Escondido Holiday Events
The holiday season is here, and our community is full of festive events for the whole family. A few upcoming events are highlighted below, and a comprehensive list of events is available on the Visit Escondido calendar.
California Center for the Arts Winter Wonderland
The Annual Winter Wonderland event at CCAE is back this weekend, December 2 and 3 from 1 - 5 p.m. Some highlights of the event are real snow, winter themed arts and crafts, face painting, delicious food, and drinks, and much more. This is a free event, with items available for purchase.
San Pasqual Hight School Noche Buena Event
San Pasqual High School is hosting their 2nd Annual Noche Buena on Tuesday, December 5, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at San Pasqual located at 3300 Bear Valley Parkway, Escondido, CA 92025. The event is free to attend and open to the community. Led by the Aguilas en Movimiento Club and Aguilas Audio/Visual, the evening will include cultural traditions, celebrations, and activities such as music, dancing, photo booth, crafts, art displays, and more! Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Escondido Christmas Parade and Holiday Festival
The Escondido Christmas Parade is back this year on Grand Avenue on Saturday, December 9 starting at 10 a.m. Head to Grape Day Park starting at 11 a.m. for the Escondido Holiday Festival. This tradition includes something for the whole family, including live music, shopping, food vendors, and Santa will be in the park as well.
Trout Season at Lake Wohlford
Lake Wohlford will be stocked with 4,000lbs of rainbow trout for our opening day of trout season on December 16.
Reminder: Make sure to get your California State Fishing License and your Daily Fishing Permit before fishing at Lake Wohlford.
BY THE NUMBERS
Code Compliance:
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Total Code Cases (Year to Date)
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1538
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Graffiti Restitution:
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Collected Last Week
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Collected Year to Date
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$103.85
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$5,600.85
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BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATES:
Escondido Business News
MMCC Arranges $18M of Construction Loans in Escondido Connect CRE
Christmas parade will have "Jurassic" theme Escondido Times-Advocate
North County shelter receives millions from Jeff Bezos foundation to end family homelessness Fox 5
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Resources
Are You Looking for Assistance with Your Small Business?
Discover the range of San Diego and Imperial Valley SBDC services provided to assist you in starting, growing, and succeeding with your small business. Services offered span topics including accounting, marketing, human resources, technology security, manufacturing, distribution, and finance.
Request for Assistance from SBDC Follow the link to request assistance from the San Diego SBDC Network. You will be contacted within the next 1-2 business days.
Free Online Webinars
Office Hours - Insurance w/ Newfront @ Connect: 12/6 from 10 a.m. to noon (PST)
Meet the Lenders: 12/08 from 9:00 - 10 a.m.
City of Escondido Economic Development Contacts
Request a Meeting with Our Team
Thinking about starting a business? Already have a business and need additional support? Have a property and looking for tenants or starting improvements? Reach out and we can help you navigate City and community resources to achieve your goals.
The Economic Development Team are always available to help with questions or connecting you to the right resources. Do not hesitate to reach out!
Subscribe to our Business News and Insights Email Newsletter!
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Review
On June 7, 2023 the Escondido City Council approved the 2023-2028 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). This document outlines data and community feedback about the City's economy and outlines a five-year plan to improve the local economy.
Let's dive into the SWOT section of the CEDS:
Affordability in the Region: Compared to its San Diego County peers, Escondido is a relatively inexpensive place to buy a home and do business. Across a range of quantitative metrics (mean wage, median wage, housing values, commercial real estate values, industrial values), the City is either the most or the second-most affordable jurisdiction in the County. In community interviews and surveys, the region's affordability was cited as a major reason for settling down in the area, including by a thirty-something worker who relocated to "The City of Choice"last year, after a long search
That said, the City's affordability is not likely to last forever, or even for the duration of the planning period. Incomes are rising and average permit values are higher in Escondido than in the average regional peer. As more affluent homebuyers are drawn to Escondido by lower rents, they will tend to increase the price of housing. In the longer run, the City will need to rely on more than just price to bring in new residents and new businesses.
