Del Mar City Council Special Meeting Agenda
Del Mar Town Hall
1050 Camino del Mar, Del Mar, California
And via teleconference
1317 Irving Avenue, Colonial Beach, VA 22443
February 20, 2024 City Council Special Meeting
INFORMATION RECEIVED
AFTER THE COUNCIL AGENDA
WAS DISTRIBUTED
(“Red Dots”)
1 Melinda Gould
From: Beth Westburg <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2024 2:44 PM
To: City Clerk Mail Box; Terry Gaasterland; Dwight Worden; David Druker; Tracy Martinez; Dan Quirk
Subject: Closed Session IIIA - Real Property Negotiations - San Dieguito Drive Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Council Members:
Thank you to the city staff and council for moving forward on the San Dieguito Drive improvements. We appreciate your time and attention to this matter.
In 1968, the city of Del Mar adopted a private portion of Oribia road into their street system creating the current situation where we have a private road bounded by public roads. For over 50 years, this unique situation has existed. In the last 10 years, San Dieguito Drive has slowly eroded making this road unsafe and difficult to navigate.
We believe the current proposal to the San Dieguito Drive residents is a great start for negotiation. And, as such, have forwarded questions to the city staff for clarification. We are looking forward to meeting with the staff to come to an agreement.
City staff has offered a resident meeting to answer questions and share the SCI (consulting firm that the city hired) study. We welcome that opportunity. In addition, the San Dieguito Drive Property Owners Association (SDDPOA) would like the opportunity to meet with city staff and have a confidential meeting to negotiate with the city. We also request a copy of the SCI report so we can review it prior to the meetings. Time is of the essence and a frank conversation will be beneficial to everyone so we can move forward quickly.
We believe we are very close to a resolution and hope by working directly with staff, we can come to a mutual agreement.
Thank you,
Beth Westburg
San Dieguito Drive Property Owners Association
1 February 20, 2024 Closed Session Item III.A
1 Melinda Gould
From: Jim Sedgwick <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2024 3:28 PM
To: City Clerk Mail Box; Terry Gaasterland; Dwight Worden; David Druker; Tracy Martinez; Dan Quirk
Subject: Closed Session IIIA - Gratitude and Support for the San Dieguito Drive Repaving Project Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Del Mar City Council Members,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for your dedication and hard work towards improving our community, particularly regarding the repaving project of San Dieguito Drive. The effort and attention you have given to this matter have not gone unnoticed by the residents of this area.
My family has deep roots in this community; my father has been a resident of San Dieguito Drive since 1969, and I have recently returned to my childhood home here to assist in his care. Witnessing the evolution of our neighborhood and seeing the challenges posed by the current state of San Dieguito Drive makes this project especially meaningful to us.
The initiative to repave and improve this crucial stretch of road speaks volumes about the council's commitment to the safety and well-being of its residents, as well as to the overall quality of life in our beloved city. Engaging in negotiations and seeking a resolution that benefits all parties involved is a testament to your dedication to community welfare.
I understand that planning and executing projects of this magnitude require a significant investment of time, resources, and dedication. Therefore, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to each one of you for your ongoing efforts and for prioritizing the well-being of our community.
I am encouraged by the progress made so far and am optimistic about the positive impact the completion of this project will have on our community. It is my hope that the council will continue to support and expedite the repaving of San Dieguito Drive, ensuring a safer and more accessible route for all residents, and preserving the integrity of our neighborhood for future generations.
Thank you once again for your hard work, commitment, and for listening to the voices of your constituents. Your efforts to improve the infrastructure of Del Mar are making a significant difference in our lives. I look forward to the successful completion of this project and the many benefits it will bring to our community.
Warm regards,
Jim Sedgwick
1515 San Dieguito Dr.
858-260-1982
2 February 20, 2024 Closed Session Item III.A
1 Melinda Gould
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2024 3:39 PM
To: City Clerk Mail Box; Terry Gaasterland; Dwight Worden; David Druker; Tracy Martinez; Dan Quirk
Subject: Red Dot Letter: Del Mar City Council Closed Session Agenda Item III (A) - 20 Feb 2024 Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Del Mar City Council members:
Thank you for continuing to work to resolve the San Dieguito Drive maintenance issue. The City recently sent a letter to the property owners and easement holders with a preliminary offer for a negotiated agreement. It is clear from the letter that the City expects the public bid for the Utility Undergrounding Project in District X1A to also be the deadline for reaching an agreement with the property owners and we are fast approaching that deadline in just a few months. I think there is an immediate, urgent need for a public dialogue between the property owners and the City to discuss the City’s conclusions and proposal as presented in their letter. I have many questions about the City’s proposal, and I know that other property owners in Crest Canyon do, too.
