On June 22, 1980, San Diegan Marty Moates became the first U.S. motorcyclist to win the U.S. Grand Prix of Motocross at Carlsbad Raceway. Union sports writer Bill Center later called the 1980 U.S. Grand Prix of Motocross, “the most historically significant motorsports event ever held in San Diego.”
Moates continued racing until 1984, when he joined with twin brothers Mark and Brian Simo, also racers, to create No Fear, the successful extreme sports gear manufacturer based in Carlsbad.
From The San Diego Union, Monday June 23, 1980:
It took a decade, but those daring young American motorcyclists have, finally, routed the entrenched Europeans from the ruts, jumps and ditches of Carlsbad Raceway.
And the hero was homegrown, 23-year-old San Diegan Marty Moates, who rode the torturous 1.3-mile Carlsbad circuit like no man in the nine previous events, riding off with the following firsts:
The first American to win the U.S. Grand Prix of Motocross
The first rider to win both Carlsbad motos
The first privateer rider (that is without factory backing) to win the U.S.G.P.
Motocross enthusiasts have a term for it — holeshot. That is when one rider has a bead on the pack at the start and buries, so to speak, the competition in his dust. “One-one, bullets,” said another San Diegan and Moates’ friend Marty Smith (fourth in the second moto and eighth overall). “Marty put on a show.”
The house featured below is where the red dot is in the photo above, and the area circled in red at the bottom notes where the La Costa Resort expanded.
These sold for less in 1977 – this one was a Portsmouth-A plan:
Shouldn’t Matt Hall sell his downtown properties or resign as mayor so the regular political process can be conducted?
There will be no moratorium on development in the Village and Barrio.
The City Council decided to not move forward with the proposal brought forward by Councilwoman Barbara Hamilton during its June 25 meeting after receiving feedback from city staff and discussion regarding a lack of standing to make such a move.
Cities can adopt interim, urgency ordinances prohibiting uses in conflict with a general plan, specific plan or a zoning proposal. However, a four-fifths vote is needed, along with a finding of a current and immediate threat to public health, safety or welfare.
But since Mayor Matt Hall was recused due to financial interests in the Village and Barrio, a majority vote would have been required for a moratorium.
However, Hamilton, who represents District 1, which covers the Village and Barrio, received approval to bring back five items for further discussion for the council workshop on July 9 and approval for a portion of the Village and Barrio Master Plan on Aug. 20.
Those issues include housing and parking in-lieu fees, historical preservation, permitted uses and “decision-maker definition.” The council also passed a decorative lighting study in the Village, 4-0 (Hall was recused).
Hamilton said she her goal was to take a step back from the construction and ongoing redevelopment to assess the area’s needs on a larger scale. Specifically, affordability was a big topic of discussion as the council attempts to incorporate more affordable housing in those neighborhoods.
“As development continues, and we continue to offer housing in-lieu and parking in-lieu, both of these fees haven’t been reviewed in years,” Hamilton said. “These don’t seem to incentivize affordable housing or mobility solutions for the community. The end goal is to take advantage of the authority that we have as council to restrict the use of housing in-lieu and parking in-lieu.”
A majority of speakers, meanwhile, railed against the proposed moratorium saying it would only increase rents and negatively affect businesses.
Michael McSweeney, senior public policy advisor for the San Diego Building Industry Association, did not hold back against the proposed moratorium.
“This is something unprecedented,” he said. “In the middle of a housing crisis, we want to talk about stopping. That’s the equivalent, in my mind, if there’s a wildfire we’ll talk about water rationing.”
He, along with others, also questioned where the danger to public health safety was to call for a discussion about a moratorium, which must have been proven to enact an urgency ordinance of 45 days.
Brendan Foote, who does adaptive reuse, said the council is missing one point regarding affordable housing, the cost of land. A starting point of $200,000, for example, to purchase the land, plus thousands of dollars for city fees and then construction costs make affordable units unattainable.
“I love and respect the charm of Carlsbad Village and don’t see it going anywhere,” Foote said. “We want to see positive change. We need to get a little more creative and look at this dwelling units per acre.”
Hamilton then pivoted away from the moratorium and asked for her other concerns be prioritized before the council.
Councilwoman Cori Schumacher said it was not prudent for a moratorium, as it is up to the council how to apply the tools at their disposal for development. Also, the council does not have final authority over projects in the Barrio under the new master plan.
The Planning Commission has final say, but the council will consider taking over final approval when the master plan returns on Aug. 20.
While most of San Diego County is still grappling with their short-term rental policies, the City of Carlsbad does have a clearly defined area where they allow them:
The camera was rolling today – here are a couple of short home tours with commentary along the way:
We lost a pillar of our industry this week when Mike Evans, broker/owner of Sea Coast Exclusive Properties passed away. He began his brokerage in 1985, and it grew into three offices with 150 agents before he sold it to First Team in January. RIP
At least eight businesses in Carlsbad’s downtown Village area have been told they must prepare to move out as their buildings make way for a sleek new restaurant/retail complex.
In what seems to cement the notion that Carlsbad is indeed morphing into Manhattan Beach, the popular Mas Fina Cantina and the Carlsbad Village Art & Antique Mall have been told their days are numbered. Their buildings will either be bulldozed or reformatted to make wake way for an upscale retail center. Their exit date could come as soon as October 2020 but possibly may not arrive until mid 2021 based on permit approvals.
Plans circulating with drawings for a new development called State Street Commons show there are no plans to retain two automotive repair shops, two hair stylists, a yoga center, an insurance office and an apartment complex. All will be displaced by a new complex that fronts the 2700 block of State Street and backs up to Roosevelt Street. Calls to Solana Beach-based Retail Insite who generated the drawings did not return requests for comment.
“I was very unhappy when I heard the news” says Andy Davis, co-owner of the Mas Fina Cantina who says he spent months hearing from customers that his building had date with a bulldozer. Since the 50s the Mas Fina building has been home to an appliance repair store, a laundromat, and an Italian restaurant. Mas Fina arrived in 2000. “My landlord told me: ‘We don’t have any plans, but we’ll let you know if it changes.'”
But the customers kept coming with more details. When Davis heard that the city had actually gotten involved, “I met with them and they told me they had sold the property.”
Davis says he has no animosity against his landlord or the incoming developer. “But I am worried the Village area will lose its charm as everything seems to be getting bigger. I get it that this is happening. My problem is that it is moving a little too fast and all the new designs seem to be similar. It’s all big boxes. There is nothing beautiful about these new buildings. People don’t want Orange County in coastal North County.”
Davis wouldn’t get specific about Mas Fina Cantina’s future, “But you can say we will stay in the Village [at a new location].”
Calls to Karlsbad Realty and the Don Dewhurst family about the sale of the property were not returned.
Meanwhile Bonnie Imperiali, manager of the Carlsbad Village Art & Antique Mall, says she was unclear about specific dates when her 15,000-square-foot collectible bazaar must close or relocate. The mall hosts mini shops for some 100 individual artists and vendors. It has been on State Street for almost 30 years.
My second tour of downtown Carlsbad where it becomes obvious that big money is taking over and if you don’t like it you better say something quick. P.S. Do you know what Elm is?
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