The city’s purchase of the Pacific View property took another step toward completion May 21 as the Encinitas City Council voted 3 to 2 to approve an “intent motion” that includes financing for Pacific View. The final budget vote will happen at the council’s June 11 meeting.
In the usual split, Mayor Teresa Barth and councilmebers Tony Kranz and Lisa Shaffer voted for the motion, while Deputy Mayor Mark Muir and councilmember Kristin Gaspar voted against it.
The Encinitas City Council: (l. to r.) Lisa Shaffer, Tony Kranz, Kristin Gaspar, Deputy Mayor Mark Muir and Mayor Teresa Barth.
The motion approved included the fifth and final budget scenario presented by City Manager Gus Vina, who explained how the acquisition of Pacific View and the construction of a badly needed new lifeguard tower at Moonlight Beach can occur while maintaining safe and accepted budget reserves.
At the meeting, SavePacificView.org’s Scott Chatfield urged the council to “unite on the financing, and unite to help lead the community in determining specifically how this legacy property is going to be used to serve the people of Encinitas.”
Councilmember Gaspar said that the council’s disagreement on Pacific View relates to her and Muir’s concerns about “price and spending priorities,” but “should this council move forward with [the Pacific View purchase], I guarantee you that this council will be united in fostering a vision for that space, and that’s something that I’m personally committed to.”
Here is the tentative Purchase Agreement that will be discussed on May 28, and here is the agenda. Vina will present a four-point Pacific View “Activation Plan” at the May 28 city council meeting as part of Item 10A:
Pacific View Activation Plan
On April 24, 2014 the Encinitas Union School District and the City of Encinitas signed a Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Intent to Enter into Purchase Agreement for the Pacific View school site. On May 21, 2014 the City Council approved the financing plan to move forward with this purchase. Separate from, and following this budget report, staff will present the Purchase Agreement for the property located at 608 Third Street, Encinitas, CA 92024 (Pacific View).
In order to organize a path forward and seek the City Council’s direction on next steps, the City Manager recommends the following four point “activation plan” framework be considered by the City Council:
- Point One: Complete the purchase of the property
- Point Two: Property clean up and evaluation of structures
- Point Three: Identify interim uses
- Point Four: Develop Public Outreach for Visioning/Conceptual ideas
The financing for the purchase of the property is expected to take approximately six to seven months, completing around December 2014. The financing plan will be presented to the City Council for authorization in June/July. Once escrow is closed and the property secured, evaluation of structures and City Council discussion on property clean up can occur. Staff would bring an agenda forward to the City Council in order to discuss points three and four of the activation plan.
Video of the May 21 budget discussion, including public comments, can be viewed here by selecting Item 10C.
A San Diego U-T article about Pacific View financing is here.
Since the deal isn’t closed yet and obstacles remain, supporters of the Pacific View purchase are encouraged to stay engaged by attending or watching Encinitas City Council meetings from home.
Letters to local media (such as this one from Ron Ranson) to keep the spotlight on completing the purchase are also helpful.
SavePacificView.org will stay on top of developments and send email updates when new Pacific View events occur. You’re also invited to stay up-to-date on Pacific View news by joining the SavePacificView.org email list here. Your name and email address will only be used by SavePacificView.org. The SavePacificView story as told by local media can be read here.
City Manager Gus Vina’s chart depicting how adding the Pacific View purchase and a new lifeguard tower will affect the city’s debt outlook, which is projected to improve over the next 30 years.
The discussion has begun. What are your Pacific View ideas? Click here to Share Your View!
The discussion about what we’d all like to see happen at the Pacific View site has begun in earnest.
