Carlsbad mayor and city council: Are you listening?
Since January, Olde Carlsbad residents have been petitioning and meeting with the mayor and city council members to set aside a 3-acre unused parcel of land at the old Buena Vista Reservoir to be used for park or open space serving the residents of Carlsbad’s northwest quadrant.
Olde Carlsbad in the northwest quadrant of the city has been underserved regarding park space.
Residents have met repeatedly with staff or council members and have so far only met with excuses, resistance, or silence.
At the June 17 council meeting, 17 speakers representing 600 residents of Olde Carlsbad expressed their unanimous interest in having this land set aside for a neighborhood park.
It’s a total no-brainer. The unused land is already owned by the city and it’s an ideal location for a neighborhood park. So why hasn’t it already happened?
When Mayor Hall asked the council members for any comments after the June 17 meeting there was complete silence with the exception of council member Keith Blackburn.
Mayor Hall made the comment the sale of the reservoir would be off the table until the fall. Why not off the table for good?
Why would the city still be considering selling the property instead of serving the residents?
Mayor Hall has said on more than one occasion, “How are you going to pay for this,” in response to our request for a park or open space to be established at the reservoir site.
Excuse me! Does the city come to residents to fund other improvements or projects?
Isn’t that why we all pay taxes?
If the city was in financial crisis that may make sense; but that is not the case here in Carlsbad which is quite well off financially.
Surely Carlsbad can easily afford to turn this 3-acre parcel into something of value to the whole community.
Who does the council really represent?
Apparently not the residents or we wouldn’t still be having this discussion.
Mayor and city council members, it’s time to speak up and declare whose side you are on.
As elected officials you owe us that.
Either you are on the side of special interests or on the side of the Carlsbad residents who wish to preserve what precious open space is still remaining to improve the quality of life for all of us in Carlsbad.
If you disagree, we need to have an open dialogue, not silence. If you agree we need your help and active assistance to move this dream forward.
We would like to see a “Buena Vista Reserve” to be saved for all future residents of northwest Carlsbad, indeed all of Carlsbad to enjoy.
The next time we vote we will know who to vote for and who not to vote for.
Respectfully, Ron Ramswick, 39-year resident of Olde Carlsbad
Is this what taxpayers want?
The July 15 Carlsbad City Council workshop on parks and open space was the opportunity for the City Council to aspire to the kind of parks and open space that truly would make them a world class city. What they did instead was :
• Eliminate the long standing goal of 40% open space at build-out
• Ignore the request for neighborhood parks
• Imply there “might” be some future parks added with no assurances that will happen
• Say absolutely nothing about converting the Buena Vista Reservoir to a park
• Make it clear they do not want to spend any more money on parks.
Someone needs to remind them where their $ 74m in excess reserve funds came from.
Wouldn’t it be a novel idea for politicians to spend taxpayer money on what the taxpayers want?
Diane Nygaard
On behalf of Preserve Calavera
