Now that the Encinitas City Council has voted unanimously not to change the zoning/public/semi-public usage for Pacific View Elementary School, the property most-likely will not be developed for residential use. This means the community has a shot at giving it a second life as a downtown Encinitas cultural art center for the 101 Artist's Colony that has been searching for a permanent location. Join us for an 'Art Rally' at the Elks Lodge, 1393 Windsor Drive, Cardiff. Nov. 20th, 7:30 PM.
The 101 Artists Colony's favorite band, Rocket Science, will be playing and the dance floor will be wide open. There will be some discussion about how to proceed with a proposal to the Encinitas Union School District to lease the school out and create an income stream for the school district, but, for the most part we will be just kickin' up our heels before we start the hard work of making this dream a reality. For more info call Danny at 944-6027.
We believe any future project on the Pacific View site should have four guiding principles:
1. Ongoing education; including art and nutrition along with our children’s access to the site.
2. Historic Preservation and adaptive re-use of the existing buildings.
3. That it remain in a public use; zoned public/semi-public.
4. That it provide revenue to the EUSD and/or Encinitas Education Foundation for the benefit of our schools
CONTACT: DANNY SALZHANDLER 760 944-6027
Do you just not "GET IT"??? It belongs to EUSD. That's were our fight needs to go. We need to pack their boardroom with as many as we can to persuade them to change their minds. They don't care what the city council wants, they just want to maximize the value (either offices or residential usage) of "THEIR" property and it sounds like they have a good legal case.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone been to their board meeting when they've discuss what THEY plan on doing with THEIR property?
Please let me know if and when someone figures out that we need to take this to the EUSD board.
At that time, I'll re-join the group.
PS: I do like the PV fundraiser idea and do plan to support them.
YES we get it...but unless we want the school district to go quietly behind our backs we need vocal and ongoing support for this idea. Even more ideal than leasing would be to actually purchase this property, set up a non-profit foundation and ensure that Pacific view will always be in the public domain and an asset for Encinitas and its citizens. The time for support is right now not after the school district cements their plans.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the legal aspect. The school district did comply with the Naylor act and offered the property to the city. However, it was at a highly inflated price which practically assured that the City would not be interested. Was this in good faith..I think not. This property was given to the school district to be used for a school. An Art Center with teaching facilities, galeries and venues for the performing arts would be a huge asset to provide the children access to the arts that have been cut from school budgets.
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly is an artist colony?
ReplyDeleteDo not trust Superintendent Tim Baird. He is being led by his ego toward a whole host of pet projects. His desire to sell off assets to pay for his schemes will end up ripping off future generations of students at EUSD, and residents of Encinitas. Just ask his former district, Ojai. He sold off assets up there, and they're no better off for it. He's also quietly aligning himself with the Ecke family's plan to develop a major swath of their Saxony land into "Encinitas Commons", a big hotel complex. The Eckes have that right, but Baird does not have the right to gamble with public property in the process. He is playing all sides of the fence.
ReplyDeleteThe Eckes have the right to ask for a zoning change on their property. That doesn't mean they will get what they want. The Eckes agreed to leave the land for agriculture in perpetuity in exchange for generous development rights on what is now the Encinitas Ranch. The result is shopping centers and hundreds of home with the Eckes making millions of dollars.
ReplyDeleteIt's unfortunate that Tim Baird seems to have aligned himself and the school board with the Encinitas Commons proposal. This is really an end run around the development restrictions imposed by the Encinitas Ranch agreement.
Let's not forget the Proposition A fight that the Eckes lost by a public vote and stopped 200+ houses and a Public Works yard along Saxony.
Now that Tim Baird and the school board have the $44 million bond money recently approved by the voters, they should graciously allow public use of the Pacific View property in perpetuity. And please, Mr. Baird, no excuses that the bond money is committed to other things. The proposed spending of the bond money is vague enough to cover whatever money the land sale would bring. There are already vultures waiting in wings to buy property for "pennies on the dollars" and develop the land for maximum profit.
The only School Board Member who supports not saleing this property to developers is Mo Muir, but, she was also the only one to oppose the recent school bond measure.
ReplyDeleteWe need two more board members that share our vision...
Support the Artist Colony fund raiser it helps get more people involved and aware. If there is over welling support from the whole community as well as the City Council they will get it. Also remember the community just approved the school districts bond if a plan can be put together that provides a large enough revenue stream they should come around.
