Encinitas parks commission reviews work plan, project updates and new recreation programs; approves Dec. 17 special meeting minutes

The Encinitas Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed progress on its 12‑item work plan and heard staff updates on park projects, nonprofit fundraising efforts and new recreation programming.

The commission approved the minutes from a Dec. 17, 2024 special meeting. The motion passed; four commissioners voted to approve the minutes while three members were absent.

Parks Manager Norgaard reported the lighting retrofit at Carter Sports Park is essentially complete after a grant‑funded replacement of high‑intensity field lighting with LEDs, with only punch‑list items and a few pedestrian‑scale lights remaining. He said a construction contract for Scott Valley Park has been awarded, the contractor has ordered equipment, and the notice‑to‑proceed is scheduled for early March. "So I expect they'll be on‑site sometime shortly after that," Norgaard said.

Norgaard also described the native plant demonstration garden project, which is underway; staff plan a stakeholder outreach meeting with consultants in February. He said staff will present a habitat stewardship agreement for the next phase of that work to city council, and staff are recommending the city award a contract to the San Diego Botanic Garden for continued maintenance and stewardship work.

The commission heard updates on internal work plan items. An ad hoc group invited the Carter Foundation to present detailed project drawings and permitting status in April; the foundation is awaiting permit approvals before seeking additional public and financial support. A separate ad hoc has been developing a nonprofit, renamed in commission materials as the "Encinitas Project," to pursue private and grant funding for parks, recreation and cultural arts; the group is working on a memorandum of understanding with the city and developing a marketing and fundraising plan.

Commissioners reported several edits and additions to outcome language across the work plan items. Examples: add "tennis" alongside "pickleball" when noting potential future court uses; include the spring egg hunt, art nights and Moonlight Beach concerts among events the commission attends; correct the stylization of the mapping application OuterSpatial to the single‑word capitalized form used by the vendor; and extend completion of the La Costa Avenue naming/use process because double‑track rail construction will delay city work by "a minimum of 4 years." The commission said the bylaws ad hoc will continue drafting and provide comments to staff within a month.

Recreation staff reported new and upcoming programs: a virtual reality travel series for adults 50+ funded through the San Diego Senior Center Foundation (free and limited to 20 participants per session), a new adult Sunday soccer league at Leo Mullen, and several community events with dates: Music by the Sea (Jan. 25), Teens Teach Tech (Feb. 1, 9 a.m.–noon), Community Resource Fair (Feb. 8, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., hosted by the Chamber of Commerce), Arbor Day (Apr. 5 at Cardiff Sports Park, 9 a.m.–noon) and the Spring Egg Hunt (Apr. 19). Staff said the virtual reality series will begin with Japan and later feature Paris; the program provides participants a "passport" and is free to participants because of the foundation donation.

Chair Ritter announced Vice Chair Hanson will resign at the end of the term year, opening a commission seat. Commissioners discussed outreach for volunteers and explained the application process (written application to the city clerk followed by a mayoral slate and city council vote later in the season). The commission did not adopt new policy changes at the meeting but asked ad hoc groups and staff to finalize language for work plan outcomes and return items to the February meeting for action as needed.