The City of Carlsbad is a unique coastal community located 35 miles north of the City of San Diego surrounded by mountains, lagoons and the Pacific Ocean. Although the "village" dates back more than 100 years, the City was incorporated July 16, 1952. At that time, Carlsbad had a population of approximately 7,000 people and covered 7.5 square miles. Since its incorporation, the City has grown substantially in population and size (through annexations). As of January 1, 2006, the population of Carlsbad was 98,607 and the City encompasses approximately 42 square miles. There will be no foreseeable growth in the land size of Carlsbad because all County islands have been annexed.
Industries in the area include a major regional shopping center, 16 auto dealers, 25 hotels offering 3,424 rooms for tourist lodging, high technology, multimedia and biomedical businesses, electronics, golf apparel and equipment manufacturers, several business and light industry parks. Carlsbad residents enjoy the benefits of a full service City.
The City of Carlsbad is a general law city. This means the City follows the general laws of the State of California rather than having a specific charter of its own. It is a municipal corporation following the Council-Manager form of government.
The City Council is the community's legislative body. The Council enacts laws known as ordinances; sets policies known as resolutions; and, adopts an annual budget. The Mayor and four City Council members are elected city-wide by registered voters in the City of Carlsbad. These officials typically serve four-year terms. Also elected for four-year terms are the City Clerk and the City Treasurer.
The Council hires the City Manager and the City Attorney who serve at the pleasure of the City Council. The City Manager serves as the City's chief administrative officer and sees to it the Council's programs are implemented. The duties of the City Manager are detailed in the Carlsbad Municipal Code, Chapter 2.12.
The City Attorney is the City's principal legal advisor responsible for making sure that ordinances, resolutions and contracts are properly drawn and legally correct. The City Attorney also advises the staff and commissions upon request. Duties of the City Attorney are detailed in Carlsbad Municipal Code, Chapter 2.14.
The City provides a full range of services normally associated with a municipality including police, fire, parks and recreation, library, planning and zoning, building and engineering, various maintenance services and administration. The City provides water services through the Carlsbad Municipal Water District, a subsidiary district of the City. The City Council serves as the Board of Directors for the Carlsbad Municipal Water District. Solid waste collection is provided through a franchise agreement with a local refuse collection service.
The organizational structure for the City of Carlsbad provides specialized support for five major services areas. The goals and objectives of each department are outlined in the annual operating budget, which is on file at the City Clerk's Office and each library.
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