encinitasaction
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Meet the City Council candidates: Encinitas Mayor
The 2026 Encinitas Action Candidate Questionnaire On August 3rd, Encinitas Action invited all six candidates for Mayor and City Council Districts 3 and 4 to answer the same nine questions about the issues, decisions, and responsibilities they would face if elected. We’re publishing the responses over three weeks: District 4 two weeks ago, District 3 last week,…
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Commissioner accused of having an opinion
The city launched its own council meeting recap this week — a welcome addition to the kind of meeting coverage we’ve been providing. Below is the city’s summary in full, with some added context and notes from Encinitas Action. 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – August 26, 2026 💬 Quote of the Night”I believe she has shown too…
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Meet the Encinitas City Council District 3 Candidates
The 2026 Encinitas Action Candidate Questionnaire The 2026 Encinitas City Council District 3 candidates are Arielle Golden and Ed Sprague. On August 3rd, Encinitas Action invited all six candidates for Mayor and City Council Districts 3 and 4 to answer the same nine questions about the issues, decisions, and responsibilities they would face if elected.…
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Council Meeting Recap: E-bike crash data offers a surprise
The council spent an hour telling nine volunteer business owners that their ideas were too ambitious. Meanwhile, Encinitas e-bike crash data revealed something unexpected: riders were at fault in only five of the 14 collisions reported so far in 2026. Plus, the city landed the biggest grant in its history on a $77,000 bet —…
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Meet the City Council candidates: District 4
The 2026 Encinitas Action Candidate Questionnaire Encinitas Action invited all six candidates for Mayor and City Council Districts 3 and 4 to answer the same nine questions about the issues, decisions and responsibilities they would face if elected. Our goal was to give each candidate an opportunity to share their perspectives with you on a variety…
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Years in the making — $33.6 million for Encinitas!
After years of planning, persistence and collaboration, Encinitas has received the news we’ve all been waiting for: the Federal Railroad Administration has selected the city to receive a grant for up to $33.6 million to construct a series of railroad crossing safety improvements along the rail corridor through Encinitas. Former Encinitas Mayor Tony Kranz has…
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Angry deputy mayor declares himself ‘out of order’
Back from summer break. First meeting with call-in comments. And within 20 minutes, the Deputy Mayor had declared himself out of order. 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – August 12, 2026 💬 Quote of the Night • Mayor Ehlers: “I wish you would stop, Jim, because you’re violating… I should put you out of order at this point.” Deputy Mayor O’Hara: “I am out of order on this.”The…
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Encinitas City Council Report Card 2026
How did our council perform in first semester 2026? Six months into the year, the Encinitas City Council has given us plenty to grade — some genuine wins, a fair amount of unfinished business, and more than a few puzzling incidents and decisions that left us wondering what they were thinking. We dug back through…
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Council Meeting Preview: 8/12/26
If you are unable to attend a city council meeting in person, you can watch it on the City of Encinitas Youtube Channel or on the city’s website. Here’s the current meeting schedule and information about city council subcommittees. To view via television:Cox Communications: Ch. 19Spectrum: Ch. 24AT&T U-Verse: Ch. 99 For more on how to engage with city council meetings visit…
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Skateboards trump fatalities at City Hall
Families are still waiting for a street-safety task force Speak out at the Traffic Safety Commission meeting Monday! Over the last three years, three young people have been killed by cars on Encinitas streets. Families and safety commissioners have asked the City Council for an emergency response, an action that’s been declared by earlier councils.…
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If services attract homelessness…
Here’s a thought about one of the arguments used to defend the council majority’s rejection of nearly $4 million in encampment funding. Supporters of the council majority’s decision repeatedly claim that accepting money for outreach, shelter and housing assistance would “attract” more unhoused people to Encinitas. So let’s follow that logic. Nearby communities accepted this…
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The collapse of compassion at Encinitas City Hall
For decades, Encinitas built a reputation as an independent-minded, environmentally conscious, welcoming community. Residents didn’t agree on everything, but there was a shared expectation that local government would reflect the city’s generous spirit and solve problems in the best interests of its residents. That spirit is becoming harder to recognize. The City Council’s recent decision…
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Council wastes residents’ time for 10 hours until 2am
🌙 Ten hours. One night. Zero homeless grant applications. 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – June 24, 2026 4 PM to 2 AM — and when the gavel finally fell, this council had spent $3.8M undoing a bike lane, blocked a free grant for homeless outreach, and let O’Hara argue about geology for 20 minutes. Summer recess starts…
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Council cross-examines pennies, rubber-stamps $ millions
🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – June 17, 2026 6+ hours. Midnight adjournment. A $158.5M budget that drew less debate than a farmers’ market relocation. Let’s distill it down for you. ⏰ 💬 Quote of the Night: “But that wasn’t in council direction… So if we’re in court, we’d strike the whole record of that whole conversation.” — Deputy Mayor O’Hara,…
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Our Juneteenth celebration was enlightening fun!
