Coronado City Monitor Report

From Barbara Denny:

I attended the Coronado City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 4. There was one potentially relevant issue:

Navy opposes proposed tunnel. As part of the regular business of the city council, the agenda item known as the Coronado tunnel project generated a fair amount of discussion among all the city council members, except the mayor who was absent from the meeting.

As a traffic mitigation effort, the eight member Coronado tunnel commission proposed the building of a 1.4 mile, two-lane reversible tunnel beginning at the base of the Blue Bridge in Coronado, running under Fourth Street, and surfacing directly inside NASNI (Naval Air Station North Island).

In response to the submitted draft EIR (environmental impact report), the Navy leadership commented that it strongly opposes such a tunnel because it is an obvious terrorist target.

According to a slideshow presentation by one of the city council members who also is a tunnel commission member, Coronado leaders have been working on the tunnel project since 1999. The Navy's opposition to the proposed tunnel is a major setback.

The city council members, in the absence of the mayor, did not decide on any action to take at this time. It remains to be seen what will become of the Coronado tunnel project.

Coronado City Council generally meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 3 pm in Council Chambers at the south end of City Hall located at 1825 Strand Way, Coronado, CA 92118. City Council meetings are also telecast live on cable channel 19. Check city website at www.coronado.ca.us for meeting date changes due to holiday schedules.

Latest in Encinitas

Here is the summary from the 3/12/08 Encinitas City Council Meeting:

(1) The City Council adopted Ordinance 2008-02, which prohibits smoking at beaches, parks, trails, outdoor eating areas, etc.

(2) The City Council approved the recommendation by the Shoreline Preservation Working Group to support the Coast Share Methodology for sand replenishment.

Submitted by City Monitor Aran Wong.

California Coastal Commission Under Attack

The California Legislature is considering a bill that would dramatically undermine the ability of the Coastal Commission to protect our coast and ocean.

California Senate Bill 1295 (Ducheny) would strip the right of Coastal Commissioners to appeal development permits granted by local governments.

This oversight by the Coastal Commission is critical to fair and consistent enforcement of the Coastal Act. Senate Bill 1295, if enacted, would dramatically undermine this function and potentially allow numerous violations of the Coastal Act to “slip through the cracks.”

Tell the California Legislature that you oppose the weakening of the Coastal Commission’s oversight role and oppose Senate Bill 1295.

Click here to take action

Encinitas City Council Meeting Report 2/27/08

From Aran Wong:

(1) The San Dieguito Water District gave a presentation to the City Council. Because of the current drought, the Drought Response Work Group was formed to prepare for a supply cutback. It is currently working on a model ordinance and considering limiting landscaping and washing of hardscape. The model ordinance should be ready in March.

(2) The Council had a public hearing to discuss water rates and meter service charges. Water costs have more than doubled, and the Council is considering increasing rates and encouraging conservation.

(3) The Mayor gave his State of the City speech. A Cardiff Specific Plan is being prepared, which will be forwarded to the City Council. An EIR for the Hall property will be completed and submitted for certification by the summer of this year. The City will place a measure on the ballot to require short term rentals to pay a transient occupancy tax to help pay for beach replenishment, public services and other benefits to the community.