Community Information Center Now Open for the Agua Hedionda 85/15 Plan
A Community Information Center sponsored by the developer, Caruso Affiliated, NOT the City of Carlsbad, is available at the site of the proposed project to provide architectural renderings of the plans and for citizens who support the project to answer questions posed by residents. The Center is open 11 – 7 Monday through Friday and from 11 – 4 on the weekends.
Carlsbad voters should take time to become as educated as possible about the project and the implications for Carlsbad and future development. The Master Plan outlines the details of this development plan and what it also means for the future. For those opposed, this is a must-read!
Also check out the Facebook page for more information and concerns about a “mega mall” being built on the South Shore of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon and what this potentially means for Carlsbad going forward.
The City of Carlsbad website has specific information on the details of the proposed plan that was approved (but now pending the Special Election).
The Agua Hedionda 85/15 Plan in Carlsbad east of the 5 freeway at Cannon Road, site of the Carlsbad Strawberry Company and adjacent to the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, has been a source of controversy for some time – not just the plan itself but the tactics allegedly used by the developer and supporters, including how signatures were gathered, as well as concerns regarding how the City of Carlsbad has handled the process.
The Agua Hedionda 85/15 Plan, headed by developer Rick Caruson of Caruso Affiliated (builder of The Grove in Los Angeles, a well-known, upscale urban mall, among others) and with a resident-driven initiative, has been in the works for several years and was approved by the City of Carlsbad earlier this year, a decision in itself adding to the controversy.
The Agua Hedionda 85/15 Plan will reportedly create approximately 176 acres of open space (almost 85% of the total land) with a 26-acre retail center (15%). Combining open space, hiking trails, picnic areas with views of the adjacent Agua Hedionda Lagoon, and outdoor education areas along with a substantial open-air retail area with significant parking, Caruso’s plan has significant proponents (including the City and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation) and opponents.
But a strong citizen-led initiative resulted in sufficient signatures to allow a referendum, with a Special Election to be held on February 23, 2016 so Carlsbad voters can make a choice.
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