Monday, February 22, 2016

Op-Ed: Encinitas surrendering rail corridor to SANDAG & NCTD

From the Inbox. Coast News op-ed:
Everyone will lose if Encinitas City councilpersons continue to ignore the North County Transit District’s and San Diego Association of Government’s power plays. It appears that the leaders of these agencies know that Encinitas has never developed a long term plan for the rail corridor and are making their moves to lock in their desires before the city can complete one based upon the needs and wishes of its people.

NCTD’s goal is to double track and fence the right of way. SANDAG wants regional government to supersede local control. To accomplish their goals, they are dangling publicly funded carrots in front of our elected officials in the form of so called corridor improvements. They know that once installed these developments will make it nearly impossible for any substantial city plans, like trenching the railroad, to be fully implemented.

The mayor and councilpersons must not allow themselves and the city to be railroaded by the elected officials from the county and cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, Escondido, San Marcos, etc. who sit on the NCTD and SANDAG boards. These out-of-towners don’t care if our beach access is severed, that beach parking is drastically reduced, that our bluffs collapse, that our economic base is affected, and that our community character is destroyed. They just want their way!

Sadly, it appears that a majority on the Encinitas Council are oblivious to the plot and don’t see its danger. Unbelievably, at this time, five Encinitas rail projects are progressing without a Corridor Master Plan. It is piecemeal development at its worst.



Every school child is taught to Stop-Look-Listen to avoid being hit by a train. It is time for Encinitas politicians to follow suit.

Encinitas councilpersons must STOP all developments within the corridor while awaiting the results of its pending railroad study and master plan.

Encinitas city councilpersons must LOOK at the ramifications of all of their actions and see what impacts their decisions will have on the lives of their constituents, the future of the community, and the fiscal viability of the city.

Encinitas city Councilpersons must LISTEN to their constituents. Consultants and city Staff members can help but the ultimate support must come from the people, if a meaningful rail corridor master plan is to be accepted, funded and developed. All ideas and suggestions must be considered.

Readers please, take a few minutes to inform Encinitas elected officials of your concerns. Somehow they must be led through the smoke before the train leaves the station and it is too late to save our future from the dictatorial wishes of bigwig outsiders. Phone (760) 633-2600 for Encinitas city councilpersons and mayor.

Bob Bonde is president of the Encinitas Taxpayers Association.

60 comments:

  1. I totally agree with Bob. At his age he still has more intelligence than the 3 Council members that voted Yes on this stupid project.

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    1. Take note everyone - at the Feb 24 City Council meeting, one of the agenda items is to allocate $50,000 more dollars on top of the $600,000 already paid to a lobbyist firm to petition the California Public Utilities Commission to approve the at-grade crossing at Montgomery Avenue. Mind you, this crossing was supposed to be grade separated, like the one at Santa Fe Drive, but the preposterously expensive rail trail catastrophe is causing a reexamination of ways to cut costs. Evidently, $50,000 of extra city funds is now considered prudent cost cutting by Kranz, Shaffer and Blakespear in their shared obsession to save Encinitas one bike rider at a time.

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  2. Hey what Bob said sounds intelligent. I hope someone reads this to the 3 council members and helps them with the big words so they can understand it.

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  3. There are also some sensitive wetlands and endangered plants in the area. Citizens hired a qualified person, as the City deemed it not important enough. Remember Kranz, Shaffer, and Blakespear voted YES on this project last May. Now we find out what a farce it is.

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    1. I think not. Those are not wetlands...

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    2. 10 AM, We must save the California tumbleweed.

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  4. Wake up city council before it's too late.

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  5. Semper Fi Bob. You are a treasure to this town and if the city would implement some of your ideas, we would all be so much better off. Thanks for hanging in there, even when your ideas are continually ignored.

    What a trooper you are! Keep them coming and one of these days we will have the right people on the dais that will make use of some of these brilliant directions that could be taken to eliminate much of the waste of our tax dollars by staff and various other sycophants feeding off of our community thanks to those incompetents at city hall.

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  6. "These out-of-towners don’t care if our beach access is severed, that beach parking is drastically reduced, that our bluffs collapse,"

    And in the same piece, he advocates for trenching?

