Oceanside gets millions from state for beachfront improvements

OCEANSIDE — The city of Oceanside received $8 million from the state for beachfront improvements earlier in October.

Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner Horvath (D-Encinitas), who represents the 76^th District including Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad and Encinitas, presented a check for $8 million at City Council’s Oct. 9 meeting.

“Since taking office in December, I have made it my top priority to advocate for our region,” Horvath said at the meeting. “I’m proud to say that my efforts have resulted in $10.5 million for Assembly District 76 from this state budget, with $8 million going to Oceanside for beachfront improvement and revitalization.”

The grant from the state was a total of $7.84 million dollars after the administrative fees were deducted from the grant, according to City Engineer Brian Thomas.

Thomas said the beachfront improvements project is estimated between $6 million and $8 million with the addition of the sewage lift station.

“Part of that is about a million and a half dollars ($1.5 million) for the sewage lift station,” Thomas said.

The city has already set aside money from utilities accounts to cover the sewer lift station, Thomas explained, with the balance of the money coming from the Measure X local sales tax revenue.

“With the grant that has come through, should the bids come higher than is estimated, funds from both Measure X and the utilities accounts will be utilized to balance the needed budget proportionately,” Thomas said.

Remaining balances would be returned to their respective accounts, according to Thomas. For Measure X, this would mean a reallocation of the first-year expenditures by the Citizens Oversight Committee by early next year.

According to Terry Gorman Brown, city of Oceanside communications analyst, the 1930s-era beach restroom will be remodeled to serve as a new police substation as part of the project.

Other improvements will include a new, wider staircase to be built with a landscaped viewing area, a rebuild of the existing sewer lift station, a remodel of the plaza under the Pier, a new building constructed to have new restrooms and storefront areas, and a service building will be added to house pumps and controls for the sewer lift station and beach cleaning equipment.

Improvements to the Tyson Street restrooms, which were originally part of the beachfront improvements project, are already almost finished.

Improvements to the Junior Seau Pier Amphitheatre, also known as the Bandshell, will be a separate project that the city is looking to budget, Thomas said.

The city anticipates the work for the beachfront improvements project to be completed by fall 2021.