Twenty Carlsbad residents and those who care about Carlsbad joined Council Member Ramona Finnila and City staff at a Carlsbad Futuring Meeting on Monday, January 12th at Carrillo Elementary School in South Carlsbad. At this meeting, the following themes were identified as top priorities for the future:
Attendees were asked to focus on four specific topics: Connecting, Community, Place and Spirit. Their thoughts, according to topic, are shown here and transcribed from the meeting notes.
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Connecting |
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Participate in the City offerings: Jazz, etc. |
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Get connected. Know your neighbors. |
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Citizen's Academy, City Council meetings. |
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Individuals need to take responsibility. |
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Calendar is great and useful. |
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Volunteer programs |
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Cable - local focus - public/community support |
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Citizenship ceremony |
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"Old Timers" welcome "new comers" |
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People are heard. |
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Community |
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Participation - "Feel" |
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In common with others around you |
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Knowing others around you |
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Inclusion |
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Large |
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Why do you care? Potential - good quality of life and like to preserve, not overcrowded |
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Not becoming more crowded |
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Create community through children and schools |
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La Costa does not feel a part of the village; more a part of Encinitas because of school district. |
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Increasing decline in mobility. |
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Need traffic management plan |
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Vons shopping center at Alga/ECR creates a sense of community. |
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Citizen Engagement? Easier for retirees, Communication |
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If someone is inclined; they will participate, government needs to listen to citizens, listen to development needs/issues |
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Neighborhood - small town feel - know "everyone", common interests. |
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Village Atmosphere downtown |
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Focus on children - one type of community. |
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Community = identity |
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Common Focus - Interests that bond people together. |
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Shared sense of history - feeling of belonging |
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Carlsbad might be too "large" to be seen as a community as defined in the video. |
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What defines "communities"? - Tennis group - dog owners - interest groups. |
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A community needs to be user-friendly and mixed use helps to do that. Gathering places. |
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How do we help renters become owners? |
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What's the impact of growth on "community?" |
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Does "Carlsbad" have a "there"? |
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More public uses in the Village. To help create a "there" |
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Create more work opportunities here so people can live and work here. |
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Place |
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Great public places? Parks, easily accessible, visually attractive - designed architecturally pleasing - need to communicate to citizens re: trails/transportation |
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Appeals to all ages/demographics |
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Open spaces and trails (plants) |
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Example: Del Mar Plaza - walking without cars. |
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Location for gathering - "Possibilities" |
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Library |
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Stagecoach Park/Calavera Park |
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Centers for a variety of ages and provide a variety of activities |
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Enhance Carrillo Ranch |
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Civic Center - meeting space, centrally located, conduct city business. |
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Large concert center - bigger events - Schulman theatre is nice |
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Centralized multi public services |
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Community meeting spaces |
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Human Scale - interesting spaces predominantly government use - more architectural variety - welcoming. |
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Large theater/auditorium |
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Outside gathering place |
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Central location |
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Finding opportunities to participate |
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Programs that bring people to gather connection. |
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A central place - a "center" to focus on connecting people. |
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Quality of life - Freedom to be "who" you are - all ideas welcome. |
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Lots of variety - activities |
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Acceptance of diversity |
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Sense of ownership of the City. We are all responsible for "our town"... Pride |
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Keep green spaces in Carlsbad |
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Great buildings |
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Common areas - where people can't want to congregate |
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Access - plus parking walking areas. |
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Keep the village an active center for people |
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Village seems oriented to tourists though. Not natives |
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Dove Library complex is a success. |
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Barnes and Noble, Borders - help to create a "place". People congregate. Starbucks. Mixed - use retail. |
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Forum: some good shops, but no central "gathering" space for people. |
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What makes the Civic Center more active and engaging |
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Need evening activities too. |
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Ocean and oceanfront walkway! |
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Spirit |
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City is so divided - difficult to do |
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Values - Environmental awareness, "connectiveness" & easy access/mobility |
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Need better traffic coordination to increase citizen mobility |
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Continue to provide public meetings as we go through this process; encourage conversation. |
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Communication |
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Diversity leads to an energetic community |
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We value the diversity of tastes and activities |
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