City of Del Mar, CA
07/22/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/22/2024 09:44
Council approves realignment response
The City Council voted unanimously July 16 to approve its formal response to a SANDAG environmental document for the proposed rail realignment project.
Signed by Mayor Dave Druker, the 10-page letter reflects input from the public and councilmembers on where SANDAG's Notice of Preparation for a forthcoming environmental document is perceived to be deficient in its scope.
The NOP, which includes three possible alignments to reroute the railway off the Del Mar bluffs, serves as SANDAG's official solicitation for comment on issues and alternatives that an environmental impact report for the project should examine. The comment period for the NOP closes today.
Councilmembers on July 16 agreed that the final revisions would include statements that SANDAG must analyze the impacts of proposed alternative train routes, or alignments, during both construction and long-term operations.
The analysis must examine public safety impacts, such as a fire in a tunnel and the air quality impacts of pollutants escaping from portals, councilmembers agreed.
They also agreed that in addition to examining impacts to residents, the environmental report also must weight impacts to businesses and other stakeholders.
SANDAG has estimated that a realigned railway would begin operating in 2035.