In 2006, Carlsbad will commemorate two momentous events in its history. First, this upcoming year will mark the 10th anniversary of the October 21, 1996 Harmony Grove Fire, the biggest emergency in our city's history. A fierce, Santa Ana wind-driven blaze that rampaged throughout southeast Carlsbad, destroying 54 homes and severely impacting many more residents' properties and lives.
This year will also mark the 20th anniversary of the landmark Growth Management Plan (GMP). The GMP was created via a November 1986 vote (Proposition E) of Carlsbad residents in response to the mid-1980s housing construction boom that exploded throughout southern California. The plan was designed to provide "a balanced community with adequate commercial, industrial, recreation and open space areas … [and to] prevent growth unless adequate public facilities and improvements are provided in a phased and logical fashion."
A plan. A fire. Although seemingly unrelated, these historic events have common denominators: safety, security and quality of life.
Building Towards Success
The GMP calls for 11 facilities to be in place to ensure that Carlsbad maintains its high quality of life, including parks, public safety, schools, libraries, open space, circulation, drainage, water distribution, wastewater treatment, sewer collection and City administration facilities. It sets key standards, such as requiring three acres of park and 800 square feet of library space per each 1,000 Carlsbad residents.
The plan has become a benchmark for communities across the nation. Over the years, Carlsbad City planners have received nearly 100 requests for copies by cities that want to use it as a resource in addressing growth in their communities.
Here in Carlsbad, the GMP has funded the timely construction of wonderful facilities such as the Dove Library complex, Fire Stations, parks and roads. The year 2006 will see construction begin on many of the promised facilities under the plan.
Beginning in February, the completion of 24-acre Aviara Park (at 6435 Ambrosia Lane) will be followed by the March dedication of a 22-acre Hidden Canyon Park (at 2685 Vancouver Street) and the September dedication of a 7.7-acre Pine Park (at 3205 Harding Street). The groundbreaking for yet another new park, a 33-acre Alga Norte (at Poinsettia and Alicante), will be held sometime next summer. Alga Norte will include a swim complex that will be state of the art.
Continuing to Improve
The City is also on the road to circulation improvement completions. The Melrose Drive extension dedication will be held in January; the Faraday Avenue extension dedication will take place soon after. Rancho Santa Fe Road improvements will also be in place. These roads should make a big difference to traffic patterns in the City.
Although not part of the facilities called for under the Growth Management Plan, our libraries will be turning the pages of progress as well in 2006. The old heating, air conditioning and ventilation system at the Cole Library is being replaced; the Dove Library's Children's Garden renovation, partially funded by the Carlsbad Friends of the Library, will be dedicated in April and the groundbreaking for the new Library Learning Center, which combines the Adult Learning Program and Centro de Informaci?n, will be held this summer.
2006 and Beyond
As noted in the chronicle of the Harmony Grove Fire, the disaster showed how vulnerable we are to the forces of nature. It also showed how the residents and business people of our city came together, connecting their efforts to recover and rebuild. This community camaraderie is reflected in the final words of the chronicle: "The fire began out of Harmony. The spirit of the response brought the City of Carlsbad back to harmony again."
Just as today we look back upon the anniversaries of the 1986 Growth Management Plan and the 1996 Harmony Grove Fire as seminal events in our city's history, I believe that one day in the future, citizens will look back upon 2006 as a momentous year in Carlsbad.
I hope 2006 is a meaningful year for each of you, on both a professional and a personal level.
This year will also mark the 20th anniversary of the landmark Growth Management Plan (GMP). The GMP was created via a November 1986 vote (Proposition E) of Carlsbad residents in response to the mid-1980s housing construction boom that exploded throughout southern California. The plan was designed to provide "a balanced community with adequate commercial, industrial, recreation and open space areas … [and to] prevent growth unless adequate public facilities and improvements are provided in a phased and logical fashion."
A plan. A fire. Although seemingly unrelated, these historic events have common denominators: safety, security and quality of life.
Building Towards Success
The GMP calls for 11 facilities to be in place to ensure that Carlsbad maintains its high quality of life, including parks, public safety, schools, libraries, open space, circulation, drainage, water distribution, wastewater treatment, sewer collection and City administration facilities. It sets key standards, such as requiring three acres of park and 800 square feet of library space per each 1,000 Carlsbad residents.
The plan has become a benchmark for communities across the nation. Over the years, Carlsbad City planners have received nearly 100 requests for copies by cities that want to use it as a resource in addressing growth in their communities.
Here in Carlsbad, the GMP has funded the timely construction of wonderful facilities such as the Dove Library complex, Fire Stations, parks and roads. The year 2006 will see construction begin on many of the promised facilities under the plan.
Beginning in February, the completion of 24-acre Aviara Park (at 6435 Ambrosia Lane) will be followed by the March dedication of a 22-acre Hidden Canyon Park (at 2685 Vancouver Street) and the September dedication of a 7.7-acre Pine Park (at 3205 Harding Street). The groundbreaking for yet another new park, a 33-acre Alga Norte (at Poinsettia and Alicante), will be held sometime next summer. Alga Norte will include a swim complex that will be state of the art.
Continuing to Improve
The City is also on the road to circulation improvement completions. The Melrose Drive extension dedication will be held in January; the Faraday Avenue extension dedication will take place soon after. Rancho Santa Fe Road improvements will also be in place. These roads should make a big difference to traffic patterns in the City.
Although not part of the facilities called for under the Growth Management Plan, our libraries will be turning the pages of progress as well in 2006. The old heating, air conditioning and ventilation system at the Cole Library is being replaced; the Dove Library's Children's Garden renovation, partially funded by the Carlsbad Friends of the Library, will be dedicated in April and the groundbreaking for the new Library Learning Center, which combines the Adult Learning Program and Centro de Informaci?n, will be held this summer.
2006 and Beyond
As noted in the chronicle of the Harmony Grove Fire, the disaster showed how vulnerable we are to the forces of nature. It also showed how the residents and business people of our city came together, connecting their efforts to recover and rebuild. This community camaraderie is reflected in the final words of the chronicle: "The fire began out of Harmony. The spirit of the response brought the City of Carlsbad back to harmony again."
Just as today we look back upon the anniversaries of the 1986 Growth Management Plan and the 1996 Harmony Grove Fire as seminal events in our city's history, I believe that one day in the future, citizens will look back upon 2006 as a momentous year in Carlsbad.
I hope 2006 is a meaningful year for each of you, on both a professional and a personal level.