ReplyDeleteEckes plan a hotel complex along the Saxony Road route? How does that benefit Baird - he thinks the rezoning will affect the eventual transformation of Pacifie View to residential? I remember Ecke bold face lying to the public, claiming he needed to sell off that property in order to finance his "struggling" nursery operation. He claimed he might even have to go out of business if he didn't get his way. The sheer arrogance of these lies show the lack of integrity of the man; he intends to get his way eventually, one way or another. If Baird is in league with the likes of Ecke, he needs to go. Thank God that community activists are tired of a small special interest group man- handling the community for their own enrichment. Pacific View is a symbol now - whether the collective of the community will prevail for the greater good, or millionaires will get additional millions by selling out the city.
ReplyDeleteAnd good riddance to Dalager - 8 years of nothing!
The Eckes will rot in hell for their greed.
ReplyDeleteStay focussed here folks.
ReplyDeleteEUSD are the bad guys ... this has nothing to do with the Eckes.
Muir was against the school bond only because it was not well thought out, just Baird coming up with some last minute pet-projects ... such as ...computers for all 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th graders sounds great. But who is going to maintain them (it will take an army of IT techs to keep 3000 laptops functioning), not to mention who will pay for curriculum and training the teachers how to teach the kids how to use them. Then you have Baird saying the school district isn't responsible for providing parks to the community, but he is OK with using Quail Gardens as a farm. Yes, the Prop P $$'s are going to pay for a FARM. And 33% of kids in Encinitas fail to reach state standards in ELA.
Anyways, next let us know well ahead of time when/where your fundraiser is and we'll be there! Anything but more houses on that site.
Yes, the Eckes are only symbolic of special interest domination over the greater community. The School Board are the ones that need convincing of what their mission should be - establish Pacific View for the community, not Yuppie condos like the hideous "Lofts".
ReplyDeleteThe Eckes are more than symbolic. The relationship between the Eckes and Tim Baird & school board is one if mutual support: you scratch my back, I scratch yours.
ReplyDeleteIt works like this. The school district wants to pass bonds without opposition from the Eckes. David Meyer, Ecke brother-in-law, wants to develop the Pacific View property for maximum profit and needs a zoning change. He also has eye on the city-owned property on Quail Gardens Drive, bought for a public, then zoned residential by the city to swap with the Eckes for land on Saxony to use a public works yard.
The school district also owns property on Quail Garden, and Meyer wants the district's support if he gets the land when the city decides to sell it. The school district stood to lose its land, which it said was needed when the Encinitas Ranch deal was made, but later said it didn't need it. The bond issue was rushed to put something on the land or lose it.
And why a farm? This was to undercut the citizens who wanted a community garden on the city-owned land. Now the school will provide a part of its land, which will free the city to sell its parcel to Meyer.
What ties everything together is the Encinitas Commons. The Eckes are using a divide and conquer technique, offering tidbits to all the stakeholders in the corridor, so ultimately they get the zoning change they desire so greatly.
It's all very insidious and long range, but this is how they operate. It's the reason Eckes/Carltas were at the recent General Plan Update workshop. They hope to get zoning changes. The scary thing was that Kristin Gaspar spent a lot of time talking with them. She didn't mix with the common folks.
I was wondering why Superintendent Tim Baird was meeting with a Eckes representative (can't remember his name) and who I believe was Dave Myers last month (separate meetings).
ReplyDeleteTheir not that secret in their meetings.
Sometimes I wonder how much taxes those who want facilities like this pay. I'd bet its not much. If you all really want this property, buy it. But don't use my tax money to fund your hulla-hoop class. Or Rodney's junk art.
ReplyDeleteYour desire to "do good" by force makes me sick. Another bet I'll take is that most of the losers wanting streetscape don't work, are getting food stamps, EBT, rent subsities or money from a parents trust, on some form of disability or a government retirement. I'd rather be homeless than living off the sweat of another man's labor.
Well, poster 6:47 you are wrong I have lived in Encinitas over 40 years and I have paid plenty of taxes.I wouldn't know a food stamp if it bit me. I have been to a lot of Art Centers and I have yet to see a hula hoop class. I think you find that in a kindergarten class. This location was given to the school district in the late 1800's specifically for a school. The operative word here is given. This site abandoned by the school district has sat vacant for over 5 years. It is time it is put back into use to serve the community and the purpose it was originally intended to serve. Current plans are being made to utilize all of the site for a variety of uses.
ReplyDeleteFarmers Market, Art Fairs, music or dance performances, art classes by well known and local artists, galleries and other community activities.
So far I have not seen anything that indicated that the tax payers are supposed to pay for this. I am not sure where you got the idea that this was some sort of flop house for the down and out paid for my your
tax dollars. Perhaps if you took the time to actually look into it instead of complaining you could actually speak with some common sense.
