| | | City of Solana Beach WEEKLY UPDATE March 21, 2025 | | Solana Beach Fire Department Pinning Ceremony | | | On Tuesday, March 18th, the City hosted a special Badge Pinning Ceremony at City Hall to celebrate the dedication, achievements, and career milestones of our local heroes in the Solana Beach Fire Department. This annual tradition is a wonderful opportunity for families and the community to celebrate the hard work that these men and women do everyday.
Chief Gordon led the ceremony, presenting badges to Captain Dave Mitchell and Fire Engineer Christopher Schmit for their well-earned promotions, Firefighter Willard Grossi for successfully completing his 12-month probationary period, and Fire Inspector Katie Strickland for her contributions to Fire Prevention. The ceremony also recognized Captain JJ Siberell, who recently retired after an incredible 30 years of service.
To close out the event, Chief Gordon presented Christopher Schmit with the 2024 Solana Beach Firefighter of the Year Award, a prestigious honor selected by members within the Fire Department. Congratulations to all honorees, and thank you for your unwavering commitment to keeping our community safe! | | | Wildfire Prevention Workshop Saturday, March 22nd, 9:00 AM | | | | Join us this Saturday, March 22nd, for a Wildfire Prevention Workshop hosted by the Solana Beach Fire Department in the City Hall Council Chambers from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. This informative session will provide valuable insights on defensible space, home hardening, and best practices to help safeguard your property from wildfire risks. Whether you're a longtime resident or new to the area, this free, community-focused event is a great opportunity to learn from local fire experts and ask questions. | | Junior Lifeguard Registration Opens Next Week | | | | The Solana Beach Junior Lifeguard program is one of the City's most popular programs for children during the Summer break. It offers our local youth the opportunity to get outdoors, make new friends, have fun, and learn about the ocean, ocean safety and lifesaving techniques in the process. Junior Lifeguard registration opens this Wednesday, March 26th, at 9:00 AM for all participants. You are highly encouraged to register at this time as the sessions will fill up fast! | | New Fletcher Cove Beach Cleanup Stations | | | | Plastic pollution is a major threat to biodiversity, harming marine life, disrupting ecosystems, and even impacting human health. Unfortunately, it often starts with something as small as litter left behind on the beach. To help tackle this issue, the City has partnered with Relic Sustainability and EDCO to launch a beach cleanup station at Fletcher Cove Beach this Earth Day. The station will be equipped with six baskets for visitors to use while picking up litter during their stay. Join us on April 26th for the launch as we team up with I Love a Clean San Diego for the Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup. Together, we can help keep our coastline clean and protect our environment! | | New Trees Take Root in Solana Beach! | | | | Exciting updates are taking root across Solana Beach! As part of ongoing improvements, and in alignment with the City’s Climate Action Plan, the City has planted 13 new trees along South Sierra Avenue, South Acacia, and in the Distillery Parking Lot. This follows recent enhancements, including a new sidewalk and tree grates, all aimed at improving accessibility and walkability. The newly planted Coast Banksia, Island Oak, and Catalina Ironwood are fast-growing and drought-tolerant, enhancing the pedestrian experience while providing lasting environmental benefits. | | | | The City has also planted a stunning new Torrey Pine along the Coastal Rail Trail near Via De La Valle, replacing the mature tree that fell over onto the railway fencing during high winds last month. Some of the fallen tree was salvaged and saved in hopes of finding a second life in art or other creative uses. An arborist carefully inspected the new tree to ensure it is healthy and ready to thrive, and after the felled tree trunk and roots were removed to make room, a crane truck was used to carefully set it in place. As a true symbol of our coastal environment, this impressive Torrey Pine will grow strong for years to come, adding to the natural beauty of the Coastal Rail Trail. Next time you’re out for a stroll, take a moment to enjoy these new additions to our city’s growing greenery! | | Coastal Rail Service Suspended This Weekend | | | | To facilitate regular maintenance and infrastructure improvements along the coastal rail corridor, COASTER service will be suspended this weekend from Saturday, March 22nd to Sunday, March 23rd. COASTER will resume its regular schedule Monday morning. Customers are urged to plan ahead and make alternative travel arrangements. | | Community Scholarship Programs | | | Friends of the Solana Beach Library 2025 Scholarship Program | | | | Need financial assistance to help with school expenses? The Friends of the Solana Beach Library are excited to announce the opening of their 2025 Scholarship Program. This year, they will be awarding five $1,000 scholarships for higher education to graduating high-school seniors, continuing students, or students returning to school after a gap. To qualify for a 2025 Friends Scholarship, applicants must live within the city limits of Solana Beach. Application deadline is April 30th. Apply today! | | | Solana Beach Civic & Historical Society 2025 Scholarship Program | | | | The Solana Beach Civic & Historical Society knows education can be expensive and is awarding three scholarships of $3,000 each to assist Solana Beach students in financing their college, graduate school, or technical school tuition. This scholarship is for students who live in Solana Beach, and will be attending a four-year college, a community college, or a technical school. The scholarships will be given based on the community service, grade point average and financial need of the applicant. Application deadline is April 30th. | | | La Colonia Community Foundation 2025 Scholarship Program | | | | The La Colonia Community Foundation is dedicated to supporting higher education by providing a $1,000 educational scholarship to high school seniors, college students, and adults who have a meaningful connection to La Colonia de Eden Gardens. This scholarship aims to empower individuals in our community by easing financial barriers and encouraging academic and professional growth. Applicants must be accepted into a vocational school, technical school, community college, or university. Application deadline is Thursday, April 25th. | | Current Employment Opportunities | | Come join the City of Solana Beach Team and discover how you can make a difference. The City is currently recruiting for the following positions: | | Visit the City’s Career Page to learn more and to submit your online application! | | City Council Meeting & Agenda | | | The next regular City Council meeting is Wednesday, March 26th at 6:00 PM, in the City Hall Council Chambers, located at 635 S. Highway 101, Solana Beach. All meetings are also subject to cancellation. Please refer to the City's Public Meetings page for updates, meeting schedules, directions on submitting a public comment, or for more information.
March 26, 2025 Agenda: - A.3. Right of Way Certifications for the Lomas Santa Fe Corridor – East Improvement Project & Other Federally Funded Projects.
- B.1. 701 Valley Ave. Applicant: Witcher/Peterson, Case: DRP22-010, SDP22-008, APN 298-131-14-00.
- C.1. Legislative Priorities.
- C.2. Housing Element Annual Progress Report and Housing Successor Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2023/24.
- C.3. Mid-Year Budget Adjustments for Fiscal Year 2025.
How to Submit Public Comments
Written Comments: To provide written input on an agenda item, email the City Clerk at clerkoffice@cosb.org. - Use the meeting date in the subject line and include the agenda item number.
- Written comments must be submitted at least two hours before the meeting.
- Please note written comments will not be read aloud during the meeting but will be shared with the Council and added to the public record.
Verbal Comments: To speak during the meeting, submit a speaker slip to the City Clerk before the meeting starts or before the relevant agenda item is announced. - Each speaker is allotted 3 minutes per topic.
- Individuals can receive up to 6 minutes if time is donated by another attendee, or up to 10 minutes for group discussions. For public hearings, time donated by two attendees allows up to 15 minutes for a speaker.
For additional details, visit the City’s website or contact the City Clerk at clerkoffice@cosb.org. | | | | Missed an update? Check out previous Weekly Updates on our website! | | | | Download the City's My Community App! | | | | | |
