[{"_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",[32,75,87],{"_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",6543674,"mediaKeyId","3424218-39d9258b65cabb94f0f809dbefe62e1e","parentId",3424218,"title","Residents press for Hub Park trails; council adds $75,000 one‑time for trails maintenance, staff warns PUC approval could take years","audioSeconds",3347,"startMs",3330000,"endMs",6677000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3424218-39d9258b65cabb94f0f809dbefe62e1e&start=3330&end=6677","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3424218-39d9258b65cabb94f0f809dbefe62e1e/thumbnail_3330000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6543674/Carlsbad/San-Diego-County/California/Residents-press-for-Hub-Park-trails-council-adds-75000-onetime-for-trails-maintenance-staff-warns-PUC-approval-could-take-years","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6543674-928b898f20f2f35260db8a70d3e3f1d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195772&Signature=KVGayEwamY7LpHdJ0XJDbzqkDmr7yAcZe791WJ9ESYcHTFdsGkaGKhmo3R-e7ZE1TovPnVta6MagQ~FfhlfEognpphX4UYJCHfbCRw-Lnkhx5Dj81BcDRzmepC47BEibxNlIA0P7E8nOG~aMoJofp1zIAqUxhJbCFKClU1qn~Sdmequnp1u~T6~tXimn2j4WEg6-22-7yaBTkz4q7AnR9ng5adD7ijYPerCnPn0TR~17nkJPi49hhUVJyyCUZNc7Cwgdm7hoIwVI6-76RIykcndm7nTrfVFQSdLFpSIn7x2EnjGL4l6wNxaS9hGruTL6kHtDmq6YnhDHZyPqY5Tvnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Carlsbad","date","2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","article","Dozens of residents urged the City Council to expedite construction of the long‑planned Hub Park trails and broader trail connectivity across Carlsbad, and the council voted to add a one‑time $75,000 appropriation for trails maintenance while staff cautioned that formal approvals from the California Public Utilities Commission could delay major work for years.

Vicky Saige, Diane Weimer of Citizens for North County, Diane Nygaard of Preserve Calavera and others told council the Hub Park trail network has been planned for decades and urged the city to be “shovel ready” when funding and easements are obtained. Saige said the Hub Park trail plan uses alignments from a prior Measure A submission and called on council to take budgetary steps so the city can move quickly when permits and funds are available.

Gary Barberio, deputy city manager for Community Services, told council the challenge is legal and logistical: the Hub Park lease is on land owned by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and the utility is regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Barberio said SDG&E’s Seaside Option agreement with the city would grant trail easements and a $1,000,000 contribution toward design and construction, but that obtaining PUC approval for the land transactions and easements is “a unique and complicated agreement” that staff estimates could take three to five years to process. He warned that initiating large‑scale design and construction work before PUC approval could expose the city to the risk of investing municipal funds that later could not be matched by SDG&E contributions.

Kyle Lancaster, director of Parks and Recreation, said the city has an existing CIP project for the South Shore Agua Hedionda Lagoon Trail (Hub Park). He said approximately $790,000 has been appropriated to date, about $230,000 of which has been spent on preliminary design and environmental scoping, leaving roughly $560,000 available for further design. Lancaster said additional funding would be needed to complete environmental review, final design and construction and that some required permits (including California Coastal Commission review) are outside city control.

Council debated whether to front additional funds before PUC approval. After discussion, Mayor Blackburn moved and council approved a one‑time $75,000 allocation to Parks and Recreation for trails maintenance and related readiness work; the motion passed unanimously. Council also directed staff to return with options and cost estimates for priority trail segments and to pursue opportunities for developer reimbursements and grant funding where feasible.

Separately, the council voted unanimously to bring back the Kelly Drive/Kelly Park roundabout CIP item before the June 17 budget adoption so alternatives (including a conventional intersection) and safety data can be presented to council and the public.

Ending: Staff said they will report back with refined cost estimates, timeline scenarios tied to PUC and Coastal Commission reviews, and recommended priority segments for investment.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Carlsbad - City Council Meeting - May 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple residents urged the city to accelerate Hub Park trail work. Staff said state Public Utilities Commission approval and permits are required; council approved a one‑time $75,000 parks allocation and directed staff to return with options.","taxTitle","Carlsbad, San Diego County, California","taxId",2843,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6543678,"Council moves to disestablish former Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District",165,2164000,2329000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3424218-39d9258b65cabb94f0f809dbefe62e1e&start=2164&end=2329","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3424218-39d9258b65cabb94f0f809dbefe62e1e/thumbnail_2164000.jpg","/articles/6543678/Carlsbad/San-Diego-County/California/Council-moves-to-disestablish-former-Carlsbad-Tourism-Business-Improvement-District","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6543678-abfe028554f23b74d4412e48f1771180/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195772&Signature=jxoxpNKqTOewbzfewCS7PtF9On6d8Bt0QWN3dUFdG1pbSIVP8V3tZqDwkwyggLpj-JyIOeL1ASrQ2UGAlFXAEHaCTqVxlnfFemiXkI0FFBC3CrrZfh6ovY2G-6q0swXMnPmhXDgEkxU~11u8MyJFk7TsyS6~HlA6awmgOya8rdsTSPZ63~1~qY6oCfRY1txyrn5vQV7roY9SqBnBaUBlSKAjY4cVuUeUkBYDV2vS4s~AwZfZEM7uLUu9Chm24D1r5PhTrzqM~9Q~7ALTMEUpMXNJ3WdJUgw9eV81HXArlyIqzMH3s40SzullBU1dubkHsDr4iPhN~XiNWexgnW6uCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Carlsbad City Council held a public hearing on the proposed closure of the former Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District (CTBID) and introduced an ordinance to repeal Chapter 3.37 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code, disestablishing the previous district.

