The August 23rd issue of the San Diego Union-Tribune has an article by Bruce Lieberman, U-T staff writer entitled: “Restrictions asked on use of district’s idle site”
A few highlights:
San Diego Union High School District (SDUHSD) Superintendent Ken Noah made it clear that ultimatums and scare tactics will make it more difficult to negotiate.
The Friends of North County (FONC) group had sent out scare-tactic letters, fabricated photographs, and mis-statements that have concerned many La Costa Valley residents. Other residents have supported these methods.
Some FONC members are now on the board of La Costa Valley and on a steering committee, and are issuing demands to the school district in advance of a vote by La Costa Valley Homeowners.
“If this is a set of demands that are not acceptable to the district and there’s no room to negotiate, it’s going to be very hard to forge a solution here,” Noah said yesterday.
The article also raises the matter that the Mello-Roos taxes paid for the middle school were collected in other areas besides La Costa Valley, and also that those taxes were not designated only for a middle school.
Concerned La Costa Valley homeowners should get involved now:
Attend the School District and City Planning Department meetings to listen to the issues and let your voices be heard
Let the La Costa Valley Homeowner’s Association know your concerns:
Encourage them to use effective negotiating techniques and not resort to the scare and mis-information tactics of the FONC group
Remind the board not to take action on this matter before it has been authorized to do so by a 2/3 vote of the La Costa Valley Homeowners. Otherwise, the time and money spent on such efforts won’t be legally binding so will be wasted.
Let the board know how you feel about the various proposals that have been raised, such as an assessment on all homeowners to buy or develop the property, an assessment on homeowners that live adjacent to the undeveloped property, or an assessment to pay for legal fees.
On this website in May, we asked La Costa Valley homeowners how much they would be willing to pay to simply buy the vacant land from the school district. (see the original article and poll results) Note: this is not a legally binding vote, does not represent all homeowners, and may not even be an option for us. Just the same, like every straw poll, it gives a better view of how things might turn out.
Based on the latest results, only a fraction of LCV homeowners have the will, interest or financial foresight to make any substantial committment.
Half said they would not be willing to pay any assessment. Just over a quarter (27%) said they’d pay up to $1,000 in the next 12 months. 12% said they’d pay up to $5,000. And 4% said they’d pay up to $10,000, 4% up to $25,000 and 4% up to $100,000. Taken all together, this amounts to about $6-$7 million dollars. Certainly a tidy sum, but only a fraction of the property’s value, even in these market conditions.
If you’re a strong supporter of FONC and want La Costa Valley Homeowners to take this property into their own hands, then you need to get involved and convince your neighbors to pony up a bit more.
If you’re a private property developer (many live in La Costa Valley), this straw poll shows will need to find additional financing beyond what the homeowners will come up with.
If you’re one of the 50% of homeowners that doesn’t want to pay your share, then talk to your neighbors and the HOA board. If there is an assessment, it is likely that every homeowner will need to pay their share.
There is a little-known law which controls what a school district can and can’t do with property they own.
The Naylor Act (Education Code sections 17485-1750) requires school districts, who propose to lease or sell land used for outdoor recreation and open space land suited for recreational purposes, to offer to lease or sell a portion of the land at discount to either a city or county, whichever has jurisdiction.
Did you ever read something fro a governmental agency that you’re sure says something, but then again, it’s not quite clear what it says?
Property owners in La Costa Valley and beyond should have received a mailing from the SDUHSD entitled “Community Information Session” and District Facilities Action Plan Overview of Process.
Reading between the lines, as they talk about a “multi-step analysis of all District sites and facilities” this certainly involves the vacant property in La Costa Valley.
More information is promised on the SDUHSD.NET website.
If you’re interested, attend the meeting at Oak Crest Middle School’s Crest Hall on June 23rd at 6pm.
Many residents and visitors alike share the wonderful trails that surround and run through all the open space of La Costa Valley.
