[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6622021,"mediaKeyId","2788932-df7c06f6163f6b810620f75215c4cdc2","parentId",2788932,"title","Residents renew 23-year plea for Leucadia roundabout and safe routes to school","audioSeconds",1456,"startMs",3810000,"endMs",5266000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2788932-df7c06f6163f6b810620f75215c4cdc2&start=3810&end=5266","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2788932-df7c06f6163f6b810620f75215c4cdc2/thumbnail_3810000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6622021/Encinitas/San-Diego-County/California/Residents-renew-23-year-plea-for-Leucadia-roundabout-and-safe-routes-to-school","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622021-fe2fb772cd71db313fb3571ab9b2d0c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137256&Signature=G5tu2EAXZGQ0pDF6mvulRlPAZvealBQeV~MiITajy1uRBb1U3T~lLtJ-dSnhrVlwrwcXBH5TH9cl8P1SZIGv242s1Pp5dUhwYyvggwcOs7EEQQxgGOC8M41PleRvZUinrXRDLLG5mr9Nh2R1ATY90nE0M1H~-qrp74T2ozGMZ79XKua-crSc2-ydafm1ftYAREeDBkFjaF2Kp0Fb~vJ5FosgIks9fwfz~AzGi16suWrNlH24clK1ElLc28o9kSXOXwlkNx~6Pgqz-5RHPIjxxNWNemjVkY5NL6FrQ1ZN1kByHNhD9v2GegDfDKwHeuCWV5~lbsmSEeDulZi0rb1H4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Encinitas","date","2025-03-27T06:29:47.717Z","article","Encinitas — Multiple residents and parents pressed the City Council to prioritize a long‑promised roundabout and sidewalks at Leucadia Boulevard and Hygiea Avenue, a stretch residents said carries roughly 15,000 vehicles per day and lacks safe pedestrian crossings.

Speakers—including longtime neighborhood activists and parents of children who walk to Pollacki Central Elementary—described a decades-long effort to complete pedestrian improvements, said the intersection has seen collisions and near-misses, and called for the promised roundabout and “complete sidewalks” to be funded and built. Several speakers noted they had been advocating for the project for 23 years and said the council previously reassigned funds to storm‑water projects; they urged the city to restore those funds when feasible.

June Hansberger, who said she has lived in Olivenhain for 30 years, presented safety and traffic slides and summarized research showing roundabouts typically reduce injury severity and lower vehicle speeds. Residents described current conditions as a four‑way stop with inadequate sidewalks and narrow crossings, and they asked the council to prioritize pedestrian refuge islands, sidewalks to Fluvia Street and protected crossings that would create a safer route to school.

Council and staff responses

Staff said the roundabout and related pedestrian work have been considered for several grant cycles. The city has applied for Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grants in recent cycles; staff said the next HSIP application cycle opens in late February with a July deadline (staff provided the schedule), and that projects are scored on collision history, injuries and fatalities. Councilmembers urged residents to document collision history and suggested the city will re-evaluate project lists for the next cycle. Staff also noted other competing priorities and the need to coordinate with county and regional funding streams.

Speakers emphasized incremental solutions as well as grant seeking: raised crosswalks and “daylighting” curb painting to improve sight lines were suggested as lower‑cost near‑term interventions in advance of larger construction work.

Why this matters

Residents say the intersection is a dangerous barrier to walking and biking to school; the speakers framed the roundabout and sidewalks as basic safety infrastructure rather than discretionary amenities. Several speakers said restoring previously reallocated funds and applying for state grants should be a near‑term priority for the council.

What’s next

Staff said it will look again at the next HSIP grant cycle and incorporate council feedback about prioritizing safe routes to school. Council directed staff to investigate feasibility and to include “daylighting” red‑curb painting and other low‑cost traffic-calming options when preparing project scopes for grant applications. No formal funding decision was reported in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Encinitas Regular City Council Meeting 3/26/25","oneSentenceSummary","Residents told the council the Leucadia Boulevard/Hygiea intersection needs a roundabout, sidewalks and safer crossings for children. Speakers said promised projects have been delayed for more than two decades and urged the council to restore funding and prioritize grants for pedestrian safety.","taxTitle","Encinitas, San Diego County, California","taxId",3828,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6622026,"Mayor Bruce Ehlers lays out priorities: local control, homelessness, infrastructure",0,643000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2788932-df7c06f6163f6b810620f75215c4cdc2&start=643&end=643","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2788932-df7c06f6163f6b810620f75215c4cdc2/thumbnail_643000.jpg","/articles/6622026/Encinitas/San-Diego-County/California/Mayor-Bruce-Ehlers-lays-out-priorities-local-control-homelessness-infrastructure","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622026-baccd2bdf9686e6908680481c52cd858/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137256&Signature=T0CiAVTUgOnMQXU~FK-25gIvlogrPY6F~JPB8fBpX0YE5v2YbJn6qPo4w-EBhjYk7l4UgBkxkSJqFKRJckbHoOQGdDfG2MKygXoSfGVbGVa7fpIaHkBrfyWi-kIn-g6WxOeqL2gCdjEagUCs0x6-y-hys8vleGuu9~38DeEN0cwnLGzyJ4IABjUY9q92Rdwq3NMBu65Ne~SNBIwYLaHyI0X6~ZVjt-68U32273JXIjOrOZXU-WkdXUnZkjN6lTZDFaJXfFaFVp-9QpqCghqVPLsdAA8jahnxwkFy3m424BNFgf8kqA7hLJotrGoiSKczb~sRd3OnhjWfh8Yrm7nZ9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Encinitas — Mayor Bruce Ehlers used the council meeting’s special presentation time to deliver a wide-ranging State-of-the-City address focused on preserving local character, tackling homelessness and prioritizing basic infrastructure such as pavements, storm drains and safer rail crossings.

