Planning Commission Meeting Coming?

We are in the 'crazy season' of elections. The city has yet to tell citizens when the Planning Commission meeting will be scheduled for the 90 foot lights. Best estimates are the last half of October.

It is certainly possible that there will be very little notice given. It is important for all of Encinitas to let the planning commission how you feel about this radical change of our general plan and spot zoning effort.

The last planning meeting concerning Hall Park resulted in rejecting the EIR and recommended reducing the fields by 1 or 2 and solve serious traffic issues. There is ample evidence that the entire community does not want this in Encinitas. Vision Goals. One would think that the planning commission would recognize this fact. The council majority,(3-2), may again direct Park and  Rec. to challenge their conclusions as they did last time.

Register your email address at http://sosencinitas.com/SOS/Home.html to receive notice of the Planning Meeting, Council Meeting and Coastal Commission Meeting.

As for the 'Crazy Season', there are two sides to the Stadium Light issue, General Plan change and zoning change, etc.

Dalager and Gaspar both want the Stadium Lights, up to nine stories high, blocking ocean views (see below), diminishing the quality of life, changing the Community character, causing dangerous night time traffic, reducing property values, eliminating star views, loud speakers and light pollution up to midnight. Both are calling the Special Use Park/ Regional Sports Park a Community Park and wrongly state the current plan was certified by the planning commission. Dalager does not ackowledge that there are ANY homes by the park. (see article)  Gaspar has not indicated she cares. Neither are concerned with  about maintaining the community character, (seeVison Goals, below), or quality of life in this area of Encinitas.

Barth and Krantz want to get the park built for our citizens and DO NOT WANT the Stadium Lights, up to nine stories high, up to midnight, blocking ocean views, diminishing the quality of life, changing the Community character, causing dangerous night time traffic, reducing property values, eliminating star views, loud speakers and light pollution. Both value and want to maintain our community character and quality of life.

The latter two candidates do like children and families and want to build the park, counter to implied claims on the the first two candidates current political campaign mail outs.

 

More Misinformation on CPP Meeting Notice

The city website updated the Hall Project information on City Web Site.

The website shows the CPP Meeting Invitation.

Revised CPP meeting notice.
http://www.cityofencinitas.org/NR/rdonlyres/8EBD6022-B87F-477A-826E-D905E6C7E129/0/NeighborhoodMeetingLetter.pdf

This notice has changed a lot. The real document misstates that this EIR was approved by the Planning Commission. Untrue. For a while today it stated,
"... approved by the Planning Department and/or the City Council."
Now it is just the council.
The project description on the city web site changed a lot today, too.
For a while, it included tennis courts. Then it was changed to no tennis courts, but basketball courts. Neither are included in the current plans. This is what the community wanted. They lost. The city is trying to pretend that this is a community park. It is not. It is a Special Use Park.

Actual original CPP notice.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepnNKYQmRGD42lyHhkp98aOQPnWP3_dQX2580ScD6b8vf_UIPhE3eip9PtREsMrid3hjpKSGDb2KSTfRm4aLkHzcBNgWvP6QKp2__ZFqMhl43mQaCN710GsEZqk2GF2zbeawFMKgBwGIZ/s1600/6+24.jpg

The City altered the original document on the city web site and is presenting it as what was sent out.

The actual original states, "The project Master Plan and Comprehensive EIR have been approved and certified by the Planning Commission..."
(This was not factual and the city recently changed the text of the document)
 

How can it be appropriate to alter a legal document and present it as the original on the city web site?

And, the city has "updated" the Hall Property "Community Park" project description. WHY?

THIS IS NOT A COMMUNITY PARK. IT IS A SPECIAL USE PARK.

Parks and Recreation Department, under direction from council, stated in their recorded CPP response document to citizens,

"...it is designated as a Special Use Park"

See comments at: http://thecoastnews.com/view/full_story/8773795/article-COMMUNITY-COMMENTARY--Confusion-reigns-at-Hall-park-meeting?instance=coast_secondary_stories_left_column

The city made a lot of changes yesterday.

The city is stating that there will be, "basketball courts, a skate park, a teen center, a dog park, an aquatic center"

In truth on the master plan map there are no tennis courts or basketball courts or volleyball courts, just sports fields that the majority of the community will not have access to.  This plan serves visitors from outside the community more that our own community. The aquatic center has been taken off the table, for now, even though the city want to have citizens pay for stadium lights installed for the aquatic center.

