Tax Tax tax wrote on May 8, 2008 11:38 AM:Get ready... we will soon be scrounging the beach for food....

esteban wrote on May 8, 2008 11:40 AM:First of all, the city would never pick up the cost. Second, I'll just park on the streets. Sorry residents, the state screwed you.

C-BadR wrote on May 8, 2008 11:42 AM:The local residents better get ready for the cluster and congestion of people looking for parking in the local streets. I for one will never pay to park there!

esteban wrote on May 8, 2008 12:20 PM:Parking fee sounds good to me. No matter the charge the parking lot will still be packed with cars. They need to put parking meters down Carlsbad Blvd also. If you can’t afford it park down the street or don’t go.

Lisa wrote on May 8, 2008 1:51 PM:I think charging to park is ridiculous. We go to the beach to let my 3 year old ride her bike. We never are there all day. It's already hard enough to find a space to park. I have lived in Carlsbad my entire life and this is crazy. I would rather skip the beach then. The tourist who clog the beaches can pay it. I won't. This is just one more way for the city to take our money.

to esteban wrote on May 8, 2008 1:59 PM:They would 'never' pick up the fee? That's funny, they've done it in the past but discontinued paying the fees. Try reading a few relevant news stories before posting.

You arent parking wrote on May 8, 2008 2:14 PM:your smog polluting, cancer causing cars anywhere near where I have to breath. Walk or take the bus! Listen to Gore, we are in the middle of a global warming disaster.

geraldo wrote on May 8, 2008 3:02 PM:dear lisa-
it is illegal for your 3 year old to ride a bike on either the lower seawall sidewalk OR the upper sidewalk. check out the regulations and the obvious signs. try the bike path between tamarack and the village alongside the railroad tracks, where it is LEGAL.

Gear Up wrote on May 8, 2008 3:16 PM:Now they will pass parking restrictions, issue parking passes, and tow your cars! Welcome to Oceanside! Are you sure it isn't spelled Carlside?

BadNeighbor wrote on May 8, 2008 3:38 PM:Carlsbad is once again being, well, Carlsbad. At $200K per year, that nets out to $3.04 per day per space. This is a city with a budget surplus in the millions of dollars each year. Better for the city to chip in this relatively paltry amount than to field the hundreds of complaints that are sure to come from nearby residents who don't appreciate all the people parking on the streets.

Daren wrote on May 8, 2008 4:37 PM:This is a good idea. With the extra revenue, the parking lot can be better maintained. It needs to be re-paved, the red zones need to be better enforced and people need to stop blocking the lifeguard vehicle beach access when they drop off or pick up. If people are unwilling to pay to park and will park in the residential areas, it will mean more walking and less unnecessary "stuff" being brought to the beaches.

I don't see any negative with this.

Surfers Get Axed wrote on May 8, 2008 4:48 PM:It's too bad the surfers who park for a couple hours will have to fork out 8 bucks. How about this? The city pays the 200K, and each vehicle that enters donates a few dollars to park. All donations go to Carlsbad Schools...

Floyd wrote on May 8, 2008 6:30 PM:What we need to do is make this a revenue-neutral parking tax by simultaneously lowering the amount of sales tax remitted to the State by 1/4-percentage point. The money you save with lower taxes on other expenses will pay for the cost of parking. There, see, wasn't that easy?

HA HA Carlsbad wrote on May 8, 2008 7:52 PM:Welcome to the CLUB. Getting YOUR money sucked from yet another source. Do YOU have any left?

Carlsbad mom wrote on May 8, 2008 7:56 PM:It has always been so awesome to be able to park at the Tamarack lot. I've never been there for more than 30-60 minutes at a time. Putting in a stupid meter destroys the whole atmoshphere and makes us just another beach, like up in OC or LA. And $8/day???? Even at dog beach in Del Mar, you only pay by the increments of 1 hour!! The state is so greedy. Someone said the city will be making money -- uh DUH, read the article AGAIN. I don't think the city will see 1 cent of the money. The state continues to screw us and then decimates our schools. We need to vote ALL of them out of office!

Cant YOU see wrote on May 8, 2008 8:07 PM:That the middle class is being decimated.
Stand up everybody and quit being so sheepish. ENOUGH ALREADY!