Ehlers told the audience the city will emphasize “local control” when responding to state housing mandates. He warned that recent state laws — including Senate Bill 9, which allows parcel splits and duplexes on many single-family lots — are changing neighborhood character and said the council must consider traffic, emergency preparedness and environmental impacts when projects are proposed. Ehlers encouraged staff to include a “general plan alignment” section in every staff report so council decisions consistently map back to the city’s guiding document.

He also highlighted public-safety and homeless-response changes: Proposition 36 (a statewide measure discussed by the mayor) and a U.S. Supreme Court decision that clarified Ninth Circuit precedent give cities more ability to enforce public-space camping and repeat-offender laws, he said. Ehlers said the city’s HOPE outreach team and the Buena Creek Navigation Center — opened about a year earlier in partnership with Vista and county funding — are components of a strategy that combines enforcement with services and treatment referrals.

Infrastructure, Ehlers said, will be a budget priority. He cited the city’s Pavement Condition Index (PCI) — which staff reported had dropped to 69 and could reach 65 under current spending — and proposed an additional $1 million in general funds for pavement work. He also described the need for large storm‑drain investments to prevent sinkholes and street failures, and proposed a long-term, multi‑year funding approach; staff’s current estimate to comprehensively address certain storm‑drain needs was roughly $51 million, which the mayor framed as approximately $5 million per year over 10 years.

Other items covered

- Public-safety facilities: Ehlers discussed temporary options while Fire Station 1 is rebuilt and said the city is reviewing locations where temporary engine bays could be placed that later could be repurposed as permanent facilities.
- Santa Fe Drive streetscape: The mayor noted the council had paused aspects of the Santa Fe Streetscape project to observe traffic and school pick-up/drop-off patterns before making permanent changes; he announced a public meeting likely to occur in mid‑May.
- Parks, beaches and culture: Ehlers celebrated recent projects such as sand replenishment and the opening of the Pacific View Arts Center and referenced ongoing beach safety/erosion and bluff‑safety concerns.

Why it matters

Ehlers’ remarks formalized themes the council has referenced in recent months: resisting unwanted state‑level impacts on neighborhood zoning, coupling enforcement with social‑service pathways for people experiencing homelessness, and investing in long‑deferred basic infrastructure to avoid larger future costs. The mayor urged a “metered approach” to growth and said the council would press staff to produce policy-aligned staff reports.

What’s next

Ehlers’ speech set a policy tone the council may translate into budget priorities and staff directives during the council’s annual budget discussions and future agenda items. Several items mentioned by the mayor, including a proposed $1 million pavement addition and continuing storm-drain planning, will appear in budget and capital-improvement discussions.","In a State-of-the-City style address at the April meeting, Mayor Bruce Ehlers outlined priorities including asserting local control over housing decisions, addressing homelessness with enforcement and services, and investing in basic infrastructure including streets, drains and quiet zones.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6622031,"Encinitas council hears lengthy appeal over Sugar Sweet Farm agricultural permit",953,6471000,7424000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2788932-df7c06f6163f6b810620f75215c4cdc2&start=6471&end=7424","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2788932-df7c06f6163f6b810620f75215c4cdc2/thumbnail_6471000.jpg","/articles/6622031/Encinitas/San-Diego-County/California/Encinitas-council-hears-lengthy-appeal-over-Sugar-Sweet-Farm-agricultural-permit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622031-9e0354a636a7dae9418e68b1cea8bc8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137256&Signature=HizKzAwTr2iULJc~vUSDwe-cFrvXmcFF0F8m6d1N9~EPIDzRsiju9xu10z-Vg0VARhGdsxAPf4K1DmmvKsXB0PKMKvfIB8CTDzv66yqFEuzMsBaQJOO78oZ0B2Kc43Z03Ned2Seu9w5G9Vuqy6Vz6JLfpoUfNbNpl8n8pnibuXSgCuNjptq5KWPkuxtq5vOeBgccQgU~YaamoeioCuVjrTRkplZxJaJJbDcSJtD5wZbb1MnQc7dRUM4gWTVPha4W6mWY0W8kqfOGqDxZQaLEXiQ6uEDBrpIeQ1PhwjiVg7wr0KGHe7scvHHdeAPOzY8xtTBVUASoQ96Q0e-6w811EQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Encinitas — The City Council spent more than three hours on a public hearing about an agricultural permit for Sugar Sweet Farm, a longtime property in the Olivenhain area, after a neighbor filed a timely appeal objecting to the permit’s scope and to alleged ongoing code violations.

