SOLANA BEACH — The six candidates vying for three seats on the Solana Beach City Council have been invited to discuss their positions on a variety of city issues.
The city’s Clean & Green Committee, a citizens group that promotes sustainability, is hosting the forum and will be moderated by the League of Women Voters North County San Diego, and co-sponsored by the Solana Homeowners Association Group.
Candidates are incumbent Lesa Heebner and Dave Zito, Peter Zahn, Vickie Driver, Daniel Powell and Paul Frankel.
Questions will be taken from residents and others attending the forum. Topics will include but not be limited to environmental issues, future development, zoning, quality of life and transit.
“It’s important for voting citizens of Solana Beach to understand how their prospective City Council members feel about issues related to the environment and sustainability,” said Jack Hegenauer, a member of the Clean & Green committee. “This forum gives everyone a chance to hear and compare the views of the candidates.”
Solana Beach is often looked to as a county leader when it comes to environmental issues.
It recently adopted the county’s first law to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags at grocery stores and retail outlets. It became the first in the county to adopt a green building program.
The city has developed programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including ones for solar and energy-efficiency financing, retrofitting residential buildings, and parking and street-light energy efficiency.
It also has ordinances for mandatory commercial recycling and water-efficient landscaping.
Solana Beach banned smoking in its indoor restaurants in 1992. In 2003 it became the first city in the continental United States to prohibit smoking on its beaches.
The forum will start at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Boys and Girls Club, 533 Lomas Santa Fe Drive.