I agree with Esteban wrote on May 8, 2008 8:10 PM:All You residents will now have to park in Your garages. Its all Your fault for NOT standing up and letting the city and state run all over You. Time to clean out that garage. That nice space You were used to using is no longer available cause Ill be parking there. Thank You

GREED wrote on May 8, 2008 9:04 PM:They're being pretty optimistic in their calculations.
There is only maybe 4 months out of the year that the lot is completely full. Then the cost of a patrol person to make sure of the parking fee, also maintaing the lot, that is always covered in sand and can't tell where the parking lines are. And we won't mention the fact that people will be giving each other the tickets after they are done to the person who is coming to park for half price, or free.
If I pay my $8.00 for the day and I leave and come back a spot better be available as I did pay for the WHOLE day.
The state will find some way to screw up the income from this just like they do with everything else.

surfers wrote on May 9, 2008 12:10 AM:to bad the lower "T" has to be metered now, surfing here 40 yrs at tamarack,this sucks. of course all transplants are gonna like this change.im still gonna enjoy this break,locals will take over once again.so go park your yuppy rig elsewhere,what next no-vehicles over 7' high on coast highway and in lower "T"

longboarder wrote on May 9, 2008 12:13 AM:hey does anyone know where the only parking meter is located here in town,local trivia ???

waters wrote on May 9, 2008 12:22 AM:just makes me want to stay at beach all day everyday now sun up-sun down while all you newb's work all day ,gotta luv it.so go to a different beach, but leave your $$$$ here.

Karl wrote on May 9, 2008 5:34 AM:The Sprinter is only $4 round trip.

To Daren wrote on May 9, 2008 6:05 AM:You are naive to think that the parking lots will be maintained with fees. All this revenue will be sucked from you to be put in the general fund for things like illegal alien health care, etc. Look at the transportation fund. It doesn't go to our roads, it has been diverted. The state even went so far as to take 12 million dollars from the California Board of Registered Nursing to put in the general fund years ago when Gray Davis was in charge. The money has not been repaid by the State. Nurses check this out with the board. This is another revenue scheme by the State. Also, what does the Coastal Commission have to do with this?? When did they become a revenue raising agency??

I will be there wrote on May 9, 2008 6:39 AM:converting dollar bills into change for the parking meters, just .25 cent charge per transaction.

Solution wrote on May 9, 2008 6:39 AM:Deport a handful of illegal-aliens to pay for this. Done!

Make the Tourists Pay wrote on May 9, 2008 7:06 AM:What's worse is during the holidays. At any given "summer" holiday,it isn't so much Tamarak, it is the streets. These tourists parking their gigantic RV's, travel trailers, busses along the street for the entire day. They are not there for just a couple of hours, they are there for the entire day, sometimes 2. Before the sun even comes out, they have these monsters parked, taking up at times more than one space due to their length. And are actually camping. Their pop-outs, canopies etc., are out. It's a street, not an RV park. But they are too cheap to find a place to actually park it elsewhere and go to the beach. How is it, they can afford the gas for these gigantic vehicles, and the cost for such things, some way over $100K, but don't want to fork over $25 per night for a place actually designed for them. That is why the majority of all Walmart's and other shopping plaza lots have made it illegal to "camp" in their lots. They want to take their beasts down there, have a time limit..anything after that, should be considered camping and fined. It clutters up the beach wall, makes it almost impossible for people with actual cars to park there, on top of it, some of them are so tall, while driving along the 101, you can't even see the beauty of the 101 because of their height. Quit going after the locals..

Karl wrote on May 9, 2008 7:28 AM:I just love the "locals" that think they own a specific stretch of beach. This tourist from Escondido has a news flash for you, beaches are open for everyone, period end of conversation.

You arent getting MY money wrote on May 9, 2008 7:52 AM:$8 a day?? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!! There are NO other paid parking lots along our coast that charge THAT much. And where is this money going? Who is going to benefit from it? The residents? I doubt THAT!! And for $8 somebody better clean that beach up. The last few times I was there it was dirty, full of trash and there was graffiti along the sea wall. $8 a day?? City of Carlsbad, you aren't getting a dime of my money...keep your dirty beach and your greedy ways!!!

Nick wrote on May 9, 2008 7:54 AM:I didn't hear you folks whining back when they started charging at Cardiff and Seaside. Anyone remember those days? It wasn't that long ago. Shoot, look at all the money the State spent to pave and put in bathrooms at Seaside and then Mother Nature took a bug chunk back...LOL.

Movin on wrote on May 9, 2008 7:55 AM:The high cost of living in an up scale seaside village has struck again. People, either suck it up and pay or move inland. YOU are the ones who have choosen to live in Carlsbad.

Too Funny wrote on May 9, 2008 9:00 AM:Most surfers who use this beach already have annual state park passes, and they will be clogging up the parking lot, so no revenue! I walk to that beach, so this is great news for me - non-locals will stay away and locals will once again rule the waves! I put in the time to know the break, I made the sacrifice to live, work and surf without using a car so the rest of you can just pound sand.

