Creek to Bay Cleanup

The City of Escondido's Environmental Programs team, Public Works, Escondido Police Department, and the Escondido Police Cadet Post all collaborated to host a site for I Love a Clean San Diego's 21^st Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup, one of the most significant single-day environmental action events in San Diego County.

 

35 volunteers attended the event and worked alongside City staff and Cadets to fill a 3-yard dumpster with trash from Reidy Creek. Public Works supported the volunteers by removing nearly 30,000 total pounds of litter and debris from the waterways and preventing the waste from flowing into neighboring communities and, ultimately, the Pacific Ocean.

 

Thank you to all volunteers and staff who made this event a success! To learn more about how you can keep our local creeks and lakes healthy, visit Escondido.org/environmental-programs.

Library Hosts Job Readiness Workshops and Career Fair

The Escondido Public Library is partnering with the San Diego Workforce Partnership for three job readiness workshops and a career fair. The Job Readiness series is designed to help community members develop strategies and skills for potential employment opportunities. Workshops will be held in the Mathes Center Classroom and include:

Resume Writing Skills Wednesday, May 10, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Job Interview Preparation Wednesday, May 24, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Resume Reviews & Mock Interviews Wednesday, May 31, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Career Fair Tuesday, June 6, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Registration is required for all workshops at www.escondidolibrary.org/register

 

Clean Energy Alliance

Effective April 1, 2023, residents and businesses of Escondido were officially enrolled with a new default energy provider: Clean Energy Alliance (CEA). CEA, a locally controlled not-for-profit entity, offers clean energy options at competitive rates to power your home or business.

 

CEA currently serves the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar, and Solana Beach. Along with Escondido, CEA became the default energy provider in San Marcos in April 2023 and will be followed by Oceanside and Vista in April 2024.

 

Enrollment

As of April 1, all Escondido residents were automatically enrolled in CEA's Clean Impact Plus power product, the default selected by the City of Escondido, offering 75% carbon-free energy. The default power product for Escondido is selected by its City Council.

 

CEA is proud to offer 3 power supply products, including Green Impact, which supplies 100% renewable energy. Customers have the option to opt up to Green Impact 100% renewable, opt down to Clean Impact 50% renewable, or they may also choose to opt out of CEA and remain with SDG&E.

 

Personal Impact is CEA's Net Energy Metering (NEM) option available for customers who generate their own power via solar, wind or other and want to offset their energy costs by selling excess energy to CEA. Customers who are already enrolled in San Diego Gas & Electric's (SDG&E) net energy metering (NEM) program will automatically be enrolled in CEA's Personal Impact. Personal Impact customers are afforded the same option to opt up to Green Impact, opt down to Clean Impact, or opt out of CEA and remain with SDG&E.

 

Billing

Each month, CEA customers receive a single monthly bill from SDG&E. This bill includes all recent electric charges, including CEA's power generation charges. SDG&E will continue to charge for the transmission and delivery services they provide.

 

To learn more about the Clean Energy Alliance, visit: TheCleanEnergyAlliance.org

 

 

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

Code Compliance:

Total Code Cases (Year to Date)

482

Graffiti Restitution:

 

 

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATES:

Business Licensing Data:

Applications Open for $5,000 Resilience Grants to Restaurant Owners in San Diego

Applications are now open for the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, a $2.1 million fund created by California Restaurant Foundation and made possible by a $200,000 donation from San Diego Gas and Electric plus additional funding from SoCalGas and the PG&E Corporation Foundation.

Resilience Fund applications will be open from April 15 to May 7 and can be found at www.restaurantscare.org/resilience.

 

Economic Development Projects

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS): Every five years, the City of Escondido's Economic Development team updates the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The CEDS is a document that uses data and community feedback to create policy and activity priorities for a five-year timeframe.

Why It Matters: The CEDS is a way to set a plan to attract and retain high-wage and critical businesses. Businesses play an important role in our community, providing jobs, goods and services to our residents. Many businesses also provide sales tax revenue, and serve as a catalyst to attract investment into the City to fund infrastructure improvements.

 

This document serves as a way to unite the City with private sector, nonprofit and other government entities on the economic development priorities of the City that will create a healthy economy. One in which people can find the jobs they want to grow their careers, and that provides the financial backbone of the community.

 

Your participation is important. In this process, in addition to analyzing the data and learning from economic trends, and historical policies, the City wants to hear feedback from business leaders, employees, and residents, on what policies and activities would help attract and keep desirable business in Escondido.