Economic Development Director Matt Sanford told council that the city established a new tourism business improvement district in April 2023, which triggered a wind‑down of the prior CTBID. Sanford said all funds in the former district were expended and services rendered as of October 2024, and the old CTBID advisory board recommended disestablishment on Nov. 13, 2024. He also said the city notified all 484 lodging establishments of the proposed action and had received no correspondence opposing it as of the morning of the hearing.

There were no public speakers on the item. Councilmember Teresa Costa asked for confirmation of the timeline; Sanford reiterated that the winding down began in 2023 and funds were spent down through October 2024. Council moved to introduce the ordinance and the motion passed unanimously.

Ending: Staff will return with the formal ordinance language and related code amendments for final action.","After a staff presentation and no public opposition, the council introduced an ordinance to repeal the old CTBID; council voted unanimously to introduce the ordinance.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":80,"_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},6543683,"Carlsbad council advances preliminary FY2025-26 budget, sets June 17 adoption hearing",7301,9630000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3424218-39d9258b65cabb94f0f809dbefe62e1e&start=2329&end=9630","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3424218-39d9258b65cabb94f0f809dbefe62e1e/thumbnail_2329000.jpg","/articles/6543683/Carlsbad/San-Diego-County/California/Carlsbad-council-advances-preliminary-FY2025-26-budget-sets-June-17-adoption-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6543683-8cd713e3083f8d2136ea2a93b83a640d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195772&Signature=lKfFNDEGX02uMKUCSb1zujijT1iLplv4jAaXczg4JTognrInSfQC1HwSPm7~OzHJOpIV5GVDecUpnEtc1HIJyYa0tRO6jSydhjvGTx5sqjfdG3LQBsygI0tpt5OGqMBiHWRXz~Px0-SbGzJufT34Vhm7vzCLuGK1H4SHoPSSMN~8XmnmrmWniSK5clZLQGeSER5h8iPdroin0NuJYxE230w33dmkIMOkRc28l1mjxpjuXxo2h3lF1i4lkmxScXndRDsmIMIYnRYGfGP5CcL3m4l0FhFwyn5yG4jK0zAy5A3r49KZz~mUA3m0qJpOlh~q-qx7NHX6GgS1R~ly4VaeaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City officials presented the preliminary fiscal year 2025–26 operating budget, capital improvement program and strategic digital investments to the Carlsbad City Council, which directed staff to set a June 17 public hearing and voted unanimously to advance the budget resolutions for final adoption.

The preliminary plan, introduced by City Manager Jeff Patno and presented in detail by Deputy City Manager Laura Rocha and Finance Director Zach Korach, proposes a modest 1.8% increase in the general fund over the prior year while increasing general fund reserves from about 55% to 61% (approximately $147,000,000). Korach said the city also plans to hold $10,000,000 for economic uncertainty, $19,000,000 in a Section 115 pension trust and $10,500,000 in an asset replacement reserve.

The budget package includes one‑time and ongoing investments tied to council priorities: $2,600,000 to purchase a second frontline aerial ladder truck for the Fire Department; $403,000 to reclassify six EMTs to paramedic firefighters; funding to support restored Sunday hours at libraries; and funding for six police positions approved earlier this year. The presentation also highlighted a $47,000,000 request in FY26 for capital construction and maintenance with an estimated $132,000,000 of construction costs over the coming years for projects currently in scoping or design.

Zach Korach outlined the city’s analysis of CalPERS prepayment versus monthly payment options for the pension unfunded liability. He said the full prepayment would deliver an estimated $600,000 in up‑front savings but would forgo about $300,000 in investment income the city could earn on those funds. Korach told the council the preliminary budget assumes monthly payments; staff said they will adjust the final budget if the council directs prepayment.

Rocha and Korach summarized other items included in the draft: approximately $440,000 in new Climate Action Plan–related costs (including work to pursue Clean Energy Alliance options), $3,000,000 appropriated for core systems modernization in the Strategic Digital Transformation Investment Program, and a recommended $2,000,000 transfer from the general fund to the stormwater enterprise to maintain a positive fund balance.

Councilmembers asked staff for clarifications on revenue assumptions, CalPERS risk, and capital project timing. Councilmember Teresa Acosta pressed staff on the likelihood of losing money if the city prepays CalPERS; Korach said prepayment is “on paper” more beneficial but warned of the market risk if CalPERS experiences negative investment performance soon after a lump‑sum payment. City Manager Jeff Patno said the presentation reflects four years of work to align the budget with the city’s five‑year strategic plan and maintain reserves.

Following the presentation and public comment, Mayor Pro Tem Priya Bhat Patel moved adoption of the associated resolutions and to set the June 17 public hearing; the motion passed unanimously.

The council also approved smaller procedural and budgetary items during the meeting: a one‑time $75,000 allocation for parks and trails maintenance (see separate report on Hub Park trails) and direction to return with additional options on certain CIP projects. Staff will return with the final budget for adoption on June 17, after the public workshop scheduled for May 22 and the public hearing.

Ending: Staff committed to provide additional detail on CalPERS scenarios, the final CIP list and any requested scope adjustments ahead of the June 17 hearing.","City officials presented a preliminary $47 million capital request and a balanced general fund forecast that raises reserves to 61%. Council set a June 17 public hearing and voted unanimously to advance budget resolutions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press for Hub Park trails; council adds $75,000 one‑time for trails maintenance, staff warns PUC approval could take years

Council moves to disestablish former Carlsbad Tourism Business Improvement District

Carlsbad council advances preliminary FY2025-26 budget, sets June 17 adoption hearing