Environment is of great concern to the city. Thus, the city has drafted ordinances protecting sensitive wildlife habitat, one of the first such ordinances within the state of California. The city has also promised to protect a certain amount of land within city limits from development of any kind, along with spending significant funds to restore habitats destroyed by newer development projects.
Because of its location, relatively low population density and high performing school districts, the city is seen to have a rather high quality of life. Thus, real estate tends to be rather expensive compared to most cities, especially in newer developments.
Carlsbad Geography
Carlsbad is located at 33°7'19" North, 117°17'49" West (33.121990, -117.296811).According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 105.6 km2 (40.8 mi2). 97.0 km2 (37.4 mi2) of it is land and 8.7 km2 (3.4 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 8.24% water, most of which is contained within three lagoons and one lake.
The northern area of the city is considered a part of Tri-City, which consists of northern Carlsbad, southern Oceanside and western Vista.
Northwest quadrant
The northwestern quadrant is Carlsbad's oldest and most densely populated region. The quadrant is located north of Palomar Airport Road and west of El Camino Real and is cocentric with the ZIP code 92008. Though there are some newer developments, the area features many more established single family homes, and in some cases, apartments and condominiums. The fact that many areas in this quadrant existed many years ago is apparent by the fact that some streets (notably Highland Drive) lack sidewalks and/or street lighting. In the case of Highland Drive, however, the city has made the decision to omit improvements to preserve the street's country-like feel.
Hosp Grove, a grove of trees relatively untouched by development and now designated by the city for recreational use, is located in the northwest quadrant, along with the Buena Vista and Agua Hedionda Lagoons. The Buena Vista Lagoon is one of three located in Carlsbad and serves as northern boundary between Carlsbad and Oceanside.
- The village, or downtown Carlsbad, is generally located along Carlsbad Village Drive east of Carlsbad Boulevard (also Pacific Coast Highway or Highway 101) and west of Interstate 5. It is currently in a process of ongoing redevelopment, and features many antique shops, clothing stores, and restaurants. Unfortunately, the village is likely a place where crime is most concentrated, and thus may play a role in driving Carlsbad's crime rate misleadingly upward. In 2005, the village gained a reputation as a place to "have a good time," which caught the eyes of city officials who did not want their city to be associated mischievous activity. Occupancy of bars late at night sometimes were triple the maximum, which concerned local law and fire authorities. Drafting of legislation is currently underway to attempt to solve recurring problems in the village. Regular events in the village, which include a farmers market and a marathon, draw many people from throughout the region to downtown Carlsbad.
- Barrio Carlsbad is a small neighborhood south of the village. It is densely populated by Latinos and is the site of the city's Centro de Información, a Spanish division of the Carlsbad City Library.
- Olde Carlsbad is essentially a catch-all term to refer to all other areas besides the aforementioned two south of the Buena Vista Lagoon, west of El Camino Real and north of Cannon Road. The area generally features older single family homes. Streets in this area often lack sidewalks and lighting. It is perhaps the most socioeconomically diverse section of the city, where homes range from enormous mansions to modest, one story homes. Architectural styles in the area vary widely as well. A number of elementary schools are located within the area, as well as Carlsbad High School and the current site of Carlsbad Seaside Academy, Magnolia Elementary School.
- Canterbury, a planned community south of the recently built Cannon Road extension, features newer single family homes. Occasionally containing some of the most expensive of northern Carlsbad's real estate, Canterbury is a somewhat small development surrounded on all sides by vast open space containing coastal sage and elfin forest. The development is roughly bordered by a newer portion of Cannon Road, El Camino Real, and Jackspar Drive. The western boundary is a large hill, which is topped by Twain Avenue.
Northeast quadrant
The northeastern quadrant is located north of Palomar Airport Road and east of El Camino Real. With the exception of one shopping center, the area is almost exclusively residential. Because of the city's increasing population, the area was recently assigned the ZIP code 92010 by the U.S. Postal Service. The quadrant has many condominiums and single family homes, and the age of the housing units vary--some units are quite established while others, particularly in Calavera Hills, are currently under construction.
- Calavera Hills is one of many of Carlsbad's planned communities located around the intersection of College Boulevard and Carlsbad Village Drive (the community is bordered on the north by the Oceanside-Carlsbad city boundary). The western portion (phase I) was constructed mostly in the 1980s and the eastern portion (phase II) is currently under construction. Calavera Hills features two elementary schools, one middle school, a very large community park, numerous pocket parks, trails, an artificial lake, and single family, attached, and apartment units. Calavera Hills is subdivided into neighborhoods, each of which are maintained by a homeowners association. Some, especially condominium developments, feature community pools. Calavera Hills Middle school is located in the area. Much of the community, especially around Calavera Lake, is designated open space. Numerous trails exist near Calavera Lake for public use. Because of strong opposition to the partial draining of the lake, the city is currently considering other alternatives for the removal of concrete object that protrudes from the lake's surface, which some consider to be an eyesore in an otherwise picturesque area.
