The California Coastal Commission cited "environmental justice concerns and public waterfront access issues" when it rejected its own staff's approval of developer consultant David Meyer's density bonus project.
Lagoon housing plans flagged
The 48-unit density bonus project is located on a prime blufftop along La Costa Avenue west of I-5, overlooking Batiquitos Lagoon.
Commissioners objected to the clustering of the four low-income houses and their location on top of contaminated nursery soil. They took issue with the much-touted overlook that does not allow access to the lagoon.
In contrast to Coastal Commissioners, the Encinitas City Council did not hesitate to unanimously approve the project when it came before them.
We all know our Mayor is a developer's Ho.
ReplyDeleteThe worst thing they do is support the absolute worst City Manager in CA. She is a completely spastic nightmare who institutes staff chasing their imaginary tails while nothing productive gets done unless your a developer. If you are a developer, you get on the VIP list and your projects get approved with a quick rubber stamp. Damn any negative impacts on the existing neighborhoods or our mother earth.
Existing residents and their property DO NOT matter. Its all about NEW, BIGGER, and most dense development to maximize the tax stream to pay for the huge Fire Princesses promotion and retirement scheme. Top 5 retirees pay- Fire princesses. with fat pay per year over $150k per year. Here is the pressure to sell out your community to developers. Check out the deep list here - https://transparentcalifornia.com/pensions/2017/calpers/?page=1&e=CITY+OF+ENCINITAS.
Please lets get some qualified people elected to the City Council to clean up City Hall and get a competent City Manager to care about residents and get the City going in the right direction.
And pension reform.
DeleteI thought Gus Vina was still the worst, make up your mind!!!
DeleteMeyers owns this city council. He is individually responsible for destroying much of the ambiance of Encinitas's character as anyone has done in decades. He is a greedy scumbag, whose only interest is lining his own pockets.
ReplyDeleteGlory be! The CCC actually did the right thing for a change.
ReplyDeleteThe guy's name is Meyer.
Our City Council and Planning Commission are hopeless. The only way to get going in a better direction is to oust Blakespear, Kranz and Hinze.
Who's running against them?
can be sure ccc staff did as they were told with a behind the scenes phone call to make sure meyer got his way. guess commissioners actually read reports unlike Encinitas council. when have our city staff ever been contradicted by council?
ReplyDeleteSeptember 14, 2019 at 1:43 PM
Please prove you're not a robot
The developers run the staff and the staff runs the council. It is supposed to be a flipped hierarchy to what happens in Encinitas.
DeleteThe real robots are those on the council that take orders from donors and their so-called political party instead of listening to the wishes of the citizens.
ReplyDeleteThe State - if not the City - should make this ass-basket bring in a kiln and incinerate the contaminated soil as is done with brown field sites. The idea that he would be allowed to bury the contaminants and then build his low income housing on the toxic dirt is shameful. This guy deserves to be hammered by the city not rewarded with anything-goes permitting.
ReplyDeleteWhen Blakespear says her hands are tied she means by developers and her bff attorney. She doesn't dare step out of line. Kranz has his own obligation$ and the others owe the mayor for their seats so do as she says.
ReplyDeleteThis opinion by the CCC should be major egg on the council and "staff's" faces. But it won't be: the bff attorney will say the CCC is wrong and city hall will think it is vindicated. Watch for it in tomorrow's mayoral propaganda rag.
The max contribution any individual can make to a City Council candidate is $250. A couple can give $500. Do you really think our council members sold out for $250 or $500?
ReplyDeleteTasha had PAC money. That's how she bought the election. As far as I can see, none of our council members had PAC money. If anybody knows differently, show the proof.
Is there hidden money involved? Who knows?
They're on a crazed power trip. They sure aren't representing the majority of voters.
622, both major parties can serve as PAC's Donors can write a check to the Republican or Democratic Party and direct it to a specific candidate besides the $500 per couple limit.
DeleteIn answer to your question about how little it takes to sell out a council member, we may have an answer. Tony Kranz voted for Liechtag to have their office on a piece of agricultural land for which it wasn't zoned, thereby saving the on a commercial rent payment every month. Very soon afterward, he and his wife went on a trip to Israel. Were the events related?
