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The city of Encinitas is seeking bids to transport that infamous ashtray sand from San Juan Capristrano to dump in the tourist section of Moonlight Beach. This is no surprise, they do this every year.
What is telling about this year is that a mere 3 blocks away is the giant "sand pit" from the Pacific Station development. As you know, the developer John DeWald, sand lobbyist Steve Aceti and the city of Encinitas created and executed a bizarre plan to dump construction dirt from the site onto a north Leucadia beach. For weeks massive dump trucks have been roaring up and down the sandy beach "replenishing" the beach with construction dirt...err, I mean "sand".
We've been told over and over again what great high quality beachsand this dirt is and how everyone involved are environmental heroes and true American geniuses.
So I ask you this, if the construction dirt/sand is so awesome why isn't the city using that material to spread on Moonlight Beach? Why go through the trouble of bringing riverbed sand all the way down from San Juan Capistrano?
Leucadia Blog: Sandy Beach "Replenished" with Developer's Construction Dirt
Leucadia Blog: Mayor Maggie tricked into supporting fake environmentalism
Leucadia Blog: Moonlight Beach, Grassy Park instead of Sand?
Might have something to do with the huge rocks that are now strewn all along the beach from Tomato Patch to Ponto. Folks at Moonlight might object, and Leucadians will just have to put up with the mess.
ReplyDeleteSomeone is going to trip and break their leg on one of those huge chucks of brick or concrete and sue the City, the state, the developers, and whoever else. I have seen pieces of sharp glass bottles in the "sand" they've been dumping along Ponto/SeaBluff. Scary.
ReplyDeletePacific Station is going down below sea level. I hope they have a way to keep ground water out. Or, it's going to be a big mess. I'm counting 2-3 floors of underground parking.
ReplyDeleteI am currently making a map for the trail at the Batiquitos Lagoon on Carlsbad's side of things. (Which is an awesome trail by the way if you need a good walk or to get exercise for your dogs..)
ReplyDeleteBut an executive with the foundation pointed out that the lagoon is filling up with sand again not far from the mouth of the lagoon. Seems ashame to import perfect, silky sand when it's right next door.
I didn't say that last part right. I know the sand we import is like 130 weight sand paper. The sand we get from the lagoon is like silk.
ReplyDeleteI blew it again. I meant 30 weight sand paper. But I never make big mistakes.
ReplyDeleteGood point Fred! What happens to the dredged sand from the lagoons? Maybe it is trucked up to San Juan Capistrano where their beaches are like silk. The Aceti Felonious Street Station dirt, or in the parlance of the City "sand" apparently is the same grade of Torrey sand that composes our bluffs and ergo hence abracadabra qualifies as suitable sand to dump on our beaches despite the fact that it has not undergone the same erosion to make it finer particles. How can Aceti and company get away with this environmentally?
ReplyDeleteTo save gas and reduce pollution, why don't they dump the pacific station "sand" at moonlight and the SJC "sand" at Ponto?
ReplyDeleteThat along would save many miles of truck hauling costs
Unfortunately, the city has it's legal arse covered...when you go to a beach, you "assume a risk", so if anything happenes to you, like being stung by a stingray or drowning in a rip tide, suing the city is useless. Oh, you can try, and anyone can sue anyone else, but the law isn't on your side. Another thing, if that 5 star resort on the bluff, that has been in planning for over 20 years,(first by Sports Shiko), was there, oh, we'd have plenty of pristine sand at that location.
ReplyDeletePacific Station had at least some of its trucking costs covered by the city's tot sand fund. The city request to SANDAG for repayment to the city fund may depend on SANDAG's financial health.
ReplyDeleteUnderground water doesn't seem to be a problem to the developers. Are there sump pumps that run continuously to remove the groundwater seepage?
ReplyDeletePonto doesn't need imported sand. Just dredge the lagoon if you want sand.
ReplyDeleteJP-
ReplyDeletethat makes to much sense. Dredging the local lagoon would help the lagoon and keep native occurring sand in its natural course if the non-natural railroad berms were constructed blocking the rivermouths.
plus you wouldn't have that huge waste of truck hauling from OC to our pristine beaches.
Seems to smart and sensible. The City could never think of that. It needs to pay off the Acetise of the world.
For bloggers: Please learn the differences between these words:
ReplyDeleteTO vs TOO
&
THEN vs THAN
It's not that hard.
heh...if you think The Spelling Police get a lot of grief, wait 'till you get to the Grammar Police!!
ReplyDeleteI blame this all on Text MeX!
I have been spending lots of time at Grandview the last few weeks. I have to say that there is TOO much sand on the beach. It does not look like the beach I know and love.
ReplyDeleteThe "construction" sand is starting to "blend" in. I just wounder,
Did the developer pay the city for allowing the "sand" to be dumped on the beach?