Fighting Climate Change with Cardiff Sand Dunes
The “living sand dunes” have been in the making for five years and they’re part of an ongoing effort to save Cardiff State Beach from rising sea levels.
Fighting Climate Change with Cardiff Sand Dunes
ENCINITAS, Calif. – The city of Encinitas used some giant scissors to cut a giant ribbon, to celebrate some giant piles of sand on Cardiff State Beach.
Sometimes giant piles of sand are just sand. But these piles are not. They’re engineered “living dunes” that have been five years in the making. And they’re part of an ongoing effort to save Cardiff from rising sea levels.
These super dunes may even provide a roadmap for saving other beaches that are susceptible to climate change, up and down California’s coast.
Erosion, Erosion, Erosion
When it comes to California’s beaches, erosion is normal. Our coastal landscapes are meant to change. However, rising sea levels and intense storms have exacerbated the dangers of erosion, and the fact that we’ve built homes and infrastructure right up against it means that it’s a huge concern.
In many places, we fight against erosion by “nourishing” beaches, which means adding a bunch of sand to increase their size, like at Zuma Beach in Malibu. We sometimes also line the beaches with giant rocks, especially along roads, the hope being that those rocks will absorb some of the energy put out by the powerful ocean, thus saving the infrastructure behind them.
The living dunes at Cardiff State Beach in Encinitas are roughly 14 feet above sea level and three feet above Highway 101. (Photo by Jacob Margolis/LAist)
That’s what officials were doing at Cardiff for years, in an effort to protect the beach and North Coast Highway 101, but it wasn’t working.
“[Cardiff] was already experiencing flooding during extreme high tide events and during extreme storms,” said Jayme Timberlake, Coastal Zone Program Administrator for the City of Encinitas.
Any sand that they used to nourish the beach was quickly washed away, shrinking its usable area. And the rocks that they used to protect the 101 were just being thrown up onto it.
“It did cause a lot of issues with access, access to the highway itself. The highway is pretty critical for daily commuters,” said Timberlake.
Recognizing that the problem wasn’t going to get any better as sea levels rose, the city decided to act, and over the course of five years designed and built a “living shoreline.”
While the process is similar to beach nourishment in that it uses a lot of sand, it’s completely different in that it’s meticulously engineered, offers tiers of protection and is designed to last a long time.
Like a Sandy Layer Cake
Beneath the piles of sand are rocks, or cobble, that are stacked at specific angles, and increase in size the further you get from the water. They’re buried about ten feet deep and are sitting on top of a thick fabric that’s designed to keep them from sinking.
“There’s science backing cobble at being pretty effective at shoreline protection. It stacks up more steeply and higher as waves attack it,” said Brian Leslie, Senior Coastal Scientist with GHD, a firm that the city contracted with on the project. “It’s … like this first line of defense for the dune, so the dune doesn’t get eroded right away when we start to get these big waves and tides.”
The city installed sand fences and planted native vegetation on top of the mounds to stop them from blowing away. There’s also the added benefit of building natural habitat for the adorable snowy plovers.
“This is a coastal strand that was formerly … a dune system, so it’s bringing back what used to be here and it’s meant to be a permanent feature,” said Leslie.
The dunes will erode so they’ll require nourishing, though it’s unclear how often at this time…
Article by: Jacob Margolis
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Dune construction was finalized with the planting of native dune species, such as beach primrose and red-sand verbena, and the installation of beach access fencing, which delineates public access paths through the dune systems and helps protect the dunes from erosion.
The City of Encinitas along with key agency partners held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday morning to celebrate the grand opening. Watch the ribbon cutting video here from CBS8, celebrating the completion of the Cardiff Sand Dunes.
Cardiff School Construction Update
Construction on Cardiff School has continued over the last month with installation of underground utilities, electrical work and rough grading for the new building pads…
Cardiff School Construction Update
Construction on Cardiff School has continued over the last month with installation of underground utilities (gas, electric and communications); electrical work; and rough grading for the new building pads.
Additionally, the parking lot and walkways have been patched to allow for use once school resumes.
