A discussion on whether to pursue putting red light cameras at some major Encinitas intersections has been rescheduled to this week’s City Council meeting.
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The item, which was on the council’s Sept. 9 agenda, was moved to Wednesday’s agenda at the request of city staff, city officials said at the start of the Sept. 9 meeting.
Wednesday’s meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Ave.
Council members are expected to “review, discuss, and provide direction to staff” about whether to pursue a new city policy regarding red-light camera use, a city staff report states. In order to pick a camera vendor and install the cameras, the city would need to produce an “Automated Traffic Enforcement System Impact Report” and hold public meetings, among other things, the report states.
Encinitas had red-light cameras for about 16 years. One set of cameras covered various vehicle lanes at El Camino Real’s intersection with Encinitas Boulevard, while another set monitored conditions at El Camino’s intersection with Leucadia Boulevard and Olivenhain Road. They were removed in spring 2020, after the City Council decided not to extend its contract with camera operator Reflex. At the time, some council members cited concerns about the high cost of the tickets as a reason to end the program. Red-light runners were receiving $490 tickets, and much of that money went for court-related expenses.
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This January, a new state law that went into effect changed the regulations regarding red light camera use. Violations now are civil penalties, rather than conventional traffic citations. The tickets are $100 for people who have not had a prior violation in the last three years, $200 for people with one prior violation in the last three years, $250 for two-time violators and $500 for those who have three or more violations within the three-year period.
Also, the new camera systems take pictures of “the rear license plate, rather than the driver, and the notice is issued to the registered owner,” the staff report states. “Facial-recognition technology is prohibited, and a violation does not result in a driver’s license point or suspension.”
