The second Hall property park lawsuit is finally over. The City prevailed in this lawsuit (the city lost the first lawsuit).
Good News:
The city can now use their empty property, which it bought years ago and has been paying gobs of bond interest on.
Bad News:
The construction of the park is not fully funded.
About a month ago I had an email exchange with the Encinitas Soccer League. They seemed to be unaware of the evidence that the city was responsible for some of the substantial delays in the park construction process. They had been blaming all the delays on Citizens for Quality of Life. I was also asking about park funding issues. The Encinitas Soccer League (ESL) wrote this about funding for the park, "the money is already in the capital budget."
I thought that was funny because the budget document adopted this summer was clear that the city didn't have the money to start Phase I (even though lots of other things weren't so clear). After pointing out the apparent discrepancy to the ESL, they wrote, "The park can be funded once it becomes a genuine option."
Opening the park is now a genuine option.
I would really like to move to a post park period where the public will consider other important issues. Unfortunately, I don't think its over. Either Dalager, Stocks, and Bond are going to be roasted for not quickly building the park, or we are going to see some intriguing financing schemes.
It isn't over. By the time money is available we will have, hopefully, a council that acknowledges the majority want a community park.
ReplyDeleteIf they pull funds from streetscape we riot.
I guess we knew it all along, but Dalager is pretty dim. He says:
ReplyDelete"I think the judge found what everyone knew all along: It's a great project," Dalager said.
The statement is wrong. Everyone?? Clearly, not "everyone", or there would have been no opposition.
Creative financing is much too difficult for the three stooges. They just approve budgets with blanks to be filled in later because they get tired of talking about it. There is no money for the park, unless it is pulled from other commitments, like the streetscape in Leucadia and traffic calming. And, construction will be a nightmare given the Scripps expansion planned for the same time. When will Dalablabber realize he appears much more intelligent when he doesn't flap his lips.
ReplyDeletebonddi-The answer to your question is NEVER. Unfortunately, my guess is they will still get reelected. Since most of the citizens of Encinitas have to work, and don't have the time or inclination to even go to a public forum to hear the candidates speak they will vote for the incumbent. That's why I think that term limits are sorely needed. Even Maggie as gone to the dark side, or at least it appears that way to me. All the incumbents have to do is send out really pretty brochures for a few weeks before the election and that seems to be all it takes. At least it has for Stocks. I still don't get Dan, but there are some really easily swayed people and they like the status quo.
ReplyDeleteanon 504,
ReplyDeleteThe people had their chance to change the council majority in the last two elections. For the sake of our city concede to the sports park.
The city finally admitted in Judge Maas' court room that there is serious contamination that must be buried to make the site safe for children and pets. This is after 9 years of denial and and an attempt to avoid doing an EIR. The nimbys did a great public service by forcing the city to concede that they were right. Otherwise we would have gotten a park that was a danger to public health. This is something that Dalager was willing to accept to get what he wanted.
ReplyDeleteyou are all so short sighted? or are you correct? condos on that property would have been much better.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless the Halls for taking the small amount they did for the outdated growing grounds. Had they developed the property or held out for the amount of money that they should have. Everyones financial situation would be much different.
moveon
The public are dumb shits. They know and vote with pure ignorance.
ReplyDeleteThe City should sell the land or put the options to a public vote. The City clearly does not have the funds to build and maintain the park.
ReplyDeleteI hope clear minds prevail.
Danny's top issue quoted from his North County TImes pre-election interview in 2006:
ReplyDelete"1.Open space and recreation space: The environmental report ... for the Hall park is supposed to be back real soon, so let's get the Hall Park open! Get kids out there playing and families picnicking!"
NC Times, Nov 4, 2006
It's show time!
anon 1102,
ReplyDeletePeople should accept that the park has been decided and should move on.
That doesn't mean we should rewrite history. Explain how you come to the conclusion that the Halls were underpaid, and please consider the benefits the Halls got because they sold to a government entity.
The hall property was never zoned for condos.
ReplyDeleteThe Hall property is zoned R-3. Any kind of higher density or commercial development would require a zoning change through a General Plan amendment. It's what has stymied upzoning on the Brown greenhouse property to the east on Lake Drive.
ReplyDeleteRobert Hall got a super deal from the city. He knew the property was contaminated and that standards are more stringent for residential use. There is the problem with access through a narrow alley on the north and substandard streets to the south. And there is the proximity of the freeway which reduces the value of the property for homes.
