But Encinitas Mayor Teresa Barth believes the Pacific Station development represents a new kind of community.Well, we now know why Barth never signed the Right to Vote petition. And we know what to expect from her vaporware alternative ballot initiative.
“All of the units there have sold, so obviously, people like to live in that environment,” she said. “Whole Foods is busy all the time and people are sitting there, having lunch.”
She thinks the new development represents changing trends in the way people want to live.
“Our demographics are changing,” she explained. “The fastest growing group in our region is the seniors, people who already live here, people who are going to get out of the suburban house because the kids have all gone and they’re moving into a smaller apartment or townhouse, and they all want to live downtown. They and the millennials all want the same thing.”
Barth said both the older and the younger generations want to be able to go out their door and walk or bike to a grocery store, a restaurant, the library or the beach.
UPDATE: No, just because people bought them doesn't mean people want to live there. They are speculations and party pads for the out-of-town rich. How does that help stop global warming?
Mayor Barth's conclusions are not supported by the 2 year long, 1.3 million dollar General Plan Update information studies that were conducted by Berkeley Consultants MIG.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Berkeley PhD Daniel Iocafano, his own report found that 90% of all Encinitas residents from each of the 5 residents like their community character exactly as it is. Dr. Iocafano repeated this finding in several community meetings in front of hundreds of attendees, and also presented this finding in the draft Vision Summary Report, before it was removed from the final report. Throughout the process, various citizens objected that high density housing would change the community character of our 5 Encinitas communities.
What Mayor Barth is suggesting in terms of a need or wish for high density housing may be a personal preference, or a belief that this is the right thing to do. However, it is one that conflicts with survey results from the General Plan Update findings.
According to the findings of city-paid consultants(before they were removed from the final reports) 90% of all Encinitas residents want to keep the community character as it is.
How can we maintain community character if we permit 5-story buildings with a General Plan that allows for 2 or 3 in very special cases?
You are missing the point. The survey of existing residents should not factor in when planning for future generations. To do so otherwise is to say that the current population has more of a right to this earth than those to come. This is both irresponsible and immoral.
DeleteHow do you and Barth know that future generations will prefer Irvine-on-the-Pacific over Encinitas as we know it?
DeleteWcv
It would have been one thing if our Council members had run on a platform that they wanted to plan for future generations of Encinitas resident by pushing high density today. However, they ran on the platform of community character. That was before they won and switched sides.
DeleteIn addition, why did we waste $1.3 million dollars on invalid research and fake community outreach if the planning for yesterday, today and tomorrow is going to be determined by a handful of council members? Now that everyone knows that the GPU was a massive waste of time and money, they keep coming up with new ways to try to push their agenda.
Observation: homes used to be built under 1000 sq. feet. Then along came McMansions and cramped sub-divisions. Why?
ReplyDeleteSo developers could make more money. Now the younger generation cannot afford to buy those homes, let alone smaller houses. Why? The prices are too damned high because demand is high. Why? Because a lot of people want to live here because this area HAS retained it's character and doesn't look like LA style suburban sprawl. Building complexes that pack people in like sardines, like Pacific Station will ruin the ambiance of Encinitas, and it's a short term solution. You cannot have it both ways. It's as simple as that. And please, don't insult my intelligence, Mayor Barth, by telling me people want to live by a railroad track with 40 train trips per day whizzing by, horns blaring at all hours. I don't buy that for one second.
You guys are being a little rough on Barth. Everything she stated is true.
ReplyDeleteI don't see her statements in conflict w maintaining ommunity character. I see it as much better for the community than a falling down two story plus tin shell.
Great market, stores and people have chosen to live there.
Three stories are allowed there in the specific plan. It is not 5 stories.
And 9:29: Not to insult your intelligence by telling you......
There sold out.
