Park-site study flags traffic, toxin issues
San Diego Union Tribune – San Diego,CA,USA
ENCINITAS – A proposed 43-acre park in Cardiff could bring residents
much-needed ballfields and a teen center, but it could also cause traffic
congestion …

ENCINITAS – A proposed 43-acre park in Cardiff could bring residents much-needed ballfields and a teen center, but it could also cause traffic congestion and pose health hazards to construction workers from pesticides in the soil.

Those conclusions came from a lengthy draft environmental study released yesterday and open to written public comment until March 12.

The public also will be able to express views at a March 1 Planning Commission meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. at City Hall.

The city bought the 43 acres south of Santa Fe Drive and west of Interstate 5 in 2001 for $17.2 million from one of the city’s first flower growers, Robert Hall. The land is commonly called the Hall property.

In ensuing years, the city designed a $35 million park with baseball and softball fields, basketball courts, a teen center, a skate park, a dog park, playgrounds, rest areas and a swimming pool.

If built, it would be the city’s largest public park. The first phase, to be financed with proceeds from a $20 million bond issue last year, would include the dog park, restrooms, grassy areas and a possible skate park.

“All this work is well worth it to get a 43-acre park,” Councilwoman Maggie Houlihan said yesterday.

Councilman Dan Dalager said he, too, was eager to get the park built.

“I’ve been excited about it for a long time,” he said.

However, construction cannot begin until the environmental review has been finalized and approved by the City Council.

No dates have been set for council discussion because city officials say they expect lawsuits over issues including the presence of pesticides in the soil, left from Hall’s flower operations, and possible intrusion of lights and noise into adjoining residences. In fact, lawsuits began shortly after the city bought the property.

In 2003, when the city tried to clean out trash and debris on the site, a group called Citizens for Quality of Life, sued the city for failing to conduct an environmental review before disturbing terrain that could contain toxins.

The city stopped the cleanup and did the environmental review.

Yesterday, the review, compiled by consultants under the city’s supervision, found no new problems but enough to stir up concern.

The report concluded that:

The proposed park could cause significant traffic congestion at the I-5 ramps on Santa Fe and Birmingham drives and on Santa Fe Drive near the park. Special events would bring even more congestion.

Traffic jams on the roads near the I-5 ramps would continue until the state Department of Transportation finalized I-5 widening plans and the city could decide how to realign its roads to cope with future park traffic.

Access to the park has been planned from Santa Fe Drive to the north, with MacKinnon Avenue on the south closed to through traffic. The study suggests keeping MacKinnon open to allow park access from Birmingham Drive.

Pesticides, generally carcinogenic, were found in soil samples. The consultants concluded that the chemicals are not concentrated enough to harm park users, but pesticides could be stirred up during construction, and the city should take precautions, such as dust control.

The county Department of Environmental Health reviewed what was found in the soil and, in a Jan. 16 letter to the city, concurred that the risks to workers and nearby residents during construction could be minimized. The agency would review precautionary measures before they were implemented.

Oil and fuel residues found in the soil did not seep into the ground water.

Arsenic, copper and lead detected in the soil were within levels expected in Southern California soil.

Asbestos and lead-based paint could be present in the wooden structures. Consultants suggested the city check and draft a plan to remove treated materials.

The proposed dog park at the southeast corner could be noisy. The consultants recommended a 6-foot noise wall along the dog park’s eastern boundary adjacent to homes.

Loudspeakers and bull horns used at events could disturb neighbors. The report suggested the city purchase an amplifier system, set the sound level and lend it to special-event organizers.

Athletic field lighting could disturb neighbors. The consultants suggested glare shields and aiming lights away from neighbors.

Yesterday, Ditmar Rothe, a member of Citizens for Quality of Life, said he had not read the environmental review and could not comment.

Newly-elected Councilwoman Teresa Barth said she felt the consultants had done a thorough job of dissecting the community concerns, and she was waiting to hear public comments.

Deputy Mayor Jerome Stocks said he was waiting for the public to tell the council whether they like the project.