Finally the city did a "friendly" eminent domain, which gave a big tax advantage to Hall. He got a sweet deal from the city. Now the city has to figure out a way to finance building the park. It ain't gonna be easy. Dalablabber doesn't have the foggiest idea how to get us out of the mess he created. The city pays $1.5 million a year in bond repayment for the land purchase. It still has 22 years to go.
At the Wednesday night council meeting Dalablabber told the dog owners that they would have to raise money to build the dog park on the property. Will he tell the sports groups, who get 10 times as much acreage, that they will have to do the same thing?
What's the problem? I recently voted to raise use fees all over the city, including the senior center. My friends in the sports leagues will continue to use the fields and lights for free. They deserve a Cadillac park.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, Cadillac Park. I like the air of that better than the Hall Property.
ReplyDeleteI've never had a problem with the purchase of the land for a park. The City may or may not have gotten a good deal on the price / terms, but it was far-sighted to provide the amenity to the citizens.
ReplyDeleteI know the financing was "creative" to say the least. And I also know the current design is one-sided in favor of organized youth sports, but in the end if we do find a way to build the first phase, it will be an benefit to all and will be used by all.
It's time Dan, "Show me the money".
Yep, let's see what the 3 can do. Man-up boys, let's see you make it happen and not fall back on scapegoats.
ReplyDeleteanon 658,
ReplyDeleteIt is okay to overpay for things?
It is okay for the city to overpay and not let the voters know that is what you are doing?
To 6:58
ReplyDeleteSure it will be. benefit to all, (who enroll to play in organized sports leagues for free). Want to have a pick up game or company group or family gathering pay to use the sports fields for baseball, soccer, football or anything else? Want to play tennis, basketball or volleyball? Want to have your kids run and play in an open field?
You will not be able to in this ' community park'.
Will the adjacted neighborhoods be negatively implacted by unmitagated, F graded, narrow streets and 90 foot lights!? They might not really benefit.
If we're gonna spend a ton of money making a nice place for kids and familys to do more, I'd rather see the lagoons dredged then connected on our east boundary, making us an island. The sand from the excavation then could be dumped on the beach, for that 400 ft widness everyone wants. Then we could market our town much better; charge people to enter Encinitas, and pay people to leave.
ReplyDeletefree bith control, too.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy Meathead's posts, even when the things he or she proposes will never happen:)
ReplyDeleteOne solution is to charge for sports leagues to use the sports complex, that would cover the maintenance costs estimated to one million a year. If all the sports leagues want is more fields, why would they balk at paying money?
ReplyDeleteSilly me, sports leagues don't want more fields, they want FREE fields...what was I thinking!
ReplyDelete7:16
ReplyDeleteThey could never do that Bonddi, because at one million clams a year for maintenance, that means the sports enthusiasts would only have to fork over $2740. per day, every day of the year to cover maintenance costs to enjoy the park.
Who's minding the store?
Doesn't anyone think "low maintenance" at the city besides? I'd rather see the city donate 500bucks a day to Lou's Records for 6 years.
The sports leagues do have 11 fields they use now, as per their web sites.
ReplyDeleteThis will bring the total to 16.
The EIR referenced sports field need formulas for a community. It stated we need between 6 and 7.
7:26-
ReplyDeleteYou forget. The more important issue is Carlsbad doesn't have enough playing fields for their kids from the massive amount of boxes they built over the last 15 years. Their paid sports league need and have greased the skips for this regional sports park to be paid by the Encinitas tax payers.
Their lobbying worked.... Great for their organization. Not great for an Encinitas tax payer.
If you want to see what's in store for the neighbors next to the Hall property, try driving by the park across from Target sometime. I did on Saturday afternoon, and all I have to say is: if I owned a home near the Hall property, I would be listing it for sale right now.
ReplyDelete7:33
ReplyDeleteWe always ben over backwards for Carlsbad. Or is it forward?
Anybody catch that Michael Turko kiss-ass piece? Jerome was whining about the court costs and intentionally failed to mention that the first court case was won, that the City was wrong, and that the City had to pay the attorney's fees for the citizen's group. A judge's decision is nothing more than a decision, doesn't mean he or she applied the law fairly. I doubt Judge Maas even read or understood the issues and briefs, another government hack who lets his legal research attorney call the shots. More than that, this piece shows how far Jerome and Dalablabber will reach to get Dalablabber re-elected. I thought both looked liked they just stepped out of the Leucadian after tipping a few.
ReplyDeleteNo bbondi, I saw them at THE OFFICE in Cardiff. Of course, they may have been celebrating their lying to Turko, But, I did see Turko with them so maybe they all had a few.
ReplyDelete8:06
ReplyDeleteIt ain't right!