Carlsbad Strawberry Fields measure to be debated on KOCT

North Coast Current

Carlsbad’s Measure A, an upcoming special election on the fate of proposed Strawberry Fields development, is the topic of a special Journalist Roundtable on Jan. 7 on KOCT, Oceanside’s community television station.

The broadcast begins at about 7 p.m. following an hourlong general Journalist Roundtable that starts at 6 p.m., according to a KOCT announcement. The Measure A edition of the program will feature Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall, speaking in support of a mall and open-space project slated for the Strawberry Fields site. Cori Schumacher, representing Citizens for North County, will speak in opposition to the proposal.

Measure A involves the original Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan, which was proposed last May by three Carlsbad residents through an initiative sponsored by Caruso Affiliated, the developer of a proposed mall on the Strawberry Fields site.

The site sits along the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. The plan calls for a reduction in the amount of land where commercial-retail development would be allowed from 48.3 acres to 26.7 acres, and increase the amount of land designated as permanent open space from 155.1 acres to 176.7 acres, according to the city of Carlsbad.

The Carlsbad City Council approved the plan outright Aug. 25, foregoing a special election. A petition drive was then launched by Carlsbad residents calling for the plan to be put to a public vote. The petition met the county registrar of voters’ minimum number of signatures to call for a special election. Measure A is the result. The special election is set for Feb. 23.

Before KOCT’s Journalist Roundtable special edition, an hourlong discussion will begin at 6 p.m. featuring Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood, CSU San Marcos President Karen Haynes of Cal State San Marcos University and Northern California Earthquake Data Center President Mark Kalpakgian.

The Journalist Roundtable is hosted by Kent Davy, former editor of the North County Times, and KPBS North County reporter Alison St. John. Viewers in Oceanside can watch the program on Cox Cable on KOCT channel 18. The program can be seen countywide on AT&T U-Verse channel 99.

The program will also be streamed live on koct.org. Viewers can click the “Watch Live: Channel 18” button at the top of the homepage.

The special program will also be available to watch after Jan. 12 on KOCT’s video-on-demand service, according to KOCT’s announcement.