Meet the Candidates 2022: Encinitas City Council, District 3

On Nov. 8, Joy Lyndes and Julie Thunder are running for the Encinitas City Council District 3 seat (which primarily covers the Cardiff area). In alphabetical order, see their bio information and responses to four questions below.

Name: Joy Lyndes

Joy Lyndes

(Copyright of Joy Lyndes)

Occupation: Encinitas City Councilmember & Landscape Architect

Education: Master’s Landscape Architecture, University of Arizona with a Certificate in Preservation Studies.

Community Service: Mayor & Council Appointed Encinitas Environmental Commissioner, 2013-2020; Cyclovia Encinitas/Open Streets Founder 2018 – 2020; Coastal Mobility & Livability Working Group Member, 2015; Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) Chair 2020 & Board member 2015 – 2020; California Council - American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Government Affairs & San Diego Chapter Director 2019 - present; The Cultural Landscape Foundation “What’s Out There” San Diego Liaison, 2019; ASLA SD Chapter Historic American Landscape Surveys HALS Committee Founder & Chair 2016 – 2018 & Member 2016 – 2020; American Institute of Architects (AIA) SD Chapter Secretary Preservation Committee, 2015; California Preservation Foundation PR Chair Annual Conference 2014 – 2015; ASLA SD Treasurer and Design Awards Co-Chair 2014 -2016; AIA SD Committee on the Environment, Sustainable Design Assistance Team ECODISTRICT Logistics Steering Committee Chair and Media/Outreach Committee 2013; Member ASLA, 1989 - present

1. What do you think are the biggest issues facing Encinitas, and how do you plan to address them?

Encinitas needs experienced, forward-thinking and compassionate leadership to improve and protect our quality of life. I have been this leader. Our key issues are housing and homelessness. Expanding our affordable housing options by increasing workforce and attainable housing models. Reforming state housing laws and increasing state funding for affordable housing. I’ve built my career as a landscape architect and EcoDistrict accredited professional on making places beautiful and compatible and I’m doing this on the council by managing growth that preserves open space and blends with the community and context. I’m promoting smart housing – ADUs; publicly subsidized affordable, workforce, and missing-middle housing. I’m implementing our Homeless Action Plan by engaging with regional resources for social services, healthcare, and housing support. Crime is down by 3%, arrests have increased by 13% and our sheriff department has a fully-funded 5-year contract. We are among the top 30 safest cities in California and 3rd safest in San Diego County.

2. What is your assessment of the housing challenges facing the city and ,as council member, how would you approach your relationship with the state, San Diego Association of Governments and residents when making housing policy decisions?

We are working hard to expand ways to achieve affordable housing though local decision making. I voted in support of the CalCHA program, and for objective standards directing our Housing Element developments. Due to my knowledge of eco-districts, sustainable design, and understanding of land use policies I am targeting improved policies for housing at the state level through the California League of Cities Housing Community and Economic Development Committee (HCED). I am working to reform state housing laws and increase funding for affordable housing, to raise the vote threshold in the Legislature to 2/3 for housing and land use bills, and to change the standard for what is considered a matter of statewide concern. I will continue to demand that housing blend with the natural context, and I will improve our policies to enforce this. I will work hard to protect housing for all, from our working youth to our growing senior populations.

3. Are there any infrastructure projects you think are especially important for the city to prioritize?

In Encinitas this fall we will form a public committee to develop policies/goals for prioritizing infrastructure projects and infrastructure funding. Our need for improved roadways, bikeways, sidewalks, drainage and open space is greater than our funding ability, so we rely on external grants and awards from state and federal sources. Top priorities for District 3 are the Verdi Undercrossing which is shovel-ready and we have applied for Railroad Crossing Elimination funds; Birmingham Drive which is shovel-ready will improve safety, and accessibility and includes undergrounding of utilities; and Santa Fe Dr. improvements focus on bicycle, pedestrian and vehicular safety associated with 3 area schools and it is funded and is ready to bid. I led the initiatives to fund the stewardship and protection of our public open spaces and to fund the adaptive re-use of the Pacific View Elementary to an Arts & Culture Campus. These are valuable community assets.

4. How would you grade the city’s response to the climate crisis, and how much work still needs to be done to address rising sea level and other risks?

