Posted July 21, 2005:

VICTORY ON THE PONTO VISION PLAN!

On July 19, 2005, the City of Carlsbad directed Staff to prepare a full environmental impact report to analyze the impacts of the Ponto Beachfront Village Vision Plan. The Staff noted that there were potential impacts to Traffic, Noise, and Biology. The City Council was complementary of the public which turned out in large numbers on June 28th to oppose the summary environmental review originally proposed by the City.

Now the Vision Plan will be fully analyzed for environmental impacts, alternative analyzed to lessen those impacts with the opportunity for full public participation. A preparation of a full environmental impact report is necessary for a project that is adjacent to the Batiquitos Lagoon, and of such size and scope. Surfrider was proud to support the efforts of community groups, such as the Ponto Action Committee and PontoAction.com. We thank the multitude of our members who turned out at the hearings, sent letters and signed petitions.

If you would like a "Save Ponto T-shirt" please email John of PontoAction.com. T-shirts are $10 each. In your email, please indicate size and quantity desired.

Posted July 16. 2005:

CARLSBAD CITY COUNCIL WILL MEET ON TUESDAY, JULY 19TH TO REVISIT AND VOTE ON PONTO VISION PLAN

REMINDER:
The City of Carlsbad Meeting is at 6pm on Tuesday July 19th at 1200 Carlsbad Village Dr. The mayor and the council members will vote on the "Vision Plan". Hopefully you can all attend. The more people we have there the better. They will be more hesitant to approve the plan if we have 200+ people in attendance like last time. It sounds like they were swayed by our turn out on June 28th, let's see if we can get even more people there this time. It is important that we keep the momentum going to get the EIR.

Thank you for all your efforts. See you on the 19th!

Posted June 29. 2005:

PONTO VISION PLAN WILL IMPACT YOUR TRIP TO ONE OF THE BEST WAVES IN NORTH COUNTY.

UPDATE:
On June 28, 2005, over 200 people attended the Carlsbad City Council to voice their concerns with the Ponto Vision Plan. The City Council delayed voting on the project until July 19, 2005.

We need people to continue to voice their desire for a full environmental impact report to analyze the Ponto Beachfront Village Vision Plan. Please attend the meeting on July 19 to ensure the City Council knows that this is an issue that is important to the community.

The Ponto Beachfront Vision Plan in its present form will adversely impact South Carlsbad State Beach and the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve. Our current goal to prevent this from happening is very simple. We want the City of Carlsbad to perform a full Environmental Impact Report prior to approving any development in the Ponto Beach area.

Please take the time to sign our online petition and use the PontoAction.com website to inform the necessary parties about the right course of action to take in this matter.

Due to the Carlsbad Canyon offshore, Ponto can be one of the best waves in San Diego County. We have seen Ponto break every bit as perfect as Indonesia, with long barreling lefts starting from the Jetty's and ending 150 yards up the beach.

A new proposal from Carlsbad seeks to develop the parcels to the north of PONTO, into hotels, offices, and townhouses. The plan potentially impacts water quality, traffic, wildlife, and noise. It would undoubtedly strip the public's ability to park for free to the east of the freeway, or check the surf from the east side of the freeway. Turning around after heading north, which is already a headache and dangerous, will be all but impossible.

The Carlsbad City Council will hear the plan and review the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the second time on July 19, 2005. The City Council meets at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Carlsbad City Hall, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive (map).

See the Ponto Beachfront Village Vision Plan here.

Please contact our chairman, Todd T. Cardiff, for more information.