DEL MAR, Calif. (KGTV) – Plenty of people call Del Mar home.
“I live on the hill. I own my home there; I’ve been there for a very long time. I’ve lived in Del Mar since 1970. Our hill is a very beloved location,” said Del Mar resident JoAnne Petrilli.
Those who call this village home are concerned about SANDAG’s possible plan of building a tunnel underneath the city as the train tracks along the bluffs are going away with help from $300 million from the state.
On Monday night, community members gathered at a Del Mar City Council meeting for SANDAG’s presentation of the proposed project.
“It makes no sense to run a tunnel through what is soft soil to begin with. We’ve had landslides here in Del Mar, I think everybody knows that. And the property values are such that a lot of the homeowners, this is their biggest asset,” Del Mar resident Monica Meredith said.
"I think, frankly, it should be in the median on I-5. They have to figure out how to dog-leg it from Solana Beach up to the 5. It doesn't make any sense to do it on the hill,” Petrilli added.
SANDAG presented a timeline of the project and announced public listening sessions for August and September.
The agency’s proposal states the projected construction would begin in 2028, with the tunnel opening to the public in 2035.
Representatives from the agency said Monday night they want to have a two-way conversation, hearing from the public and providing information to them as they complete various studies.
“Are we listening to them or are they listening to us? If they’re listening to us, what are you going to do with it?” Meredith said.
Del Mar City Councilmember Terry Gaasterland, the city’s representative on the SANDAG board, said, “What I will be seeking and asking the SANDAG staff to do is to tabulate these questions, categorize them, come up with answers to the questions and take those answers back to the people.”
While she acknowledged some people’s skepticism, Gaasterland is confident the agency is doing its best to listen to anyone and everyone about the tracks.
“I’m confident because I’m going to make sure they’re listened to. I’ll be knocking on the doors of people at SANDAG as necessary to make sure the questions get answers,” Gaasterland said.
