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THE COAST NEWS
JULY 29, 2011
Investors Del Mar identifies 4 sites back out of for installing car chargers fairgrounds purchase By Bianca Kaplanek
DEL MAR — Once parking and policy issues are addressed, residents may soon see electric vehicle chargers popping up around town. Following a presentation at the July 11 meeting by Bruce Bekkar, chairman of the Sustainability Advisory Board, City Council unanimously authorized staff to move forward with plans to install four stations, and possibly more. Bekkar recommended the city act now to take advantage of incentives provided by a partnership between the Department of Energy and about 55 companies, including Nissan, Chevrolet and Ecotality. The goal of the project, funded primarily with a $230 million DOE grant, is to place 14,000 220-volt chargers around six states and the District of Columbia in the next two years. Plans also include the installation of 300 to 400 480volt fast chargers that can charge an electric vehicle, or EV, from empty to full in about 25 minutes, or “essentially, a Starbucks stop,” Bekkar said. Ecotality, which specializes in clean electric transportation, is the San Diego representative planning to place 1,500 chargers in the county within the next 18 months. If installed as part of the DOE partnership, the chargers would be free and the city would receive an installation credit of $2,500 per unit. “And there’s some flexibility about how that money can be spent so it’s an appealing opportunity,” Bekkar said. Installation costs begin at more than $1,500 depending on whether there is an appropriate electrical panel,how far the panel is from the charging spot and any extra work that needs to be done. The Sustainability Advisory Board worked with city staff to identify four poten-
By Bianca Kaplanek
DEL MAR — The group of investors planning to provide 25 percent of the financing for the city’s proposed $120 million purchase of the Del Mar Fairgrounds have withdrawn their offer — at least for now. Del Mar reached an agreement with former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to buy the state-owned facility, which makes up 20 percent of the city. The purchase was to be funded with a $45 million loan from the state and by issuing $45 million in bonds secured by fair and track revenues. Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, co-owners of the 2010 Preakness Stakes winner Lookin at Lucky and other thoroughbred race horses, were going to provide the remaining $30 million in exchange for a 55-year lease to operate horse racing at the site. They also planned to invest additional money for track improvements. Pegram, who owns McDonald’s franchises in Arizona and casinos in Nevada, is a part-time Del Mar resident; Watson, who has a summer home in Solana Beach, and Weitman also own automobile dealerships in Arizona. Gov. Jerry Brown has yet to say whether he supports the sale, but the new state budget eliminates $32 million in general fund money for agricultural activities and fairs. Brown has also called for a review of future TURN TO FAIRGROUNDS ON A17
PET WEEK OF THE
Willow is a blackand-white beauty who is a recent mother to five kittens. She is 3-years-old and is loving and affectionate to everyone she meets. Her sweet nature will make her a welcome addition to any family. Her adoption fee is $75 plus $40 for the microchip. All pets adopted from Helen Woodward Animal Center have been spayed or neutered, have up-to-date vaccinations and microchip identification. Helen Woodward Animal Center kennels
CHARGE IT !"#$%&'()$*#+#,-.&/$0"'1"$2.3$4#$.55'6'(7$'($8#&$9.5$43 -"#$#(+$:;$-"#$3#.5/$',$.$<,#5=;5'#(+&3/$>>?=6:&-$,-.-':($<,#+$-:$1".57#$#&#1= -5'1$6#"'1&#,@$A::)'(7$.$4'-$&')#$.$7'.(-$'*:+/$'-$'(1&<+#,$.($'(-#5.1-'6#$1:&:5 -:<1"$,15##($.(+$B#4=4.,#+$2#+'.$+#&'6#53@ Photo courtesy of Ecotality
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tial installation areas. They are if it makes sense,” Mayor Don on the south side of City Hall, Mosier said, adding that next to the City Hall Annex, on he’d like to keep staff time to a the southeast corner of the TURN TO CHARGERS ON A16 library and, for the greatest visibility, at 15th Street and Camino del Mar near Starbucks. Bekkar said placing the stations, especially a fastcharge unit, where they can be seen is a way to brand the city as friendly toward greener vehicles. “This would be the homerun ... to have the quick-charge port somewhere in a very visible spot,” he said, adding that none of the locations identified at this point are “set in stone.” Since users would be expected to pay as they would for gas,the units could also generate income for the city, Bekkar said. The biggest hurdle could 900 Santa Fe Drive, Encinitas, be determining whether parking spaces should be designated dual use or EV only. “Parking issues are always contentious,” Bekkar said. “I would really like to www.encinitasnursingandrehab.com move forward with this project
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