Emergency Item: ICE at Park Dale:
City Hall overflowed after news broke of ICE detaining a man near Park Dale Elementary in front of school kids, including the man’s daughter. 200+ showed up to the Council meeting and nearly 40 residents spoke out, describing the trauma inflicted on kids who witnessed it.
Deputy Mayor Lyndes pushed an emergency agenda item — and council voted unanimously to act, with Mayor Ehlers promising more action ahead.
- Launch a Know Your Rights campaign (English + Spanish).
- File a FOIA request on ICE activity in Encinitas.
- Explore safe zones at schools, churches, and beyond.
- Consider joining lawsuits with other CA cities challenging ICE.
- Demand federal reps face questions in council chambers.
🌮 Food for Thought (FFT): With ICE back at the same spot days later, will this be real change or just symbolic?
An outside attorney said it plain: Encinitas’ ordinance on campaign financing (and its $250 campaign cap ) is outdated and vulnerable in court. After a fiery back-and-forth — with residents split between protecting grassroots voices and warning against big money — Council voted to:
- Recognize Independent Expenditure Committees (can raise unlimited $).
- Bump mayoral contribution cap to $500.
- Keep council races capped at $250.
🌮 FFT: Does doubling the mayor’s cap and leaving council limits the same strike the right balance — or just open the door wider for big money to creep into our small-town politics?
Councilmember Shaffer pitched a digital modeling tool to help Encinitas plan for growth, traffic, and housing. Supporters called it a game-changer for local control. Deputy Mayor Lyndes wasn’t convinced, questioning inflated population forecasts and costs. Council approved a public demo before committing fully.
🌮 FFT: Is a flashy 3D planning tool the key to smarter growth — or just an expensive toy that won’t fix the tough choices around housing and traffic?
New apartments are coming, and Councilmember O’Hara says without time limits, cars could clog park parking. Despite Lyndes urging more public input, Council quickly greenlit a 3-hour parking limit near Las Verdes Park, citing rising congestion.
🌮 FFT: With ICE raids, housing, and unsafe roads on deck — is timed parking really top priority?
Agenda Item 12D 🚐 Van Life Showdown:
Council took on the van lifer loophole — folks dodging citations by blocking windows and ignoring sheriff knocks. The proposal: tighten the ordinance so deputies can actually enforce the “no sleeping in vehicles 10 p.m.–6 a.m.” rule without unfairly hitting regular residents.
👮 The sheriff explained the bind: they can only cite if they seesomeone inside. No answer = no ticket. RVs already face overnight restrictions, but loopholes abound.
Debate got lively: ideas flew including regulate fully covered vehicles, create online permits for residents’ RVs, balance enforcement with fairness. Council voted to send it back to staff, the city attorney, and the sheriff to craft an updated ordinance with resident safeguards.
🌮 FFT: Will a tougher law actually move van lifers into safe lots — or just push them further underground?
👉 Encinitas politics are heating up — from ICE raids to campaign cash to parking wars. Stay tuned, this ride’s not slowing down. 🌶️