Friday, October 5, 2018

Radical redesign of El Camino Real in the works?

From the Inbox:
This is the summary of the news from the New Encinitas Network meeting last Thursday:

The California Coastal Commission issued a blistering 28-page response to the City of Encinitas that found the North Coast Hwy 101 Streetscape project to be in serious violation of the State of California Coastal Act. Ironically two dozen planning staffers have been forced out of the City of Encinitas in the past 18 months because they essentially refused to put their signatures on this plan for legal and safety reasons, as well as the CCC report makes crystal clear that the Streetscape project is designed to stop thru traffic, affecting the rights of California residents and visitors the ability to access North County beaches. The City submitted for an extension of time to cook up more numbers at a the Coastal Commission's September hearing in Ft. Bragg, Northern California and will try again at the next hearing, Thursday October 11, at the Wyndham San Diego Bayside, 1355 North Harbor Drive, San Diego.

The City Council (with the exception of Mark Muir) has directed planning staff to hire out the creation of a redesign of El Camino Real. The plan removes one vehicle travel lane in both the North and South direction between Encinitas and Leucadia Boulevard in order to make room for two 8-foot wide bike lanes replacing the outer vehicle driving lanes. The remaining two vehicle travel lanes are to be reduced from 14 feet in width to 10 feet in width. Bear in mind that the Encinitas Fire Department's hook and ladder trucks are 11 feet wide... This proposal also includes the implementation of a "staggered" pedestrian crosswalk that will be located between Via Moleno and Encinitas Boulevard that will be an unsafe pedestrian controlled sidewalk that strands pedestrians on the shrub-centered median strip. This will cause the stacking of traffic, endangering drivers at the stopped cars as accelerating drivers turning onto El Camino Real from Encinitas Blvd try to beat the red light camera. Also, a 6-Way "Continental" crosswalk will be located on Mountain Vista and El Camino Real. To date there has been no public discussion concerning the lane dieting, lane reduction, the two new bike lanes and the two potentially unsafe pedestrian crossing, the combination of which will dramatically increase traffic gridlock, carbon exhaust emissions and safety hazards for drivers and pedestrians. Reduction of vehicle access to businesses along Camino Real will also reduce profits and city revenue. As the California Coastal Commission's oversight extends to the eastern border of El Camino Real, CCC's refutation of the North Coast Hwy 101 Streetscape project may help residents and commercial property owners fend off this radical redesign. The city staff engineer assigned to the El Camino redesign, Christopher Magdosku recently resigned and took a position with the City of Chino. STC Traffic, Inc. Carlsbad, CA is the consulting firm engaged to develop the plans.

Additionally, the powerful non-profits bordering Quail Gardens Drive recently hired former council member Lisa Shaffer to lobby her council friends to use citizen tax dollars to essentially privatize Quail Gardens Drive. This might shed light on why the City L-7 (9.8 acre property) was removed from the preferred properties that comprise the newest Housing Element Up-Zoning Measure U that the Council hopes to pass in the election 5 weeks from now.

The next Traffic and Public Safety Commission Meeting is scheduled for 5:30 PM Monday October 8 at City Hall. We should have as many concerned residents mustered there as we can to speak against the proposed radical redesign of El Camino Real.

45 comments:

  1. Shaffer is a paid lobbyist for gerrymandering the housing mess, eh? She advocates "affordable" housing (cluster muck), so long as it isn't in certain neighborhoods. Her ethics of money and political influence are in diametric contrast to her 'socialist' philosophy.

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  2. Actually, I personally strongly supported L7 being part of the housing element and expressed that view to the council. The E3 Collaborative chose not to take any position on the housing element due to differing views.

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    1. I have to agree with Lisa on this one. She wanted affordable housing and development all over Encinitas! She was also willing for taxpayers to subsidize these many affordable housing projects. She end up being in the back pocket of developers more than even Stocks.

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  3. The Coastal Commission staff recommend approval of both Encinitas agenda items.

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    1. The whole story is the recommendation for approval comes with conditions that would be next to impossible to achieve. If the city is dishonest and spins the data as they've done so far, they might be able to make it look as if they've satisfied the conditions.

