City Council
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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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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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Boos at council meetings are bad – sometimes: 2/25/26 City Council meeting recap
Long night. Big votes. Real tension. Here’s what mattered. 💬 Quote of the Night: Immediately after a public comment supporting the redesign of Santa Fe Drive, there were some claps and some boos from the audience. Deputy Mayor O’Hara said: “[I]f you want to cheer for the person who comes up because they agree with your
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Encinitas mom calls out City Council rudeness
2/18/26 council meeting recap Last Wednesday’s Encinitas City Council meeting featured a packed agenda, a packed room, and plenty of heat inside council chambers. Encinitas mother Meenal Patel spoke movingly during Oral Communications about her deep disappointment in the lack of civility from our current City Council. Citing the example they set for kids, she challenged councilmembers
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Council Meeting Recap: Commission Appointments
Watch the full City Council meeting here. Surf Pride Moment: The night kicked off with recognition of the San Dieguito Academy Surf Team 🏄♂️ — coach, students, and proud supporters packed the chambers. A feel-good start. Oral Communications: Seven speakers tackled everything from cannabis retail and Highway 101 safety in Leucadia 🚗 to bike safety education 🚲 and even
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City Council declines to reinstate the Safe Parking Program
Last Wednesday night, despite appeals from over 160 residents in letters and public testimony, the Encinitas City Council chose not to restore our proven Safe Parking Program.(Learn about Safe Parking Programs.) We’ll dive into that Special Meeting on the Homeless Action Plan (HAP), and then look at the subsequent regular meeting – during which city commission appointments were made.
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Meeting Recap: Process Matters, Residents Make that Clear
Oral Communications: Tensions High Residents called out: Consent Calendar Highlights ✔️ 8F – Glen Park Improvements: Resident requested redesign for ADA + drainage. Staff will follow up. Passed unanimously. ✔️ 8G – Offshore Drilling Opposition Letter: Resident thanked Council for taking a stand. Unanimous approval. Consent Items: Item 10A – Sewer Engineering Fees: First update in
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We did it!
Most of the threats to our Encinitas values were reversed – for now. Wednesday night, a large crowd of Encinitas citizens held the line against the current City Council’s attempts to erase some of our most sacred ideals from the document that defines our city’s legislative priorities – including equality, inclusivity, gun safety and violence,
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Encinitas’ priorities are being gutted. Let’s fight back on Wednesday!
Mayor Bruce Ehlers and Deputy Mayor Jim O’Hara have made disturbing edits to the City’s Legislative Program that do not reflect who we are as a community. This should concern every Encinitas resident, regardless of political stripe. The Ehlers/O’Hara subcommittee updated our legislative program, which will be up for review and a vote at this Wednesday’s City Council meeting. These changes don’t come
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Encinitas City Council 2025 Report Card
One year in, this council has created flashes of progress – but also contradiction, hostility, and a growing chorus of residents who feel unheard. Even the council’s most loyal supporters call it a mixed bag. Leadership matters – and many Encinitans are asking whether the mayor and this council are up to the task. Mayor
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Council Meeting Recap: Parks, Politics & Public Process
Civic sparks flew as Council tackled business boards, questioned volunteer committee effectiveness, approved trail stewardship, and discussed park amenities during the last meeting of 2025. The TL;DR 🧵 🛑 ICE undermines transparency🏕️ Restart of homeless services gets results🌳 UFAC survives another round🏗️ Pickleball vs. pools vs. open space TBD💼 New Business Commission coming🔥 Firefighters get
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Council Meeting Recap: Surf, Parks, Pavement and a new Deputy Mayor
🏄 Encinitas Surfboards celebrates 50 years🅿️ Residents urge council to save safe parking lot 🌳 L-7 park design approved amid tension 🚴 Bike lane bollard removed ⛺️ Stricter Vehicle Sleeping & Camping Rules Unanimously Approved🌊 Surf School Rules Updated; 10 Teaching Zones Approved🚸 Pavement Report Accepted👑 O’Hara Appointed Deputy Mayor Special Presentations: 🏄♂️ 50 Years of Stoke + a
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Art, Drama & Action: Encinitas City Council Highlights
The Pacific View Arts Center (PVAC) is officially the artsy heartbeat of Encinitas. In just 10 months: 💬 Artists + residents say: It’s not about profit—it’s about connection.📣 “PVAC is like a public park: open to all, even if not all use it.” — Cardiff artist Rosemary KimBal 🧑⚖️ Council Reaction: 🎤 Oral Communications – Got Personal
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Council Meeting Preview 11/12/25:
Two City Council meetings this week back-to-back. The first is a special joint meeting with the Arts Committee regarding Pacific View Arts Center. After that it’s the regular council meeting.