If that is how you determine if Encinitas residents would rather live then how do you explain why it took so damn long to sell out? Your reasoning is stupid and your intelligence is in question as is Barth's. Are people paying more money for those units than the SFR in Encinitas suburban neighborhoods? How many people have sold their Encinitas homes and bought at Pacific Station? Are those houses abandoned and emptying out because the great exodus to Pacific Station!!! There are places in National City that sold out too. Otay Ranch Master Planned Sprawl sold out. Olivenhain sold out! I hope Anon 9:45 is not an elected official!!!
DeleteIt is time for Barth to sell her home and move into this utopian vision she has for everyone else. Pac Station is right next to her workplace. She will be able to stop driving around town and start walking the walk.
Even if they sold out the first day, who are the buyers? Locals or out-of-town hipsters?
DeleteWho does Barth represent? Current Encinitas residents or future waves of high-density buyers?
She represents Guss Vina and Encinitas staff over the people who put her into office.
DeleteMayor Barth and the council told voters she was for preserving and protecting community character. This news reports reveals the truth that Barth is for creating a new high density urban center.
DeleteMayor Barth told us the high density was needed because of state mandates- but now she says it is because people want to live in smaller apartments. I am sure some people do, but she wants everyone to give up our existing community character for one that she believes in. Encinitas needs a mayor not a queen.
Mayor Barth told us that based on State and SANDAG numbers our population was growing with young families- now she says our fastest growing demographic are seniors and 'people who already live here'
Mayor Barth and the council took $60,000 million to build a park with soccer fields that will cost $600,000 a year to maintain............now we learn seniors are the fastest growing demographic, not families and kids.
Barth and the council have revealed they are big government knows best bureaucrats. They not only believe what we need, they are prepared to force it on.
I am voting yes on A and I will be voting against Barth in the next election. I thank Barth for revealing her anti-community character beliefs.
@ 9:45 -- Intelligence???
DeleteHow about the use of "There"? (There sold out?)
Ya know what they say about living in glass houses...
Barth is stabbing everyone in the back with her stupid ideals. She needs to LISTEN to the wishes of the people. Not try to force us to agree with her opinion. What a self-serving ego-centric individual. Unbelievable. With her misrepresentation on prop A, she should be ashamed of herself. Looks like her time in office is very limited. She has lost her following.
DeleteBTW, Vote Yes on A and ensure that citizens have a voice in up-zoning. We need this now and for all future councils. We can't trust any of them to have our best interest at heart.
Barth's ideals are not stupid if you are a socialist and have the ideology that government knows best what the people need. That is why Barth is opposing the right to vote.
DeleteIn communist Russia the state told people where and how they would live, people were forced into tiny state controlled housing units. By controlling the population in dense urban centers the government was better able to direct the people's activity. Few people had cars and most had bikes. People were not able to travel from one city to the next except on state run trains that were more often than not old, broken down and unpredictable.
In communist china Mao controlled the population by limiting freedom and liberty. Mao kept the peasants working in villages producing food and made sure they were poor and could not afford cars. By limiting mobility Mao limited freedom . Today, people in China who rode bikes all want cars.............there is a reason and it is called freedom.
If you stand on the side of freedom today socialist bureaucrats and pundits attempt to bully you into silence. Of course reasonable people know you can own two cars, drive to work, take your kids to soccer practice and still want to protect the environment and care about the earth.
Barth's ideals are not stupid they are scary. Barth thinks she knows best what you need, and she is willing to distort, misinform, mislead and force it on us if necessary. These are the facts and we should not look away.
Vote Yes on A and control your own future.
10:49, Uh, "People in glass houses don't sleep well 5 feet from trains?"
Delete"Great market"...there's a reason it's called "Whole Paycheck".
Delete"Stores"...and 37 establishments downtown that sell liquor. 100 DUIs per month in Encitias according to the sheriffs.
Not exactly Mayberry.
Leucadians DON'T like weeds and dirt for the landscape of 101, except the KLCC.
