Subcommittee backs Chamber-led "Carlsbad Family Friendly Certified" pilot

Mayor Pro Tem Battelle presented the Carlsbad Family Friendly Certified pilot, a voluntary program the city will not administer but will promote, and which the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce has agreed to operate.

Under the plan, businesses would complete a self-assessment using a published rubric across several domains — accessibility, caregiver support and comfort, child-centered experience, health and safety, and community participation — then receive a pathway, bronze, silver or gold designation, a window decal and optional directory listing. The program is trust-based and designed to require no city staffing or funding; the Chamber would manage sign-ups, website content and decals.

Public commenters welcomed the initiative. Courtney Baltiskey of the YMCA Childcare Resource Service and Children 1st Collective said the program complements employer-supported childcare and called childcare "essential" to keeping parents, especially women, in the workforce. Kim McDougall urged the city to consider employer-facing supports so workplaces are family friendly internally as well as externally.

Councilmembers expressed broad support and asked staff to follow up on public-comment suggestions such as linking employer supports and childcare resources. The city attorney advised the subcommittee it could simply voice support or take a formal action; Chair Battelle moved to "support the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce moving forward with administering this program," a motion that was seconded and noted as formalized in the meeting record. The transcript does not include a recorded roll-call vote tally for that motion.

Next steps: staff said the Chamber will administer the pilot; councilmembers requested offline follow-up on program details and potential employer supports. The subcommittee will receive updates as the pilot is rolled out.