- Tanglewood is a condominium complex located between Carlsbad Village Drive, El Camino Real and Avenida de Lousia. Homes, landscaping, and a community pool are maintained by a homeowners association. Because of occasional traffic issues on Carlsbad's northern portion of El Camino Real, many drivers use Avenida de Anita, the main two-lane thoroughfare located in Tanglewood, as a bypass route, which, unfortunately, can create minor traffic noise for Tanglewood residents. Although all units in the neighborhood are townhomes, all residents benefit from separate garage units.
- Robertson Ranch is a proposed development bordered by Tamarack Avenue, College Boulevard, and El Camino Real. Development is anticipated through 2010. It will most likely be the site of three schools.
- Sunny Creek is a smaller single family development centered along College Boulevard east of El Camino Real. A shopping center is proposed for the area, construction of which has been delayed numerous times. When completed, it will be the only shopping district in northeast Carlsbad outside of the Tri-City area. Among the residents the oppose construction are the original residents of Sunny Creek, who live in a somewhat rural area near Rancho Carlsbad.
- The Summit (north) is a townhouse development currently under construction, located east of Marron Road and west of the unimproved Haymar Drive. One of its main purpose is to alleviate pressure to develop land on or near the Buena Vista Lagoon, which seen as highly undesirable to most residents.
- The Summit (south) is a residential area built on a series of small hills, bordered by El Camino Real, Tamarack Avenue, and Carlsbad Village Drive. It is made up of several developments, including Tamarack Point, Falcon Hills, and Carlsbad Meadows, that were completed in the late 1990s.
- Summerhouse is a residential area built in 2005 and bordered by College Blvd on the West and views to Calavera Natural Preserve on the East. There are cool ocean breezes in the summer.
Southeast quadrant
The southeastern quadrant is located east of El Camino Real and south of Palomar Airport Road. It is Carlsbad's newest quadrant, containing many planned communities, some of which are currently under construction. The ZIP code of the southeast quadrant is 92009.
- Bressi Ranch is a very large development southeast of the intersection of El Camino Real and Palomar Airport Road. It will feature numerous residential, industrial, and commercial subdivisions built in a new urbanist style community. It is currently under construction and a significant of amount of homes are expected to be sold by fall, 2005.
- La Costa Greens is a proposed development east of El Camino Real which straddles a newer portion of Poinsettia Lane. It mostly consists of residential, single family homes. The area is considered quite prestigious and features home in excess of 5,000 square feet, some with view of an adjacent golf course. Much of the area will remain open space.
- Rancho Carrillo is a single family development near the city limits of San Marcos, typically west of Melrose Drive.
La Costa
La Costa refers to both a residential community of Carlsbad and the well-known resort that lies at its center. The community is located primarily south of Palomar Airport Road and east of El Camino Real. The La Costa Resort & Spa consists of an 18-hole golf course, resort hotel and condominium units, along with related retail businesses. Dr. Deepak Chopra operates the Chopra Center located at the resort. La Costa the community is mostly residential, with shopping centers, upscale boutiques and fine dining restaurants. Because of overlapping district lines, schools within the community may be located in one of four school districts. La Costa Canyon High School serves residents of Encinitas, Rancho Santa Fe and other surrounding communities, along with the southernmost portion of Carlsbad. Real estate in La Costa is priced well above the average for both California and San Diego County.
La Costa's development began in 1965, when a partner of the Desert Inn hotel in Las Vegas purchased 3,500 acres (14 km2) of the scenic area. A golf course was developed and homes began to be sold. The 90-room Rancho La Costa Inn was built to accommodate the visitors. Then, the Spa was added and ultimately, another 2,000 acres (8 km2) were purchased as the Inn grew in size. Sports Shinko, a Japanese company, bought the Resort in 1987. After years of decline, it was purchased in 2001 by KSL, a California resort hotel group.
Each February, the La Costa Resort and Spa hosts the World Golf Championships.
Demographics
- Total housing units: 14,489
- Population: 27,445
- Area: 3 mile2 (8 km2)
- Median age: 41.2 years
- Median family income: $104,850
- SFD Average Price: $910,371
- Zip code: 92009
Southwest quadrant
The southwestern quadrant is located west of El Camino Real and south of Palomar Airport Road. Due to the city's increasing population, the area's ZIP code, 92011, is one of two new ZIP codes that serve the city.