The permit approved by staff would allow up to 10 community-garden plots, small-animal keeping (26–100 animals triggers the permit requirement), small-scale agricultural production and a temporary food stand at the property on Fortuna Ranch Road. Associate Planner JD Choos summarized the staff report, saying the permit was limited to those uses, that staff added conditions tied to sanitation and animal enclosures, and that a condition was recommended requiring compliance with County of San Diego environmental-health rules for community gardens and food handling.

Neighbors and the appellant argued the farm had operated unpermitted commercial activities for years — notably “goat yoga,” private-group events and youth camps — and that those activities created traffic, noise and safety problems for the private easement serving the neighborhood. Appellant testimony cited social-media posts and video the appellant said showed events taking place after a city cease-and-desist, and raised concerns about an apparent connection to a nearby hydrant. The farm’s operators and supporters said the property is a multigenerational hobby farm and community resource that provides camps, therapeutic visits and other programs; they called the animals and site well cared-for and disputed commercial-use characterizations.

Council members asked staff and speakers detailed questions about allowable uses, the difference between permitted accessory educational activities and commercial events, parking and trip estimates, animal-shelter standards and how enforcement would work if conditions were exceeded. Staff said the public–semi‑public zoning limits nonreligious residential development (for example, only one caretaker unit is allowed by right) and noted that the agricultural-permit approvals do not remove requirements for other permits where they apply (for example, design review or coastal permits when work triggers that review). Staff also said the permit application had been noticed to nearby property owners and described the methods and timelines for that outreach.

During deliberations Councilmember Luke Schaeffer made a motion to deny the appeal and to waive the traffic mitigation fee contingent on related building-permit work (including ADA improvements) being completed; the motion also included a set of conditions the council asked staff to draft addressing animal-shelter standards, weekly manure removal, a requirement to demonstrate compliance with County of San Diego environmental-health rules for any food-related sales, a prohibition on commercial activities that are not accessory to an agricultural use, limits on educational/day‑camp group sizes, and an accountability plan that included several city inspections in the first year. Councilmember Bruce Ehlers seconded the motion. The transcript shows the motion and second recorded, but a roll-call vote is not recorded in the public transcript provided.

What the council debated

- Permitted vs. commercial uses: Staff and council distinguished activities accessory to an agricultural use (for example, an educational farm visit or a small community-garden activity) from commercial group-exercise or frequent ticketed events. Council repeatedly asked that the record be clear on that distinction and that any conditions be enforceable and measurable.
- Traffic and parking: Staff estimated the agricultural uses described in the permit would add a modest number of daily trips (staff provided a conservative estimate of roughly 28 additional daily trips tied to permitted garden plots and a temporary food stand); council members asked for clearer limits and for on‑site parking requirements to be enforced so there is no spillover parking on narrow easement roads.
- Animal care and inspections: Several witnesses—some with experience in animal rescue and sanctuary care—described shelter standards. Supporters of the farm said the owners had committed to improvements. Council asked staff to include clear, practical animal-shelter conditions and to require a number of scheduled checks within the first year so neighbors could have assurance about enforcement.
- Public-safety and hydrant use: Staff reported the Olivenhain Municipal Water District investigated a reported hydrant hookup, fined the farm and subsequently waived the fine after finding no malicious intent; council members nonetheless asked for a fire-preparedness plan approved by the Encinitas Fire Department that does not rely on unauthorized hydrant connections.

What happens next

The transcript records a motion and second to deny the appeal and lists a package of conditions council directed staff to prepare. Because no roll-call vote appears in the transcript provided, the record does not show whether the motion was adopted during the same meeting. Staff said any amendment to the permit or adoption of conditions would be memorialized in a written resolution and that future compliance will be enforced under the city’s municipal code; the recommended county health compliance condition would require the farm to show documentation from the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health before relying on the permit for food sales.

The hearing drew a large turnout. Supporters described educational programs, veteran outreach and summer camps; opponents focused on unpermitted events, traffic safety and property-easement conflicts. The council’s questions and the language of the motion indicate council members sought measurable, enforceable requirements in any final approval or resolution rather than a broad, indefinite permit.","A packed Encinitas public hearing on an agricultural permit for Sugar Sweet Farm centered on complaints about unpermitted events, traffic and animal care. The council heard staff findings, testimony from neighbors and the farm, and a motion was recorded; no roll-call vote appears in the transcript.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents renew 23-year plea for Leucadia roundabout and safe routes to school

Mayor Bruce Ehlers lays out priorities: local control, homelessness, infrastructure

Encinitas council hears lengthy appeal over Sugar Sweet Farm agricultural permit