On behalf of the Buena Vista Audubon Society, its Board of Directors, and its 1200 members in north San Diego County we would like to submit the following comments regarding the Boardwalk Project, SCH# 2003071101.

We have operated the Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center alongside Buena Vista Lagoon in partnership with the City of Oceanside since 1987. Our primary mission is environmental education. We currently serve over 6000 visitors a year, including 2500 local elementary students who visit the center on organized field trips. There are very few coastal communities having an environmental education program of this size and scope, all the result of hard work by dedicated volunteer member of Buena Vista Audubon Society. Our nature center and the programs we provide here offer a valuable community service to Oceanside and surrounding North County. We feel very strongly that our efforts should be enhanced by appropriate development nearby. More important, this beautiful lagoon and its wildlife at the southern gateway to Oceanside are so valuable that all stakeholders share a responsibility to get the development “right”.

As a conservation organization we have serious concerns about the impact of the Boardwalk Project on Buena Vista Lagoon and its wildlife. We are also concerned about the impact this development might have on the quality of life in South Oceanside. While the lagoon and its wildlife are our primary interests we are also concerned about the traffic and parking problems, the visual impact, erosion, and water pollution due to run-off.

Regarding biological and ecological impacts we have read and concur with the suggestions of the resource agencies. We have signed on to and fully support the more detailed comment letter prepared by one of our members, Diane Nygaard, who also represents several other organizations on this matter. The purpose of this separate letter is to address several issues of direct impact to the purpose and operations of the Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center, located directly across South Coast Hwy. from the project site.

Please note that we are not opposed to some type of development at this site. We believe, however, that the scale of development currently proposed would simply overwhelm the site. The project as designed would create lasting impacts in such areas as traffic congestion, access to our nature center, adjacent wetland habitat, sensitive wildlife species, scenic view corridors, and aesthetics and neighborhood character. We do not believe the project does justice to this site, bordering the lagoon, located along historic Hwy. 101, and poised on the edge of the state’s first ecological reserve at the southern entrance to our city.

We ask that the developer consider a project more upscale and with significantly less density. An alternative to consider might be a smaller exclusive residential community, something that would complement the neighboring St. Malo and Sandpiper Cove communities. If a visitor-serving land use is desired, we would urge that a smaller, more exclusive hotel be considered, with no additional condo units. The hotel might even consider the concept of a high-end Birdwatcher’s Lodge focusing on ecotourism. With the lagoon and Nature Center right at its door this could be a very popular and unique concept for Oceanside and the developer. A companion high-end restaurant could complement this type of development and provide diners with unobstructed views of the lagoon. A reduction in project density would do much to alleviate our concerns regarding the inadequacy of traffic and parking plans for the project.

With respect to the 100-foot buffer zone proposed along the south end of the project site, we urge that a detailed plan for habitat restoration be made a part of the project, with funds set aside for ongoing monitoring and maintenance. We would strongly support the proposal to deed over land within the buffer zone to the state for inclusion into the ecological reserve. We would like to see additional land set aside for a public boardwalk to be incorporated into the project design and to serve as the northern border of the buffer zone, with interpretative signage and perhaps a wildlife viewing overlook. For additional mitigation credits for this project, we would suggest that funding be considered for the lagoon boardwalk nature trail now proposed as part of the lagoon restoration project.

The existing traffic plan for the project eliminates access to the Audubon Nature Center for visitors traveling from Oceanside southbound on South Coast Hwy. This would have the effect of forcing all nature center visitors to travel south into Carlsbad in order to make a u-turn and approach the nature center from the south, disrupting a traffic pattern of access to the nature center which has been in place for almost two decades. We would like the developer to consider redesigning the project entrance for the northeast corner of the property, in conjunction with the proposed new traffic light at that intersection. Additional access to the site could be provided from Broadway. Moving the project entrance north to the intersection would also eliminate a potential traffic chokepoint along this major north-south corridor. We oppose widening of Coast Highway near the lagoon due to impact on wetlands and nesting birds.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the project. We welcome the opportunity to discuss our views with the property owner and his representatives, indeed with anyone committed to shaping a final project of which we can all be proud.

Sincerely,

Dennis Huckabay, President

Buena Vista Audubon Society