I have written a white paper on the relocation of the rails off the eroding Del Mar bluff and into a tunnel somewhere between the ocean and I-5. I hope you find time to read it. This is an important project affecting all of us and we need our voices to be heard. Some highlights: The process to select a tunnel alignment is already underway, but there is time to have influence over where to locate a tunnel and how to mitigate its impacts. These are the issues on which Del Mar should focus. The Tunnel is Essential. Without a tunnel, relocation of the rails off the bluff will not happen. . . . Relocation and a tunnel are inextricably connected. We should be supporting this effort while insisting that Del Mar’s input on the selection of a tunnel alignment be fully considered and the impacts to our town be studied, addressed, and fully mitigated. Tunnels run through L.A. for its metro system including under homes, schools, and even under the Disney Performing Arts Center, without issues of noise, vibration, air pollution, earthquakes, or damage to private property. Read my white paper report to learn about my take on a strategy for success in addressing a tunnel, whether Del Mar should be afraid of a tunnel, the pros and cons of an I-5 alignment, the cost effectiveness of rail travel, and its importance to our climate goals, and more.
This White Paper, originally published in 2016, examines the key foundational issue with respect to Short Term Rentals (STRs): Are STRs allowed in Del Mar’s residential areas by the Del Mar Community Plan and Zoning Code? My conclusion is they are not. If Del Mar determines that allowing STRs in residential areas is desirable, then Community Plan and Zoning Code Amendments are required to change the current rules.