The Encinitas Union School District is reviving plans to sell or lease the 125-year-old Pacific View School amid opposition from neighbors and members of the community.

The school was officially closed in 2003 because of not enough enrollment and the age and poor condition of the building. For three years, it served as the city’s temporary public works yard, storage facility, and meeting rooms for other area schools.

In 2005, the community rejected plans by the city to develop the site into a medical and dental office building. The community objected to the density of the office building and felt that it was not a good fit with the eclectic character of the neighborhood.

The district is currently working with the city on a renewed application to rezone the site for residential use. If approved, the new zoning would allow up to 42 homes to be built on the site.

Neighbors say that whatever decision is made should include the value of the site to the entire community.

At the Lux Art Institute at 1550 South El Camino Real in Encinitas, art is interactive. Not only can visitors see an exhibit of the current artist’s works, but they can also see the artist creating the art.

The Lux Institute is a contemporary art venue in North San Diego county where people can see “art happen.” The Artist in Residence series focuses on the living artist and the creative process.

The first artist in residence this year is Elizabeth Turk, a native Southern Californian, who brings a new vision to the art of stone carving. Using a chisel, she transforms 400-pound blocks of marble into fantastic and improbable shapes such as collars, pinwheels, and ribbons. While in residence, Turk will be working on a sculpture for her “Collars” series.

Don’t miss Elizabeth Turk at the Lux Institute!

On Sept. 12th, Quail Botanical Gardens celebrated their name change to San Diego Botanic Gardens at their annual fundraiser.

Most attendees were enthusiastic about the name change, but others didn’t see any reason for it.  All hoped it would expand the number of people who come to the garden and who appreciate it.

Julian Duval, President and CEO of the Garden, said that the name change came after much discussion and consideration. “We believe the gardens has proven its worth as a leading San Diego regional attraction, and to that end, the name change will expand the reach of the organization,” he said.

Guests explored the grounds while drinking wine and eating food prepared by 25 of the area’s restaurants.

The garden encompasses 30 acres and includes more than 3500 plants representing more than 15 distinct bio-geographical regions.  Emphasis on conservation education has increased with the opening of the Hamilton Children’s Garden.

The timely new exhibit about fire safety at Quail Gardens teaches us how we can protect ourselves and our homes during this time of wildfires. This exhibit is a partnership between the fire department of the City of Encinitas and Quail Gardens.

The theme of the exhibit is taking personal responsibility and control over the protection  of life and property during a natural disaster such as a fire.

As homeowners, we can make changes to the vegetation around our homes. Succulents around a house can be very good as a defensible fire zone around a property. The exhibit shows a model home using proper landscaping and building techniques such as dual- or triple-paned windows, and boxing the underside of eves and balconies.

The exhibit teaches us to take responsibility for our own safety through native habitat landscaping as a means of preserving water and increasing fire safety zones.

Homeowners and their families should visit this informative exhibit and learn visually about the importance of natural habitat landscaping.

Encinitas is about to embark on what Councilwoman Teresa Barth calls “the most important project we will undertake as a city since incorporation.” (the city was incorporated in 1986).

She is referring to Encinitas’ preparation to update its citywide land-use plan, the first time they will update it in 20 years.  Barth refers to these plans as “the city’s constitution — a statement of who we are and what we value as a community.”

That’s a pretty important undertaking, and Encinitas is spending over $1M for three consultants to work on updating the plan. These consultants will organize community meetings and handle all technical studies associated with the project.

Now the Encinitas residents must give their input on the changes about to be made. For the next two years, city officials will hold public meetings where residents participate offer recommendations and give opinions on the new plan.

The general plan sets parameters for city development and addresses locations of residential and commercial buildings. It also addresses traffic and sets policies on housing noise, safety, recreation, conservation, and open space.

If you live in Encinitas and you care about your quality of life in the years ahead, watch for notices of these public meetings and come and express your opinions. It’s important!!

San Dieguito Academy, one of the excellent public high schools in Encinitas will begin building a $9.7M Performing Arts Center later this year.

The center will make arts a central part of the students’ learning experience.  It will house a 225-seat theater, a classroom for making scenery, a green room, dressing rooms, and storage space for props. It will also have a music wing and recording studio, and there will be an outdoor stage with 500 seats.

When the students aren’t using these spaces, the school will rent them out to the rest of the Encinitas community, offering other performing arts groups a space for their rehearsals and performances.

The San Dieguito Union High School District has raised $9.2M with some funding from the district, the state, and the school’s foundation. Part of the money comes from a state grant that supports career technical education. The Academy’s Foundation is still working to raise the last $490,000 needed for the project.

This wonderful new Performing Arts Center will further enhance a community already providing great education and excellent art experiences.

KaBoom!, a national non-profit organization, has names Encinitas on its list of 93 top cities nationwide that has great places for kids to play within walking distance of their homes. This recognition program encourages cities to share ideas that they use to increase play opportunities for children.

To qualify, Encinitas had to submit an application describing its parks and playground, recreation programs, and events. Anyone who lives and/or works in Encinitas knows about Moonlight Beach, a great family beach with a playground and summer concerts; Cottonwood Creek Park with its famous big climbing wall; and Cardiff Sports Park which seems to host soccer and baseball tournaments nearly every weekend.

In fact, according to an article in the San Diego Union Tribune, Encinitas has over 374 acres of public parks, beaches, and open space, including 40 miles of publicly maintained trails for its population of nearly 65,000. Encinitas also describes all of its programs through an online website and has been offering online registration there for the past eight years.

The head of the Parks and Recreation Commision defines his group as a liaison between the city and community members who are able to suggest new ideas for activities and events as regularly scheduled meetings.

If you are looking for a family-friendly community in San Diego’s North County, look no further than Encinitas. Its award-winning schools are an additional perk for a community that offers so much for children!