Here are a few of the questions that came to mind when I read the letter:
“Because San Dieguito Drive is a privately owned road, the private property owners along San Dieguito Drive are responsible for maintaining it….Although the City maintains a public access easement to use San Dieguito Drive, it is not responsible for maintaining or improving the privately owned road.” Question: What is the legal basis for this statement? My research indicates that the easement holders are responsible for maintaining this stretch of road. The City of Del Mar claims to be an easement holder and the homeowners on San Dieguito Drive and Oribia Road are also easement holders. “As a result, SCI is recommending the City pay approximately 70% of the improvement project costs and assume responsibility for the road going forward, if the residents are willing to pay for the remaining 30% of the improvement costs.”
Question: What calculation did SCI use to arrive at this recommendation? “SCI is recommending that residents on San Dieguito Drive and Oribia Road participate in a residential assessment district to fund the resident portion of the project. As those primarily responsible for San Dieguito Drive, the rate for each property along San Dieguito Drive would be approximately $889 per year. The rate for each property along Oribia Road, which uses San Dieguito Drive for access, would be 50% of that, or $445 per year. Assessment district voting would be weighted to reflect these proportional contributions.” 3 February 20, 2024 Closed Session Item III.A
2 Question: What is the legal basis for the claim that the property owners on San Dieguito Drive are “primarily responsible” for San Dieguito Drive? What justification does SCI have for the assignment of a 50% share of the cost of repair to the property owners on Oribia Road? Normally, assessment districts assign a share of the cost of a project based on the calculated benefit to each property owner (and other potential beneficiaries.) For instance, my house is only one third of the way up San Dieguito Drive and I would derive only 1/3 of the benefit that the property owners on Oribia Road would receive if the road were repaired. According to that standard, I should pay only about one third of what an Oribia Drive property owner would pay instead of twice as much (which is what SCI has proposed.) Answering property owners’ questions and reviewing the plans for the new road design in a public meeting would seem to me to be the next step in moving forward with the transfer of San Dieguito Drive to the City. I hope we can schedule this meeting as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Amy Cheshire
1561 San Dieguito Drive
4 February 20, 2024 Closed Session Item III.A
1 Melinda Gould
From: City Clerk Mail Box
Subject: FW: Closed Session IIIA - Real Property Negotiations - San Dieguito Drive On Mon, Feb 19, 2024 at 8:37 PM KHayward <[email protected]> wrote:
Feb 19, 2024
Re: Closed Session IIIA - Real Property Negotiations - San Dieguito Drive Dear City Council Members
We have lived on San Dieguito Drive since 1969 and are aware of how difficult it is to have our road repaired. We appreciate the effort city staff and council have taken on behalf of the residents of San Dieguito Drive in working through the problems involved in repairing the street. We believe with just a few questions answered we can come to an agreement and move forward with the project. We appreciate Beth Westburg’s time and effort on this and fully support her decisions in meeting with the city regarding the street.
Thank you so much,
Bette and Karla Hayward
1567 San Dieguito Drive
858-755-8536
Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
5 February 20, 2024 Closed Session Item III.A
1 Melinda Gould
From: Rocky Labossiere <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2024 7:50 AM
To: City Clerk Mail Box; Terry Gaasterland
Cc: Dwight Worden; [email protected]; Tracy Martinez; [email protected] Subject: San Dieguito Drive Road
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Council Members,
Appreciate City Council And Staff for helping to facilitate improvements for San Dieguito Drive.
Looking forward to a resoluon with all of us property owners and the City of Del Mar.
Looks like progress in the right direcon.
Thanks
Rocky
1525 San Dieguito Drive
6 February 20, 2024 Closed Session Item III.A
1 Melinda Gould
From: Ann Garland <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2024 9:29 AM
To: City Clerk Mail Box; Terry Gaasterland; Dwight Worden; David Druker; Tracy Martinez; Dan Quirk
Cc: Saul Levine
Subject: Closed Session IIIA - Real Property Negotiations - San Dieguito Drive CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello,
We are new homeowners on San Dieguito Drive writing to support the efforts to come to an agreement regarding improvements to the street. We appreciate the leadership of Beth Westburg in finding a mutually agreeable path forward. We are pleased that it seems a resolution is close and hope to have it finalized soon.
Thank you for your attention to this issue,
Sincerely,
Ann Garland, PhD and Saul Levine, MD
1 February 20, 2024 Closed Session Item III.A