The City Council has made its decision. They reluctantly approved the mixed used project. Within two years the Carlsbad Village Plaza will be history. This is a very sad day indeed.
All of the council members, including the mayor, expressed strong concerns about the project. They expressed even greater frustration with the state housing laws that practically force them to approve projects like this despite their better judgment.
We thank Council Member Melanie Burkholder for her courageous vote against the project – the only No vote in this case. It was good to see at least one Council Member willing to take a stand against the bullies in Sacramento and say enough is enough!
I confess that I have mixed feelings about the outcome. I’m deeply disappointed that the project was approved. This is a huge blow for the Village. It adds to the accelerating pace of gentrification in the Village and Barrio. Original residents, many of whom are renters, will be pushed out due to rising costs. This leads to a loss of cultural diversity and puts additional pressure on the cost of housing, often leading to homelessness among displaced populations and the loss of local businesses. We’re seeing it play out before our very eyes. This approach is not the answer to the affordable housing crisis. It’s only making matters worse.
But, I’m also encouraged by the resolve of the Mayor and the Council Members to reform the local ordinances that enabled this project to fly below the radar for so long and severely limited appeal process. They also expressed a strong desire to push back against the bullies in Sacramento, referring to the lawmakers who think they know more than we do about what’s best for our community. Their heavy handed state housing laws give developers the upper hand and enable them to build whatever they want, wherever they way, leading to haphazard growth that will impact our community for generations to come.
Thanks to all the hard work of the volunteers and your impressive show of support, through the petition, your letters and showing up to the hearings. The City Council Members adopted many of the conditions of approval that we suggested. What’s more, your pressure encouraged them to begin the process of fixing the local ordinances regarding public outreach and and the appeal process. We’ll be following up with them on that effort, and we’re much better prepared for the next one.
Protect The Heart Of Our Community
We have formed a local nonprofit called the Equitable Land Use Alliance. With it we not only fought against this project, but we’ll continue to fight similar projects that will be coming at us with increasing frequency. We’ll also work to reforming the local ordinances and state laws that created this monster in the first place.
Through education, community engagement, and legal action, we strive to protect our community from unconstrained, haphazard development.
Let’s work together to make Carlsbad a a community that works well for all its residents. We need your help to make this a reality. Please make a donation today.
Stay Informed
Join our mailing list for all our updates.
Have questions?
Use our handy contact form, or drop us a note here: [email protected]