GREATER GOLDEN HILL PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES
March 10, 2010
Meeting was held at Balboa Park Golf Course Clubhouse – Golf Course Drive. Called to order at 6:34 pm by Vice Chair D. Skillman. Agenda had been posted in accordance with Brown Act.
Members present: Ruchell Alvarez, Laurie Burgett, Maureen Burke, Carole Caffey, Dave Caldwell, Scott Glazebrook, Anita Margolis, Frederick Ruffell, Pat Shields, David Skillman, Marie Skillman, David Strickland, Angela Vasconcellos. Members absent: Richard Baldwin Chris Blatt, Richard Santini
Membership & Elections Report: Vasconcellos reported that there were no self-nominated candidates for the 9 vacancies on the committee. The candidates for re-election were allowed to make a brief statement: Baldwin, Burke, Caffey, Margolis, D. Skillman, and Strickland. Ballots were distributed and cast by those present. Vasconcellos was appointed to tally the votes.
Additions to agenda: Burke asked that discussion of the 1 in 10 Coalition be added to the Information Items.
Approval of Minutes: Approved minutes of 2/10/10 meeting (motion Caffey, second Shields, all in favor; Alvarez, Margolis, Ruffell abstained)
Treasurer’s Report: No change.
REPORTS.
Community Police Officer Suzie Delapenia: Officer John Graham could not attend as he was working at the front counter. One person is in custody in relation to recent residential burglaries, and another identified person is being sought.
City Council District 3 - Anthony Bernal: (Arrived later in meeting) (1) Infrastructure bond work this year will be on sidewalks. See www.sandiego.gov\c3\hottopics for details of this and phased work on delayed maintenance items. (2) June ballot measure will include Veterans Initiative Hiring Priority, updating a program in place since Vietnam era (3) Councilman Gloria’s next community coffees will be 3/20/10 at the City Heights Library and 3/27/10 at the Kensington Café (4) Office is monitoring email regarding the MAD
City Council District 8 – Diana Jurado-Sainz: (1) Two community clean-ups are scheduled: (1) 3/20/10, 7 am - noon at the southwest corner of 25th & Russ Blvd., working with Clean, Green and Safe cleaning up the canyons. (2) 3/27/10, 7 am – 2 pm at 1920 E Street (Japanese Christian Church). Councilman Hueso’s office is providing trash bins & recycling fees for both events. No hazardous waste will be accepted at either event. City, CDC and the church are publicizing the events and details are on the District 8 website. (2) District 8 has a new Director of Communications. (3) Council office is working with Friends of 32nd Street Canyon on brush management.
53rd Congressional District – Kathryn Fortner. (1) Spring mailers were distributed. Included in this is a survey, which could also be taken on Davis’ website. (2) According to US Postal Service, George Washington Station will be closed, but Davis office is still fighting this decision. (3) Workshops were held in the District regarding Grants and Foreclosures, and Town Hall Meetings were held. (4) Davis participated in award ceremony of Congressional Gold Medal to WASPs from WWII; 300 surviving members of this group attended. (5) Census Bureau is hiring, applications are available online. Population count matters for funding of many projects over the next 10 years. Home visits will not happen until later, census workers will wear red shirts and have proper identification. (6) A member of the public asked how he could get directly in contact with Davis, as he has only been able to reach members of her staff. Fortner suggested he attend a Town Hall Meeting.
Mayor; 76th Assembly District: no reports
PUBLIC COMMENT.
CCDC – Joyce Sumner. (1) A bus tour of downtown could be arranged for GGHPC members, a sign-up sheet was circulated. A regularly scheduled tour will be 4/10/10. Downtown Today magazines were distributed, as well as flyers about Who To Call about infrastructure problems. (2) 1st Tuesday Sound Bites featured Jackie Williams from the Port District. (3) Marriott Hotels, as part of a renovation, will create a public esplanade where their cooling towers now sit; this is to be completed by the end of 2012.
1 in 10 Coalition – Park Troutman. Gave an update on their work, reporting that the City Land Use and Housing Committee had discussed the proposed changes in permitting process for community gardens. LUH made up an information bulletin and is trying to streamline the process. Currently looking for test cases. The latest garden paid $7,500 in fees. Caldwell asked if the City would consider waiving such fees. Consensus is that the City wouldn't want to give up any source of revenue in light of it’s ongoing budget challenges. Dept. of Developmental Services may change some of the fees to flat fees. Troutman will be at the April GGHPC meeting with a presentation and an action item will be on the agenda at that time.
INFORMATION ITEMS:
Chair’s Report, Mail: none
Election Results: All candidates were re-elected. 3 vacancies exist on the Committee. Appointees must have attended 2 meetings within the past 12 months.
Caldwell is termed-out and leaving the GGHPC. He asked City Planner Bernie Turgeon about his status on the CPUAC. Turgeon said Caldwell is off CPUAC unless that Committee’s guidelines are changed. Caldwell said that in the spirit of term limits, he would like to take a year off. Burgett thanked Caldwell his many years of good work for the community, with the rest of the committee concurring; he said he had enjoyed it.
M. Skillman thanked Ruffell for his service, with the rest of the committee concurring. He said he might consider running for election again next year.
GGHPC reorganization will occur at the April meeting. The following persons said they would accept offices: Shields, Chair; D. Skillman, Vice-Chair; M. Skillman, Secretary. Vasconcellos will prepare a sign-up for Subcommittees, suggesting that each member belong to two.
ACTION ITEMS: None
SUBCOMMITEE REPORTS:
Land Use: Caldwell said the Sanchez property (no project number yet) at 849 22nd Street is asking to exceed the standard floor area ratio.
Airport Noise: Caffey reported that the FAA Quieter Homes Program map has been updated and that the 65-decibel contour has increased. She will bring details to the April meeting. She said the spending on retrofits is equitable between the areas east and west of the airport, but since those to the east take more work, less homes are selected.
Balboa Park: Burgett reported (1) a study begun long ago about alcohol use in the Park has resulted in a Designed Plan allowing alcohol use in certain open areas. The City Council Committee approved the plan. (2) BP Committee has requested traffic study details from Council District 3 relating to the Florida Street Guardrail Project. (3) Balboa Park Task Force for a conservancy model is nearly ready to issue their preliminary document. (4) Most Balboa Park documents are now available online through the Park & Recreation Dept. website
Clean, Green and Safe: no official update but there is a budget meeting 3/27/10 at the CDC office. D. Skillman noted that they intend to request the entire $400,000 funding for the coming year, which he finds questionable in light of the ongoing lawsuit. Alvarez said CDC director Pedro Amaya contacted her to serve on the nominating committee for Oversight Committee members.
CPC: no one has been attending
CPUAC/ City Planner’s Report - Bernie Turgeon: (1) 3-communities workshop will be 3/20/10 9 am – 2 pm at the Hall of Champions. (a) Design consultants will be presenting Existing Community Structure report (b) Historical Resources staff and consultants will talk about Historic Survey and present draft Community Statements and about potential conservation districts (c) Best Practices/Urban Design Toolkit will be discussed for solutions or ideas (d) Workshop exercise will take place during lunch. (2) Open Mic Night will be in April (date & location TBA), not 3/24. Community organizations or professional groups can come to speak to the 3 committees. (3) Next regular CPUAC meeting is 4/7/10, location TBA.
Historic: Vasconcellos had nothing to report except email that was sent earlier re: 2696 B Street
Parks: Burke is working on letter re: 1 n 10 Coalition and will circulate prior to the April meeting.
The next meeting will be April 14, 2010.
Meeting adjourned by Vice-Chair at 7:54 pm.
Marie Skillman.
Secretary