- Ponto is a single family and mobile home residential community. While the mobile homes are quite established, the homes located in the neighborhood are very new and some of the only new homes close to the ocean in the entire state (one of the only other areas with such housing is Newport Beach. A plan to redevelop the older portion of the area is currently awaiting approval, although the plan is drawing opposition by environmentalists. Among the new community types proposed for the area are live-work units, where a business owner is able to live one story above an establishment, eliminating the need for a communte. It is located near the city's southern border with Encinitas, west of Carlsbad Boulevard.
Aviara
Aviara is a resort community in the hills of southern Carlsbad, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Batiquitos Lagoon. The community is just north of Encinitas and west of La Costa. Just outside of Aviara lies a movie theater, restaurants, jewelry boutiques, a library and a slew of saloons.
At the heart of the 1,000 acre (4 km2) Aviara community is the Four Seasons Aviara Resort, a 331-room, five-star hotel. Guests enjoy spectacular views, famous lush tropical grounds, a popular Lobby Bar, personal services, shops, a renovated spa area and a world-class golf course.
Aviara features a championship 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf course, which is open to the public as well as to hotel guests. The golf course meanders through the Aviara neighborhoods offering views to visitors of Aviara homes. Gated communities feature large estates.
Aviara is characterized by miles of sidewalks and tree-lined streets. Hikers, runners and bicyclists use the Batiquitos Nature Trail. It overlooks the Batiquitos Lagoon and the Aviara Golf Course.
In 2004, the city received large media attention, when a resident of Aviara scamed $144 million dollars from the elderly scattered across the United States. He and his wife were arrested and each have a set bail of the stolen amount.
Well known residents of the area include the Pulitzer family.
Demographics
- Population: 5,050
- Area: 1.6 mile2 (4 km2)
- Median age: 42.8 years
- Median family income: $105,899
- Total housing units: 2,025
- SFD Average Price: $960,635
- Zip code: 92011
Carlsbad Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 78,247 people, 31,521 households, and 20,898 families residing in the city. The population density is 806.9/km2 (2,090.2/mi2). There are 33,798 housing units at an average density of 348.5/km2 (902.8/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 86.55% White, 0.96% African American, 0.42% Native American, 4.24% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 4.65% from other races, and 2.99% from two or more races. 11.72% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.There are 31,521 households out of which 30.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% are married couples living together, 8.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% are non-families. 24.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.46 and the average family size is 2.96.
In the city the population is spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $65,145, and the median income for a family is $77,151. Males have a median income of $54,826 versus $39,415 for females. The per capita income for the city is $34,863. 5.9% of the population and 3.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.3% of those under the age of 18 and 3.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Current estimates
According to estimates by the San Diego Association of Governments, the median household income of Carlsbad in 2004 was $80,655 (not adjusted for inflation). When adjusted for inflation (1999 dollars; comparable to Census data above), the median household income was $72,230.
Carlsbad History
Carlsbad's history begins with the Luiseño people who located one of their villages, Palamai, near what is today Agua Hedionda Lagoon. Modern-day Carlsbad came about when in the 1880s a former sea captain named John Frazier dug a well for water. He began offering his water at the train station and soon the whistlestop became known as Frazier's Station. A test done on a second fresh-water well found the water to be chemically similar to one of the most famous spas in Europe located in Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary), Czech Republic.To take advantage of this find, a partnership named the Carlsbad Land and Mineral Water Company was founded. It was founded by a German-born merchant from the Midwest named Gerhard Schutte, Samuel Church Smith, D.D.Wadsworth and Henry Nelson. The naming of the town followed soon-after along with a major marketing campaign to attract visitors. The area experienced a period of growth, with homes and businesses appearing.
But by the end of 1887, the real estate bubble had burst and land prices slid all throughout San Diego County. The community survived though, due to the agricultural opportunities available. The site of John Frazier's original well can still be found at Alt Karlsbad, a replica of a German Hanseatic house, located on Carlsbad Boulevard.
- Carlsbad is also the hometown of Tony Hawk and Shawn White.
- Carlsbad also serves as the filming location for the FOX original series Point Pleasant.
- Gary Hardwick, Guinness World Record holder for "Fastest Skateboarder" makes his residence in Carlsbad.
Attractions
- Legoland
- Flower Fields of Carlsbad Ranch
- Museum of Making Music
- Children's Discovery Museum of North County
- The Carlsbad Premium Outlets
- Gemological Institute of America The Non-Profit Educational Institution of the Jewelry Industry.
Schools
Public High
Public Intermediate
Public Interlevel
External links
- City of Carlsbad · Official website.
- Carlsbad California Directory
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Carlsbad,_California".