    Bob, which is harder to cross, a 40 inch cable fence, or a Solana Beach-style trench? If the parking being lost is on the east side of the tracks, how would trenching affect the utility of that parking? Finally, which is more risky to the health of our bluffs, a bike path with some relatively small retaining walls, or digging a 40 ft deep trench?

    And if there are sensitive plants and wetlands, would a 40 ft deep trench be more or less damaging to sensitive habitat than a bike path?

    By the way, Bob, how much would it cost to trench through Encinitas with a major gas pipeline, sewers, electric, and water mains in the rail corridor? And where is that money going to come from? And how long would the dust, heavy equipment and detours make life on the coast a living hell?

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  7. 7:09- Do you have a point? Or are have you had a little too much to drink tonight? Do you even know who Bob Bonde is? In case you don't, he is one of the original founding fathers of our city. He has a Ph.D. in Chemistry ( I think it's Chemistry) and used to be a professor at UCSD. He is in his 80's at this time, and he still cares for this City, no matter how hard the Council tried to put him down. He is no spendthrift, as he is the President of the Encinitas Taxpayers Assoc. which is a group that likes to save money, not spend it. I could go on, but I am pretty sure you are one of the rich people who have moved here and want to pave paradise, as the song goes. Some of us would like to keep a little something left of the old ways Is that really too much to ask?

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    1. So, which would cost more, and be more destructive and disruptive: a bike path or a 40 foot deep trench?

      Since you didn't grasp my point, it's that Bob argued against the rail trail by raising specific concerns. At the same time, he advocates for trenching which would exhibit all of those concerns in spades.

      I know Bob. He's welcome to his opinion, but It's so inconsistent I don't know how he survives the effects of cognitive dissonance.

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    2. 7:42 Why don't you give us the answers and we'll go from there? If you have facts and figures, present them.

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    3. I know Bob. Bob is all about Bob. Crazed nut job comes to mind. Bob is all about development limits and saving views, etc., when it's good for Bob…but, let's see if his house meets all the requirements he wants other people to follow. Bob is the biggest NIMBY of all.

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    4. A trench doesn't need to be 40 ft. deep. It's closer to 26 feet for sufficient clearance for a level crossing and less if the crossing is slightly arched. Take a look at the La Costa crossing. A trench helps to solve the intractable problems at the Leucadia Blvd. and Chesterfield crossings. SANDAG will spend a couple million dollars to "improve" Chesterfield, but the result will be longer wait times to cross the new double tracking.

      SANDAG projects a doubling of train trips, which will double the wait periods and double the annoying train whistles. Will there ever be a quiet zone without lowering the tracks? SANDAG has also said if necessary to prevent illegal crossing a 6-foot chain link fence will be built the whole length of Encinitas. A 4-foot post and cable fence is no certainty.

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    5. What type of fence does Solana Beach have with their 40 foot deep trench?

      6 foot chain-link, I believe.

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    6. 10:48 What a nasty person you are. "Crazed nut job"? That statement is totally insensitive and lacks any moral fiber on your part. I hope your children treat you with utter contempt and malice when you get into your golden years. Maybe, just maybe, they'll throw you to the curb. Let's hope. You so deserve it.

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    7. Someone uses the term "crazed nut job" and 10:48 correctly says it was nasty. But the following sentences indicate 12:58 is a far nastier person than 10:48. Perspective, please!

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    8. Yes, it was nasty and I will stick to that. If you want to side with the nasty poster, feel free. The poster intentionally insulted an elderly person who happens to be a fine gentleman.

      That is my perspective. Enough said. Unless you are one of those who just has to have the last word to make you feel important (which I bet you are).

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    9. As a matter of fact, I am! So up your nose with a rubber hose!

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    10. Wow, how intelligent.

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    11. 10:48 you are factually incorrect, and intellectually dishonest. Bob Bonded has helped thousands of citizens in Olivnenhain and the other neighborhoods protect their rights from developer and crony driven city shennanigans. None of these instances had anything to do with Bob's residence. Bob writes a letter and puts his name to it, you hide behind a keyboard and sling fabrications.

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    12. Thanks, 3:04, and thank you, Bob Bonde, for an excellent editorial, backed by facts and your long, hard-earned experience.

