I have lived in Carlsbad since 1995. I know many Carlsbad residents and I love my neighborhood, Terramar!
From 2008 to 2015, I intervened for Terramar at the California Energy Commission and fought against two power plants at Encina. It was a full time job for years and it was worth it to protect Carlsbad and Terramar’s air quality.
Many of you were a part of that effort. We succeeded! Now, Encina will be demolished and we will only have one smaller power plant.
Together we fought hard for strict noise and traffic regulations to protect Terramar when the new plant is built and the old one is torn down.
I did my homework because I care deeply about Terramar!
Now we are faced with another project near Terramar. It is the proposed Caruso project called Measure A, at the corner of Cannon Road and Interstate 5.
Again I have done my homework and I definitely support YES on Measure A.
The plan offers so many positives for us!
As a part of the 203-acre plan, Caruso is required to clean up the open space at the lagoon. He must improve drainage, take out non-native plants and replant native plants, protect the sensitive habitat areas, create trails in the non-sensitive areas, and endow all of this perpetuity! All of this must be done before the retail center can open. Lagoon drainage from this project will be required to meet strict standards for runoff.
The development of upscale shopping and dining should generate $2.6 million in new tax revenue for Carlsbad’s general fund.
We are a city that is almost built out, and tax revenue is needed to keep our city the safe, secure, clean and beautiful city it is!
• I am thrilled that the Caruso project intends to install solar and be LEED certified!
• The project must follow all of Carlsbad’s strict building regulations!
• I feel confident knowing this project is required to get California Coastal Commission approval!
• I am impressed with the enormous $9.4 million commitment to improve traffic flow in our community!
• We are lucky that this project is a short walk from Terramar!
• We will be gifted with three new miles of walking trails along the lagoon.
• The open space will be maintained in perpetuity by an endowment.
Please give this project your consideration! Get the facts at the Measure A information center on Cannon Road at the Strawberry Fields. Once you do, I hope you will join me in voting YES on Measure A.
Kerry Siekmann is a resident of the Terramar neighborhood in Carlsbad and member of the city’s planning commission.
This post has been clarified to reflect Ms. Siekmann’s post on the planning commission.
7 comments
Never seen someone so bonkers over solar. Did the author just land from Mars? Reads like she would support anything so long as they throw in a solar panel!
What a tool. As if you have a unbiased position on this project. All her statements are without fact. Prop “D” counters most of her stated argument. I would say that she needs to stick to her city planning job but like her above story, her skills are sorely lacking there too. You are shining example of why Carlsbad residents need to vote NO on A. All talk no facts……
Give this billionaire L.A. developer the key to this beautiful village by the sea.
Let him side step the California Environmental Quality Act, using his millions to turn our lagoon into a Regional Shopping Center.
An entire campaign built on a lie; “Save the Strawberry Fields” With no mention of the massive mall we never needed.
What could possibly go wrong?
Don’t reward this deception and encourage similar community dividing developments.
VOTE NO. We are not LA!
She writes this from the perception of a high school freshman. The use of quotation marks is disturbing. Probably the worst free soap box push opine I’ve ever read. If she is on the planning commission that is scary. If this is what money and influence brings, god help the city of carlsbad. She should claw back her tuition from whatever institution awarded her a degree.
The minuscule dollars it will dribble into carlsbad is insignificant, and I’m appalled she is touting it.
That being said, the property is zoned for something specific, and something will be built there in my lifetime. I say hold his feet to the fire every inch of the way. I’ll never shop at his mall, but I may walk the trails. At least we won’t see more condos built there.
Maybe she is good at ribbon cutting.
Ah yes, she’s been in the news relating to this project- http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/sep/09/tempers-flare-in-carlsbad-signature-gathering/
She fails to mention she also works as the Planning Commissioner for the City of Carlsbad. I’m voting No on A as is Eric Munoz, formerly of the city’s planning staff and two-term president of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation.
Why has this become such a community divider? What was wrong with the normal process of submission and review that prompted Caruso and company to spend so many millions to avoid it?
Is it because he was beaten in an attempt to build a mall by the Westgate group when he proposed one near their mall at the Santa Anita Race Track?
This issue starts to call into question the actions of the City Council and the way it has been promoted by groups like the Police and Firemens Unions who have no expertise in planning but have a self interest at play. Their linkage to groups on the council who support their salaries and pensions and benefits are examples of what looks so over the top in the hustle for this new retail center.
Why such a push when not so long ago the council fell all over itself to oppose the power plant’s proposal directly across from I-5 by claiming it would be bad for traffic etc. but now claim the new Mall is a boon in terms of traffic?
The whole thing begins to look more and more like a slick operator came to town and took us for a bunch of boobs. Could someone explain how building a huge mall in an open field is protecting our open space? It is straight out of ‘1984’ in tens of news speak, as in ‘War is Peace.’
Even the Agua Hedionda Lagoon foundation now appears to be more intent on building an empire rather than on protecting the Lagoon, presumably its purpose.
What is really going on? An investigative reporter should look into it for us.
Comments are closed.