Seriously you're that naïve, 6:22? They'd probably be on a crazed power trip no matter what it's always for the developer, making their votes more than a little suspect.
DeleteLots of ways to funnel money. Think Dalager and Aztec: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/sdut-encinitas-mayor-got-kitchen-deal-2010aug24-htmlstory.html.
Surely you know better than to stick to the $250 story.
Seriously, 7:28, your Dalager story is inadequate tp prove anything but the bribes he took.
ReplyDeleteShow evidence of PACs or any other money source corrupting the current council members. I'm not defending them, but you've shown nothing to back up your corruption claim.
OMG Dalager plea bargained to avoid jail time. Jaysus what else do you need to know beyond the bribes? Not enough for ya?
DeleteWhat is your explanation for the council's votes? Just curious. As of 2018 there were several PACs running around, just look at Aaron Burgin's misnamed "dark money" article from last year (it's not "dark" if you can ID the source, but whatever). You know the article, the one where he somehow missed naming a certain Cardiff couple who contributed to Blakespear and Hubbard's campaigns?
The current council members! Did you miss that? Dalager was about 10 years ago. He's a good example to avoid.
DeleteDo you see anything but individuals donating a max of $250 here?:
https://archive.encinitasca.gov/WebLink8/Browse.aspx?startid=695891
Would a candidate risk scandal by not declaring contributions?
If they're getting other money, show the proof. You can't just make the claim without proof to support it. That's comically wrong.
Yes, the Verdu couple gave $250 each to Blakespear in the '18 campaign.
The Verdus have done their damage to Encinitas.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWho’s Lou?
DeleteVerdus gave far in excess of $250 each; sounds like you were not aware:
ReplyDelete"Another PAC, known as the North County Action Network, has made a total of over $10,000 in ads and signs for Blakespear, Mosca and Hubbard. The primary donors are Michael and Paula Verdu, who have long supported the trio and their positions on some of key topics in the race. That PAC’s warchest entering the final month of the race was nearly 10 times."
https://www.thecoastnews.com/dark-money-pushing-thumb-on-council-races/
The Verdus brought what they wanted.
ReplyDelete9:20 Yes they did. They gave to Blkespear, Mosca and Hubbard. They have 2 PACS. One for local election here in Encinitas and the other for larger group. They have gone to D.C. more than once and there are pictures on their FB page with Beto. Also, I just saw on Encinitas Votes e letters from the CCC and the BIA. Very revealing.
ReplyDeleteThe Mayor is strongly supporting the developers. Don't believe me, just look at her 460 forms. Once example: Keith Harrison is a major supporter and major developer in this city!
ReplyDeleteTony Kranz and Dave Meyers are good friends!
ReplyDeleteSomeone has to do it. They are buds through default since other decent people want nothing to do with them!
DeleteHis name is Meyer!
ReplyDeleteThe Coast News story is what I call proof.
Keith Harrison gave Blakespear $250. BFD.
How do you know he didn't donate more through a PAC? Do you really think he gets preferred developer status for $250?
Delete10:42 If he did, prove it. Do you know what BFD stands for?
Delete9:25 are you the same one who claimed the Verdus contributed just $250 each?
DeleteSee 7:49 below. Point being BFD $250, that could be the tip of the iceberg. No I don't have proof. I am erring on the side of logic that has proven itself repeatedly over the years...and yes, including the 10 year old Dalager scam.
You can continue playing down the issue, but the rest of us recognize developer payback when we see it. It's hardly news to most people. This council vote is shameful.
There are many ways to contribute over the limits. For example, candidates can get bar owners or restaurants to host their campaign events like Gaspar seemed to have done when Dale at the Shelter gave her a big kick off party with no reporting of how much food and drinks cost the campaign. Kranz in particular is one to watch since he has been mainly supported by his wife and lives in his in-law's house.
ReplyDeletePoint made over on EV about the possibility of a lawsuit later from the 4 low income families. About knowingly putting those least able to fend for themselves being knowingly placed in harm's way by their supposed representatives.
ReplyDeleteBlakespear is big on "stopping the bleeding from lawsuits" until she has a developer and her bff attorney standing in front of her. If not responsibility to protect Encinitas taxpayers what about decency??