Let’s celebrate Juneteenth! June 19, marks the day back in 1865 when people in Galveston, Texas were informed of the end of slavery, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It’s a day of reflection, joy, and community – and that’s why the West African Dance Company and Encinitas Action previewed the holiday with a…
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Council Meeting Preview: June 17, 2026
Special City Council Meeting – Council Annual Work Plan, June 17th, 4:00 p.m. This Special City Council meeting is a review of the draft Fiscal Year 2026–2027 City Council Annual Work Plan. This is the document that helps set the Council’s priorities, focus areas, goals, and objectives for the year ahead. No final project approval…
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It’s a ‘Housing First’ grant, just don’t call it that
🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – June 10, 2026 💬 Quote of the Night: · Ehlers: “It’s one bird in the hand,” referencing that one applicant withdrew, leaving only one other application for Parks & Rec Commission seat · O’Hara: “Is it? Not if the bird poops in your hand. Or the bird in the hand flies away.”…
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Celebrate Juneteenth in Encinitas with West African Dance
Sunday, June 14 · 1:00–5:00 PM (final permit pending) This June, we’re hosting a Juneteenth celebration right here in downtown Encinitas, with a live performance from the West African Dance Company. Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when people in Galveston, Texas were informed of the end of slavery, more than two years after the Emancipation…
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Another meeting about another meeting
Climate change denial, outdoor dining rats (?), and a mayor who thinks homelessness data is “not for us to solve.” Buckle up. 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – May 27, 2026 💬 Quote of the Night: “The longer we wait, the more we pay.” J.P. Bruner, Environmental Commissioner, regarding the Climate Action Plan discussion. ⚡ SPECIAL MEETING: Climate Action Plan…
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Council grandstanding stalls kids’ bike training
A budget improvised on the fly, the council looking to allow time-limited parking on all our roads, and a crumbling road nobody wants to own. Just another Wednesday at Encinitas City Hall. 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – May 20, 2026 💬 Quote of the Night: “If we can’t find a way to continue with the [bike] training…
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Council Meeting Recap: Back to 1989? Encinitas Council Rejects Circulation Element Update After Five Years of Work
Five years of planning were rejected in one meeting, and the skate committee debate went around in circles. 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – May 13, 2026 💬 Quote of the Night: “We’re not going to stop because a couple of people just don’t want to hear some noise.”– Councilmember Shaffer in response to residents’ concerns…
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We have news — and our first big celebration is June 14th!
We have some news worth sharing: Encinitas Action is a 501(c)(4) (a nonprofit social welfare organization) and can now accept financial donations. For the past year or so, we’ve been working to engage the community — newsletters, social media, meeting recaps, and showing up — with energy and the belief that local government matters. That…
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Encinitas Council Blames Residents After Racism Accountability Demands
At the April 22, 2026 Encinitas City Council meeting, residents demanded accountability for Steven Houbeck’s racially demeaning remarks and questioned whether he should remain on the Urban Forest Advisory Committee. But instead of focusing squarely on the harm described by residents, much of the council discussion turned toward the people speaking up. This meeting was…
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Fear of a crowded Zoom room: Council meeting recap 4/15/26
Water bills, native plants, community grants, and a debate over hybrid access all shaped the April 15, 2026 Encinitas City Council meeting. This recap walks through the key decisions, the public controversy, and what the discussion revealed about this council’s priorities. 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – April 15, 2026 💬 Quote of the Night: As the…
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Mayor Ehlers’ State of the Spin?
