In the works since 2000

A scoping meeting for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report, or EIR, master plan for the fairground and horse park will be held at 1 p.m. April 16 in the Mission Tower Building at the fairgrounds.

The master plan proposes to renovate and modernize several structures and parking areas, construct new buildings and relocate the maintenance yard and fire station.

Agencies and the public are encouraged to attend and will have 30 days to return written comments about the meeting and contents of the draft EIR. The 2008 master plan will update one adopted in 1985.

Becky Bartling, deputy general manager, said facilities are in poor condition due to age, and they lack new environmental regulations. Last month the Coastal Commission approved a permit to completely roof the horse show arena.

Signal honor

Quail Botanical Gardens was named Irrigation Customer of the Year by WateResuse Association during its Cal Section Annual Conference last month at Newport Beach. The gardens were described in the citation as one of the world’s most diverse and botanically important plant collections. San Elijo Joint Powers Authority, which provides Quail Botanical Gardens with recycled water, nominated it. Executive Director Julian Duval was on hand to accept the accolades.

Crisis preparedness

American Red Cross appears to have a major problem when it comes to dealing with crisis situations. Latest example is being stuck with $688,000 for reserving hotel/ motel rooms that were never used by outta town volunteers. Meanwhile, some residents displaced by the wildfires had to seek lodging miles away. Maybe the American Red Cross should team up with Cal Fire.

Take that

Former Carmel, Calif., mayor Clint Eastwood and Bobby Shriver, brother of the Golden State’s first lady, Maria, were kicked off the state Parks & Recreation Commission by the Governator even though they wanted to be reappointed. Cal’s top majordomo said both were doing a bang-up job but he wanted new blood. The Governator favored a 16-mile toll road that would slice through a natural preserve in order to connect Orange County Hwy. 241 with I-5 at San Onofre. Shriver and Eastwood voted against the proposal at a Parks & Recreation Commission meeting. A highly charged Coastal Commission meeting that lasted more than 12 hours and was attended by more than 3,000 folks voted the toll road down. Bottom line: Don’t vote your personal conviction if it displeases your appointer.

Climate change champ

La Costa Canyon High School senior Rebecca Chan is heading for Kobe, Japan, to represent the Golden State later this year as Climate State Champion during that country’s various global warming events. Chan was in London for a similar celebration. She was selected for the honor based on a global warming essay she penned.

More Sprinter riders

North County Transit District reported a good number of folks are leaving their gas-guzzling machines at home and riding the Sprinter that was placed into service March 9 from O’side to Escondido and points in between.

Consent calendar abuse?

The March 19 Flower Capital City Council agenda had 10 items on the consent calendar of which four were pulled by the public, one by a council member and one was continued. Consent items are adopted with a single motion usually without discussion. One item that was pulled by the public was to hire a consultant for $47,500 big ones. Was the intent to slide this expenditure of taxpayers’ money through without discussion? Were bids considered? What is the time line for this proposal? A staff report was flimsy at best. Is this any way to run the taxpayers’ bizness?

Why worry?

Obviously not particularly concerned that the upcoming state budget is outta whack by a reported $16 billion, some electeds were traveling overseas during the Easter holidays (spring break if you wanna be politically correct). So who picks up the tab? According to reports, California Foundation pays for airfare, hotels, chow and transportation. And where does it get its funds? From environmental groups, labor unions, and others whose lobbyists do bizness with the state throughout the year. No conflict there if you believe in the Spring Bunny colored all those eggs.

Trail signs replace sewage tanks

No-longer-used sewage treatment tanks have been replaced with informative trail signs at the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Thanks to three elementary school classes from Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff-by-the-Sea and Solbeach, the signs feature photos, art and writings.

O’side will celebrate festive 4th

There won’t be a street fair or carnival that previously helped to fund fireworks and other expenses on the Fourth of July in O’side, but the city has agreed to pony up approximately 150 grand as an alternate source of revenue. The carnival and street events were canned because of crowd control problems last year. Meanwhile, the Oceanside Department of Harbor and Beaches is replacing bumpy boards that were a hazard on the 1,942-foot-long pier. The pier is a major tourist attraction and will become even more so when the hotel resort complex facing it becomes a reality.

One liners

Citizens To Protect The Ranch that seeks to incorporate Rancho Santa Fe has until July 7 to obtain 1,100 signatures of Rancho registered voters ... Connie Alto of Solbeach who passed away March 16 left a community service legacy of always being the first to volunteer ever since she a little girl ... Del Mar National Horse Show, a national premier event, will be held at the fairgrounds April 17 thru May 4 ... The Governator wants the redistricting issue on the November ballot ... More than 9 million voters (57.7 percent) participated in the Feb. 5 election — highest number since 1980 when 63.3 percent voted ... In San Marcos, Susan Wait and Dr. Cynthia Skovgard are attempting to qualify a slow growth protection initiative for the November ballot ... A trial for two lawsuits dealing with the too-tall Sunroad building near Gillespie Field in San Diego starts Nov. 3 ... A state of the city dinner with Flower Capital Mayor Jerome Stocks as keynoter will be held April 8 at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center.



Hasta la Vista