POLICE DEPARTMENT UPDATES:
Guns Seized
A detective from the North County Regional Gang Task Force (NCGRTF) obtained information on a man who was reported to have several firearms in his possession. It was determined that the man was prohibited from owning firearms due to a history of crimes. Based on this information, the detective as able to obtain a search warrant for a residence in Escondido.
The Escondido Police Department SWAT team executed thesearch warrant and then handed the scene to NCRGTF. The SWAT team was able to assist in safely taking a number of firearms, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition from the location. The subject was arrested and later booked into jail.
Driving Under the Influence
As the holiday season is upon us, the Escondido Police Department would like to remind everyone to PLEASE DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. Driving under the influence can cause problems for your own family, as well as issues for your fellow community members. Over the past couple of weeks, officers have arrested several people who were driving under the influence. In one instance, officers answered an injury car accident, and the other vehicle fled the scene. A second call to the police department helped officers find the suspect car after it crashed into another vehicle. The driver tried to run away, but officers were able to safely take him in to custody. The driver was arrested for drunk driving and the traffic collisions. Please remember to keep yourself and loved ones safe and NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE.
Community Resources
Anonymous Tip Line: 760-743-8477 (TIPS)
Crime Data/Mapping: https://www.crimemapping.com/
Helicopter Announcement Transcription:
Call 858-866-4356 or text "Hello"to 858-866-4356
Megan's Law Information: https://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/
Mental Health & Crisis Intervention:
Access and Crisis Line: 888-724-7240
It's Up to Us Campaign: www.Up2sd.org
Get Connected. Get Help: Dial 211
National Drug Helpline: https://drughelpline.org/contact/ or call 844-289-0879
Non-Emergency Line: 760-839-4722
FIRE DEPARTMENT UPDATES:
On November 13, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received reports of a tree fire in the area of South Orange Street and West 13thAve. Upon arrival of the first units, it was quickly determined that the large tree fire had extended rapidly into a wooden fence and an adjacent single-family residence located at 400 block of West 13thAve. Additional resources were requested for a residential structure fire response with a confirmed working fire.
Aggressive action by the firefighters contained and controlled the main body of the fire activity in about 19 min from time of dispatch to the original tree fire. The tree fire extended into the roof, closest wall, and attic space of the house, with significant damage to the electrical panel and service meter.
In all, twenty-three firefighters and one fire prevention specialist responded to the fire. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Also, on November 13, Escondido Fire was dispatched to assist at the scene of a car accident. The first crews to arrive on scene, discovered a Tesla had crashed up the embankment on the opposite side of the embankment at Hale, after it collided into the underside of the freeway bridge. Luckily, the driver had escaped the vehicle on his own and reported that his Tesla was driving on "auto-pilot."The driver was transported to Palomar Medical Center.
On November 19, Fire crews were dispatched to a report of a traffic accident requiring extrication (removal from vehicle) at a gas station on Via Rancho Parkway. When fire crews arrived, they found a single vehicle pushed up against a short retaining wall. During the crash, the driver's foot was pinned outside the door and wedged between the vehicle and the wall. Firefighters used a combination of airbags and hydraulic spreaders to simultaneously lift and push the vehicle away from the wall to allow removal of the driver's leg without additional injury. The driver was transported to Palomar Medical Center.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & ENGINEERING
Permits and Inspections:
Building Division:
- The counter staff conducted in-person meetings with 133 applicants, processed 124 applications, and issued 92 permits.
- The total permit valuation for the week was $5,101,612.00
- Building inspectors completed 351 inspections.
Field Engineering Division:
1. Field Engineering processed 19 permits
2. Field Engineering inspectors completed 22 inspections
3. Field Engineering active 295 permits
Development and Capital Projects Update:
Curious what's happening with development projects around the City? The link below directs to an interactive dashboard of projects currently in various stages of the development process. Browse project descriptions, see locations on the map, browse photos and more.
City of Escondido Project Dashboard
To learn about previous applications for residential and commercial development permits, please visit the Development Project Information Archive page or contact the Planning Division.