ReplyDeleteKudos to JP at SurfySurfy for seeding the center median with California poppies and then telling the landscape people NOT to kill the flowers in the name of efficiency.
So much for the $1.5M survey......
Every time I see you ranting about the KLCC, I think about how crude and ignorant a person you must be. I am sorry you have to live with yourself. Fortunately, other people don't have to because as soon as they see your posts they skip over them. Try a different approach because you aren't reaching people the way you hope to. It is clear that you are a 101 crazy. Probably with a financial gain in streetscaping and over building Leucadia.
DeleteSo what you are really saying is you enjoy weeds and dirt on the north end of 101 and hate flowers and trees... Ok. Now we know.
DeleteI looked at Pacific Station. Those units are of low quality build. And although nice, the Whole Foods is outrageously expensive and over-priced. This is not where people of modest income want to live. The only people getting sucked into this are people who are all about show and keeping up with the Jones' . Anyone with their head screwed on right and desiring community character would run away and fast from these paper sardine cans.
ReplyDeletePeople of modest income live in lakeside not Encinitas, your bucket doesn't hold water nor dirt for that matter.
DeleteBeg to differ. I know many people living in Encinitas with modest income. It depends on your definition of modest, but they do exist.
DeleteAt $600k for a 2 bedroom apartment Pacific Station does not solve anything in affordability. It is not for seniors and low income young families. It's for affluent urbanites who don't mind the vibrant atmosphere created by noisy trains and belching bar hoppers.
ReplyDeleteNot for me.
Maybe Barth can sub as an ancient go-go dancer in the cage at the Saloon?
DeleteBarth has sold out - the Pacific Station is atrociously cramped and ugly in design. If this is her utopia, then she is also into soilant green. Barth need to go...
ReplyDeleteHypocrisy rules: note Barth lives in Cardiff, which enjoys protection from upzoning thanks to their specific plan. Shaffer, who also advocates biking and walkng in higher-density living, commuted to and from UCSD for years. Why didn't she live close enough to work to commute by bike or on foot?
ReplyDeleteLeaders lead by example. I don't get these two.
Either they have secret agendas, over-inflated egos, or are completely clueless. Maybe all three.
DeleteI would like to know the sources that Barth is quoting in her comments. While one can look at national trends and see some of these ideas are a wish list for people across the country, where does she get her information that this is what Encinitas residents want for our own city?
ReplyDeleteShe makes a lot of assumptions. For example, how does she know that units at Pacific Station are owner occupied and not rentals? Where does she get her information that Encinitas homeowners want to downsize when they get older. That is certainly not my plan, nor the plan of people I know. She seems to suggest that people at the beach, library, and people who eat at Whole Foods live in Encinitas, or that if we build more high density housing, that the people who currently visit these places now will live in Encinitas in the future. Why would she assume that?
It seems that all of these pro growth-at-any-cost positions are simply an attempt to raise the tax base for the City—not to preserve the quality of life that makes it a valuable and highly regarded community that it currently is.
Utopia
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine bought 3 of the units at Pacific Station for $425K ea. (thought they were more than that - but I'll ask the size next time.) Don't know if he sub-lets them or if they're speculation and still empty. I'll ask. I'm glad they did put a lot of parking underneath the project, but even so, it would be good to learn how many units are being lived in as a few times I've tried to park below, all parking spots are taken. An increasing problem downtown that yet more 3 story lofts would further exacerbate. Time will also tell how well the parking lot is sealed off from the water table that I believe is a challenge locally. Everything seems to be going the way of the highest bidder these days. From ebay, to Disneyland. A hundred bucks a ticket will buy any rich kid 45 minutes in line at each ride. If they lowered the price to $50 a ticket moderate income families could go more, BUT the lines would be 2 hours long and standing room only on Mainstreet just wouldn't work so they HAVE to charge $100 per ticket for congestion reasons (and the price per ticket is probably more since I last checked). There's only so much room in a 5 pound bag for beans.