Poster 1:11,
ReplyDeleteLet me guess, you're retired from some form of government welfare.
Not that I'm for the EUSD getting any money out of that parcel as they are just as corrupt as is all government but an arts center?
What makes that so special. I know very few who would use it, just elitists and those who know whats best for the rest of us. And want us to pick up the tab.
Typical liberal mantra: I want everything I want and I want someone else to pay for it. I know whats best for them.
As TJ said:
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the
government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."
Elitists? Would that include anyone looking for a government subsidy? The City recently refinanced the Hall property to save about $100,000 per year in bond repayment. That still brings the total payback cost to $43 million, plus $2.4 million for other expenses, and an anticipated Phase I construction of $12-16 million. That could be a staggering $61.4 million with annual maintenance costs of up to $1 million. Will a Phase II be added?
ReplyDeleteAnything on the Pacific View property could be a bargain, especially since fees could be charged, as at the Community Center. No fees for field use or lighting are planned for the Hall property.
So who is picking up the tab for what? That's the question.
That would be Chris Calkins of Carltas, the investment arm of the Eckes, who was at the General Plan Update workshop.
ReplyDeleteThe Eckes/Carltas are never at a public meeting unless they have an economic interest. They never attend for purely civic and public reasons, unless there is an economic connection.
10:15 So that is the connection - good investigative work on unraveling their insideous plan to continue the developmental rampage! Ecke is like a cancer, slowly rotting the community core with his special interest intentions at self-enrichment. No small wonder that Gaspar was seen being instructed by his political/business stooges - who do you think got her elected?
ReplyDeleteposter 5:25
ReplyDeleteI am not sure why you care if there is an Art Center or not. It would not be funded with public funds and as you say no one you know would use it and I assume that would be you also. However, there are a lot of people in this community that make art, enjoy art and like to participate in the cultural activities this city has to offer. That does not make one an elitist. ...and no I did not retire from a government job, I had my own small business for 25 years and I worked very hard for everything I have.
"It would not be funded with public funds"
ReplyDeleteWhat are you smoking?
If the school district gives it to you and your ilk, they will need more of my tax dollars to function. Plus the new private owners would pay property taxes, probably $100,000 per year when built out.
Remember the Mossy Chevy dealership that the city paid inflated dollars for, it was taken off the tax rolls and now we get tens of thousands of dollars less in property taxes and sales taxes.
Another bright move by government.
"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
Thomas Jefferson
My ilk is not asking the school district to "give" the property to anyone. Although it was "given" to them for use as a school for the children of Encinitas. My ilk would like to see it continue to be of use to the citizens and children of Encinitas. Many school art and music classes have been cut from school and an art center could provide that. In any case, my ilk does not care if your ilk likes it or not....and I don't smoke.
ReplyDeleteSo you get it free but I have to pay through tax dollars that could go to fixing potholes or replacing aging water lines or a host of erstwhile projects that benefit most if not all residents. How about sell the existing public works for 11 million (what they have in it) and move to PV. The 9 million net income after improvements could be used for the Hall Park and the public works yard could be put back on the tax rolls. (or use the money for an employee raise or early retirement)
ReplyDeleteSo let's sacrifice our historical and cultural heritage for some tax revenue! Brilliant! Let's also begin to look like the clap-trap that has become most of Southern California - tacky, decco-retro eyesore compaction. Pacific Station downtown is the result of this out-of-control development mentality - a hideous rat trap that jams an entire block into one ugly mess. It detracts from the downtown ambiance and will make traffic a nightmare beyond what it is now. Maybe if the city used the exisitng tax revenue wisely, we wouldn't have to sell off the family jewels for a loaf of bread. Maybe all you pro-development monkeys need to go and cluster about your mentor - His Lordship, King Ecke III, as he dines on the profits from a sold out legacy!
ReplyDeleteThe Ecke family has done more good things for this town than anyone else. No good deed goes unpunished.
ReplyDeleteYea - Ecke I and II. III is the little tyrant.
ReplyDelete1. Ongoing education; including art and nutrition along with our children’s access to the site.
ReplyDeleteNutrition; some people have way to much time on their hands.
How do you decide who has done more good for a city than anyone else? Do you balance that against the other side of the coin?
ReplyDeleteWill lap-dog Dalager get to lick the banquet platters at Ecke's Christmas party? Probably not - bad dog, crapped on the rug - you no longer have any utility to his Lordship and his conquest of Encinitas!
ReplyDeleteEckenitas - renamed by royal decree!
ReplyDelete