The Coast News
VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 11, N0. 9
April 26, 2024
Vista eyes homeless camp limits By Laura Place
Changes afoot A VISTA HIGH SCHOOL athlete competes in a race at the school’s stadium in 2019. The Vista Unified School District will carry out a $5.5 million renovation of the track and field facility this summer. STORY ON 9. Photo by Frank Lopez
CSUSM students reject recreation fee hike By Laura Place
SAN MARCOS — Students at Cal State San Marcos have struck down a referendum proposing a major increase in student recreation fees to fund a new wellness and recreation center on campus. More than 50 student ambassadors from Cam-
pus Recreation and Associated Students Incorporated led the “Be Well. Be You.” referendum campaign, which proposed raising students’ per-semester recreation fees from $35 to $265 starting in 2025 with a 3% annual increase. The increased fees
would fund the lease of a 60,000-square-foot space next to The Quad along Barham Drive for the new Wellness and Recreation Center, the purchase of new furniture and equipment, staff hiring and training, and the development of branding and materials.
Around 1,300 students, or 9.7% of the student population, participated in the three-day referendum vote in early April. The university confirmed Monday that just under 60% voted against it, and 38.6% voted in favor, causing the proposal to fail.
“While this wasn’t the outcome some students were hoping for, I am happy that our students exercised their right to vote and that their voices were part of this process,” said Viridiana Diaz, Vice President for Student Affairs at TURN TO CSUSM ON 8
Escondido council again OKs police military equipment policy By Samantha Nelson
ESCONDIDO — The City Council has once again approved the Escondido Police Department’s military equipment use policy and annual report, following a state mandate that first went into effect two years ago. Signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021 and taking effect in 2022, Assembly Bill 481 requires law enforcement agencies to develop policies and include an inventory of their mili-
tary-grade equipment. Under this law, police agencies must provide information through an annual report to their respective city councils regarding the purchase, use and funding source of equipment that falls under the military-grade classification. A governing body like a city council decides to approve or deny the report based on the department’s compliance. Escondido first approved the implementation
of its policy in 2022 and re-approved it last year, doing so again this year by a 4-0 vote on April 17. Councilmember Consuelo Martinez was absent. The Police Department’s military grade inventory covered by the law includes drones, robotic platforms, incident command vehicles, armored personnel carriers, breaching equipment, patrol and SWAT riTURN TO EQUIPMENT ON 3
DAYS OF THE CONDOR
More than 40 years since the California condor population dropped to a low of just 22 birds, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has welcomed the 250th California condor to hatch at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Photo by Trent Townsend
VISTA — The Vista City Council has expressed interest in establishing new restrictions regarding homelessness encampments to prohibit individuals from setting up camp within certain distances of property, including schools, playgrounds and public waterways. Vista Mayor John Franklin brought forward the discussion at the council’s April 23 meeting, stating that children and families need to be protected from individuals showing severe signs of drug addiction and mental illness at schools and on public property such as parks. FRANKLIN He also argued that law enforcement needs additional tools to deal with “shelter-resistant” individuals who may not recognize that they need help. As part of the discussion, the council reviewed the terms of the encampment ban implemented by the city of San Diego. The ban prohibits camping on public sidewalks and other areas regardless of whether shelter space is available and issues citations for violators. Franklin emphasized that he is not interested in citing individuals if shelters are full, nor is it productive for homeless residents to rack up citations they cannot pay. Instead, he said the city attorney’s office should offer violators a diversionary route to a fine or jail time where they can instead obtain mental health and substance use treatment. “Living outside when shelter is available and offered is evidence of mental illness and disorder,” Franklin said. “We could offer a diversionary agreement to an individual living unsheltered, who we have offered shelter to and they have declined, where we ask those people to participate in a rehabilitation or mental health program as a diversion to prosecution.” After a lengthy and, at times, emotionally charged discussion, the City Council voted 4-1, with Corinna Contreras dissenting, to direct staff to begin drafting an ordinance and bring back the debate once the U.S. Supreme Court issues a decision in a case regarding TURN TO CAMPS ON 15