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: Confusion reigns at Hall park meeting

Coast News Group -

 COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

click on:
http://thecoastnews.com/view/full_story/8773795/article-COMMUNITY-COMMENTARY--Confusion-reigns-at-Hall-park-meeting?instance=coast_lead_story_left_column#ixzz0u38CkzeJ

Agenda Item #9 Community Vision Report

Council Meeting: July 14, 2010

Agenda item 9, showcased the wishes and hopes of the community. Over 1300 citizens attended the workshops and polled hundreds more throughout our city. We all owe thanks to those who participated in this noble venture. All of the council members supported the Vision Goals. Council member Barth attended all the workshops.
The presentation is available on the city web site http://www.encinitas2035.info/    Also see the PDF file with entire presentation.

Stocks:      "This is a very important document"
Bond:        "Thanks for the good work"
Houlihan: "We need to prioritize maintaining the community character and safety. This is a city mandate"
Barth:       "This says what the community wants."


The most redundant theme throughout the presentation was to maintain the community character and identity of the individual communities. "The general plan needs to respond to the unique character and identity of each area."
"This is the community's desire." "Maintain the community character. Everyone wants that." " The unique community character must be preserved."

The general plan change that the city is trying to rush through over the summer, (case # 10-068), violates 40% of the stated Goals and Issues of this city wide endeavor and disrespect the wishes of all the communities of our city.

click to enlarge

This presentation shows that 93 % of the community would agrees that this proposal does not support their wishes for the future.

The Community Vision does not support this radical general plan change.

case # 10-068

DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN

JUST DOESN'T CARE ? / Dalager does not acknowledge any residential impact

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Letters: July 9, 2010 , Coast News

Just Doesn’t Care?

 The following quote tells the story of the eight-year battle the community lost in their quest to have a community park (“Lights planned for field at Hall property park,” July 2, 2010).


“The field lights will directly neighbor Vons shopping center and Interstate 5. ‘If you can’t have lights by the shopping center and freeway, where can you have them?’ Dalager asked.”


The fact is that the area that borders Vons, to the north, is the smallest and only area not directly impacting residents. To the west, east and south are hundreds of residential homes on narrow streets that will lose ocean views, sunset views, their quality of life, their view of stars, their community character, their night time safety and will have decreased property values.


It is obvious that either our mayor does not know this or he just does not care.


Anthony Dippolito
Encinitas

http://thecoastnews.com/view/full_story/8565703/article-Letters--July-9--2010?instance=coast_news_letters_right_column

(feel free to comment)

See additional rebuttal of Coast News Article in comments, below.
click comments

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY / SHATTERED PEACE: Spot Zoning, Neighborhood Relations, Quality of Life, Negative Effect of Lights, Property Values and more.

Read about a lot of other similar situations, Spot Zoning, Sports/Neighborhood Relations, California Court Rules City Council Members Must Listen...,and the Negative Effects of Field Lights on Neighborhoods, Quality of Life and Property Values.

On the right a little ways down it a story featured from the NCT about Encinitas banning lights. The link is gone.

 click here

http://shatteredpeace.com/

and

http://shatteredpeace.com/quotes.htm

Hear this at night till 11pm?
http://www.shatteredpeace.com/sound_goddard_sandburg.htm

SEE MORE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS IN ARCHIVE POSTS BELOW.

Not A Community Park Anymore / CPP Meeting, photos / Photos of homes that will Lose Ocean Views / Story Poles

*   new updates 7/5

IMPORTANT

This could reduce your property values
Both July Planning Commission meetings have been canceled. A SPECIAL MEETING COULD BE CALLED for the changes in the city General Plan FOR ANY THURSDAY. 
SEND YOUR COMMENTS AND CONCERNS
TO

Kelly Morgan,  kmorgan@ci.encinitas.ca.us

 COMMENTS WILL BE FILED PUT ON RECORD FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AND COASTAL COMMISSION

COAST NEWS ARTICLE, 7/2:  http://thecoastnews.com/view/full_story/8117673/article-Lights-planned-for-field-at-Hall-property-park?instance=coast_news_special_coverage_right_column

..........................................................................................................

MEETING NOTES

The name of the park in the CPP document sent to residents within 1000 feet was  "Encinitas Community Park"

on the back it was referred to as Hall Property Community Park

This is Not a COMMUNITY PARK !

The EIR states, "...the proposed project is designated as a Special Use Park.