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  8. Doctor: "You have a wound on your arm. But I'm concerned that stitches would be too painful, risky, and would inhibit your use of that arm for a while. Therefore, I'm recommending amputation."

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  9. I'm sorry but Bob Bonde has rode that "Father of Encinitas" title way too long. His "analysis" on different subjects often don't make any sense. In his current opinion piece, for starters, he seems to not understand that NCTD can, and most likely will, install a fence along their right-of-way in Leucadia and Cardiff whether there is a trail or not. Its their property.

    I'm not looking forward to it as I cross the tracks frequently.

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    1. Because something "could" happen, does not mean it will. It "could" have been installed all these years, and it hasn't been. Double-tracking doesn't guarnatee fencing, either. Locals should have more control.

      Bob Bonde did help to found our city, to prevent accelerated growth and to preserve community character through more local control. We are very fortunate that Mr. Bonde is still contributing his well-informed opinions and well researched facts to the conversation.

      Unfortunately, the conversation, as in the days before incorporation, has mainly become about increased development, including the development of double-tracking. Did that ever go through the Coastal Commission?

      Unfortunately, also, the CCC is becoming more and more decimated by political appointments and by replacing the effective, excellent head of staff with another political, development friendly pawn.

      Those who favor profit for a few over preserving community character always cry out NIMBY. I live west of the tracks, yet I do not favor paving the railtrail corridor, as proposed, because it would reduce parking and beach access. Bicyclists and pedestrians already have many opportunities and could continue to use Highway 101, as they do, now.

      Unfortunately, bicyclist clubs, with many members living outside of Encinitas, are also being used as pawns by development interests.

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  10. Mr. poster from 7:42 you must be a democrat. You attack the messenger versus the message because you are not smart enough to attack the message. Put your message supporting a fence and trail on the blog, not an attack on the messenger. I have lived here 47 years and I am still crossing the tracks safely. In my opinion this rail trail on the east side of the tracks is ridiculous. The money should be spent on at grade rail crossing and let people use the trail that is on the west side of the highway already.

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    1. 8:41, Where did I "attack the messenger?" Don't lump me in with other posters here. My comments are strictly about the logical inconsistencies in Bob's argument.

      Think of it this way: three "levels," each one progressively becomes more expensive, more disruptive to people and the environment, more of a barrier to to the beach, and consumes more land that could be used for green space and parking:

      Level 1: Leave it alone.

      Level 2: Put in the rail trail, some retaining walls, a 40-inch cable fence, and parallel parking on SE.

      Level 3: Dig a big 30-40 foot deep trench, and line the trench with 6-ft chain link fence like in Solana Beach.

      Your argument is to leave it alone (Level 1), because Level 2 is too disruptive, too expensive, too much of a barrier, etc. That's a consistent argument. I might disagree with you, but I can't suggest your reasoning is unsound.

      Bob's argument is that we should not do Level 2 because it is too expensive, too much of a barrier, takes away space for parking, etc. BUT then he suggests we might want to do Level 3.

      It makes no sense. If you are against the rail trail for the reasons Bob states, you cannot logically support trenching.

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    2. 9:44, will the real Michael Verdu, please stand up?

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    3. Agree, with 8:41. This should not be a partisan issue, as in Democrat vs Republican. I say "leave it alone," and preserve the existing parking and dirt trails. People should not be fined for nor prevented from safely crossing the tracks. They should have a prescriptive right-of-way for access and egress to the beach, from their residences.

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  11. So what benefit does the large taxpaying base of New Encinitas get from the huge expenditure on trenching the train tracks? I'm fairly sure most of the homeowners along the train corridor knew there were train tracks there when they bought, right?

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    1. The same benefit they get from a rail trail. They can give up their cars, ride a bike to the train station, and take frequently running commuter trains running on double tracking to get to work. This is the way SANDAG and NCTD envision it.

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    2. What benefit do I get from funding a fire station in Olivenhain?? I live in Leucadia, seems a waste of money to me.....

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    3. Why fund a new station in Olivenhain when they can blow through Mountain Vista to 11th st. and shave 5 mins off a trip from the nearest station?

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    4. Is trenching required for double tracking? Seems like an enormous expense to mitigate some train noise for a minority of residents.

