City News and Recreation Guide
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Fall 20 18 CITY NEWS AND RECREATION GUIDE IN THIS ISSUE By-district elections to City adopts $77 million San Marcos Creek ‘Reach the Peak’ with a Fall recreation take effect this fall balanced budget bridge update race that helps San Marcos guide released Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 10 Page 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS Fall 2018 City News By-district elections to take effect this fall 3 City adopts $77 million balanced budget 4 San Marcos Creek bridge update: construction bids, public outreach in the works 5 SAN MARCOS 360 is published three times per year by the City of San Marcos. Eastgate development earns award for design 5 Businesses secure more than $500K in tax credits with City help 6 Editor Sarah Macdonald Local active adults benefit from City and CSUSM collaboration Recreation Editor Cheryl Salazar 6 Art Director Kelly Grady San Marcos aims to attract, retain startups 7 JPW Communications Wildfire preparedness tips offered 8 Photography Alan Crosthwaite Photography New fire marshals appointed 8 Brant Bender Photography Mark Marquez Photography Residents encouraged to observe all parks and trails rules 9 Melissa McClure Photography Recycling tips outlined 9 Ahjile Miller Photography ‘Reach the Peak’ with a race to the top of North County’s highest vista 10 Copywriting Marlena Medford JPW Communications [email protected] Recreation Recreation Guide 11 Special Events 12 Family Night 15 Adults 50+ 16 Adventure Day Camp 20 Preschoolers 21 Aquatics 22 Outdoor Adventures 23 Enrichment Classes 24 Sports 36 Facilities and Parks Reservations 38 Community Resource Guide Back cover About the cover: Do you have what it takes to ‘Reach the Peak?’ Join hundreds of 10K racers City Council Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 pm for the annual Double Peak Challenge on Meetings: unless otherwise noted. Please check the City’s website for any changes to Sept. 29. Learn more on page 10. the schedule. City Hall holiday closures: San Marcos Community Television (SMTV) airs San Marcos administrative offices —including the live cablecasts of City Council meetings on Community Center and Public Works —will be Cox Communications Channel 19, Time Warner closed Sept. 3, Nov. 12, 22 and 23. Cable Channel 24 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99. Live and archived webcasts are also available at www.san-marcos.net . City Hall after hours: (760) 752-7550, ext. 3241 A complete schedule of all city commission meetings is available online at www-san-marcos.net/agendas . Contact us: San Marcos City Hall 1 Civic Center Drive | San Marcos, CA 92069 | (760) 744-1050 Open Monday through Thursday and alternate Fridays, 7:30 am - 5:30 pm San Marcos 3 Civic Center Drive | San Marcos, CA 92069 | (760) 744-9000 Community Center Open Monday through Friday, 8 am - 7 pm 2 City of San Marcos | 360 | Fall 2018 City helps San Marcos voters get ready for changes to their local election process By-district elections to take effect this fall Starting this November, San Marcos city council candidates will be elected via a by-district voting system—instead of a citywide vote, commonly called an at-large election. The City Council has created four voting districts, which each include about 8,000 voters: DISTRICT 1 will include the Richmar area and west to Poinsettia Avenue, east to Woodland Parkway, north to Borden Road and south to the 78 Freeway. DISTRICT 2 will include San Elijo Hills along with Old Creek Ranch, Discovery Hills, Rancho Dorado and the adjoining neighborhoods. DISTRICT 3 will include the area around Cal State San Marcos, the Creek District and the In September 2016, the San Marcos City Council approved Civic Center area, and extend east to the Nordahl Marketplace, the move to district elections along with the new district west to Rancho Santa Fe Road and north to the 78 Freeway. boundaries, giving residents the opportunity to make a difference at the ballot box. DISTRICT 4 will include Santa Fe Hills, Palomar College and neighborhoods north of Borden Road and Santa Fe Road to the west. In the November 2018 election, candidates from Council Districts 1 and 2 Why is San Marcos switching will be on the ballot. In the 2020 election, candidates from District 3 and 4 will be on the ballot. All candidates must live within the district to by-district voting? The California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA) they want to represent. assists in preventing disenfranchised voters by While all council members will be elected by districts, making it easier for voters to challenge the process the Mayor will still be elected by a citywide vote. for how officials are elected. For more information about While the City of San Marcos has a strong track district voting in San Marcos, visit record of working together