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| Posted on Wednesday, February 19 @ 00:00:27 PST |
San Marcos emerging as North County health care hub (Courtesy of Rebecca Jones ) Print San Marcos —
The city of San Marcos is welcoming a Kaiser Permanente hospital and Scripps HealthCare Clinic, Mayor Rebecca Jones said in her second annual State of the City Address Tuesday.
“San Marcos is no longer a drive-through community,†Jones said in her address, which highlights the city’s recent and upcoming developments. “We are a drive-to destination. Kaiser Permanente received approval to construct a new hospital right here in San Marcos.â€
Kaiser will break ground on the hospital later this year, Jones said in the speech, presented at Cal State San Marcos. The new hospital will include 206 beds, an emergency room, labor and delivery facilities and robotic surgery technology, and will employ about 500 people, she said. It will also generate hundreds of other jobs during construction, and will aim for LEED Gold Designation, one of the highest levels of sustainable building construction.
The new hospital, long envisioned for the city, will be built on the 38-acre parcel that houses its existing facilities on Craven Road, near Cal State San Marcos, City Manger Jack Griffin said.
For the city, which prides itself on being an education hub, with several universities and colleges, the new healthcare facilities could make it a healthcare center for North County, as well. Advertisement
Jones said that last week Scripps Health signed an agreement for 14,000 square feet of space for a primary care clinic in the newly opened university extension building, and expects to open that facility a year from now, in spring of 2021.
“The health business base is an important part of a thriving community,†Jones said.
Other new businesses are in the works, including a Karl Strauss brew pub planned on Las Posas Road near Palomar College, and a Mesa Rock climbing gym slated to open this summer, “when rock climbing makes its Olympic debut,†she noted.
San Marcos is also working with proponents of an arts and beverage space at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Linda Vista, which would be a “thriving village anchored by makers, artists, craft brewers and distillers,†centered around an open park, Jones said. Advertisement
In December, it also celebrated the ground-breaking for its Creek District infrastructure project, a $100 million plan to reduce flooding and improve habitat and traffic flow in the San Marcos Creek area, Jones noted.
The plan will add bridges over the creek on Via Vera Cruz and Bent Avenue, widen Via Vera Cruz and Discovery Street, tame the flow of flood waters, remove invasive plants and build a linear park.
Council members also presented the San Marcos Chamber Business Excellence Awards to four local businesses. Councilwoman Sharon Jenkins honored Delightful Chocolate, a patisserie and chocolatier in Lake San Marcos, owned by Dayleen Coleman. Councilwoman Maria Nunez awarded Dogs on Deployment, a nonprofit run by military couple Shawn and Alisa Johnson, to provide foster care for pets whose owners are serving tours of duty.
Councilman Randy Walton recognized Churchill’s Pub and Grille and the Bellows Restaurant, owned by restaurateur Ivan Derezin, a longtime volunteer with San Marcos Boys & Girls Club. And Councilman Jay Petrek presented the award to PACE, (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) which provides services such as adult daycare, primary care, and a therapy gym for seniors with chronic care needs.
As San Marcos is growing, it is updating its general plan, and invites residents to participate in discussions and meetings about the new plan, a blueprint for city growth in coming years.
It will also revise its climate action plan, which identifies strategies to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and set reduction targets for 2030, Jones said. In other efforts to protect the city’s environment, officials are coordinating the 18th annual Creek to Bay cleanup to remove trash and debris from San Marcos Creek, along with a tree planting in March, she said.
Jones encouraged audience members to become active in community improvement events such as those, through other volunteer activities, or by learning more about their city. San Marcos is hosting a new program called 2020 Citizens Academy, which will enable 20 residents to learn about city functions and the process of government.
“San Marcos is an outstanding place to live, work and play because of you, each one of you,†Jones said. “But it takes a collective effort to move our city forward.â€
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