Encinitas approves $457K for capital program Street, drainage projects would receive funds By Adam Kaye North County Times February 14, 2008 ENCINITAS -- By unanimous votes, the Encinitas City Council pumped $457,000 into its capital improvement program Wednesday. The money will pay for street and drainage projects, environmental studies at the planned Hall property park and improvements at wastewater facilities. Repairs to a notoriously fetid alley in Cardiff are among the projects approved for funding. The funding will support six of 104 capital projects, Finance Department Director Jennifer Smith told the council. Most of the money released by the council -- $260,000 -- came from the city's operating budget. An additional $141,000 came from the Encinitas Sanitary Division's budget. A third source, the Cardiff Sanitary Division, contributed $55,000. The six projects approved for funding Wednesday include: a slotted drain on Lone Jack Road for runoff that collects near Jackie Lane. The job is estimated to cost $125,000; a drainage channel within North County Transit District's railroad right of way just north of Leucadia Boulevard. During her presentation, Smith showed photographs of deep gullies near the boulevard and bright orange sandbags piled along the right of way. At recent meetings, residents have complained the sandbags are an eyesore. The project would tap $35,000 from the operating budget; adding a previously approved appropriation of $144,000 to environmental studies of the planned Hall property park. The studies would examine greenhouse gas emissions and health risks resulting from the planned, 43-acre park just south of Santa Fe Drive and west of Interstate 5; pollution control facilities at the Encina Wastewater Authority. The Encinitas Sanitary Division, a subsidiary of the city, sends wastewater to the sewage treatment plant in Carlsbad, which is in the midst of an expansion program. The Encinitas Sanitary Division's share of the cost is $86,793; a modular building to replace an aging office trailer at the San Elijo Water Reclamation Facility. The building would cost $55,000; and repairs to the alley between Liverpool and Aberdeen drives, where a spring flows beneath the porous pavement and collects in potholes that never seem to dry up. Leroy Bodas, deputy city engineer, told the council that portions of the alley are privately owned, and he has collaborated with some of those owners to match $100,000 the city has budgeted for the job. Earlier in the meeting, Bodas received a plaque from Barbara Cobb of the Cardiff Town Council, who thanked him for his work in bringing improvements to the alley. More thanks came from Mike Paeske, whose firm represents some of the property owners. "This has been an eyesore and something needs to be done," Paeske said of the alley. "I think you'll find we feel exactly the same way," Mayor Jerome Stocks agreed. Councilwoman Teresa Barth did not participate in deliberations or voting for funds to fix the alley because she lives within 500 feet of the lane. -- Contact staff writer Adam Kaye at (760) 901-4074 or akaye@nctimes.com. Copyright 1999-2008, California Coastal Coalition Phone: (760) 944-3564