ReplyDeleteBarth has been drinking the SANDAG smart growth Kool-Aid.
ReplyDeleteEventually this will all be solved by the lack of our most precious resource: water.
What lack of water?? Ever look at the Pacific Ocean??
DeleteQueen Barth to Encinitas, "Let them drink from the Pacific!" There is no lack of water. It will just cost a lot more money.
DeleteOnly because of obstructionists.
DeleteLet them eat Pixie Sticks!
ReplyDeleteSorry bout that Mayor Barth. I still like you, just disagree with a more congested vision for downtown.
ReplyDeleteDo you like how she played everyone?
DeleteNo wonder Barth does not like Prop A. She would not mind more Pacific Stations blooming on El Camino Real, Encinitas Blvd, and 101.
ReplyDeleteAND CARDIFF !! I saw Barth having coffee with high density czar Pedr Norby at the Cardiff Starbucks. Norby is paid 105,000 a year to deliver for the council. There is video of Norby saying all specific plans are off the table, and video of Norby recommending 5 story buildings.
DeleteMaybe Barth and Norby were looking for upzoning sites in Cardiff.
Vote yes on A, vote Barth out in 201
You, sir, are not telling the truth.
DeleteThe video shows Peder, as facilitator, reviewing the consensus of the ERAC members.
Norby WAS NOT RECOMMENDING 5 story buildings.
Everyone can watch the video. Mr. Norby says "I feel badly I just made a recommendation". I can only report the results of the video.
DeleteHe definitely LED the conversation. Watch for yourselves. He "feels badly," my tush.
ReplyDeletePeder Norby is a manipulator, not a facilitator. He did the same thing for the Cardiff Specific Plan. He got his instructions and went to any length to implement them. Citizens videotaped the meetings and he got caught being less than truthful. The result: Cardiff residents got the plan they wanted, and the city didn't overrule anything with the 4/5 super majority.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Barth lives in the plan area and was required to recuse herself from any participation.
What he got caught doing was lying. Let's speak plainly.
ReplyDeleteTo earn back credibility Barth better lead the way to fire the largest current evil in Encinitas, Sacramento Gus.
ReplyDeleteFormer Stocks lap dog- current tax and spend politician. All on a trophy regional sports complex and super pensions like Muirs $170,000 + per year and his own $220,000 per year retirement in 2 to 3 years forever as other project sit dormant for decades. What a crook, and it shows fools who support his flawed leadership.
Punt the loser. Fire him or be fired next election. What a toad- Trying to buy more time until his retirement, so he budgets money to bring in yet another high priced spin doctor. Hey Sacramento Gus- ever heard of "Actions speak louder than words" Your actions show, you don't know how to communicate, so you need to hire someone who can. Better solution- fire bad leadership and hire someone who can communicate.
I'm a senior, lived here since 1968. I say recall Barth. She lives in another world.
ReplyDeleteVote in whoever will do the city good and fire Gus.... Quit spending our hard earned tax dollars in spin doctors and PR mailers. Actions speak louder than words!
ReplyDeleteI say RECALL Gaspar and Muir
ReplyDeleteRecall all five: Gaspar, Muir, Kranz, Shaffer, Barth. There's no difference between the five.
ReplyDeleteUnanimity and groupthink are called "civility," and you are supposed to like it.
DeleteWell you know they all went to a "retreat" to learn about teamwork. In Gus' world that equates to "stick your neck put and off it comes."
DeleteWe did not, however elect a council of turtles...or did we?
That's how riverside and LA were built. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteBump Barth - she has been around too long.
ReplyDeleteGasper made up ERAC remember ,RECALL GASPAR she's EVIL
ReplyDeleteThe problem is the growing human population. All these pressures and problem come from the ravaging consumption of the exploding population.
ReplyDeleteSupport Negative Population Growth. Its our only chance.