Editorial: Progress Aplenty

The Sandpiper has often been critical of actions taken by the Del Mar City Council, but if we take a longer perspective, current and past councils have made several important and impactful decisions. Here is a partial list of actions to be applauded.

• Purchase of the Torrey Pines Bridge for $1 and completion of the historic retrofit in 2014 on time and under budget. The city owns and maintains the bridge.
• Purchase of the Shores Park property in 2008 to preserve open space and provide space for the Community Building and Winston School activities.
• Completion of the 21^st Street Pump Station in 2010, an action that enhanced flood protection and decreased dependence on outdated San Diego facilities.
• Replacement of the aging lifeguard structure with the modern Beach Safety Center in 2012, which won an award for its architecture.
• Replacement of the 1934 school building used as a “temporary” City Hall with a modern Civic Center completed in 2018, featuring a beautiful Town Hall and a City Hall with many sustainable features. This project was delivered on time and under budget. The project also won multiple awards for its design.
• Adoption of a Climate Action Plan in 2016, and then becoming a founding member of the Clean Energy Alliance, an action that provides the city and its residents with a cleaner power supply that reduces our greenhouse gas emissions.
• Completion of the downtown Streetscape Plan in 2019, bringing to fruition many of the pedestrian-friendly features envisioned in our Community Plan adopted in 1976.
• Undergrounding of utility lines, an ongoing process that has and will reduce the number of unsightly poles and wires and the risk of fires.

This is a record of accomplishment to be proud of. It reflects wise policy decisions by city councilmembers and sound implementation by a dedicated city staff. Good job, Del Mar.