 

Please complete the online survey linked below:

Escondido CEDS Survey Form

Ciudad de Escondido CEDS Encuesta

 

City of Escondido Economic Development Contacts

 

Request a Meeting with Our Team

 

Thinking about starting a business? Already have a business and need additional support? Have a property and looking for tenants or starting improvements? Reach out and we can help you navigate City and community resources to achieve your goals.

 

The Economic Development Team are always available to help with questions or connecting you to the right resources. Do not hesitate to reach out!

 

Jennifer Schoeneck, Deputy Director of Economic Development (jschoeneck@escondido.org)

Vince McCaw, Real Property Manager (vmccaw@escondido.org)

Kristin Ugrob, Program Coordinator, Business Licenses (kugrob@escondido.org)

Pedro Cardenas, Management Analyst, Economic Development (pcardenas@escondido.org)

 

Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Resources

Watch the "Start Your Business in a Day"Webinar on demand, in English and Spanish!

Are You Looking for Assistance to Start or Grow Your Small Business? The SBDC is here to help, with its expert advisors. Our business start programs are recurring and often available on-demand as well. Watch live or watch recorded to get the information you need to develop your business concept into a plan, know the legal steps, and even what you need to think about for financing.

 

 

POLICE DEPARTMENT UPDATES:

 

SRO Reber Retires

Officer Aaron Reber's last official day is May 1.He served with the Escondido Police Department for 28 years, with more than 20 of those years as a School Resource Officer (SRO). Officer Reber's partners and the leadership at the Escondido Union High School District hosted a surprise retirement party for the officer who has had such a profound impact on so many lives. Officer Reber has truly set the standard for our SRO Team! Chief Varso presented Officer Reber with a well-deserved retirement plaque and retirement badge. You will be missed, Aaron!

 

SWAT Academy Graduation

Please join us in congratulating Officers Reyes, Tovias, and Montross on completing the San Bernardino Sheriff's SWAT Academy. This academy has a reputation for being one of the most physically and mentally demanding SWAT academies around. During the academy, these officers received 120 hours of instruction in tactics, firearms, physical fitness and other SWAT-related topics. Great work, gentlemen!

 

 

Community Resources

Anonymous Tip Line: 760-743-8477 (TIPS)

Crime Data/Mapping: https://www.crimemapping.com/

Helicopter Announcement Transcription:

Call 858-866-4356 or text "Hello" to 858-866-4356

Megan's Law Information: https://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/

Mental Health & Crisis Intervention:

Access and Crisis Line: 888-724-7240

It's Up to Us Campaign: www.Up2sd.org

Get Connected. Get Help: Dial 211

National Drug Helpline: https://drughelpline.org/contact/ or call 844-289-0879

Non-Emergency Line: 760-839-4722

 

 

 

 

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT UPDATES:

 

Last week, many of our firefighters conducted annual wildland firefighter proficiency training in the area north of Lake Hodges. This training includes safety information, progressive hose lays, hand tool fire line work, water drafting and emergency shelter deployment.

On April 20, the City's Public Works crews discovered and reported to the Police & Fire Communications Center that multiple palm trees and dead brush had caught fire on the north side of Kit Carson Park. A full vegetation fire response was dispatched to quickly contain and control the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

On April 20, the Police & Fire Communication Center received reports of a vehicle rollover accident in the area of N. Citrus and E. Mission Ave. Fire crews arrived on scene to discover a two-vehicle collision, with one vehicle flipped over and lying on its roof. The drivers of the vehicles were quickly removed with a hydraulic rescue tool (Jaws of Life), treated and then transported to nearby hospital. The cause of the collision is being investigated by Escondido Police Department.

 

 

 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & ENGINEERING

Permits and Inspections:

 

Building Division:

1. The counter staff conducted in-person meetings with 71 applicants, processed 111 applications, and issued 62 permits.
2. The total permit valuation for the week was $6,854,441.00
3. Building inspectors completed 179 inspections.

 

Field Engineering Division:

1. Field Engineering processed 16 permits

2. Field Engineering inspectors completed 47 inspections

3. Field Engineering active permits 212

 

Development and Capital Projects Update:

Curious what's happening with development projects around the City? The link below directs to an interactive dashboard of projects currently in various stages of the development process. Browse project descriptions, see locations on the map, browse photos and more.

City of Escondido Project Dashboard

 

 

To learn about previous applications for residential and commercial development permits, please visit the Development Project Information Archive page or contact the Planning Division.