Here are some excerpts from Share Your View posts and comments so far:
Given that there is no current funding to build a state-of-the-art arts center immediately, why not focus on what we do have and build from there? While there must be long-range planning and vision, there is no reason not to tap available assets on the site to start a limited number of cultural activities and create community buy-in and use within 2014. —Steve Barilotti
The development of the Pacific School site will take time and energy, but what I would love to see, as soon as the transfer of property is realized, is a small “Legacy Garden” started somewhere. It doesn’t have to be huge, and it doesn’t have to edibles. The asphalt could be torn up, chopped into manageable pieces, and stacked for a raised growing area without use of concrete. A garden such as this could be modified or removed to suit other plans and designs. If there ever was a kid friendly project, this is it! —Mary Fleener
Sure, it’d make a nice garden and I’m glad the money will go to our school system but I don’t think the city is the best owner… Why not change the zoning of this land such that it protects the school. Let developers develop the other half of the land. The taxes from the development will pay for the maintenance of the historical school site. —surf1680
I also am in favor of using the building and property to provide a home for for various community groups. I would like to see some art elements but NOT just/mostly art. I want a community center for the downtown, something that becomes a social hub for the kid with after school programs and other families programs. —Christian Marcotte
Turn the old classrooms into dance and yoga class rooms, community art night rooms, etc. Use all the outside area for a weekly farmers market. Incorporate the previous ideas of the tribute/community gardens. —Cheyenne Arnold
I would like part of it be an Artist colony with classes for adults and children. and art shows. The Artist Colony would pay rent. Check out the Virgina Beach Arts Center which started extremely small with a few classes and shows. Now it is huge with lots of support. A Community Theater which would also pay rent. Different groups could rent the theater like they used to do with La Paloma. I would like to see venues like this maybe 6 so the city could get $10,000 plus a month rent from the property. —Beverly Goodman
It will take years before anything new will be approved and built, so meanwhile it should be revamped until further remodeling is eminent. Time is money and we have lots of space to work with! —Fred Caldwell
The existing classrooms and equipment on site should be surveyed and inventoried. The most logical process would involve rehabbing the classrooms, removing excess blacktop, and getting underway ASAP. —Lynn Autumn
Creating rental lockers and work areas for artist who are creating BIG projects could help too. Very Large sculptures that need “yard-space” in a secure area would be suitable in the parking area, charging by the square foot. Coming from the education world, my ideas are for after Pacific View gets “Cleaned-Up”. Let me know when you need an extra broom, I will be right there. YEAH! —Judy Salinsky
I had suggested we keep maximum zoning flexibility, also to include the option of moving the one room schoolhouse to the Historical Museum next to the Botanical Garden. This would enhance what would be a Museum-Botanical area, while giving full scope to an imaginitive ultimate project that could provide revenue along with a mix of functions. —Al Rodbell
You and your friends are invited to have your say and Share Your View on the SavePacificView.org website. You can login there directly or use your Facebook, Twitter or Google+ ID to post and comment. Your input is much appreciated, and essential to helping create a place that can be enjoyed for generations to come.
SavePacificView.org thanks…
All 724 people who sent a SavePacific View email– without you, the city’s purchase of this treasured site would not have happened!
Special thanks to:
- Antal Adriaanse
- Barbara Aplington
- Teresa Barth
- Catherine Blakespear
- Bob Bonde
- Robert Bush
- Fred Caldwell
- Sheila Cameron
- Bennett Chatfield
- Chris Chatfield
- Kay Colvin
- Carolyn Cope
- Dody Crawford
- Darius Degher
- Mary Fleener
- Sarah Garfield
- Anton Gerschler
- John Gjata
- Linda Huston
- Dan Jaoudi
- Stephen Keyes
- Tony Kranz
- Annie Leaf
- Kathleen Lindemann
- Tim Lueker
- Mail Dog Email Marketing Tools
- Lynn Marr
- Maureen Muir
- Pat Muller
- Robert Nichols
- Lili Noden
- Lucille Noden
- Mary Oren
- Treggon Owens
- Mark Patterson
- C Clark Porter
- Jean Radakovich
- Claudia Russell
- Deanne Sabeck
- Danny Salzhandler
- Jesse Schluntz
- Blair Schultze
- Lisa Shaffer
- Tricia Smith
- Elizabeth Wallace
(If we missed you, we apologize— we don’t have all the names of those who spoke at city council and school board meetings— please send us an email at info@SavePacific View.org and we’ll add your name!)
News media:
- Chris Ahrens
- Rachel Bianco
- Kay Colvin
- Ronnie Das
- Mary Fleener
- Alex Groves
- Barbara Henry
- Logan Jenkins
- Roman Koenig
- Michelle Mowad
- Hayne Palmour IV
- Gary Warth
- Jared Whitlock
