Here is another update from Richard on his discussions with Carlsbad Park and Rec. Now that the dust has had a chance to settle on last weeks Carlsbad City Council meeting (and the subsequent news coverage) here is an update and more information on the Aqua Hedionda Lagoon situation and how it may affect use of the lagoon in the future. The Carlsbad City Council and the Parks and Rec Department say they are fully aware of the issues affecting the lagoon and are working on a solution. Indeed this is not a new problem for them. They are working from behind, but they are trying to get out ahead of the problem before it gets any worse. In there defense some complicated legal issues exist which makes it less than a slam dunk for the city to make any quick positive changes. There are questions regarding the citys authority to make certain changes for instance, and the city attorney and the state attorney need to work that out. Incidentally there will NOT be a public hearing on this topic Tuesday May 17. That information came from the City Clerks office late last week and is not correct. There WILL be more hearings on this topic in future where the city will put forth their ideas for managing the lagoon and I urge anyone concerned about this topic to attend. Meanwhile if you have ideas or opinions about the lagoon and its usage now is the time to voice them. The City of Carlsbad Parks and Rec Department are the people to contact (the City Council is waiting for there recommendations before acting). I had a nice long (positive) conversation with Parks and Rec and they are willing to listen to the public on this issue. As for solutions, Parks and Rec seems to be leaning (for now at least) towards a return to its original intended use for the Bayshore Drive access point which was a launch point for passive watercraft only (paddle boards and kayaks). No all day beach use at that location, no swimming, and no dogs. That is what this location was originally intended for and what its best suited for. This would be a satisfactory outcome (at least from my prospective as a paddle boarder) as far as the access point goes, What are your thoughts? Another change being considered is dividing up the use area on the water itself. I think the City could use a little help here. If you have any creative solutions for separating motor craft from paddle craft they need to hear it. I think a bigger share of that pie on the paddle craft side might be fair considering our numbers. If you agree let the city know. Meanwhile, for the moment at least no major changes will take place at the lagoon according to Parks and Rec. There may be an increased police presence including a police boat on the water at times. Please react positively. They are there to enforce what rules exist, and make the situation a little safer. In the meantime lets continue to be respectful of the Bayshore Drive neighborhood and hopefully that part of the problem will calm down. And lastly, dont get the impression that the solutions being considered are going to be automatic and that we can go to sleep on this issue. A lot of things could derail the process. The cost of the lagoon to the city is quite large and there is some potential liability exposure as well. The City of Carlsbad needs to know the lagoon is important to the public and worth the investment! (and the headaches) Thanks to those who expressed interest in this issue via the previous post. Stay tuned, your support is still needed.
Posted on: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 23:01:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015