🏙️ Bruce Ehlers’ 2026 State of the City: Our Encinitas Fact Check Here’s our take on the mayor’s speech — some props, some call-outs. Mayor Ehlers’ Theme: GSD — Get Stuff Done The mayor summarized the progress in our city, with more than a few pats on this council’s back. But even he had to admit…
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Council skates past one controversy — and into another
The April 8, 2026 Encinitas City Council meeting included FY27 budget discussions, debate over a proposed Glen Park skate feature, commission appointments, and renewed public criticism over Steve Houbeck. 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – April 8, 2026 💬 Quote of the Night : On his initiated agenda item for skateboarding features at Glen Park, Councilmember Luke Shaffer said…
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When the Rules Become a Joke, Encinitas Has a Leadership Problem
Deputy Mayor Jim O’Hara may have mocked Brown Act concerns, but the real issue is the lack of leadership from Mayor Bruce Ehlers. The Brown Act exists for a simple reason: the public’s business must be conducted in public. It prohibits councilmembers from discussing or deliberating on city matters outside noticed meetings, including through social…
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Week 4: City council’s deaf ears on racism
Council hears it, council ignores it. It was a short agenda but a loooong evening. And the new Urban Forestry Advisory Committee member’s racist comment is not going away. 💬 Quote of the Night : “Racism is not a difference of opinion. It is a disqualifier for public service.” – Encinitas Resident Monette Marino 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap…
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Encinitas Native Plant Ordinance Explained: What It Does, Who It Affects, and What Comes Next
An Encinitas Native Plant Ordinance will gradually reshape how landscaping is handled across the city. The proposal is intended to promote drought-tolerant, native landscaping and to align local planting standards with broader city goals around water conservation, habitat restoration, pollinators, biodiversity, and environmental resilience. (Source: City of Encintas) This did not appear overnight. The process began on January 25, 2023, when…
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City Council Meeting Preview for 3/25/26
Here’s a look at the upcoming City Council meeting this week. If you are unable to attend a city council meeting in person, you can watch it on the City of Encinitas Youtube Channel or on the city’s website. Here’s the current meeting schedule and information about city council subcommittees. To view via television: Cox Communications: Ch. 19, Spectrum: Ch. 24, AT&T…
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Bruce Ehlers ignores O’Hara’s chronic tardiness and rudeness
Mayor’s lack of leadership enables deputy mayor’s disruptive behavior. Punctuality is not a small thing in local government. City council meetings are formal public proceedings, and residents, staff, and fellow councilmembers all deserve the basic respect of having elected officials show up on time and ready to participate. Thus far, we have identified repeated lateness…
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Big Budget Decisions, A New Park, and a Dash of Drama at the March 18, 2026 Council Meeting
Big budget questions. Another councilmember kerfluffle. And a seventh grader is celebrated for helping create a new park. 🏛️ Council Meeting Recap – March 18, 2026 🌟 Presentation: Oliver Pratt For three years, seventh-grader Oliver Pratt (above, center) collected, cleaned, and sold used golf balls to raise money for the future L-7 nature park on Quail Gardens…
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Do you think local ICE activity is ‘silly?’
When prominent political voices treat violent or alarming ICE activity in Encinitas as mere “silly stuff,” it sends a deeply troubling message. Residents watched masked federal agents detain people in public, including incidents that sparked widespread concern near schools and other community spaces. Whatever anyone’s personal views are on immigration policy, the use of force,…
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Let’s look at overall crime rates in Encinitas
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Encinitas Action (@encinitasaction) Caught on video, a local business was recently hit by a burglar. While alarming to see, here’s what the data shows: deputy activity is up, and crime in Encinitas is trending down. Good progress. Stay alert, look out for your neighbors, and if…
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Long meeting. Big issues. Unanswered questions.
Last Wednesday’s Encinitas City Council meeting lasted four-and-a-half hours. Between public outcry over a racist post, debates about homelessness funding, safety concerns at a school crossing, and a city work plan missing key issues like affordable housing and flooding, the night raised as many questions as it answered. And Encinitas Action sat through it all…
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‘Common ground’ shouldn’t mean ‘Agree with me, or else’
Previously published in The Coast News. During his election campaign, Encinitas Deputy Mayor Jim O’Hara used the slogan “Common Sense, Common Ground,” a phrase that suggests bridging divides, listening across differences, and finding workable compromises. But on the dais, O’Hara’s “common ground” often seems to be defined as something much narrower: agreement with his conclusions.…
