The coast news 2013 07 26

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94

THE COAST NEWS

MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

VOL. 27, NO. 19

CUSD raises pay rates for substitutes By Rachel Stine

CARLSBAD — Struggling to acquire adequate substitute teachers, the Carlsbad Unified School District raised its pay rate for substitutes for the first time in 13 years at its July 24 board meeting. “I became concerned about the challenge of finding sufficient certified substitutes on a daily basis,” said Rick Grove, Carlsbad’s assistant superintendent of personnel services. He said that last year, nine percent of substitute teacher posts were unfilled in the school district. “We had many days when we did not have sufficient substitutes to cover our positions.” Grove said the struggle is attributed to the fact that Carlsbad offered the lowest pay rate for substitute teachers out of all of its neighboring districts, and one of the lowest in the county. Last raised in 2000, substitute teachers received $85 per day for covering general education and special education classes and $95 per day for teaching a class longer than 10 days. Comparatively, other nearby districts were offering from $90 to $105 per day for general education classes and more for special education and long term assignments. Grove said that schools would be left scrambling in the morning when

Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Services Rick Grove, right, addresses the Carlsbad Unified School District board about pay raises for substitute teachers. Photo by Rachel Stine

substitutes who had agreed to take a position would cancel the night before to take an assignment at a higher paying district. He said that it was not unusual for principals, management and teachers on their prep periods to cover last minute vacancies. In some cases, teachers would have to be pulled from professional training activities to

cover classes that did not have a substitute. “Sometimes classified staff are left to cover, which is not OK,” he said. Board President Elisa Williamson said that the district had not raised substitute teachers’ pay for so many years because Carlsbad’s schools are TURN TO SUBSTITUTES ON A10

By Bianca Kaplanek

Plot thickens for Prop A and coastal commission ENCINITAS —Several weeks ago, it appeared as though the city would need to process a land-use change in order for Proposition A to take effect in the entire city. But after receiving a letter several weeks ago, the city is seeking clarity on whether that’s necessary. The growth-control initiative went on the books for the northeastern portion of the city July 21. However, for now, the city is holding off on processing permits for some building projects in the 80 percent of the city that’s in the coastal zone. The delay is due to continuing uncertainty over Prop A and the California Coastal Commission, according to City Planning Director Jeff Murphy. “We want to figure this out as soon as possible,” Murphy said. Specifically, the city is looking at whether it will have to file an amendment to its local coastal program to satisfy the coastal commission. In late May, Murphy asked coastal commission staff if the city would need

to approve all or a portion of Prop A for it to become law in the coastal zone. “Briefly, the answer is ‘yes,’” wrote Eric Stevens, an analyst with the coastal commission, in a July 1 response. The letter went on to say coastal commis-

We want to figure this out as soon as possible.” Jeff Murphy City Planning Director, Encinitas

sion approval is dependent on the city completing an amendment to its local coastal program — a process that could take up to a year. The amendment is required, among other reasons, because Prop A establishes a 30-foot height limit in the coastal zone, according to that letter. However, a July 10 letter from the coastal commission noted that propoTURN TO PROP A ON A14

O’side group opposes new asphalt plant By Promise Yee

Five years after a program was adopted that allows businesses to pay for up to half of their required parking spaces rather than provide them, council set the fee for the stalls at $30,000 each. Photo by Bianca Kaplanek

cerns, city staff said. The in-lieu program was adopted as one means to address those concerns and encourage redevelopment. Any new development or the redevelopment of more than 50 percent of an existing

Predicting crime

business in the commercial zone will be required to pay the full amount for each space before a permit is granted. Properties owners planning minor expansions or a change of use can take advan-

Two Sections, 48 pages

The Carlsbad Police Department is set to begin a pilot program using software to help predict crime in the city. A7

Arts & Entertainment . A17 Food & Wine . . . . . . . . A12

District makes moves The Vista Unified School District board names new principal and vice principals to area schools. B3

JULY 26, 2013

By Jared Whitlock

Cost of a Del Mar parking space: $30k DEL MAR — The third time was the charm in determining the price of a single parking space in Del Mar. Five years after the adoption of a program that allows business owners to pay for rather than provide up to half of their required parking spaces, council members established a fee at the July 15 meeting of $30,000 per space. Parking has long been considered a problem in the beachside city, although some say there isn’t a lack of spaces, just a shortage of them in the north end of town, where most restaurants and retail shops are located. Property owners say parking requirements are a deterrent when it comes to improving or expanding existing businesses. Whenever new development proposals are presented, providing adequate parking always tops the list of con-

.com

Comic-Con ended last weekend in San Diego. Check out photos of some of the celebrities and fans who attended the annual event. B14

Legals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A21 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A15

tage of an annual payment plan of $1,000 per year for each stall for the length of time they participate in the in-lieu program. Council members had TURN TO PARKING FEES ON A6

HOW TO REACH US (760) 436-9737 Calendar: calendar@coastnewsgroup.com Community News: community@coastnewsgroup.com Letters to the Editor: letters@coastnewsgroup.com

OCEANSIDE — Contractor George Weir, owner of Escondido Asphalt in Escondido, has been looking for a location to open a second asphalt plant for five years. The search led him to an agreeable location at 2609 Industry Street in Oceanside that is zoned for heavy industry and not directly adjacent to a waterway. Homeowners near the site do not see the plant as a good fit.They have long complained of noise and possible environmental effects of medium and heavy industry in the area between Oceanside Boulevard and Loma Alta Creek. The Friends of Loma Alta Creek previously filed a lawsuit that stopped a cement plant from opening on Industry Street. The group also filed a lawsuit that questioned the environmental impacts of

the Waste Management compressed natural gas fueling station on Industry Street that got a go-ahead from City Council. Nadine Scott, founder and president of Friends of Loma Alta Creek, said her concerns include odors, fumes, outdoor material storage within the creek floodway, and other environmental impacts. “It’s the wrong place,” Scott said. Weir has not yet made an application to the city to open the asphalt plant. He met with city staff for a developer's conference in early June to learn what concerns and oppositions there might be to the plant. At the meeting he was informed of the Friends of Loma Alta Creek’s past concerns and e-mailed Scott about his intention to open the plant.The e-mail was also TURN TO ASPHALT ON A19


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The coast news 2013 07 26 by Coast News Group - Issuu