The presentation did not clear this confusion for, those present, and used the term Hall Property.

(from city web site)

http://www.cityofencinitas.org/NR/rdonlyres/2DDFF2EC-4880-42B0-BC81-FC6DCE26B171/0/ResidentNotification.pdf

(NOTE THE LEGEND ON THE MAP, THE BUFFER ZONE)

North County Times article 6/25

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/encinitas/article_52ca3553-001e-55c0-b008-16808bec4ad8.html

feel free to offer comments

The meeting was a Musco Lighting presentation

They are leaders in the industry.

They did the lighting at the World Cup.

Stadium Lighting proposal at Hall Sports Park 

Their advanced systems reduce light spill by 50%

They acknowledged, responding to a citizens comment, that the spillage would be equal to 80 full moons. 

All of the examples of the sports fields were from high above the lights. Residents will not be looking down.

This was presented as the effect of:

The athletic field lighting component of this project is comprised of installation of (3) 40’, (13) 60’, (4) 70’, (10) 80’ and (4) 90’ steel galvanized poles with pole top luminary assemblies to support lighting  equipment for nighttime athletic field lighting.

(From city web site)

(not clear on how many light on each pole)

Many questions, not about lights, were not allowed to be asked.

Questions like, "What are the specific changes to the General Plan Amendment, Local Plan Amendment, Major use Plan Amendment, Design Review Modification Coastal Development Permit and Zoning Changes", went unanswered.

The audience was told we were "here to discuss lights only."

This process, it was stated, was directed by Council.

When asked, "How far away would you have to be to see stars?" the answer was, "I don't know.

Musco has never done a lighting project this close to the ocean.

Pine Avenue Park, in Carlsbad, has 80 foot lights and is much smaller. The poles can accommodate cell towers and loud speakers.

                     

Current sunset view from the Mackinnon Bridge that will be lost forever.

It is difficult to comprehend what 90 foot sport field lights would look like in front of this ocean view corridor that has ALWAYS been there. Every family with a home east of Hwy 5 that has enjoyed this view corridor will lose it, forever. For every pedestrians, dog walkers, kids walking to school, bikers and cars have always traveled on The MacKinnon Bridge and looked or stopped to enjoy the ocean view, the horizon view, a sunset, a dusk sky on the water or the sky at night,
this will end.

From the approved EIR. 

"Policy 4.6 states: "The city will maintain and enhance the scenic highway/visual corridor view sheds" 
Coastal Act/30251

Policy 9.5 states: "Discourage development that would infringe upon scenic views and vistas within the I-5 Corridor.

It has not been city policy to erect story poles.

The telephone poles on the Hall property are 40 feet.

The tallest poles proposed, with up to ten sports field lights each will be 50 feet higher.

                       

STORY POLE SIMULATION
 CLICK TO ENLARGE

STORY POLE SIMULATION (dusk)

Each of these 34 poles can hold up to ten sports field light.

There is no remedy for the further effect of coastal fog.

   They  may require STROBE LIGHTS ON TOP  for aviation safety

and can  accommodate loud speakers and cell towers.

At all of the General Plan workshops throughout the city, currently being conducted by the city, many want a dark sky ordinance, like the Olivenhain area of the city.

The soccer league have about 18 fields at locations listed on their web site.

With the Hall Special Use/Sports Fields they will have about 23 fields. The YMCA,  Lake Drive and SD Academy  are the only fields with Athletic Light poles. Three of these lighted fields are within a half a mile from each other, in Cardiff. This unwelcome proposal would result in eight fields with sports field light poles within one half mile radius, in Cardiff. Cardiff now has 14 fields, (with the 5 Hall Special Use Park fields),  in a one mile radius. The two latest built city fields, at Leo Mullins Sports Fields have no sports lighting poles and is located in a mainly business district and obstructs no ocean or sunset views. The local residents did not want them and the council complied.

To accommodate the need for a few extra hours of  play, in Cardiff, everyone walking or driving in this part of town and all of these homes below will lose their ocean  and sunset views.

FOREVER

click to enlarge

Let them know.

If you feel this proposal will obstruct your historic ocean, sunset or horizon view, or will adversely affect you and have not been notified by the city, feel free to let them know.
planning@cityofencinitas.org
case # 10-068
attention Michael Stauffer
Senior Management Analyst
The presenter said that this proposal is not a forgone conclusion.

There was not one comment supporting any lights on The Hall Property.

