Volume XV, Issue 31
www.solanabeachsun.com
July 28, 2011 Published Weekly
DM Council says fairgrounds deal not dead BY JOE TASH CONTRIBUTOR Rumors of the death of the city of Del Mar’s bid to buy the stateowned Del Mar fairgrounds are greatly exaggerated, City Council members said Monday. In comments at a July 25 City Council meeting, council members downplayed the significance of published reports that a group of horse owners led by businessman Mike Pegram — which had verbally agreed to put up $30 million toward the
■ See our Special Racing Section on Pages B8-B9
purchase — has dropped out of the deal. “The conclusion that the purchase of the fairgrounds is dead because that horseman’s group has pulled out seems to me premature,” said Mayor Don Mosier, in providing an update to the full council on the status of the purchase effort. “There’s a lot happening, it’s not dead,” said Councilman Mark Filanc, who, along with Mosier, heads up the city’s efforts to buy the fairgrounds. “It’s working. It’s a gla-
Solana Beach summer fun
cial process.” Last year, before former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger left office, Del Mar reached an agreement with the state to buy the 400-plus-acre fairgrounds — which includes a horseracing track and grandstands — for $120 million. The property comprises 20 percent of Del Mar’s 1.8-square-mile footprint. Of that amount, the city planned to borrow $45 million by selling bonds, raise another $45 million through a loan from the state,
(Above left) Kyla, Steve and Tyden Chinowsky enjoy Solana Beach’s fourth annual Family Camp Out at La Colonia Park on July 23. See page B12. (Above right) Jaclyn Emanuelson of Solana Beach at the Triathlon Club of San Diego’s Solana Beach Triathlon & Duathlon event held July 24. PHOTOS: JON CLARK
$4M awarded to South Coast marine protected areas program ■ Local teen gets taste of boot camp through rigorous ‘Devil Pups.’ Page B1
A Scripps Institution of Oceanography researcher and several others from the San Diego area are among those who will be working on a program to collect baseline information and initial monitoring of the newly designated South Coast marine protected areas (MPAs). The Ocean Protection Council has awarded $4 million to support the projects, which will collect information for up to three years in-
JOHN R. LEFFERDINK
619-813-8222
side and outside the protected areas in the South Coast region from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County to the California/Mexico border, according to a press release. The California Fish and Game Commission adopted the South Coast MPAs in December of 2010, as a step toward establishing a statewide network of MPAs, as required
SEE MARINE, PAGE 6
SEE DEAL, PAGE 19
Flower Hill upgrade ongoing despite dispute California Coastal Commission issues stop-work order
■ Saints Thrift Store a Solana Beach fixture. Page B15
and the final $30 million was to have come from the group of horsemen. In an interview published July 9 in the Thoroughbred Times, Pegram reportedly said he has given up on the deal. “Like a lot of things in horse racing, it just didn’t work out,” Pegram is quoted as saying. Pegram did not return messages for comment left by this newspaper by presstime.
BY JOE TASH Contributor Construction on a controversial expansion and renovation project at the Flower Hill Promenade mall will continue for now, despite a stop-work order issued by the California Coastal Commission which carries potential fines of $15,000 per day. At issue is a territorial dispute between the commission, which regulates development up and
down the California coast, and the city of San Diego. Each entity contends it has the authority to approve the $25 million project at the popular shopping center on Via De La Valle east of Interstate 5. In April, the San Diego City Council unanimously approved the project, and construction began in July. However, the Coastal Commission contends that it has jurisdiction over the land where the mall sits, and must be the agency to issue a coastal development permit. On Friday, the commission posted a stop-work order
SEE UPGRADE, PAGE 6
Retirement benefit costs a big issue for water district BY JOE TASH Contributor Compensation and expense reimbursements for elected directors of the Santa Fe Irrigation District totaled $40,902 for the fiscal year that ended June 30, according to a report issued by the district. The report — which is required under state law to be compiled annually — was included on the board’s agenda for its meeting on Thursday, July 21.
The total includes per diem payments for attending meetings, along with reimbursement for mileage and parking, travel, office supplies and telephone charges incurred for district business, according to the report. Director Augie Daddi, who lost his bid for re-election last year, received $2,000 in per diem payments before leaving office. The
SEE WATER, PAGE 18
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