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    2. 10:16 AM
      The city can lie and bypass any condition. The conditions were put in by the Coastal Commission staff to focus attention away from their recommendation to the Commissioners to approve the streetscape scam. City planning and the Coastal Commission staff are working hand in hand to destroy the 101.

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    3. 10:29 The conditions must be satisfied for the project to get final approval, and it will move to that stage only if the commission accepts the staff recommendation next Thursday.

      The staff and commission are responsible for applying the Coastal Act for the entire coastline from Mexico to Oregon. They can't conspire with one city to destroy the principal coastal road in that city. Doing that would set a precedent for the whole coastal zone.

      The world is not out to get you, 10:29.

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    4. 10:54 AM
      Take off your blinders. It is happening with the city planning and Coastal Commission staff working hand in hand to destroy the 101. Notice the Commission staff didn't say deny this project?

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    5. According to CCC staff, Encinitas has been on the phone pretty much daily, lobbying and promising the sky. The CCC will take the path of least resistance and as rule, will agree with a city.

      Our city actively works against residents. Wait'll Catherine and her band of "we know best" hit ECR. All the Andreen rants in the world won't save that street or the 1,000s of residents who live behind the businesses.

      Promises not to cut through your neighborhood? Not a problem, Catherine doesn't like to be reminded. Complaints about unreliable traffic studies? Please, Catherine won't be bothered. Notice she glazes over when she hears numbers and pesky Code references. She will not listen, she will not help residents, she will though be there to bulldoze.

      Cue cute hardhat photo op coming soon to ECR.

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  4. The post sounds like the typical KLCC lies by Doug, the fiction writer, and other old bags that lost their common sense in their grey matter.

    For sensible people please go to the following link for factual information about the L101 Streetscape project- https://www.leucadia101.com/about/streetscape

    Its all good!

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    Replies
    1. Haha, that "informational" site has the handful of misguided 101 business owners and L101 city shills allll over it.

      "Factual," my rear.

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    2. Are those proposed changes to El Camino Real in the public record? Has anybody sent a public records request to the city to find out?

      The site at the URL 9:36 posted is a wonderful collection of bullshit. If any EU readers need manure to enrich the soil in their gardens, that site is your source.

      There are plenty of people named Doug. If the one 9:36 means is the Leucadia man I know, he's one of the few who knows the project and writes facts about it. He has nothing to do with the New Encinitas Network.

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  5. The L7 vote along with other total sellout shit to the developers is the reason the Housing Element - Measure FU- will go down in flames like it should. Hopefully the next attempt will be something reasonable that voters could consider.

    The City Council needs to get its shit together and hire a decent City Manager.

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    Replies
    1. The residents need to get their collective crap together and put up candidates who listen.

      The city manager is decent, according to the city council. The council is the trouble, but you knew that, 9:55. You're constantly having to be corrected, but you persist in pretending the city manager is driving this destruction of Encinitas.

      Follow the campaign donations and personal loyalties among the council - you need look no farther.

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    2. Maybe some of the residents need to get off their collective butts and run for office. This kind of hand wringing happens every election cycle, and every cycle, it's the same groups running for office.

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    3. Yep, true. But have you ever noticed when someone does try? In the case of Democrats, the Busby clan shuts 'em right down.

      A few short years ago Shaffer told the Dems that Julie Graboi was a tea party member and not to let her speak to their club. Shaffer apologized privately after being called out, but correct the error publicly and with the Dems? Not on your life, that's how honest and ethical she is. Julie would not have been the yes-man Blakespear got in Mosca.

      Still worth a try and good luck to Shaffer/Barth/Blakespear/the crew if they try that garbage again on a candidate. Next time it's going good and public, and I don't mean here on EU.

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    4. Did Julie go for the Democratic endorsement? I'm assuming she did. I'm not going to go into the merits of Lisa Shaffer or any other past candidate or council member.