Encinitas is known as a model for climate protection. I served 2 terms on the Encinitas Environmental Commission and during this time I advanced our Climate Action Implementation Plan and the ban on Styrofoam containers and single-use plastic bottles, I launched Cyclovia Encinitas and our Environmental Excellence Award program, and I helped to launch our Community Choice Energy initiative which evolved into San Diego Community Power (SDCP). As a councilmember I have voted for SDCP 100% clean energy, a ban on lighter than air balloons, and for electrification of buildings. I initiated open space, native plant and water conservation initiatives, and I support the permanent relocation of spent nuclear fuel off the coastline at San Onofre. I serve SANDAG on the Shoreline Preservation Working Group and I’m chair of the SANDAG Regional Habitat Conservation Taskforce. I’m endorsed by the Climate Defenders Action Fund and the Sierra Club. Our biggest future challenges are shoreline protection and sea level rise which I am addressing regionally and collaboratively.

Name: Julie Thunder

Julie Thunder

(Copyright of Julie Thunder)

Occupation: Local Community Advocate

Education: Bachelor’s of Science, Applied Mathematics; Secondary Teaching Credential

Community Service: Manager, La Costa Canyon High School Surf Team; Board Member and League Registrar, Cardiff Soccer League; Member, Cardiff School District Basic Aid Task Force; Member, Cardiff School District Modernization Committee

1. What do you think are the biggest issues facing Encinitas, and how do you plan to address them?

Local control: I support local control of land use with thoughtful, not haphazard, growth. Our state govt. took control of housing with new aggressive laws that impose their dictates on Encinitas. I’d like a return to control by local officials and voters so we can craft policies that suit our goals for our city.

Public safety: Rising crime is a problem that I won’t ignore while on City Council. I support more Sheriff’s deputies when needed and I’ll advocate for enforcement of our quality of life ordinances that have long been ignored. Our growing homeless problem demands that we have compassionate intentions, collaborative spirit, and respect for taxpaying residents and businesses.

Environmental protections and open space: I’m committed to preservation and acquisition of open space for us, our wildlife, and native plants. I stand for clean air, safeguarding our ocean and lagoons, and reducing wildfire risk.

2. What is your assessment of the housing challenges facing the city and, as a council member, how would you approach your relationship with the state, San Diego Association of Governments and residents when making housing policy decisions?

I am deeply concerned that subservience to Sacramento’s and SANDAG’s push to densify our coastal communities will do lasting, irreversible damage to Encinitas. We’re being forced to add more new housing than we can manage, and it won’t even solve the affordability problem. We must be smart about growth -- targeting locations that will be the least impactful to our quality of life, especially including traffic. Also, we must be vigilant to maintain our civil society; else urban density will bring with it more crime and other social problems. This is why I’m such a big supporter of “Local Control”, which is needed to reverse the aggressive take over that our state legislature recently enacted with laws like SB9/10 and others in the pipeline. Our housing decisions should be made at the local level, by local elected leaders. We need representation on the SANDAG board that supports these views.

3. Are there any infrastructure projects you think are especially important for the city to prioritize?

—We should reexamine the design of the “cycle track” on Highway 101, between Cardiff and Solana Beach. Since the current design was implemented, we’ve had at least 30 bike accidents, some of them involving serious injuries. If changes can be made that will improve safety, I will consider them.

—We need more pedestrian rail crossings. We’re a city divided by train tracks which inhibits access to the beach for all Encinitans. I’d like the city to consider structural designs that are less elaborate and cheaper - allowing more crossings to be built sooner.

—Stormwater runoff and flooding continue to be a problem in Leucadia. With each winter storm, the city pumps untreated stormwater over the bluffs, polluting nearby beaches with rail shavings, oil, and debris. We must immediately address this problem.

4. How would you grade the city’s response to the climate crisis, and how much work still needs to be done to address rising sea level and other risks?

—Any response the city takes to the issue of climate change should first and foremost consider the costs and consequences to residents and local businesses. I would not have supported the city’s recent ban on natural gas. I’m concerned that a premature move against natural gas, a cheap fuel source, will increase the cost of heating and cooking in new homes, making “affordable” homes/apartments less affordable.

—I am a strong advocate for the preservation of open space. If managed properly, open space can actively reduce atmospheric carbon. It’s not just people that benefit from natural undeveloped land - wildlife needs more open space, and our native plants need it too.

—Rising sea levels are a threat to our coastal zone and fragile bluffs. The city and the Coastal Commission should be collaborating to develop a defensive action plan, which should include regular sand replenishment.