PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92025 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
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VOL. 28, N0. 46
NOV. 14, 2014
SAN MARCOS -NEWS
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The Encinitas City Council will hear from the environmental commission regarding a leaf blower noise reduction and pollution plan at its meeting on Nov. 13. Courtesy photo
Council could toughen restrictions on leaf blowers
By Aaron Burgin
ENCINITAS — Encinitas could toughen its restrictions on noisy gas-powered leaf blowers, according to a report from the city’s environmental commission. The council directed the commission as part of its annual work plan to complete a leaf blower noise reduction and pollution plan, which the council would then consider for adoption. Encinitas currently bars the use of the blowers between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday and federal holidays in ar-
eas adjacent to homes and apartments. But, according to a report that will be presented at Thursday’s environmental commission meeting, the options on the table include reducing the time blowers could be used to between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday though Friday and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Saturdays; or a gradual ban of all leaf blowers. City landscapers would be the first to phase out leaf blowers under the proposal within three to six months of its inaction. Commercial businesses
ENCINITAS — City Manager Gus Vina and City Attorney Glenn Sabine are still in their respective posts, after the City Council took no action during post-election closed session “check in” with the duo. The closed session hearing lasted nearly 90 minutes, delaying the start of the regular council meeting, but the council emerged with essentially nothing to report. “This was an informal review to capture some of the comments of outgo-
Del Mar Shores access stairway officially reopens By Bianca Kaplanek
ing council members, in particular Councilwoman Barth,” Mayor Kristin Gaspar said in her brief report. “We provided feedback to the city manager and city attorney.” Typically, the council evaluates the performance of and Sabine on a semi-annual basis, and an evaluation was expected at the start of 2015. But the council in September, following a meeting in which Vina surprised them when he revealed that the price for financing the Pacific View TURN TO CHECK IN ON A16
TURN TO STAIRWAY ON A16
TURN TO LEAF BLOWERS ON A16
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Navy veteran John Leipper salutes as “Anchors Aweigh” is played by the Santa Fe Christian High School band. See full story on page A 13. Photo by Bianca Kaplanek
SOLANA BEACH — A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Nov. 12 to commemorate the replacement of the Del Mar Shores access stairway, although the structure has been open to the public since early October. “This was really a team effort,” Mayor Tom Campbell said before thanking city staff, engineers and the design and construction teams. “I think we have a fantastic end result here.” Funded by nearby property owners, the stairway was built in the 1970s and deeded to Solana Beach after it became a city in 1986. Over the years the marine environment caused the stairs, handrails and safety fencing to deteriorate. The concrete eventually cracked and rebar was exposed and rusted. Mike Nichols, who begins his third term as a council member next month, said during his first council meeting eight years ago he and his colleagues agreed to replace the stairway. “There was never a doubt that we wanted to replace it and rebuild it but there was this issue called money,” Campbell said. “Where were we going to get it from?” When a structural engineer concluded there was “a high probability that the staircase can collapse at any time,” it was closed for public use in
No report given on ‘check in’ with city manger, attorney By Aaron Burgin
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City council members look on as Mayor Tom Campbell cuts the ribbon to commemorate the completion of the new Del Mar Shores beach access stairway. Photo by Bianca Kaplanek