Power has been restored this week in advance of teachers and students returning to campus. Teachers returned on Tuesday, Aug. 20 and students returned on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
In order to be able to continue operating the school, construction is occurring in phases. All 60-70-year-old buildings are now gone. The main administration building and one, two-room classroom building remain intact. These buildings – along with eight portable classrooms – are fully functional and will house the school’s and District’s administrative offices and grades K-1 while the rest of the campus is being constructed. Students in second grade will attend classes at Ada W. Harris Elementary School during the construction. Second grade will once again be at Cardiff School when it reopens in August 2020.
Construction activity is currently diminishing and is focusing on preparing the eastern portion of the site for construction of new classroom buildings. Starting in November 2019, construction on the new classroom buildings will commence.
In June 2020, the eight portable classrooms will be removed from the site and one remaining new classroom building will begin construction along with the remodel of the two classrooms attached to the administration building. New classroom buildings are scheduled to be completed by the end of Summer 2020 and the school will be ready to receive all K-2 students. The remaining classroom building will be completed in the Spring 2021. At that time the contractor will remove all remaining equipment and job site trailers from the site and the school’s new play fields will be built and be ready for all K-2 students when they return in August 2021. At this time the District will once again make the school’s play fields available to the community when not being used by the school or District.
Cardiff School play fields are owned solely by the District and are not a City or Community Park. The District named the Cardiff School play fields George Berkich Park to honor a previous Cardiff School principal and granted the City permission to use the school’s play fields for outdoor recreation programs in the early 1990’s because the City lacked its own park land at that time.
Tree Removal Update
The District is committed to preserving as many trees as possible on the school site, and has worked closely with its architect, landscape architect, two arborists and contractors to identify several existing trees that will remain in place.
Approximately 53 new trees are being added to the site and 17 fruiting trees are being relocated or replaced in kind. At the end of construction there will be over 30 more trees on the site than there were previously. These trees will also be more appropriate for the location and consistent with the current City of Encinitas landscape guidelines.
Unfortunately, two trees the District originally attempted to keep must be removed. Although these trees were known to be close to the proposed buildings, the District had hoped they could be kept. Once the site was cleared and new buildings locations determined, it became apparent these trees and their root structures were too close to the new buildings. The District had originally designed a site plan that worked around almost all existing trees, especially the larger trees. When the District redesigned the site to accommodate community requests to consolidate buildings on the eastern portion of the site many of these trees originally planned to remain had to be removed.
The District has been working closely with two arborists and they have recommended the Torrey Pine and Aleppo Pine located at the northeast corner of the site should be removed for safety reasons. The District is working to save a Magnolia tree that was previously identified for removal. This tree is located just southeast of the library.
What’s Next
The District also continues to work through legal issues spurred on by a small group of neighbors who are opposed to the project. Most recently, this group filed a temporary restraining order (TRO) requesting the court halt all construction on the project. If they had been successful, Cardiff School would have been unable to receive students this year.
Instead, the court granted a “limited” TRO, which only temporarily stops construction on the school play fields, except for utility work, until the legal issues can be resolved by the court. The TRO does not affect any other areas of construction on the site and the court has set dates in October
Need More Information about Measure GG?
The District is committed to communicating with residents as this project progresses. You can learn more about the project by contacting Randy Peterson, the Measure GG Bond Program Manager at csdbpm@gmail.com
Article provided by Cardiff School District
Full Overnight Closures of Manchester Ave.
Full Overnight Closures of Manchester Avenue at I-5 September 8-13
Full Overnight Closures of Manchester Avenue at I-5 on September 8th-13th
Starting Sunday, September 8, and continuing until Friday, September 13, a full overnight closure of eastbound and westbound Manchester Avenue at Interstate 5 (I-5) will take place each night between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
As part of the San Elijo Lagoon Highway Bridge Replacement Project, Caltrans and SANDAG construction crews have begun removing falsework – temporary steel and wooden support structures – from the newly constructed southbound exterior highway bridge. These overnight closures will allow crews to remove bridge falsework directly above the Manchester Avenue surface street.