The City of Carlsbad have developed and continue to expand a city-wide trail system. That means the many local long-distance runners and triathletes can enjoy more cross-country training without needing to leave Carlsbad. Also, about anyone with a dog can give their pooch some new areas to check out (on a leash, of course.)
Jeanie Sprague-Bentley has an article in the Coast News today - Trail Introduced as part of National Trails Day - about the progress on harmonizing trails in the city, and about National Trails Day.
What’s going on with the vacant middle school property?
What’s the latest shakeup on the HOA Board now that another Board member has stepped down? Will another Friends of North County member be put on the board?
Will the Board vote to move over a million dollars to a different financial institution?
Attend the HOA Board meeting and find out for yourself, or even have some say in these matters.
The Coast News reported on the La Costa Valley vacant school property and the move to put members of “Friends of North County” onto the La Costa Valley HOA as well as special committees. They also mentioned the need to change the CC&Rs & By-Laws before the HOA can get involved in the sorts of things Friends of North County wants to do. The article quoted attorney Greg Brucia, new HOA Board Member, as saying that a special assessment would only be needed “if the district sues or if we need to sue the district.”
La Costa Valley Homeowners, what are your thoughts?:
Do you want to change who uses the pool, and when?
Give your vote in the following poll and show up at the next HOA Board meeting to voice your concern.
At the last La Costa Valley HOA board meeting (May 12th), a concerned homeowner brought up a proposal to restrict use of the pool. His concern is that during the daytime in summer, the pool gets so busy that kids don’t have enough room to play.
His proposal is to remove the lane lines at 10am and replace them at 4pm throughout the summer.
Many homeowners were in attendance and voiced their opinions and concerns.
Some of the comments were:
Since there are many adult swimmers, there should be more lane lines, not fewer.
What about swim lessons? Honey needs the lane lines and not all swim students can come early in the morning.
Safety is a concern, because kids get in the way of swimmers, some of whom can’t see the kids.
The pool is only busiest on certain holidays and the hottest days. Most of the time, the pool has lots of room.
We’ve been able to work it out among ourselves for nearly 10 years, so why change things?
Some swimmers have been swimming outside of the lane lines, in the way of kids
Some parents do not want to have their kids reminded to stay off the lane lines and out of the lanes when there are swimmers there.
Some parents do not mind having their kids reminded.
The lane lines are fragile and removing and replacing them twice a day will likely break them. They also cost something like $800 to be replaced.
It takes two people to remove and replace the lane lines. Asking a homeowner to do that or assist with that might bring up liability exposure for the HOA. Hiring extra staff to remove and replace the lines each day will add more expense.
There are plenty of places for kids to play: playgrounds, the wading pool, the larger part of the pool outside the lane lines, but swimming is only in a small part of the pool.
The pool is one of the greatest things about living in La Costa Valley so should be kept available for everyone.
Not everyone can swim as early or as late as the time blocked out. Many swimmers have a work schedule that only permits mid-day swimming.
Lap swimmers can’t use the lap lanes when Honey is teaching.
After the discussion, the HOA Board voted 4-1 in favor of keeping things the way they are.
Take this poll to let your voice be heard. Immediately after you take the poll, you will be able to see how your neighbors have voted. Tell your friends to visit this site and make their wishes known.
Also, come to the next HOA meeting, especially if your opinion is different than your neighbors. See the official La Costa Valley HOA website for details about the place and time of the next Board meeting, and if this issue will be on the agenda.
The La Costa Valley HOA has formed a committee to look at options for the vacant land. To help them set their budget, take a moment and tell them how much extra you, as a homeowner, are willing to pay in the coming year.
This would be their budget for consulting fees, research, legal fees, meetings, and possibly to buy the vacant land. This would be a one-time assessment that each homeowner would need to pay within the next 12 months.
How much can we put you down for?
Immediately after you take this poll, you will be able to see the results. Visit this site again, and you’ll be able to see the latest results as your neighbors give their votes. This is only a straw poll, so it not legally binding! It’s simply a way for us all to know where our neighbors stand.
