At a Glance

In 2006, Carlsbad voters approved Proposition D, which designated 307 acres of land as permanent open space. The boundaries of the Proposition D land are different from the Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan. Proposition D did not include the 48 acres closest to the freeway, which have been zoned for visitor-serving commercial development since 1982. Watch a video about the difference between Measure A and Proposition D.

The land covered by Proposition D included some of the land in Measure A, plus additional land to the south.  The visitor-serving commercial land that is part of Measure A was not part of Proposition D.  

• The proposed initiative would change 21.6 of the 48.3 acres currently designated for visitor-serving commercial use to permanent open space.

More Details

• Although Prop D designated much of the property as open space, there are no requirements in Prop D to make that open space accessible to the public. It is currently privately owned, and trespassing is not allowed.
• Prop D did not specify a funding source or mechanism to improve or maintain the open space.
• Prop D did not require or provide a funding mechanism for the biological management of natural habitat on the site.
• Under the plan, much of the land designated as open space under Prop D, plus an additional 21.6 acres for a total of 176.7 acres of open space, would become accessible to the public through trails, picnic and scenic view areas, agriculture, farm to table dining and an outdoor classroom and amphitheater. The only open space that would not be directly accessible to the public is the sensitive habitat areas.
• The plan makes provisions to permanently protect and maintain the 176.7 acres for open space, agriculture and habitat.
• The open space would be enhanced and maintained in perpetuity through a conservancy funded by the visitor-serving commercial development.
• The sensitive habitat areas will be restored and biologically managed to the city’s Habitat Management Plan standards in perpetuity.

Strawberry Fields

• Proposition D, passed by Carlsbad voters in 2006, “allows and encourages” farming to continue in the area for as long as economically viable for the landowner. Prop D does not guarantee that this land will be used for agriculture in the future.
• The Carlsbad Strawberry Company has in the past farmed as much as 100 acres. Over the last 10 years this number has gone down to about 30 acres due to water costs, foreign competition, pesticide laws and labor shortages.
• Measure A would designate 61.5 acres as agricultural land.
• Measure A would also require that this land be managed, operated and maintained for coastal agriculture “in perpetuity,” a legal term meaning forever.
• Money from the visitor-serving commercial uses, private funding, or both would be used to support the agricultural operations in perpetuity, at no cost to taxpayers.

Want More Info?

• Read the exact Prop D language

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