All I-5 on-ramps and off-ramps will remain open during these overnight closures and will provide access to eastbound and westbound detour routes for the traveling public. Please note, daytime eastbound and westbound motor vehicle access on Manchester Avenue at I-5 will be maintained between the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Thank you for your patience during construction!
Meet Our Program Director, Alison!
Meet our Program Director, Alison! Alison Wielechowski and her family moved to Cardiff-by-the-Sea during the summer of 2016. She is a long time non-profit executive with over 15 years of experience of building community..
Meet Our Program Director, Alison!
Alison Wielechowski and her family moved to Cardiff-by-the-Sea during the summer of 2016. She is a long time non-profit executive with over 15 years of experience of building community. Since moving from the east coast, Alison and her family love to spend time outdoors exploring hiking spots in San Diego County, gardening, and spending time at the beach. She also has volunteered her time with ELL as an assistant baseball coach, has been a den leader in the Cardiff Cub Scout Pack 797, and is currently a board member on the Ada Harris Wild Cats Band Boosters. When not working or volunteering, you might see Alison, her husband George, and sons Lennon and Gideon hanging out at the Encinitas Community Park or rising bikes on the coastal rail trail.
Small Business 101 Workshop
Join us for the continuation of our popular Small Business 101 workshop series geared towards both the beginning business owner and the experienced professional in Encinitas.
Small Business 101 Workshop Series
Join the continuation of our popular Small Business 101 workshop series geared towards both the beginning business owner and the experienced professional in Encinitas.
This "102" session follows our Small Business 101 Workshop presented in June 2019 and this time, the focus will be on accounting, finance, and bookkeeping basics.
We'll have presentations from local professionals as well as the North San Diego Small Business Development Center at MiraCosta College. In addition, come meet Encinitas' local 101 Main Street and Chamber of Commerce organizations and learn how these resources can help you.
The workshop goes from 2 -4 p.m. on Sept. 24th at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center, located at 1140 Oakcrest Park Road. An optional networking session follows the workshop, from 4 - 5 PM.
This workshop is offered in partnership with the City of Encinitas, MiraCosta College, the 101 Main Street Associations, and the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce.
Register
To register, visit the Eventbrite site setup at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/small-business-101-tickets-67553970745Â
September 24th, 2019
2:00pm-4:00pm
Encinitas Community and Senior Center
505 S. Vulcan Ave. Encinitas, CA
1140 Oakcrest Park Road
Scripps Receives High Marks
Scripps Memorial Hospital-Encinitas was recognized as being “high performing” in treatment in the areas of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, and heart failure.
Scripps Receives High Marks
ENCINITAS — The U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals Rankings and Ratings were recently released, and a pair of local hospitals received high marks for certain adult procedures.
Scripps Memorial Hospital-Encinitas was recognized as being “high performing” in treatment in the areas of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, and heart failure.
Palomar Medical Center Escondido was deemed “high performing” in hip and knee replacements.
Scripps Encinitas’ physician operations executive Dr. Scott Eisman called the recognition “meaningful.”
“There are a lot of people who are dedicated to the care of our patients, and the fact that we are doing well, there’s no better feeling,” Eisman said. “But the recognition is very validating of what we do, and it’s meaningful for us to see that.”
Eisman said the hospital’s high marks in COPD and heart failure care are the result of a team-based approach to healthcare, where everyone from the surgeon to case managers are striving for excellence.
“We are continually looking to improve our team-based approach to health care,” Eisman said.
Scripps Encinitas, Tri-City and Palomar Hospital in Escondido all see a high volume of patients suffering from COPD or chronic heart failure. Eisman said that this is expected with a larger population overall, but especially a larger senior population — the segment of the population most susceptible to these chronic ailments.
Eisman also said that more patients means that the hospital is doing a better job of keeping patients with these ailments alive, which means more treatment over time.
“Hopefully we are making an impact in the quality of life these people can lead,” Eisman said.
Scripps Encinitas outstripped other nearby hospitals in a number of rankings of its specialty categories, including diabetes, gastroenterology and geriatrics fields.
