Encinitas denies permanent access across city open space for SANDAG double‑track, approves limited extended work hours

The Encinitas City Council denied a SANDAG request for permanent construction access across two city‑owned parcels adjacent to the Batiquitos Lagoon Double Track project but approved limited nonstandard construction hours with conditions intended to reduce impacts to nearby residents and the city's recently acquired open space.

SANDAG and city engineering staff presented the double‑track project, which will replace an aging single‑track wooden bridge over Batiquitos Lagoon with a modern double‑track bridge and associated drainage, and detailed how construction is constrained by protected least tern nesting seasons. SANDAG sought permission to use an access alignment from Carlsbad Boulevard across the city parcels during construction to avoid building a 10‑foot permanent retaining wall at the La Costa Avenue approach and to reduce haul‑trip impacts on La Costa Avenue. SANDAG also requested extended weekday working hours (06:30–18:00) and said it would use weekend "absolute work windows" (temporary full track outages) to accelerate construction during off‑peak times.

Residents, businesses and environmental advocates spoke at length. Speakers representing nearby hotels and the tourism industry warned that extended noise and truck trips during the summer season would harm hotel operations and visitor experience; residents and environmental advocates urged preservation of the city's newly purchased Surfers Point parcel, asked that the city not permanently bisect city‑owned open space, and raised stormwater/drainage questions. Several callers asked that Saturday start times be set later to reduce early‑morning disturbance.

Council members and staff balanced those concerns against the project's regional benefits and the constraints imposed by the least tern nesting environmental window. The city attorney advised that temporary construction access can be permitted but permanent conveyance or permanent easements are a separate policy decision. Council members expressed reluctance to permanently impair city open space for a construction convenience, particularly for $300,000 in SANDAG funds that would be used for habitat or public access improvements.

Council action: the council voted to DENY SANDAG's request for permanent access across the city parcels (motion carried) and to AUTHORIZE limited extended construction hours for the project with the following conditions: weekday hours 06:30–18:00; Saturday activity may start at 07:30 and end by 17:30 (noise‑sensitive decibel limits to be enforced); and staff is authorized to negotiate with SANDAG and NCTD to minimize heavy work during September and to coordinate additional mitigation for hotel and neighbor impacts. Council asked staff to pursue additional drainage coordination with NCTD and to return with any required agreements regarding public access improvements and revegetation plans for any temporary disturbance.

Key speakers and staff: SANDAG representatives David Cortez, Bruce Smith and project manager Tim DeWitt presented technical details and timing; City Engineer Jill Bankston moderated the city presentation; local business representatives and hotel counsel (Marco Gonzales) and neighbors raised concerns about noise, drainage and the permanence of any new access.

What this means: SANDAG must proceed using the existing approved access plan or negotiate more limited, temporary access that avoids permanent conveyance across city open space; the council's hours approvals allow more efficient work windows but include requirements to limit early Saturday noise and to seek further mitigation during the high‑tourism months and September nesting/adaptive windows.

Sections (structure retained in article body): lede, nut graff, body details and closing notes.