NO LIGHTS

SEE BELOW FOR MORE FACTS AND PHOTOS

Click on comments, below, to offer comments.

It is easier to just post as anonymous but please leave your name.

Misleading CPP Meeting Invite, Photos of Effect of Lights UPDATED 6/20/10

June 24, 2010

Thursday, June 24, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:PM
Banquet Hall at the
Encinitas Community Center

1140 Oakcrest Park Drive

This is a C.P.P meeting required by law to inform citizens of the proposed changes listed in the notification document.click to enlarge
( the current plan cannot be legally defined as a community park)

There is not a park in Encinitas called "Encinitas Community Park"
Why the effort to confuse?
This document states that the Planning Commission approved the EIR.
This is not true

http://thecoastnews.com/view/full_story/335428/article-City-overturns-decision-on-Hall-park?

This CCP document is defective.
This is to inform every one only within 1000 feet of the Sports Park of the following:
General plan amendment
Local plan amendment
Major use plan amendment
Design review modification
Coastal development permit 
Spot Zoning change

This would affect far more citizens than the people who were offered this misleading invitation.

This will be a good opportunity to find out how this action is going to change your life in the future


The city's simulation of sports park stadium lights

from EIR, showing only 17 poles

Simulation of lights of sports park stadium lights, lighted, in coastal fog.

(see below to view what up to 340 sports field lights on poles up to nine stories high will look like at night according to the presentation offered at the city planning department desk.)



If you know anyone who may be interested in this information, please feel free to share this information.

The circle indicates the residents that the city is required to legally notify. The effect of 340 sports field lights on poles up to ninety feet high is going to effect a lot more people than just in this circle.

The glare cannot be eliminated. Those to the east will miss sunsets and ocean views.

The city admits there will be light pollution.

This proposal dramatically changes the environmental impact of the park.

"Hazeltine said the parks department is seeking permission for the extra-tall light poles because they will provide less light pollution."

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/encinitas/article_b1a2e2b0-1481-5aaf-bcf8-70af11ce8865.html?mode=story

click on comments/leave one

No lights cause no light pollution, no dangerous night time traffic or night time loud speakers.

These are three light poles.

The plan is thirty four
with up to ten lights each,
up to Nine Stories High

This intrusion would not reflect the strongly-held
community concern for retaining local identity and community character.

Sunset view from the east of the Sports Fields6/12/10
This view of the horizon and ocean will be forever lost.

Same sunset (simulated) view with Sports Field Stadium Lights
in coastal fog
till 10:oo pm or later, with amplified sound systems.

The after dark traffic will be a hazard on our narrow streets till 10pm or later.


It is impossible to visualize what 34 sports field light poles up to nine stories high would look like.


Story poles would show what the impact would be. There are no plans to offer story poles. If you wanted to add ten feet to your house, you would be required to install story poles by the planning department.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following photos show what up to 340 stadium field lights will look like at night with the lights lite according to the city.

There has been NO alteration of these photos presented by the planning department.

Seeing the lights on at night at the Lake Drive Sports Fields, the YMCA fields, San Dieguito Academy, ( all smaller and much less lights), or a 7-11 after dark, these depictions of the effects of up to 340 sports field lights on 34 light poles up to nine stories high, that the city is offering are difficult to accept.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By comparison, this is a real photo of one two c cell hand held flashlight held five feet high at dusk, taken from the MacKinnon St. Bridge across the Sport Fields with a quarter phased moon illumination with no coastal fog.

(Seems brighter than the city photos.)

Imagine what up to 340 Sports Field Lights on 34 light poles up to NINE STORIES HIGH would really look like.

WE CAN STOP THIS

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO CARDIFF

This shows six sports field light poles. The city wants thirty four.

NO LIGHTS

MORE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION BELOW

click 'comments' to view or leave comments

When leaving comments, it is easier to use anonymous, but please sign your name.

see more comments below next post

City Proposes 340 Sports Field Stadium Lights Up to Nine Stories High

The CPP ,(citizens participation program). for the application is currently under review, with the CPP meeting tentatively scheduled for June 24. Following the CPP meeting, staff would then move forward to the Planning Commission and then to the City Council as quickly as possible with the hope of getting the amendment before the Council by the end of summer. Should the Council take action to approve the application, the project would then have to go through the Local Coastal Program amendment process at Coastal Commission.

