MOVE THE RAILROAD OUT OF TOWN, NOT THROUGH THE TOWN - VOTE NO ON TRANSNET (PROP A)

By Michael Winn

Are you willing to destroy the Peñasquitos wetlands that are our heritage and our legacy? Are you willing to have ventilation buildings spewing diesel fumes into your neighborhood? Do you want to raise the grade of Jimmy Durante and Carmel Valley Road and permanently change the landscape of Del Mar? The incumbents and Mr. Sinnott are. The challengers are opposed to the enormously expensive, environmentally destructive and senselessly useless railroad development.

The incumbents told Del Mar residents they had nothing to worry about because it would not happen for ten to twenty years--while at the same time, they had Sandag put a $400 million line item specifically for Del Mar tunnels into Proposition A, which they are now endorsing. The incumbents represented that it would be a good thing. Frequent articles were published in the "Sandpiper", which is known to be the incumbents' "captive" newsletter, downplaying the danger and promoting the tunnel as a boon to the city.

Meanwhile, the incumbents "stone-walled" our neighbors in Del Mar Terrace to the south and told TRAC that Del Mar was only concerned with construction within city limits. The incumbents' position is that the impacts of running twin concrete causeways across the length of Peñasquitos Wetlands is not our city's problem. Speaking at a public meeting, one of the incumbents strongly defended the San Dieguito wetlands against rail development there because, as he explained it, this is in his own back yard, however he denied that same defense to the Peñasquitos wetlands.

Now, the incumbents (or four of them at least) appear to have reversed themselves about this but only because, as a result of a vigorous defense of the Peñasquitos Wetlands on the part of the residents of San Diego in Del Mar Terrace and the objecting members of Del Mar TRAC, the Mayor of San Diego and San Diego City Council Member, Scott Peters, as well as the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Foundation and the San Dieguito JPA have declared unequivocal opposition to the Del Mar approved, Sandag tunneling plan.

However, the incumbent's 180 degree turn is qualified. The language of a letter sent this summer by the city to the California Rail Authority (drafted by the incumbent who represents Del Mar on the NCTD Board--and the champion of the tunneling), only requests further study of an I-5 location of the railroad, and does not unequivocally oppose tunneling.

The danger of tunneling to the city cannot be overstated.

One may speculate on what motivated the incumbents to disregard the advice of its TRAC commitee. Moving the tracks from the bluff will produce value for some people who own properties adjacent to the railroad, but doing so by tunneling under Del Mar will negatively impact everyone else: It will permanently change the openness of the Peñasquitos Wetlands. Businesses and residents along Jimmy Durante Drive will be facing an elevated highway, raised to meet Camino del Mar at a new traffic light intersection located above the current railroad overpass, similar concrete construction will be needed to reform the intersection of Camino del Mar and Carmel Valley Road. For several years during construction, entrance into Del Mar will be constrained except for Del Mar Heights Road.

It is hard to imagine Del Mar with fenced off concrete gateways into the city--concrete abutments, 130 feet wide by 60 to 80 feet high.

VOTE NO ON SANDAG'S PROPOSITION A. PUT A STOP TO WASTING TAX DOLLARS ON NONSENSICAL BOONDOGGLES.

VOTE FOR A COUNCIL THAT IS INDEPENDENT, AWAKE AND AWARE: HILLIARD, BURKE AND WINN.

For more information, please see my campaign website: http://winnfordelmar.com