      Excuses are just that, excuses. Getting in is a lot of work in terms of organization, getting people behind you, raising money, you name it. Julie was not going to beat the well funded campaigns of Blakespeare and Lerchbacker. Remember, she came in 3rd to Democrat Blakespeare and Republican Lerch, so let's at least get the narrative straight:


      Click on contest name to see:
      - general data about all candidates running for this contest and
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      Click on a candidate name to see all information supplied to Smart Voter by that candidate.
      County Results as of Dec 2 11:48am, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (2001/2001)
      44.8% Countywide Voter Turnout (692,434/1,546,924)

      Statewide Results as of Dec 10 1:47pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (24435/24435)
      42.2% Statewide Voter Turnout (7,513,972/17,803,823)
      City

      Mayor; City of CarlsbadClick here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites

      Matt Hall .......... 24089 votes 100.00%
      Council Member; City of CarlsbadClick here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites (2 Elected)

      Mark Packard .......... 18792 votes 43.30%
      Michael Schumacher .......... 17954 votes 41.37%
      John Louis Bahr .......... 4475 votes 10.31%
      Patrick Knapp .......... 2177 votes 5.02%
      City Clerk; City of CarlsbadClick here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites

      Barbara Engleson .......... 21929 votes 100.00%
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      Craig Lindholm .......... 21847 votes 100.00%
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      Glen Googins .......... 27530 votes 100.00%
      Council Member; City of Chula Vista; Seat 1Click here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites

      John McCann .......... 18448 votes 50.00%
      Steve Padilla .......... 18446 votes 50.00%
      Council Member; City of Chula Vista; Seat 2Click here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites

      Patricia "Pat" Aguilar .......... 20638 votes 57.56%
      Dan Smith .......... 15215 votes 42.44%
      Mayor; City of Chula VistaClick here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites

      Mary Salas .......... 19995 votes 52.87%
      Jerry R. Rindone .......... 17827 votes 47.13%
      Council Member; City of CoronadoClick here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites (2 Elected)

      Bill Sandke .......... 4419 votes 48.67%
      Carrie Anne Downey .......... 3297 votes 36.31%
      Angela Alvarez .......... 1363 votes 15.01%
      Mayor; City of El CajonClick here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites

      Bill Wells .......... 11047 votes 81.29%
      Allen Theweny .......... 1578 votes 11.61%
      Jonathan Wright .......... 965 votes 7.10%
      Council Member; City of El CajonClick here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites

      Gary Kendrick .......... 8283 votes 64.28%
      Elwood W. Alexander .......... 4603 votes 35.72%
      Council Member; City of EncinitasClick here for more info on this contest including known links to other sites

      Catherine S. Blakespear .......... 6588 votes 39.47%
      Alan "Lerch" Lerchbacker .......... 5290 votes 31.70%
      Julie Graboi .......... 3382 votes 20.26%
      Bryan McKeldin Ziegler .......... 1430 votes 8.57%

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    5. Julie was kicked down before she even started by Barth/Shaffer so let's do get the narrative straight. Julie was considering the Democratic endorsement, but that opportunity was decided for her by the "ethics" committee. Any chance she had of raising money was shunted to the party-chosen Blakespear.

      We'll never know how Julie might have done had the party goons not smeared her at the start.

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    6. Julie wanted to steam clean sidewalks.

      It’s on tape.

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    7. Yeah, we knew that wouldn't take long for you to get around to that. So very predictable. What took you so long?

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    8. Ahem....Kristen Gaspar herself said at a CC meeting that if a clear plastic fence were built around the Desert Rose home development,(to help wildfires from burning the homes...yeah, right), that she was an "A type personality" that would worry about the plexiglas being "kept clean". It's on tape, 10:10PM.

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    9. Good one, 4:49! I still remember the joy she took in explaining herself.

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  6. "Ironically two dozen planning staffers have been forced out of the City of Encinitas in the past 18 months because they essentially refused to put their signatures on this plan for legal and safety reasons." Name two.

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  7. Looks like New Encinitas gurus still want Leucadia's Streetscape moolah. Besides, Mark Muir voted in unison with the council to do Leucadia Streetscape in one phase.

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  8. Streetscape is good. The City Manager is bad. Simple logic.

    That why the City is ending up with the bottom of the barrel for employees. All the good ones go to other Cities with better City Managers.

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    Replies
    1. Wrong. The worst city employees are the ones who have been there forever. Maher, Blough, and Shields are prime examples. It's the ones with "institutional history" you have to watch out for. The older ones don't slip up and occasionally tell the truth, unlike the newbies

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  9. Do what to El Camino Real???????? are you people insane?

