Architecture. Go take a look at the homes on Hymettus. Leucadia has homes that are as unique and well done as the composer district. Keep it funky means keep it unique and eclectic. There is no junk involved.
actually. I would take the overpriced trophy Library in Leucadia, but its close enough for us to use anyway. thanks.
ReplyDeleteFunky = El Torito Market.
ReplyDeleteJunky = Giant puddles in the streets the city promised to keep in check until proper drainage is in place.*
Funky = The switch-back path to the beach at Beacon's.
Junky = The fence “repair” at the top of the bluff at Beacon's that has been that way for over a year.
Funky = The Pannikin.
Junky = The at-grade railroad track crossings.
*From NCT 11/2004
“the city has modified the system and developed a response plan that quickly dispatches firefighters, public-works crews and powerful pumps to the flood zone during heavy rains..”
Scene: Dark and stormy rainy flooded night in Leucadia
ReplyDeleteSoused: Hee hee hee, lookee here Glennpipe, I'se can walk.
Stumblin: Youse sure upright, gud thing these here sidewalks been built.
Soused: (smug) Ain't no water on my breeches yet.
Stumblin: 'Cept fors that there yeller water you dun dribbled in yur pants in the 'Cadien's toilet.
Soused: Glennpole, youse always takin things so literal like, I'se meant, now when we skedadle from the bar when its wet, we'se ain't got to part no Red Sea no more to makes it to the car.
Stumblin: No needs to huff and puff at me, Jerabomb, I'se the one who dun tole ya...
Hurtling Surfliner whizzes by blowing loud train "whistle" just as our heroes attempt to cross at Leucadia Blvd. Stay tuned.
Why all the piling on AJ? Certain posters are distorting the reality. I witnessed AJ in a council session criticizing certain council members for their tacit support of the dirty campaign against Maggie Houlihan. It was a courageous and necessary stance. AJ got strongly berated by Christy Guerin for her truthful words. Do the negatives posters here the courage to put their real names, instead of hiding behind their anonymity?
ReplyDeleteAnnabelle?
ReplyDeleteI miss you.
Anon4:58- how ironic that you berate others for their anonymity yet post under anon. Perhaps you are too smart for those of us that post here. I am not distorting reality when it comes to the old LTC, their leader was an angry women that railroaded her election and refused to disclose her intentions until after the election. I was there, I remember quite well when asked about her positions, an older gentleman stood up and said that "all that will be discussed after we vote". Well what do you know she was elected unanimously and rest is history. Also this is a women that bragged of going onto other peoples property and measuring to see if their landscape was as required by code. What gall!! Stay on your own property!!!
ReplyDeleteShe was a Leucadia Icon, more of a Leucadia busybody if you ask me.
Leucadia first, last and always!!
My goals for 2008, for my City, and all my good neighbors, for myself, include more open and honest government. All politics is local. More accountability, honesty, integrity from our public servants.
ReplyDeleteMore freedoms and privacy for individual citizens, for the people of our community.
May we be a community of compassion, understanding, gratitude, and grace, living the Golden Rule.
Please, City, treat your citizens with the respect we, the people, deserve.
Anabelle stood up to developers and to the City Attorney, Glenn Sabine and his lawfirm, Sabine&Morrison partner, Randal Morrison. She was courageous. She called Randal Morrison on his lies in a tacit letter to the editor. This was read to Council.
ReplyDeletePlease, dear City, do not continue to dishonor our elders, those who have served our community, our neighborhoods and our nation, with honor.
Lynn, if you feel that I am dishonoring your friend then I am sorry, I am telling you what I witnessed first hand. You and others may not like what I have to say, but it is the truth and that cannot be changed. If you found her to be like able well then so be it. How or why she has come to be the source of so many posting is disturbing to me, as I feel her goals for the city for 2008 aren't the same as J.P.'s.
ReplyDeleteLeucadia first, last and always.
So, all this comes down to one person, Annabelle J? Who else were the "nay-sayers" that scared the shit out of the City council? Don't know Annabelle, but if she, as an "angry woman" kept the tree canopy intact and made the City council whimper, then I say "good job." Seems like some people did not appreciate her delivery, but she got the job done. So, what happened to her anyways?
ReplyDeleteAJ,had nothing to do with keeping the tree canopy intact. The tree have been dying due to the installation of the drainage that was placed along the RR right of way. The tree root structure has been destroy, that is why the trees have been dying and must be removed. There is nothing AJ or anyone else could do to keep these tree alive.
ReplyDeleteLeucadia first, last, and always!!