to benefit the whole www.san-marcos.net/districting . community, the San Marcos City Council took the proactive step to move to by-district elections. This will protect the City’s taxpayers from the risk of future litigation for any alleged violations of the CVRA. San Marcos now joins the more than 130 cities and school districts across the state that have switched from at-large elections to by-district elections since the CVRA was enacted in 2002. City of San Marcos | 360 | Fall 2018 3 City adopts $77 million balanced budget In June, the San Marcos City Council adopted a $77 million General Fund budget for the Fiscal Year 2018-19, which began July 1. The General Fund pays for important services such as fire protection, law enforcement, street and park maintenance, recreation services, land use planning and general administration. With a steady economy and positive national, statewide and regional economic indicators, the The general fund City has benefited from moderate revenue increases and projects nearly a 4.8 percent growth in pays for important revenue compared to last year. Sales and property taxes account for 53 percent of General Fund revenues. Sales tax for the services and programs that provide next fiscal year is expected to reach $17.6 million, a 5.7 percent change from prior year’s original a high quality of life in San Marcos. budget, and county-assessed property tax growth is estimated at 6.7 percent. San Marcos has also benefited from its tax alternative revenue streams such as rental income to keep the City moving through economic ups and FY 18-19 General Fund Expenditures downs. The City owns land and property like the San Marcos Town by Line of Business Center and Creekside Marketplace, to name a few, which spin off several million dollars each year in non-tax revenue. Services Provided from Other Funds “San Marcos is positioned well, is addressing emerging 1.3% challenges head-on and has maintained a steady fiscal Infrastructure Transfer approach capable of weathering the ebbs and flows of the Fund 3.8% larger economy,” said City Manager Jack Griffin. Culture and Recreation 5.2% Overall, San Marcos finances remain steady and the budget for the new fiscal year supports the policy to maintain a liquid reserve Development Services 5.8% of 40 percent of General Fund operating budgeted expenditures. Public Works Operations 18.3% The new budget sets aside more than $2.9 million of the General Fund to the Infrastructure Transfer Fund to pay for long-range General Government 16.0% replacement and rehabilitation of city buildings, roads and sidewalks, Fire Department 24.2% lighting and storm drains, parks and landscaping, and equipment and vehicles. Law Enforcement 25.4% To learn more about the City’s budget, visit www.san-marcos.net/finance or contact the City’s Finance Department at (760) 744-1050, ext. 3127. City refinances bonds to save taxpayers $3.9 million This summer, the City of San Marcos refinanced $20.6 million of bonds that will save some property owners money on their Mello-Roos taxes that help pay for important things like grading, streets, utilities, parks and trails. Property owners in the San Elijo communities of Saverne, Azure, Cambria, Woodley’s Glen, Crestview, Waterford, Village Square and Westridge will see an average annual savings of $120 to $450 per residence on a portion of their property tax bill next year. The bond refinancing will collectively save residents in these neighborhoods about $3.9 million over the life of the bonds. The refunding reduced the net interest cost from 4.82 percent to 3.55 percent and was accomplished without extending the term of the bonds. 4 City of San Marcos | 360 | Fall 2018 Eastgate development earns award for design Eastgate—a new mixed-used development with affordable housing for families and veterans—won a Gold Nugget Award of Merit, a statewide honor that recognizes projects with The San Marcos Creek bridge project will help relieve flooding issues, improve traffic flow, support habitat conservation outstanding design. Pacific Coast Builder’s Corporation efforts, and provide the infrastructure needed for future growth. officially presented the award during its annual ceremony in San Francisco this summer. The development features 42 apartments San Marcos Creek that are fully leased and 11,600 square feet of commercial space. San Diego- District Bridge based affordable developer Affirmed Housing built Eastgate in late 2017 on Project update the east side of the Creek District, at Construction bids, public 16 Creekside Drive. For more leasing information at outreach in the works Eastgate, contact the property management company at This fall, the City of San Marcos will (760) 798-0191. advertise for construction bids for the San Marcos Creek District Bridge Project— and it will launch a public outreach effort to help inform residents about work impacts to the surrounding areas.