GGH Planning Committee Minutes May 2007

Greater Golden Hill Planning Committee Board Meeting
Wednesday, May 9, 2007 Balboa Park Golf Curse Clubhouse Present:
Chair Chris Blatt; Steve Stratman; Dave Caldwell; Richard Baldwin; Carole Caffey; John McWilliams; ,Richard Barerra, Dana Shutt-Mendibles ,Carlos LeGerrette , Angela Vasconcellos, Maureen Burke and Laurie Burgett.

Chair Blatt called the meeting to order at approximately 6:35 pm. Treasurers Report: No report.

Community Police Report: Karen reported increase of shootings and stabbings in East Village and Grant Hill. They are in process of performing gang sweeps over next few weekends. Reported there is only currently one community officer -John Graham. He is responsible for entire district. This is due to staffing changes and shortages throughout department. They are having to be creative and pull officers from other areas to back into field. They are down 65 detectives. Expect to get back to full staff by Feb 2008. Currently many reports are being made by phone that would have been in the past in person. Reported they are investigating what appear to be 2 arson fires in GH area in last 10 days. Discussed committee concerns about increase of petty theft and break-ins that appear to stem from residents at 2456 E street. The next community meeting will be next month at central.

District 3-Steve Hill: SB373 passed in the senate natural resource committee by a 7-0 vote. Next step is the senate for a vote. 32nd street canyon and open space are affected-not “paper” streets. Mayor’s staff is working on a report to council. Committee asked if we could be provided a list of proposed parcels prior to approval. Steve indicated that they will be posted publicly before voted on.

District 8-Diana Juardo-Sainz: Council member has been appointed to the coastal commission. Reported a need for volunteers to help at the meals on wheels organization. Update on graffiti-continues to work with development services to add to new budget. June 20 is set for the next community graffiti clean up. Will have sign up sheets. Discussion that graffiti is considered homeowners responsibility by code, but residents can contact Council office to give authority to their office to handle the clean up.

76th Assembly District-Eddie Meyer: Community Health Fair planned in Clairemont. Request from committee to endorse AB-1200. Committee felt more information needed. Myles clarified that committee can take a position on a bill. Committee asked for more information to be provided for us to review. Eddie will provide another update on CRASH at next meeting.

53rd Congressional District-Ricardo Flores: Congresswoman has been involved in Headstart program that passed with a $7.4 Million dollar budget. It focuses on getting children prepared to enter school-prior to Kindergarten. Congresswoman sets on Education Council. She is helping to implement new qualifications for teachers who work in the program.
Passport applications are backlogged approximately 10 weeks. Their office can help obtain if a deadline for travel is looming. By January 2008-all U.S. residents will need a passport for travel to Mexico. A Global Warming event is set to happen in O.B. to focus on reducing carbon in the environment.

Mayor:-Tanya Duggan: No Report.

Ron Roberts Office:-no one present.

City Planner’s Report-Myles Pomeroy: Next COW set for June 23rd from 8:30-12:00 at the Topaz Way location in Kearny Mesa. A second workshop is et for June 28 from 6-8. This meeting will focus on running meetings and planning committee operations. Attendance at this training course indemnifies planning committee groups by the city attorney’s office. Revisions to 600-24 will be submitted to Council for approval and then a revised shell will be sent to update bylaws by Oct 2007. Discussion of activities with La Jolla planning committee. Myles recommends we continue to make efforts to comply with the shell and be aware of Council policy and know what information the shell contains.

Approval of Minutes-April 2007:-A motion was made to approve the minutes and was approved with no opposed and one abstention.

Public Comment (non-agenda items):- None presented to committee this meeting.

Chairs Report: Discussion of By-law shells being on their way to committee for review. Passed around current San Dag report.

Presentation by Operation Managers of facility at 2456 E Street-a residential care facility. Don Sainz is the chief operations manager. He also manages another location at 14th and Market. Reported that facility has a very structured program. Reported a parole officer on site and that there is a 24 hours supervisor that includes bed checks among their duties. Facility houses both men and women who are in a drug and alcohol program. The facility also helps with job placement and helping residents move back into the community. Laura Garcia presented herself as the program manager. She can be reached at (714)-328-2177. She indicates they intend to have an open house in June to educate the community about their program. She reports that facility was remodeled to make it more neighborhood friendly and indicates they have been vandalized in process. Most residents stay for 6 months to a year. They are all low level offenders but indicates they are all at the facility voluntarily. The program is funded by the Parole Department as all residents have been in prison at some point prior to coming to their group. There are 36 beds on site and all are full at all times.

