Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Blakespear: No densification without circulation!

Encinitas' main thoroughfares, such as El Camino Real and Encinitas Boulevard, are already straining with current traffic loads.

As we've pointed out before, it makes no sense to make plans for high-density development without at the same time considering the congestion impacts on the streets. But that's exactly what your City Council has decided to do.

Deputy Mayor Catherine Blakespear, who was elected after the high-density development plans were already put in motion, now adds some common sense to the discussion.
Many Encinitas residents work full-time outside the city, driving to and from the freeway every workday. Any discussion of additional housing density needs to go hand-in-hand with a re-evaluation of the roads that will carry those new residents. We haven’t made much progress toward updating the city’s “Circulation Element,” which is the blueprint for all roads. Maintaining high quality pavement is also a priority.

16 comments:

  1. So did Gaspar, Shaffer, and Blakespear decide on the theme of the week - to update the circulation element?
    Blakespear voted for the San Elijo changes of designated bike paths and narrarow lanes so she can ride her bike. Ask her if she wants the same street treatment by her house then start a petition requiring her street and especially in front of her house have enough tourist and local parking to accommodate those who want to ride their bikes in Encinitas.

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    1. This is inside baseball.

      What Blakespear is saying outwardly means one thing, inside city hall it means another; just like her name, which is really Blake.

      Catherine is warning the staff, consultants and her peers on the council that if they don't allow her and Lisa to begin closing down travel corridors, she will not vote for the 2016 Initiative for the 'approved' Housing-Element.

      There is a note in the Complete Streets Act of 2008 that says IF a city begins significant work on changing their Circulation Element, then it must use the tenets of the 2008 Act which asks for a modality-change, meaning walkers, wheel chairs, bikes and skate boards are given equal value in designing streets. No, this isn't a joke. This is what she has in mind, transportation over public safety. Of course if every street is 25 mph we will be safe, but also broke.

      But, Blake, a headstrong newby has it backwards; because so many working people drive in and out of the city for work, executing extreme Complete-Streets closures will increase traffic and increase exhaust being generated by bumper to bumper traffic. Her science is wrong.

      She is still new to the council and math obviously is not her strong suit, aside from being the 'hot dog' front and center in every photo of the council, its hard to tell exactly what her strong suit is. She is basically holding the Housing Element hostage to her and Lisa's Complete Street dreams, turning Encinitas into Davis California where everyone rides bikes every where, which is a fantasy, of course. If Tony, Lisa and Catherine aren't the poster children for why 'term-limits' is a dangerous thing, then who are?

      Oh, BTW Catherine has pulled papers for running for Mayor next year and has grabbed Tasha from the Planning Commission as one of her running mates; don't worry, she won't be able to take Tony off her ticket.

      Watch for her article in the Coast News on Friday, half-truths and out and out false pledges. She doesn't agree that 'public-safety' is the first responsibility of a council member. She says its finance-related. But WHY would you trust someone who signed off on spending $25.5 million dollars on a toxic school-site valued at maybe $4 mil to tell you ANYTHING about the city's finances? Her article on the city's budget was off by half, meaning wrong by over by $50 mil per year. It would be funny if it wasn't so....

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    2. 7:18 AM

      "... inside city hall it means another; just like her name, which is really Blake" What does this have to do with anything?

      This has all the makings of an Andreen hit piece which doesn't mean I agree with everything Blakespear wrote.

      As far as the substance (if you can call it that) of the post, let us consider one example. What if you live east of I-5 and want to let your kids bike to the beach? As it stands now using any one of the major streets is pretty dicey for anyone, let alone a young child. I would wager few parents would allow their kids to do that and wind up driving them. Luckily, I live west of I-5 and my kids always rode their bike. With the rail undercrossing at Santa Fe, Requeza is somewhat safe but the I-5 bridge is pretty narrow. So making these major thoroughfares safer for bikers and pedestrians is misguided?

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    3. 7:18 AM
      Yeah, yeah, the political theme this year is finance related. Gaspar's piece on how she saved city money by implying she was part of the BIA settlement with the other traitors of Kranz, Blakespear, and Shaffer. The sh&%$ has yet to hit the fan on all four of them.

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    4. Kids bike to the beach??? Did you time warp back to 1968?

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    5. 8:53 AM

      Sometimes they walked or skateboarded. So do you chauffeur your kids everywhere? I didn't realize kids riding bikes was so passe.

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    6. 9:10 AM Operative word - "sometimes". Notice all those loaded bike racks at the beach? No? "Sometimes" is near never.

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  2. I know this isn't really the right thread for this but I just received it and since many people here regularly hammer the council about being in bed with developers, with some even saying we'd be better off back with the county, here is an example of what that good county care would look like:

    From Supervisor Bill Horn

    Fair Political Practices Commission Recommendation Regarding Lilac Hills Ranch Vote

    Today I received a response from my request to the Fair Political Practices Commission regarding my Supervisorial vote as it relates to the Lilac Hills Ranch Project. They have concluded that I have a conflict of interest because "...the decisions will have a reasonably foreseeable material financial effect on my real property interest."

    I have lived in this community for 40 years. I have served Valley Center on the school board and as a Supervisor for almost 30 years. My property has been in an agricultural preserve since 1975 and that cannot be changed for 10 years at a minimum. I do not believe I have a conflict of interest and I do not think it is reasonable to guess the future more than a decade from now.

    I think this decision is outrageous! My 620-thousand District 5 residents have been disenfranchised. They have voted me into office six times as their voice and silencing them is not democracy. This decision is a clear case of state overreach and a dangerous affront to our Constitution. Under this precedent, every vote can be questioned and dismissed. I have often said the government that governs closest to the people governs best. With this decision, that will no longer be possible. I will abstain with great trepidation and grave concern over the chipping away at the foundation of what we as Americans believe.

    ====

    The poor dear. He's just a good ol' country farmer. Salt of the earth.

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    1. So much for Horn'$ Horn of Plenty! Gaspar will fit in just fine with the likes of that opportunist.

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    2. He's nothing but a damn alcoholic just like his staff and friends. He needs to hit the highway.

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    3. "My 620-thousand District 5 residents"

      Does Horn's constituents have trouble with large numbers? They wouldn't have understood if he just wrote 620,000?

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    4. I think he's rounding up.

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    5. The U-T says Horn is asking the FPPC to reconsider because he couldn't possibly add anymore houses to his slope constrained lot. He must be itching to approve Lilac Hills Ranch. The voice of his 620-thousand residents must not be silenced (nor that of the Lilac Hills Ranch developer).

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    6. Lots of mean left wing women in here...no doubt single or living with their neutered men!

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  3. The Williamson Act is easily slipped out from under by paying a fee. The Central Valley folks are all too aware of this.

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