Grow Food, End Hunger and Save the Planet - Free Workshop This Saturday

Join the last date of our free community workshop series! You can learn how to help end hunger in our community by growing a garden. Learn how to plant organic seedlings in your garden, tips for growing a lot of food in small spaces, simple and tasty recipes using fresh bounty from the garden, and delicious ways to reduce food waste.

Workshop takeaways include organic seed packets, organic seedlings, local garden resources and planting guides, tricks of the trade for a zero-waste kitchen, the Homegrown Hunger Relief program and more! This workshop is sponsored by the City of Encinitas and hosted by Healthy Day Partners.

Date: May 28

Time: 10 a.m. to noon

Location: Healthy Day Partners: Harvest Yard, 425 Raphael Court

Please visit the event web page to register for the May 28 workshop.

New Position Available - Full-Time Park Host for Cottonwood Creek Park

The Parks and Recreation Department seeks an individual or couple to serve as a Park Host at Cottonwood Creek Park on a full-time basis. The primary role of a Park Host is to have a visible presence in the park and serve as the ‘eyes and ears’ for city staff and the Sheriff’s Department. Applicants must have a suitable recreational vehicle, such as a motor home or travel trailer, and a schedule that allows them to be on-site seven days a week. This is an unpaid position; however, the Park Host will be provided utility hook up and service at no cost.

Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 2, and are available on the city’s Planet Bids website at encinitasca.gov/bids. Applications are scheduled for an initial review on June 3. The city will conduct interviews to identify the most qualified person, and the selected Park Host will sign a License Agreement with the City of Encinitas. For more information or assistance, call Encinitas Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts at 760-633-2740.

Cottonwood Creek Park is an 18-acre community park located at the intersection of Encinitas Blvd. and North Vulcan Ave. Park amenities include restrooms, gazebo, basketball court, shared tennis and pickleball courts, trails, children play areas and picnic facilities. The park is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Special events are limited to daylight hours.

Please visit the city’s Planet Bids web page to apply by 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 2.

Equity and Housing in Encinitas - Virtual Workshop

The city of Encinitas is working with Opportunity Consulting to conduct an equity study, the ‘Barriers to Racial and Ethnic Equity in The City of Encinitas.’ Join us for a virtual workshop at 6 p.m. on June 6 to learn more.

Equity balances two dimensions: fairness and inclusion. As a function of fairness, equity means ensuring people have what they need to participate in life and reach their full potential. As a function of inclusion, equity ensures that essential services, programs, activities and technologies are equally accessible and open to all. The goal of this study is to identify whether there are barriers to racial and ethnic equity within the city and how they may differ throughout the region.

Date: Monday, June 6

Time: 6 p.m.

Location: virtual Zoom meeting

Please visit the Zoom link to register for the June 6 virtual workshop.

Postponed - Green Building Ordinance 2021-13

In last week’s newsletter, it was announced that the city was anticipating the approval of the Green Building Ordinance, Ordinance 2021-13, on May 24 by the California Energy Commission (CEC).

However, the ordinance approval has since been postponed. The city anticipates that the ordinance will be included in the CEC’s June agenda. A status update will be provided once the agenda has been posted. 

Please contact Crystal Najera, Sustainability Manager, at [email protected] with any questions.

Modal Alternatives Project (MAP) Workshop #2 - Your Feedback is Needed

The second workshop for Modal Alternatives Project (MAP) was held virtually on May 23 and about 38 community members attended. The workshop reviewed prioritization criteria, created by the consultant and city team, which were applied to bicycle and pedestrian projects in the 2018 Active Transportation Plan. The project team received community input regarding the prioritization for each of the five communities and citywide projects.

Please visit the survey page to provide feedback until June 17.

Olivenhain Evacuation Community Meeting - Get Prepared

The Encinitas Fire Department is partnering with Fitch & Associates to present community meetings about evacuations and fire safety. Please join us to learn more about:

- The updated Olivenhain Evacuation Plan

- Alerts and notifications

- Evacuation warnings and orders

- How to pack an emergency evacuation ‘Go Bag’

- Returning after an evacuation

- Defensible space

Meeting One

Date: Monday, June 20

Time: 6-8 p.m.

Location: Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive

Meeting Two

Date: Tuesday, June 21

Time: 6-8 p.m.

Location: Encinitas Community and Senior Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive

Meeting Three

Date: Saturday, July 9

Time: 10 a.m. to noon

Location: Encinitas Community and Senior Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.

7th Annual Zero Waste Fair - Learn About Zero Waste Living

The City of Encinitas and “I Love A Clean San Diego” invite San Diego County residents to celebrate and learn about the importance of zero waste living with environmental resources from across the San Diego region!

Whether you are curious about what zero waste means or are actively working towards a low-waste lifestyle, this unique family-friendly event covers a variety of sustainability topics. Visitors will be able to:

- Attend mini segments ranging from sustainable fashion to current environmental justice initiatives

- Tour educational booths hosted by local zero waste businesses and organizations

- Listen to our panel of sustainability experts

- Learn about at least one real world action to make an immediate impact

Date: Saturday, June 25

Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Location: Encinitas Union School District (EUSD) Farm Lab, 441 Quail Gardens Drive

Please visit the event web page to register for the June 26 event.

Summer Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Guide - Available Now

This issue of the recreation guide, available to read online on the city’s website, features a fresh lineup of instructional classes, sports leagues, and senior programs, as well as dozens of summer camps like cooking, acting, computer skills, and much more. Learn about visual and performing arts, parks and places to play, and the return of some awesome events including Sunday Summer Concerts by the Sea at Moonlight Beach. Printed guides will be mailed to Encinitas residents beginning this weekend.

Registration for summer session classes and programs begins Monday, May 16. As summer camp registration began on March 7, many of our most popular summer beach programs are already full, but there are many more camps to choose from!

Find more info and register for programs at EncinitasParksandRec.com.

North Coastal Sheriff Station Outreach

On May 18, North Coastal Station deputies Ken Wells and Pedro Diaz, sergeants Brent Longfellow and Heather Bruton, and Lieutenant Chiappino participated in Legoland's Safety week alongside deputies from the K9 San Diego County Sheriff Department Special Enforcement Detail. Aerial Support to Regional Enforcement Agencies conducted a helicopter flyover of participants.

On May 19, North Coastal Station deputy Lewis Wearne, along with CSO's Tanya Ortiz, Patricia Speakman and Brooke Aldrich participated in National Bike to Work Week by promoting bike safety at multiple stops along the coast.

MyEncinitas App - Available Now

The MyEncinitas App is a digital portal that allows users to obtain information related to City services and request assistance. Through the app, residents can find online information, report an issue, learn about city projects and more.

Visit the city’s website to download the app today!