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  10. 11:19pm slimy mikey back at it.

    His history of attacking women who are not responsible is only too clear. He has issues with the opposite sex.

    The reason for this is evident every time he looks in the mirror.

    Once a tool, ever the tool.

    Back to the topic. Roundabouts on ECR. Why not? What a sheet show.

    When Tony mentioned roundabouts recently for RSF Rd. a couple in the audience applauded. These are the same misguided few who are pushing the 101 plan.

    Funny thing, Solana Beach just rejected roundabouts on Stevens Ave. for the idiocy that they are.

    Will Encinitas buy a clue? Doubtful.

    The CCC knows better, thankfully.

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    Replies
    1. Except the CCC doesn't know better. CCC staff are pushing for approval of streetscape. Don't count on the CCC for anything, start fighting now.

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    2. This old bag is out of tricks and understands nothing. If KLCC is against it, it must be good.

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  11. 11:55am. No they are not.

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  12. HCD warning letter to City of Encinitas -
    July 5, 2018
    "During Encinitas' City Council meeting on June 20, 2018, Council Members discussed revisions that potentially conflict with HCD's direction in its June 12, 2018 correspondence. Specifically, the Council voted 3-2 to remove Site Number AD12 (Rancho Santa Fe East) and Site Number AD32 (Garden View Court) from the site inventory. The Council also approved development standards for the R-30 zone that differ from those reviewed by HCD. Barring additional information, analysis, programs or newly identified vacant sites, if the housing element is adopted with these revisions, HCD would not find the housing element compliant with state housing element law."

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    Replies
    1. Yes, an inconvenient truth the 5 sitting stooges ignore: "HCD would not find the housing element compliant with stat housing element law."

      Tony k, you're known to read EU. What do you have to say for yourself?

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  13. 10:01pm. My claim was referring to the streetscam abomination. The ECR alignment is a totally different issue.

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  14. So was mine. If you think the CCC will stop streetscam, I've got a bridge to sell you,

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  15. Until the pushers come up with summertime traffic numbers, I believe the pushers will be denied.

    Even then, the idiocy of turning a major 4 lane arterial into two lanes, will never fly with the CCC, and it should not. Ever.

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    Replies
    1. Keep on believing, 2:31. I'll have what you're having, must be nice behind those rose-colored glasses.

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  16. 2:31 PM
    The 4 lanes turned into 2 lanes is OK with the CCC staff. Notice they didn't recommend the Commissioners deny the project. Yes, they can recommend denial. The approval by then has already flown. To think otherwise, is foolish.

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  17. 3:03 CCC staff says the city has to prove with summer data that two lanes are OK.

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  18. 5:01 PM
    Why didn't the CCC staff say deny the project? Didn't want to hurt the Council and Brenda's feelings?

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  19. 6:35 — Have you read the staff reports?

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  20. 7:14 PM
    Yes. Read the staff reports. Why didn't the CCC staff say deny the project? Didn't want to hurt the Council and Brenda's feelings? Did the CCC staff say no to the roundabouts? If they said no to the roundabouts, that is a start. Perhaps 7:14 PM, you think the CCC staff is being very clever by not recommending the denial of the project.

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  21. What are the required modifications?

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  22. The Leucadia 101 group will be out of a job if Measure U passes. It is written in Measure U that a Council can change ground floor commercial property to residential in Program 3B of Measure U.
    "Ground-Floor Commercial Uses Only:
    Portions of the North 101 Corridor Specific Plan and Downtown Encinitas Specific Plan have mixed-use
    zones where residences are allowed. However, 1) ground floor uses in a storefront location are limited to
    retail-serving uses only; or 2) residential uses are permitted only above or behind a primary use.
    However, it may be difficult to market and develop a property with these ground floor commercial
    requirements because there is a finite economic market available to support retail uses. Mixed-use
    thrives when it is focused in a compact area, not over lengthy corridors, as is currently mandated in these
    specific plans. For mixed-use projects, the City will amend zoning regulations to require ground floor
    commercial uses only at key locations or preference areas based on context or planning objectives to
    ensure future projects are feasible and the desired community character is preserved. Key locations will
    be determined by the City Council."

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