Resist wrote on May 9, 2008 9:48 AM:Politicians can't resist a scheme to make a few extra taxpayer bucks to spend. Do we get anything anymore for the taxes we pay? Extra fees for everything yet our taxes don't go down. And to think, a lot of people want the government to run and give us healthcare.

Beach Goer wrote on May 9, 2008 10:21 AM:Thank god we finally put a pointless tax on one of the last free parking lots on the beach. Hopefully we can fund some pointless committee in C'bad. Looks like I'll be parking on the street level from now on!

Bo wrote on May 9, 2008 10:38 AM:As State tax payers we already pay for parking in that lot! Parking fees should only be charged for cars with out-of-state license plates.

to Movin on wrote on May 9, 2008 10:52 AM:Don't let the door hit you on the way out!

Alvin wrote on May 9, 2008 11:46 AM:Wait until the City develops the South Ponto redevelopment area. All that currently pristine land along the coast (with its FREE parking) will be gone. And I guarantee you that any parking that will remain after the hotels and retail shops get built will be NOT be free! For those of you who wanted Carlsbad to develop, "as you sew, so shall you reap." And welcome to "Orange County South!"

Alvin wrote on May 9, 2008 11:51 AM:Get off your butts and WALK or RIDE a bike!! Many of the people I see frequently Carlsbad's beach could use the exercise!

dave from oceanside wrote on May 9, 2008 12:01 PM:The state is clamoring for more revenue?
Why not get rid of the problem that is draining the state to the tune of Billions a year.
I bet all of you know what this PROBLEM is I am referring too.

surf nazi wrote on May 9, 2008 12:03 PM:yeah,triple the fees,keep as many people away as possible

esteban wrote on May 9, 2008 12:16 PM:We need to revolt. I'm tired of paying a fee for EVERYTHING!!!! I WILL park in the lot and I WILL NOT pay the 8 bucks.

What we need is a tax wrote on May 9, 2008 1:20 PM:on taxes. Or how about a State tax on people that live within 25 miles of any city. Or just to be fair how about a tax on all people that use public transporation. The possibilities are mind boggling. But if you want to keep it simple 2/3 of all you make goes to the State, you can then divide the remaining 1/3 between the Citites and the Federal Government.

Locals call it Elm wrote on May 9, 2008 1:37 PM:I agree with what some have said, stop punishing the locals! We aren't the ones with the RV's taking up 2 or 3 spaces along the top walk area. There is state beach camping down the way, make a reservation! That cost is no different than any other cost of vacationing. At the same time, it wouldn't kill us to walk or bike to the beach once in awhile to cut down on traffic. I will do that before the state gets my $8!

Daren wrote on May 9, 2008 1:46 PM:I can't wait for esteban to get his parking ticket. I think it may be up to $64 now.

hardtack wrote on May 9, 2008 2:14 PM:Folks, user taxes are the only fair tax we will see. With all the insidious taxes that government burdens us with – progressive income tax, inheritance tax, capital gains tax, and inflation (the most insidious “tax” of all) – we only get our knickers in a twist over this one. Go figure.

esteban wrote on May 9, 2008 2:41 PM:Me either Daren...I am running low on TP...

Native Carlsbadian wrote on May 9, 2008 3:07 PM:I've parked at Tamarack Beach since I got my DL in 1967, as it is a beautiful place to park and eat. Making me pay anything, even $.50 is totally wrong, as the local H.S. uses this beach for "Surf P.E.," and these high school kids can't afford to pay for what the State of California Provides for FREE, and that is an EDUCATION.

Native Carlsbadian wrote on May 9, 2008 3:15 PM:re Longboarder

In the Antique Store on State St.

Grump wrote on May 9, 2008 3:29 PM:Yet another rip off to add to the growing list. I guess the gas tax, property tax, dmv registration fee, state tax, and so on and so on isn't enough.

You Locals are hilarious wrote on May 9, 2008 4:26 PM:"My beach", "my break", "I put in the time to learn it" how funny is that nonsense. I will continue to park my 30 foot RV on the street at 5:00 am and stay all weekend for free. I will surf YOUR break and you will surf behind me punks.

Daren wrote on May 9, 2008 4:27 PM:Carlsbad High will most likely have to pay the state to use the parking lot for their surf PE class. It would most likely be a flat fee rather than a "per-car" rate. As for esteban, it will be fun to hear about him/her going to jail for not paying parking tickets.

Daren wrote on May 9, 2008 4:35 PM:Vehicles, including RV's, are not allowed to park on the Coast Hwy all night. Parking is not allowed from 11 pm to 5 am. Feel free to accept your parking ticket, but it won't be free. As for parking in the residential areas, I fully expect a similar rule to be enacted or enforced if overnight RV parking becomes a problem.