What the city is proposing is a change of the height restrictions in Cardiff on the Sports Fields to allow stadium field lighting up to 90 feet. (about the height of a nine story building).
This would include:
A general plan amendment
A local plan amendment
A major use plan amendment
A Design review modification
A Coastal development permit
ZONING CHANGE

Facts:

The lighting plan calls for up to 340 lights on 34 poles up to 90 feet.

The EIR states clearly that the recommended field requirements of our city is one field per ten thousand residents within a one mile radius.

The current Sports Park plan would create fourteen (14) Sports Fields within a one half mile radius with (8) eight of them lighted.
This spot zoning would set a precedent for 90 foot height limits in our city.

Leo Mullins Sports Fields, (two fields), the latest developed sports fields near Target, was not spot zoned and does not allow permanent lights even though there are only two immediately adjacent residents, only businesses, because residents did not want lights and the city complied with the wishes of the local community.


The only city funded survey on this park proposal did not want lights.
The park design that citizens developed, after being invited by the city to “design your park”, did not include lights.
The majority on written and recorded oral comments on the Hall Sports Park, concerning lights, did not want lights.

Cal Trans wrote a letter on file indicating they not want lights.

A large share of citizens working on the general plan amendments throughout the city want a dark sky amendment, like the Olivenhain area of Encinitas.

Lights could be on and loud speakers used till 12 PM. (allowed in EIR)
Homes that are east of the Sports Park with a sunset view will no longer enjoy this
asset, diminishing their property value.



From Hall EIR:
“…there are areas in the northwest and southwest corners of the site where light could spill beyond the park property lines.”, and …lighting of the walkways, parking lot, and athletic fields may result in a significant impact (impact Visual-1)
“ In addition, the project has the potential to result in light trespass onto adjacent properties.”
“There may be locations where a pedestrian within the park or offsite may view directly onto the athletic field lighting (FKA 2006a).”
“This glare would not result in the reduction of the ability to see or identify objects; however, it could cause discomfort for the viewer (i.e., discomfort glare).

In the Hall E.I.R., there are photos of the Sports Park area that show what the area looks like with and without lights. The lighting visual simulation depicted show only (17), seventeen poles. The current light proposal call for (39) light poles.
Further, there are simulations of light poles on the property, which would obstruct views as 39 telephone would. There are no photo simulations of what the lights might look like after dark, which would be far more intrusive.
We have offered some photo simulations of the lights on at dusk and at night. We offer this because the city has not and will not.
See Attached.
Because the city is trying to get this through as soon as possible, I am offering this information so all concerned can act, as they see fit, to this radical change to our community’s future.

If you believe this is not advantageous for Cardiff, there are some things that can be done.
Let your neighbors know what is being proposed. Write letters to the editors, email Council members, support petitions, contact Coastal Commission and go to any city meetings related to this proposed change.
City project manager: Kelly Morgan
http://www.blogger.com/

Spread the word.

Thank You

The following photos show a simulation of stadium lights(on) on the Sports Fields and the simulation of lights offered by the city (off) and simulation of lights in selected streets. The photo of the Sports Fields with light poles in daylight is from the Enviornmental Impact Report on the Hall property supplied by the city. It does not show the impact of lights at night, which is pertinent, and implys that there are 17 poles, when the current plan is for 39 poles.


Click to enlarge

View towards Sports park / end of Glasgow

6/13/10

with lights

EIR photo showing sports park location

with lights

Sports Field lights simulation by city from EIR

Shows 17 light poles

same photo with 29 sports field stadium lights with some coastal fog.

ON



The Planning Commission, A City funded survey, the majority of public comments, neighbors and two council members all agreed that the current plan is not what the public wants. At present, the wishes of the above have been ignored and efforts to compromise have been ignored. As well as traffic issues, such as the F grade, (EIR report), of one of the main entrances, a narrow two lane road with parking on one side.
The empathetic response to the citizens in the neighborhood from their council members has been comments like, “We will do whatever we want.” , “ Left field is enough of a buffer zone” and “If we don’t build more soccer fields, we will have to build more jails”
The majority on council have gotten their way, disregarding any other opinions. It is not fair, or within the guideline of the general plan to implement this intrusion. At all of the General Plan workshops, there are citizen that desire a dark sky ordinance, like the Olivenhain area of the city.
This is not fair to Cardiff.

NO LIGHTS

ACT NOW
STAY INFORMED

http://sosencinitas.com/SOS/Home.html



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