MAD update: Kathryn not present but received update from Diana. Surveys have been collected and in the process to be reviewed. The surveys are looked at to see if there is enough interest to go out for ballots. The ballots will state the exact amount the individual will pay. The issue has not come before Council yet. GHCDC submits the surveys but did not start the process with city money. 30% support from the residents are required to move forward. If city funds are not used then they don’t need the 30% support to move forward. Discussion that some areas that don’t support can possibility be split out of participation. Discussion that community is concerned about the stated procedures not being followed. Discussion with committee that the point people should be Scott Kessler and Kathryn Willits. Recommendation that they be asked to come to next meeting for an update. Community is concerned that deadlines for council may pass before next meeting. Diana offered to set up a special meeting. Steve recommended that attendance at the city Council meeting when it is heard may be an option. Discussion of Council Policy 100-21 requires the CDC to present 2 separate meeting with committee and committee must vote to approve or disapprove. Diana indicated this happens in the balloting process. They are required to have the two public meetings-not necessarily the planning committees. They are currently just in the survey process stage. Discussion that we would all vote as individuals on a ballot, not make a decision in committee.

Action Items: Open Space-
SB373-Continute to review what is definitely included as a property in our area will continue to be monitored.
Historic: Old House fair is Sat June 16. A sign up will be circulated by Nora for volunteers to work at the planning committee booth. SOHO annual Gala is a 3 day event.
Land Use: Consent Agenda
2727 Broadway-a PDO will be sent
2598 C Street-voted to upgrade and improvement of cell tower pole.
11 new 3 story row house project at 2759-2769.
Gala foods-no updates
Grape and 30th project appears to be on hold.

Discussion that land use has a quorum at meeting but still don’t take a vote. They make recommendations to full committee.

All motions approved-no opposed or abstentions.

Membership and Elections-No report.

Parks-No report.

Code compliance-no report.

Transportation-no report.

Airport-Meets next Thursday.

The meeting was adjourned by Chair Blatt at approximately 8:40PM. Respectfully submitted. Dana Shutt-Mendibles, recording secretary.

GGH Planning Committee Minutes June 2007

Greater Golden Hill Planning Committee Board Meeting Wednesday, June 13,2007
Golden Hill Golf Course Clubhouse
Present: Chair Chris Blatt; Steve Stratman; Dave Caldwell; Richard Baldwin; ; Carlos LeGerrette; ; Nora Vargas; John McWilliams; Scott Glazebrook, Angela Vasconcellos, Laurie Burgett, Maureen Burke, Richard Barerra and Dana Shutt-Mendibles

Chair Blatt called the meeting to order at approximately 6:34 pm.

Treasurers Report: no report.

Community Police Report: John Graham reported a few shootings to neighborhoods south of us-all gang related. Discussed graffiti complaints officer left about a month ago and has not been replaced. Advised community members to take photos and get a police report. Discussed recent arrest of STUE-sentenced to 200 hours of community service to paint out previous graffiti. Reports of homeless persons going through trash. There are currently two officers assigned to respond to homeless issues. Clean ups of vagrant areas are being cleaned up. A community member asked to discuss psychology of graffiti. Officer Graham indicated that there are generally 3 categories: taggers, compulsive behavior and gangs. Advised community to continue to tag photos-the larger the area-the bigger the crime it becomes.

District 3-Steve Hill: The Council passed a new budget this week. Budget cuts have not reduced library hours and the book budget has not been reduced. 4 neighborhood code compliance officers have been re-instated. They have 33 million budgeted on street repair and storm drain maintenance. He will have a more comprehensive break down next month. Advised that the MAD proposal has been unanimously approved to go to ballot. Council member had recuse herself as she lives in Golden Hill.

District 8-Diana Juardo-Sainz: No report.

76th Assembly District-Eddie Meyer: No report.

53rd Congressional District-Ricardo Flores: amendment to Armed Services bill is being addressed. Updates to enforcement of toll roads in San Onofre. Congresswoman working on updates on hate crime enforcement. Her office does not feel strong enough protection. Should be stronger at local levels-not just federal. The Preuss School was names one of the top 10 schools in nation. She is working on a bill with Dept of Education for a 100 million dollar mentoring program.

Mayor:-Tanya Duggan: No report.

Ron Roberts Office:-no one present.