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Santa Fe Drive Showdown: The Road that Keeps Dividing Encinitas
Council Meeting Recap: The battle over Santa Fe Drive was back — and it’s still spicy. 🌶️ In May, the Council rejected city staff’s recommendations to complete the project and make minor adjustments. The Council instead directed staff to evaluate three alternative options. At Wednesday’s Council Meeting, more than 40 residents, including many San Dieguito Academy
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Council work plan progress, proclamations recognizing veterans and first responders, street & rail safety, and public arts refresh.
Dishing Up Safety for Streets and Rails! 🏗️ Special Meeting: Progress Check! ✅ 65 of 76 city goals on track — the rest in progress, none delayed! 👏Council celebrated strong momentum across all priorities — from the circulation element update to homeless services contractsand the native plant ordinance. 📊 The full FY 25–26 Work Plan is online and will soon reflect
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Public Safety, Mobility Upgrades, Ecofest & Environment Day, Wireless Facilities, Youth Commission x2, Habitat Stewardship Program, and the City Hall Shuffle
The highlights you need to know! Public Safety ⛑️ Mobility Upgrades 🚦 🌎 EcoFest & Environment Day 💭FFT: Do you support reducing opportunities to celebrate sustainability and environmental stewardship? 📡 Wireless Facilities (5G) Concerns over health impacts ⚡ from Councilmember Shaffer + public. Council voted to pause and hold a public workshop. 👧👦 Youth Commision x 2 💭 FFT (Food for
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Council Meeting: Sister City Visit Recap, Public Comments, CDBG Grant Funds Review, and more!
Encinitas brought heart and only a little heat to City Hall on Wednesday. Sister City Visit 🇯🇵 Student delegates from our sister city, Amakusa, Japan, shared their endless Encinitas summer including surf + skate lessons, fiestas, and a BBQ with our firefighters. Pure community magic. Public Comments: Traffic Safety + Political Fire 🚦 Clark Apartments
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Council Meeting Recap: Rules & Respect Reminder, Emergency Preparedness Month, Spicy Oral Comments, and School Resource Officers
Wednesday night’s City Council meeting was a packed house with heated topics 🌶️ 👩⚖️ Rules & Respect Reminder: With chambers overflowing, Mayor Ehlers kicked things off by reminding folks: be respectful, no shouting, no personal attacks, and no giant signs. 🚨 Emergency Preparedness Month Fire Chief Gordon + Emergency Manager Marie Jones Kirk rolled out tools to
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Luke Shaffer briefly addresses his felony charges at City Council meeting
Councilmember Shaffer finally addressed the criminal charges filed against him:🚫 Not guilty.🛡️ Claims the accusations are false.💼 Says he won’t be deterred from serving. 🧑💼 Public comment? 🔥🔥🔥 A third: Cited past behavior—including a rifle comment and a previous assault on teens on ebikes—as a pattern. Time to go.
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90-Minute Council Meeting Delivers Maximum Drama
Wednesday night’s City Council meeting was short—but it didn’t lack fireworks. 💥 🗣️ Opening Act: Civility & Chaos Mayor Ehlers opened with a classroom-style reminder:🧑🏫 Be respectful, address the Council as a whole, and keep personal attacks out of it. 🎤 Councilmember San Antonio then jumped in, condemning the assassination of Charlie Kirk and criticizing the “angry tone” of August 20 public
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Nine Hour Meeting: Encinitas Council Goes Spicy 🌶️ from Housing to Traffic Calming
August 27 was a long night with meetings spanning nine hours. Things continue to be spicy 🌶️ at City Hall! 🏛️ Special Meeting on REACH Codes: Council unanimously decided to keep local building rules that go above and beyond state code — covering fire safety, EV chargers, water-saving graywater systems , and energy efficiency . 🏛️ Regular
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City Council Recap: ICE Emergency, Campaign Finance, Van Lifers and more
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
