I am personally a pro-Carlsbad guy. BubbleSitter and SD Realtor had some good insights on this town. The City is undergoing the initial stages of a paradigm shift in its politics. The mayor will not likely be around for next term and the council will be re-invigorated with new blood that will help push the City forward.
The City is undergoing an update of its General Plan, it is required to maintain 30% open space, it is in the process of approving a pedestrian master plan, and there is a revitalization plan in the works for the downtown village area.
The City doesn’t own the local beaches (the State does) and there has been a rift between the two parties over the past several years on who should perform what services on the beaches. This is a gross over-simplification, but the short story is that current mayor, council, and city manager take the “why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free” attitude. This is slowly changing and I think you will see the city take a more proactive stance in managing its beaches, which are a defining feature for Carlsbad.
Additionally, there will be plans to create a connected coastal rail trail between all three intra-city lagoons (Buena Vista, Agua Hedionda, and Batiquitos). Buena Vista lagoon is undergoing a restoration analysis and there are talks of trying to market the area for eco-tourism…Carlsbad is a stop on a major bird migration pathway.
The upshot is hopefully an environmentally conscious community that you can raise your family in. The schools are pretty good too from what I understand.
