2013 will bring a host of innovative projects for Carlsbad Village that will be firsts in North County, and even in the whole region.
Curb Cafes hit the streets in spring
A curb cafe at Garcia's Mexican Restaurant will literally take over the street (or at least part of it) in order to expand outdoor dining opportunities and liven up State Street. City staff and Urban Place are working to establish a curb cafe policy for the Village that will be submitted to City Council. The policy would allow these uses to occur and establish guidelines for operation during a temporary pilot period.
Curb cafes have been successful in many other cities, including Long Beach, Oakland, San Francisco, New York and Montreal, bringing more activity to slower-speed streets. In the surveys we completed last year, residents, business owners and property owners voiced their strong opinions for more outdoor dining. Curb cafes are also a great way to meet that need in areas with limited sidewalk space.
The Village gets more "bike-friendly"
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the County's regional planning and transit organization, awarded the City of Carlsbad $33,000 to install 80 more custom "Bike the Village" bike racks and six bike corrals throughout the Village. Slated for installation in the next couple of months, the bike corrals will be a first in North County and will go far in promoting the Village as a bike-friendly neighborhood.
Coinciding with that, an outreach and education campaign will kick off with WalkSanDiego and the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition to increase awareness of walking and biking in and to the Village, and to connect the commercial district with the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
Farmers' market relocation
While not a first by any means, relocation of the farmers' market is strongly supported by the resident and business community, as demonstrated from input at our Village Voices meetings, working group meetings and interviews. Stakeholders have said that the purpose of the market should be to enhance the downtown environment, improve foot traffic for businesses, act as a draw for surrounding residents, and provide quality local produce in a fun and festive environment.
Several new locations are being considered, in addition to other parameters such as the day or days the market is held, the time of day, the format and the type of vendors. The Board of the Carlsbad Village Association, which owns and runs the market, will make a decision on the new direction this month, and pursue the necessary permits and certifications.
Exploring more ways to light the Village
Lighting the trees on State Street went a long way to creating a festive, safe atmosphere on that block. We've heard many times that we need more! We're currently exploring and researching ways to expand the lighting to more of the commercial areas of the Village and will work closely with the City to see how we can make it happen.
Leveraging funds through SANDAG
The City of Carlsbad was highly successful in the last round of "active transportation" grants through SANDAG, securing $1.25 million in funding for new projects mainly focused on the Village. Urban Place and the city will partner again in a new round of applications for SANDAG's Smart Growth Incentive Program, this time for a new Village Master Plan, an innovative pedestrian and bicyclist wayfinding system throughout the downtown, and traffic calming circles in the barrio. SANDAG will make a decision in April.
Westman can be reached at [email protected].