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    5. "Mitigate some train noise for a minority of residents," seriously? The train noise permeates all of Cardiff, Old Encinitas and Leucadia, and with this rail trail fiasco resulting in the make-over of the proposed crossing at Montgomery from grade separated to at-grade, along with double tracking and double the train frequency, there are going to be a lot of sleepy Encinitas residents.

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  12. I don't think he's advocating for trenching.....he's using this as an example that a long term rail corridor plan needs to be developed. If that entails trenching than so be it, if it entails at grade crossings, thats fine too. We just need to come up with a long term plan in lieu of letting SANDAG dictate how our community is planned and developed.

    All the other stuff about fencing, etc is just a red herring. They can fence the tracks whenever they want too, its their property/right of way. My guess is they won't want to spend the money because the fence will develop holes by people who want to cross the tracks.

    The Rail Trail should be on the west or east side of the 101 like always envisioned. The council was enticed by this carrot from SANDAG.

    By doing this, they are incrementally creating a long term plan by using short term money. It all comes down to developing a plan first and then implementing it.


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    1. It seems like he does his argument a disservice when he starts using trenching as a gambit.

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    2. Thankfully, 9:20 actually gets the real point here. Forget Bob Bonde and this cult of personality cloud of BS obscuring the excellent message communicated in the original post. And do us a favor 9:47 and get over your fixation about the trenching issue, which is just one available option among many others that should have been considered by our elected officials in constructing a long term, well analyzed plan for the rail corridor. The City Council, in particular the three back-scratching sell-outs Blakespear, Shaffer and Kranz, jumped headlong into this rail trail vote with almost no idea what the larger plan or corridor vision might be. It's inexcusable.

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  13. His core point is correct, which is that it's the job of our council to protect the city's interest when it comes down to the future of the rail corridor. He's correct in stating that NCTD does not have a master plan.

    I worked at NCTD for a year, and they do want to double track to accommodate the increased traffic on the line, especially freight traffic.

    What they don't have is a specific plan on how to do this, although it may be in the works. The problem with that agency is that so many people cycle through there because of the horrid leadership that is seen under Matt Tucker.

    If you want to make an impact, contact our rep on the NCTD board, which is Tony Kranz, and let him know about your concerns with the corridor and the leadership at NCTD.

    The problem nowadays is people only take an interest when it comes through their portion of town, which is cardiff right now.


    -Ex NCTD

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  14. 10:05- You make good points. NCTD does not have a master plan for all of this, nor does SANDAG. Just because there is some money from SANDAG for some of this project, it doesn't mean we have to take it. Remember it is NOT free money. It is taxpayer money and it will be wasted on this plan because it is not a complete plan. Added to this is the Montgomery Crossing, which SANDAG is not paying for. This cost is already more than SANDAG is offering so be prepared for a hike in sales tax if this actually goes thru. Since Council has already passed it last May, it may be up to citizens to fight it.

    Seems like that is occurring more and ore these days. Today in Carlsbad, citizens are voting on a citizen initiative after their City Council was persuaded by a large developer, Caruso, for a project along I-5. Council voted 5-0 in that case. Just like our own Prop. A, which was also a citizen initiative, it seems as if our City Council does not not go with the wishes of its citizenry. Tony is up for reelection. I suggest voting him out, since he basically sold us out on Prop. A and a lot of other things.

    As far as this project, I hope people really look at what is actually involved. Just because the vote was for it, 3-2 with Kranz, Shaffer and Blakespear voting for it, doesn't mean it cannot be challenged.

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  15. Word is the big T -- Tony Kranz himself proposed the absurd rail trail at an NCTD meeting.

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  16. Central states pension fund to reduce pension payments 55%, if not more. CSPF MORE funded than CalPers. Will the city retires be able to live on 55% less?? Top Ramin and food stamps in their futures??

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    1. That would be a great start. Muir would still receive around $80K/yr- still excessive.

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    2. Muir would have to eat pork and beans if his pension was lowered.

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    3. The rail trail is a Sandag project. It was already in the works when I started there in 2013....