City Planners Report-Myles Pomeroy: COW is scheduled for June 23rd.
Workshop on planning committee operations is set for July 26th. Advised that 600-24 council policy is being revised. The updated shells have been emailed to the chairs of the groups. By laws update due in November to bring our bylaws into updated Council policy. If group deviates from shell-it must be approved and must be submitted by September.

Approval of Minutes-May 2007:-A motion was made to approve the minutes and was approved with no opposed and one abstention.

Public Comment (non-agenda items):- Sheila Hardin (CCDC): Reported that CCDC received an award for their downtown community plan. They produced 14,800 housing units of which 2,650 were affordable. This amount is more then any other amount in the County. This created more then 60,000 jobs. Reported that the City Works at the ends of B Street is part of their long range plans for 8 new parks.

Community member Tersha provided update on 32nd street canyon task force. Also requested that committee take no formal action at the proposed project at 2864 C Street because there are wetlands located there.

Community member gave a presentation on the property that was recently purchased of three buildings at Ivy and 30th street. They have plans to restore them and put in new electrical and bring buildings back to original condition to be used for commercial space.
Community member Jerry Gray lead a discussion on graffiti in her area of community. Steve from District 3 offered to provide assistance.

Mac updated group on upcoming South Park Old House Fair set for June 16.

Bulletin passed around with date of Golden Hill Paint Out being set for June 20.

Golden Hill Plan Update-Myles Pomeroy
Provided a handout and lead discussion on proposed cluster with Golden Hill, Uptown and North Park. There has been some pressure to get moving on Uptown and it would be more economical and make sense to include Golden Hill at same time due to studies that need to be done that are impacted by our area. Each community will still have their own plan and planning office sees Golden Hill as an area of stability. The planners need to re-examine land use designations in relation to current community goals, to strengthen and enhance historic districts and canyons, as well as preservation. Need to evaluate if the plan from 1989 still represents the community goals? The PDO is important because it implements the community plan and vision. The city intends to translate the PDO into land development code. Indicated that the current PDO will be in place until the planning committee is satisfied. Cost of update estimated at $2.4 million dollars. Would like to begin next winter 2008-2010. Discussion with committee members of their concerns about becoming part of a cluster and how that would affect our area current requirement for developers to come before our committee prior to starting projects. Myles discussed that each area would have a separate and distinct community plan for each area and the zones used here would not necessarily be used in North Park or Uptown.
Kathryn from GGHCDC spoke and advised committee that she believes it should be supportive because currently not all of Golden Hill is in the PDO and the land development can get zoning in effect.

GGHCDC MAD Update: Kathryn and Mitch Burner reported that the surveys have been acted on by the Council who chose to initiate the ballot process. It is a 45 day period and ballots should be received by home owners with in next few days. They will be printed by city. The second Council meeting is July 30 and the public hearing. Single Family Residences are going to be between $6-7 per month. They received 685 total surveys which is 23-24% of total parcels. 75% voted yes, 25% no and a small percent-3% unsure. Discussion the committee would be made up of public not private members who are elected along with one CDC board member. Total budget of $488,000 annually-15 % is an administration budget and can not have more then 25% in reserve or they have to stop charging. It would come as part of your property tax bill. Cost increases are done by the city oversight committee and if they are to be more then 5% or it would have go to a vote.Action Items: Open Space-Steve provided a list of areas in Golden Hill that are affected. Mac will evaluate to make all in our community are included.

Old House Fair Signups were still needed and Nora passed around a sign up sheet.

Airport Noise: No Report

Land Use: No action taken at last meeting.
2759-67 B townhouses-new architect on project-no application has been presented as of yet.
2424 Broadway-recommendations made for modifications that land use would be able to support.
2864 C Street-action several months ago-still recommendations that they find more parking spaces. Vote still stands to recommend project wit the stipulations previously made and that committee voted on.
3392-94 C Street-small house addition to lot.

Parks and Rec: No Report.

Steve presented his recommendations that he wanted the committee to endorse with options for the Draft General Plan that included increasing the parking management fees and hours in community to increase community revenue. There were some objections from committee members on the issue of charging fees to residents who do not have off street parking options available to them. The proposal was amended to read that it should provide consideration for residents need for adequate and affordable parking. This issue was voted on and passed 9 in favor and 3 opposed.

Historical: No report.

Membership and Elections-No report.

Code Compliance-No report.

Balboa Park: No report.

The meeting was adjourned by Chair Blatt at approximately 8:50 PMRespectfully submitted. Dana Shutt-Mendibles, recording secretary.