"BFD" bought for developers.
ReplyDeleteYES! Clearly what 10:19 meant!
DeleteSo, no proof that Harrison gave Blakespear more than $250. Making accusations with no proof to back them up is not the way justice works. Appearance is not necessarily reality. If you make a charge, show the proof!
ReplyDeleteThe Verdu charge was backed up with PAC proof. So far, the Harrison charge isn't.
Renters get sick, too.
Delete8:29 AM
ReplyDeleteThere won't be lawsuits from the ones that buy the low income units, because developers buy the units, then rent them out.
Stefan LaCasse took advantage of buying the two low income houses in the Fiore density bonus development in Leucadia.
The houses are fenced off from the rest of the $2 million dollar houses. He can rent them out for the 55 year term or sell them later. Other density bonus developments have one house that belongs to the property owners that they designate is the low income house. David Meyer did that on Sheridan.
A density bonus development on Bonita that is on the Planning Commission agenda this Thursday has the same sorry destruction of getting any low income housing. Supposedly, the owner of the property wants to use his house there as the low income house.
The entire "affordable housing" concept is a complete sham.
Delete2:16PM has proven that.
It was even worse on the Sheridan project. Meyer keep the two affordable for himself, but he gave them back to Barratt American just before Barratt American went bankrupt. The affordable units were never built on the site. They were combined with other unbuilt units from other projects into the "ghetto" Iris apartment complex on N. Vulcan. City council agreed to the scheme. So much for integrating the affordable units into the community and not stigmatizing the low income folks who live there.
DeleteQuestion- is it true that the "affordable" homes in the Meyer project are proposed to be built on top of the buried contaminants? Or adjacent to? It is a small difference but to put the po folk on the Encinitas love canal is extraordinarily stupid.
ReplyDeleteThese people beleive they can do whatever they want to satisfy their greed.
It is absolutely true. Not refuted by Meyer or his attorneys at the appeal, they were that sure of denial of the appeal and approval of the project.
DeleteSOP at city hall stinks from the top down: Blakespear through to the very bottom of the planning department.
There really is no depth to the planning department. The line organization is churning with high turn-over. Technical topics are out-sourced to consultants to provide legal distance / deniability.
DeleteFor such a wealthy tax-base, this city is run as a hooterville with the cronies in office rewarding and enriching theirs. Shameful.
$85,600 for a family of four is the low income figure for San Diego County in 2019. Is that poor folks?
ReplyDeleteYes the "affordable" houses in the Meyer project are on top of the buried contaminated soil.
You know there are tons of contaminated soil buried under the Community Park off Santa Fe Drive, right?
8:40 - Just last week - I saw a cub-scout troop enter Community Park for an over-nighter and the next day, when I happened to pass the same park, a group of grizzled, more-rather-than-less soiled hobos were leaving the park. Building things on contaminated soil is not "best practice" and there are real outcomes from such cavalier and crappy actions.
DeleteThe Verdu's are very strange people who throw they're money at wierd causes.
ReplyDeleteWhat do they get out of it? What's their gain?
DeleteWhat do donors usually expect and gain?
DeleteWell, what? But specifically that couple. What do they gain?
DeleteGo away, you're being ridiculous. *swats at buzzing gnat*
DeleteIOW, 10:30, you're clueless. You just make empty accusations.
DeleteIf somebody accused you of being a child molester, would you demand proof?
Calm yourself, 10:39. the point being made is Harrison is a favorite among councilmembers. he contributed on record $250. others who contributed $250 found other ways to donate e a helluva lot more. if you want to believe he doesn't do the same, fine. we believe you believe that.
DeleteShow the evidence, 5:46.
DeleteLet it go, 6:54.
DeleteVer-who?
DeleteOK, there's your admission you made a serious accusation based in nothing but your dumbshit assumption.
ReplyDeleteYou do recognize how unfair and wrong that is, don't you?
10:20 above says:
ReplyDelete“No I don't have proof.”
And then. . .
“. . .the rest of us recognize developer payback when we see it.”
See what, exactly? You already admitted you have nothing to “see.”
It’s so unfair that the cognitively impaired have a vote that counts just like a normal person.