Re Alvin a.m. wrote on May 9, 2008 5:24 PM: "as you SEW, so shall you reap." Threading my needle right now...lol!

Hey wrote on May 9, 2008 5:35 PM:the funny thing is that most of you coastal people who are complaining about this are democrats and you keep voting for them at all levels of government and they are the ones who will tax, tax, tax, raise fees. smart people you all are.

To You Locals are hilarious wrote on May 9, 2008 6:02 PM:There is no overnight parking at any beach in Carlsbad other than the camp grounds. But go ahead and think you can get away with free parking and surfing in front of the locals. Ha, that's funny!
Stay in your own town.

Solution wrote on May 9, 2008 6:52 PM:Elect politicans who cut spending! Just because the state can't balance the budget, beachgoers shouldn't have to pay for their shortcomings! Maybe Arnold should pay the yearly amount of his movie residuals, then maybe he can figure out the budget problem. Trim the fat, don't feed the hog!

Jerry in Carlsbad wrote on May 9, 2008 7:46 PM:Will the State of CA Annual Day Use Passes be honored at this lot, as they are at others throughout San Diego County and California?

Daren wrote on May 9, 2008 8:23 PM:The annual day use passes the state has used for years will be honored at the Tamarack parking lot. They are $125 per year I think. However, the vast majority of people who use this lot do not stay for the full day. All the locals need to do is pay for the annual pass and it will be the tourists who will pay the majority of the $8/day fees. Tourists will get pissed off and not use the lot.

Larry wrote on May 9, 2008 8:59 PM:If the Carlsbad city council had any clue with regard to the real public needs, the would figure a way out to cover these costs. Unfortunately, the current council couldn't manage an ice cream social.

day-use wrote on May 9, 2008 9:15 PM:yeah its about 125.00 for annual pass worth it in long run,if ya have a disability you can get discount on annual pass,plus get a disabled discount card and buy a day use for 1/2 price at campground booth,good at any day-use for that day. the service is there for those who are in need,of course state will not tell you about it until you get a ticket for not paying.blue plaque card (handicap) or plates dont allow you to park for free,so keep this in mind,not legal advice just the facts people,especially elderly and handicapped people dont take it for granite.

lower-T wrote on May 9, 2008 9:36 PM:lower-T is on payroll now,what next fence off the beachs with gate access only,kinda like how the power plant back in the day,when only employees or family could use warm waters,that was pretty controlled back then i do remember.what about cross-walks being added between tamarack and cannon(south-side) we say folks,not one cross walk there at all so you have to go to the north end of intersection to cross legally,j-walk is done all time guess thats what we are gonna have to do until someone gets run over.especially i feel for the older folks who want to get across safe but cant.maybe they should drop speed limit down to 30mph@south side,

elm st. wrote on May 9, 2008 10:00 PM:what next is (ELM) parking lot next up for the mighty iron-ranger,there gonna need to hire meter readers soon,buy new bikes for them and safety gear.at least they wont be riding in big packs forcing you to drive on other side of road like the weekend packs do.guess it will be ok for them to ride on wrong side of road but not us.

Trailblazer wrote on May 10, 2008 12:47 PM:Take to the various hiking trails in Carlsbad, they are FREE - of course you will have to put of with graffiti on the trees and rocks, horse droppings and some mountain bikers, who are mostly respectful. Maybe a gang member or two doing their 'art work'. We hike the Calavera trail system and see very few hikers enjoying this FREE form of exercise. Get out there . . .

re-trailblazer wrote on May 10, 2008 3:45 PM:to far inland,might get road rage or nose bleeds being that far inland

re-carlsbadian wrote on May 10, 2008 9:53 PM:do you remember where the d.m.v. was back in 1967 trivia ???

Tamarack Local wrote on Sep 17, 2008 12:36 PM:I don't like the idea of paying to park. I do like the idea of it limiting the amount of tourists and congestion due to it being the only FREE beach lot to park in San Diego. I was against this at first, now after considering the ramifications, I like the idea of myself and my local friends having it to ourselves at a cost of $125.00/year. Bring it on > the local Tamarach surf crew will own it > as it should be! $125.00 is a great deal! The City of Carlsbad payed 36K/yr. for the lot > a paltry sum. You can't stop progress > everyone quit whining!!!! Surf's up, gotta go. SMP

Local surfer wrote on Sep 17, 2008 12:44 PM:You'll buy your Starbucks everyday but whine about $125.00. Cut out the gym, spa, salon, wine, liquor, cigarettes, get rid of the BWM, Mercedes, designer clothes, tanning salon, etc., etc. Don't buy the annual pass......the less people...the better! I'll buy the pass and happy to do so! Local T-rack Charger!