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ground surface creates potentially liquefiable soil, which is not conducive for new construction due to potential earthquake damage and mitigation costs.

Since the school was built in 1986, the industry’s understanding of soil liquefaction and soil code requirements has changed significantly.

According to engineers, although the school buildings are structurally safe as they are, they are no longer up to code. As a result, if an earthquake were to occur, the buildings would likely remain intact but could sink.

While there are measures to help mitigate the effects of liquefaction, such as installing non-liquefiable stone columns underneath buildings, there is no guarantee these techniques will prevent damage during an earthquake.

“Staff is recommending that the board close the school,” said Donald Bendz, the school district's communications director.

Bendz said the news is disappointing considering the district’s “wonderful plans” to rebuild the school.

Reynolds Elementary nearly closed two years ago with plans to merge the school population with either Libby or Del Dios Elementary Schools. After significant parental pushback, the board opted to rebuild the school for nearly the third in the area since last summer including one that killed Christine Embree sparking a citywide state of emergency regarding e-bikes and vehicles. Another accident occurred weeks before Embree’s death when a speeding vehicle raced east on Tamarack Avenue when it lost control, veering into electrical transformer and smashing into several parked cars.

$50 million. If the district goes forward with the reconstruction, the project could cost as much as $100 million with the additional soil liquefaction mitigation.

A special meeting is planned for the board to discuss the future of Reynolds Elementary on March 13 at 6 p.m. at Chavez Middle School. The board will make its final decision on March 14 at the regular board meeting.

If Reynolds is closed, students will be moved to other nearby school sites. Many parents are upset about the plan to close Reynolds. A protest is planned for 11 a.m. on March 10 in front of the district office.

Residents have also pressured the city and City Council to act to reduce speeds along Tamarack Avenue. One action from the city was to install a “hawk light” at the intersection of Tamarack Avenue and Valley Drive, which is activated during school hours. However, residents have pushed back on the effectiveness of the light.

In August 2022, the City Council approved $2 million in emergency funding to pay for police overtime, street projects and a public outreach campaign. The police have been working on warnings and citations for motorists and cyclists, while a street project on Tamarack will consist of speed humps, raised crosswalks and other tools to slow traffic.

The city also partnered with the San Diego County Bike Coalition to promote the city’s Safer Streets Together campaign, which is a response to a more than 200% increase in bike and e-bike collisions citywide since 2019.

The campaign, though, urges safe practices from motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. The city has been pushing a pledge for residents to follow all laws, encouraging slower driving, putting away cellphones, stopping, wearing helmets and reflective gear, crossing at crosswalks and others.

Since declaring a local emergency, the city increased enforcement, held training classes and educated community members about traffic safety rules. The campaign is designed to encourage safe behavior on the road, such as slowing down, sharing the road and riding a bike in the same direction as traffic.

In March 2022, the City Council tightened its e-bike ordinance due to rising collision rates.

Since 2019, e-bike collisions have skyrocketed to 186 reported incidents, according to the Carlsbad Police Department, a majority of which were determined to be the operator’s fault. Of those incidents, 163 resulted in injury.

Law enforcement also reported 99 collisions from Jan. 2020 through July 2021. Among those reported incidents, e-bike or mobility device operators were at fault 72 times, Sgt. Scott Meritt told the council. He also reported the number of collisions increased from 39 in 2020 to 63 in 2021.

Marissa Kawecki, deputy city attorney, said in March 2022 the ordinance establishes definitions for e-bicycles and other regulated mobility devices and prohibitions on where they can be used.

The ordinance requires riders to use due care, reduce speed when necessary for safety, follow all rules of the road and dismount their mobility device on narrow trails (less than 5 feet wide) when within 50 feet of a pedestrian or horseback rider.