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    4. 9:36 AM

      From the Keep San Diego Moving website:

      "The Coastal Rail Trail is a planned continuous bike route that runs approximately 44 miles between Oceanside and Santa Fe Depot in Downtown San Diego. The Coastal Rail Trail was initially planned in the mid-1990s, and is being constructed in segments by SANDAG and the various cities it traverses."

      It's been in the works for quite a while.

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  17. Just for fun, I used the measuring tool on Google Maps, and here's what I found:

    - The trench in Solana Beach is ~125 feet wide, from rim to rim.
    - The Solana Beach train station adds another ~105 feet.
    - The total width of the trench and station is ~230 feet.
    - In Encinitas, the width of our rail station between the existing parking lots is ~42 feet, so the current location of the train station would have to move to a wider part of the right of way as in Cardiff.
    - The width of the right of way from the Lumberyard fence to Vulcan is ~116 ft, still less than the ~125 foot width of the trench in Solana Beach. Assuming we could fit it in at all, the trench would consume 100% of the land between the Lumberyard and Vulcan. They'd have to put the fence right at edge of pavement on Vulcan from D St. almost all the way to Verdi.

    A full-length Solana Beach-style trench would be a disaster.
    -

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    1. Too many facts, too much analysis, not the Encinitas way!

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    2. A full-length SB style trench is the only way to go. Eliminates the death corridor.....

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    3. The only stretch in Encinitas that has any chance is Leucadia as the tracks at grade in Cardiff are well below the bluff along Vulcan/San Elijo. They aren't going to lower the tracks just so people in Cardiff can walk straight to the beach.

      The crossing at Leucadia Blvd is a real problem and the only way to fix it is if the tracks go under. The tracks have to be back at its current level when crossing Encinitas Blvd as trying to lower the tracks there, with Encinitas Blvd now going under the tracks, would be costly and a real nightmare.

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    4. The trench doesn't need to be as deep and wide as in Solana Beach. Let's keep the fear factor out of this. Since double tracking is impossible along the fragile bluffs in Del Mar, SANDAG has already considered tunneling under Del Mar. Any tunnel would be built to minimum width and height.

      Both Barth and Kranz have proposed changing the crossing at Chesterfield, which has the same problem at Leucadia Blvd., to Birmingham. The tracks at this location are already lower than both San Elijo Ave. and Highway 101. The trenching would only have to be about half as deep.

      Carlsbad is moving ahead on lowering the tracks. Double tracking at grade level creates a bigger barrier than double tracking below grade. There's no reason certain sections, such as across Encinitas Blvd. and south of Chesterfield couldn't remain at grade level.

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    5. 6:40 AM

      "... crossing at Chesterfield, which has the same problem at Leucadia Blvd" No it doesn't. While 101 and San Elijo are on either side at Chesterfield like Vulcan and 101 are at Leucadia, there isn't the grade problem like there is at Leucadia.

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  18. Yes 2:44, Once the trench is in suicidal people will choose not to kill themselves.

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    1. Suicidal people aren't going to Solana Beach to kill themselves are they?? Trench the train....

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    2. Who would want to kill themselves in Solana Beach?

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  19. Trench and Cover... cost could be offset by add select housing and business rental property. Add parking and a parkway for people to traverse the corridor and all will benefit.

    Except nothing until this is done. The current passing track was put in with tacit support from the City though they declare otherwise. The environmental impact of double tracking alone should stop any at grade expansion of our publicly owned railway.

    And yes - we own the railway so it should be our choice.

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  20. Green Bonds could be our savior as was brought out this past week at the Park and Rec presentation by a member of the no on the rail trail project group. Good on him.

    This begs the question why our reps have never brought this creative funding source forward to us for lowering the tracks. Who is in charge here and who is charged with defending our community's character? Just when will this, if ever, become their priority? An election year is sure to bring something positive our way.

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  21. We are about to have the same problem in Del Mar, with a twist. NCTD is talking about enforcing illegal crossings starting August 1, 2016 (mentioned in our Sea Level Rise Technical Advisory Committee meeting on July 21, where NCTD planners were present).

    In Del Mar, the train is single-tracked and runs between 1.5 miles of homes and the beach with no legal crossings in place.

    We need a multi-city plan from Del Mar to Encinitas to protect our access to the ocean and our unique, invaluable natural setting.

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