Palomar Medical Center Escondido, however, scored highest out of the region’s hospitals in the areas of knee and hip replacement, in which the report rated them as “high performing” as well.
When asked for comment, Palomar Health spokesman Derryl Acosta said he would provide a statement on behalf of the hospital’s board. The Coast News will update the story with his statement.
None of the three major hospital’s in The Coast News’ coverage area were ranked among the top hospitals in California, although Scripps Encinitas’ sister hospital, Scripps La Jolla, ranked sixth among California hospitals.
Article by: Aaron Burgin, Coast News
September 7th, 2018
Skye Walker paints new mural to help revitalize street in Cardiff-by-the-Sea
When Skye Walker set out to paint a new mural to help revitalize Newcastle Avenue in Cardiff, he didn't immediately know the project would pay so much homage to the community he has lived in for two decades.
Skye Walker paints new mural to help revitalize street in Cardiff
When Skye Walker set out to paint a new mural to help revitalize Newcastle Avenue in Cardiff, he didn't immediately know the project would pay so much homage to the community he has lived in for two decades.
The “Evening Gold” painting, on a mixed-use building in the heart of Cardiff, was originally a photo taken by legendary surf photographer Todd Glaser of celebrity pro-surfer Rob Machado. Both Glaser and Machado live in Cardiff.
"This just resonated because Todd's a local Cardiff guy, Rob's local and I'm local," Skye said. "With the Cardiff 101 and having this landmark mural of sorts that just brings everything together, I'm just humbled to be able to try to translate it to make it do that."
The mural, at 2121 Newcastle on the side of the Cardiff Reef Apartments building, features a depiction of Machado surfing through green-hued waves at sunset at Cardiff State Beach.
Skye — who has also painted murals at businesses like the former Whole Foods location on Coast Highway 101 and Royal Liquor in Leucadia — began painting “Evening Gold” on May 1 and completed it one week later, dividing his painting time over 60 hours to combat the winds and rain. He estimated he used 40 cans of spray paint for the project.
"With spray paint, it's all about blending in certain murals," the artist said. "Even doing straight fills was hard because the wind was just blowing the paint up into the atmosphere. We just kind of had to time things right."
Additionally, Skye could not work overnight because he needed the light to work with a spectrum of colors that were within the same range, such as the different hues of green in the waves.
Roberta Walker, executive director of Cardiff 101 Main Street, said Skye's piece is the start of a "cultural arts district" in Cardiff through Chesterfield. The association received a grant from the City of Encinitas for such artwork in the area.
"We have these amazing artists in Cardiff and Encinitas," Roberta said. "We really want to showcase that. There hasn't really been that much focus on that in Cardiff. Newcastle is the start of this cultural arts district that we're forming, and we really want to use art to revitalize this street to turn it into a more vibrant, social walking district."
Additionally, she said Cardiff 101 is in discussions with the city to install art pieces and signage on roadways, like traffic circles.
Adam Robinson — who owns the Encinitas-based development firm RAF Pacifica Group, which encompasses buildings such as the Cardiff Reef Apartments and the former Whole Foods — was the first property owner to offer his site toward Cardiff 101's vision.
"We wanted to do something special because Cardiff doesn't really have a downtown. It has a loop," Adam said. "This corner wasn't activated really well. I had no idea what we wanted to do here exactly. I just knew we wanted to do something. When Cardiff 101 presented us with Skye's work, we thought it was more than perfect."
The three-story, 15,000-square-foot building was built in the 1970s, before Encinitas was incorporated, Adam said. It houses six commercial units on the ground floor and 12 one-bedroom apartments.
"We were just doing a rehab on it because it was kind of an eyesore," he said. "We wanted to add art to the exterior of the project."
Skye said that as people walk by his mural, he hopes the piece sparks conversation and inspiration.
"Murals lift up any community," he said. "Obviously, there are so many different ways to do murals and different kinds, but when you engage the community with public art, it just really inspires people and gets them interested. It drives communities in a way that nothing else does."
Author: Brittany Woosley with Encinitas Advocate
May 17, 2018