DEL MAR, Calif. (KGTV) – The Del Mar City Council on Monday is expected to discuss the potential impacts if the LOSSAN Rail Realignment project were to move forward with Del Mar Fairgrounds.
The vote on Monday afternoon would potentially add a tenth guiding principal to the rail realignment project.
The language in the proposed tenth guiding principal would essentially ask SANDAG to keep the City of Del Mar's interests in mind, which are fairground events and operations, the city's affordable housing projects, and making both the city and fairground leaders a part of the rail realignment's decision-making process.
Tristan Hallman, spokesperson for the Del Mar Fairgrounds, said their board hasn't established a position on the possibility of the railway coming through the fairgrounds yet, however the fairgrounds does have its concerns.
"Our board has not taken an official position, but for now, we have major concerns about what a train alignment through our property, across our property, or under our property, and the impact that would have on our operations, which we don't get taxpayer dollars for. We have to fund them through events and activities here, and that idea of an alignment threatens that," Hallman said.
Regarding the affordable housing project, Hallman said the city has discussed the idea of building affordable housing around the fairground facility, but the railway realignment to the fairgrounds could complicate that goal.
"These two issues are very much tied together, because we don't have enough information to be able to formulate a plan about our own site," Hallman said "We don't know if one, this is a feasible alternative, or two, if it is, where it would go," Hallman said.
SANDAG is just in the “study” phase of where the rail could be relocated from the bluffs, and Hallman said SANDAG has become interested in the fairgrounds once again.
Del Mar City Councilmember Terry Gaasterland is interested in the fairgrounds as a possible relocation site, and she said she plans to ask for a tunnel to be built under the fairgrounds and for the San Dieguito River to be studied in 2024.
Hallman also said the fairgrounds is not only interested in protecting the best interest of its events, but also the ecosystems it’s worked hard to protect, and the seasonal rail platform it’s been pushing to build for some time, which would bring about positive impacts.
"Instead of going to Solana Beach and using the shuttle or finding some other way here from a mile and a half away, that they're able to come right into the fairgrounds," Hallman said. "That will improve local traffic, accessibility for people, it will make it very convenient to get to the events we have, and it will increase economic activity for the City of Del Mar and neighboring communities to have that direct connection."
In a statement, Del Mar Mayor Tracy Martinez wrote to ABC 10News that she is confident the vote Monday will “overwhelmingly pass”:
"The Del Mar City Council supports and values the 22nd District Agricultural Association and the importance of our mutual partnership in our community. Some residents have been interested in considering an alignment to run under the Fairgrounds. SANDAG decides which alignments to study. Council member Gaasterland and I will propose an additional Del Mar Guiding Principle Regarding the LOSSAN Rail Realignment Project at are City Council meeting on Monday. It states as follows: ‘SANDAG must respect and protect the operational, economic, environmental and planning needs of the 22nd DAA and of the proposed Del Mar housing program on the Fairgrounds, and as a key stakeholder, the 22nd DAA must be proactively engaged by SANDAG throughout the process.’ I am confident it will overwhelmingly pass."
