City Heights Area Planning Committee

Minutes May - July 2016

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

Minutes of July 6, 2016

 

1.  Chairwoman Patty Vaccariello called the meeting to order at 6:36PM.  Sandra
Alvarado, Russ Connelly, Eirck Diaz, Kenton Finkbeiner, Krista Berry Ortega,
Kinda Green Carson, Mark Kassab, Tuan Luu, Mazda Mehraz, Marc Munic, Andre
Sanz, Jessie Sergent, Terry Stanley, Patty Vaccariello, Abdullahi Yusuf, and
Jim Varnadore were present.  Fartun Adan, Kelvin Barrios, Ken Grimes, Taylor McDonald, Juan Pablo Sanchez, and Samuel Supranovich were absent.

 

2.
Russ offered, Jessie seconded a motion to adopt the agenda.  The group voted 16/0/0 and the motion passed.

 

3.  The minutes of June 6, 2016 were reviewed and adopted.

 

4.  David Nelson, David Bowen, and Maria Cortez made off-agenda comments.

 

5.  Shanika McCarty from CD-9 distributed the district newsletter and reported on various activities.

 

6.  Terry, Tuan, Russ, Kenton, Andre, Russ, Jessie, Patty, and Jim offered committee comments.

 

7.1
Marc reported on the Mid-month meeting agenda to schedule public input on community priorities for the CHAPC.  The attendees suggested having public input sessions at each of three regular
committee meetings and one additional session at a venue available to the larger community.  In the subsequent discussion, the Committee agreed that there should be 20-25 numbered tickets
available to the public on first-come-first-served basis, that each speaker be limited to two minutes, that the committee members not comment, and that there be no debate.  The Committee will
endeavor to arrange translation at each session.  Committee members volunteered to assist in
assembling these sessions.

 

7.2
The chairwoman introduced the matter of a request to change two yield signs to stop-signs at 42nd/Dwight.  In the discussion, members suggested alternate ways to calm traffic at that location
and noted that visibility, not signage, is the explanation for traffic difficulty at 42nd/Dwight, that the “yield” signage is adequate.  After discussion, Russ offered, Marc seconded a motion to recommend proper red-curbs at the intersection and keeping the yield signage.  The Committee voted 8/4/2
(Chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

8.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:06PM.

 

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 Minutes of June 6, 2016

 

1.  Chairwoman Patty Vaccariello called the meeting to order at 6:36PM.  Fartun Adan, Sandra Alvarado, Krista Berry Ortega, Kinda Green Carson, Ken Grimes, Tuan Luu, Taylor McDonald, Mazda Mehraz, Juan Pablo Sanchez, Jessie Sergent, Terry Stanley, Patty Vaccariello,  and Jim
Varnadore were present.  Kelvin Barrios, Russ Connelly, Eirck Diaz, Kenton Finkbeiner, Mark Kassab, Marc Munic, Andre Sanz, Samuel Supranovich, and Abdullahi Yusuf were absent.

 

2. Jessie offered, Terry seconded a motion to adopt the agenda.  The group voted 12/0/0 and the motion passed.

 

3.  The minutes were reviewed and adopted.

 

4.  David Bowen, Robert Leif, David Nelson, Maria Cortez, and Dan Tomsky made off-agenda comments.

 

5
Stephanie Allen from senator Juan Vargas’s staff reported on the senator’s activities.

 

6.  Krista, Taylor, Tuan, Ken, Terry, offered committee comments.  Jim distributed the committee roster and cautioned members to guard the information in them from loss

 

7.1
Dan Tomsky from Global Institute for Public Strategies reviewed a program to install a mural at the South end of Teralta Park, on the sound-wall, to enhance the park.  The project is being conducted
in cooperation with the Cultural Arts Alliance. Linda Sheridan from the Alliance described the project in detail, reviewed mural art project support, and discussed the graffiti court at SDPD Mid-City station, which is getting results.  Grant requests have been and will be sent in as part of the fund raising effort.  Once funded, the group will review the matter with Caltrans and the Park & Recreation Department which have jurisdiction.

 

7.2
The chairwoman reviewed the status to date of the Committee’s effort to solicit community ideas and suggestions for the future. This will be a continuing topic on the Committee’s agenda.

 

7.3
There were no suggestions for the future from the audience.  This matter will be docketed on the Committee agenda in the future.

 

8.  The meeting ended at 7:30PM.

 

City Heights Area Planning Committee

Draft Minutes of the meeting of May 2, 2016

 

1.  The meeting was called to order at 6:32 PM.  Fartun Adan, Sandra Alvarado, Kelvin Barrios, Krista Berry Ortega, Russ Connelly, Eric Diaz, Kenton Finkbeiner, Kindra Green Carson, Ken Grimes, Tuan Luu, Taylor McDonald, Mazda Mehraz, Marc Munic, Juan Pablo Sanchez, Andre Sanz, Jessie Sergent, Terry Stanley, Patty Vaccariello and Jim Varnadore were present.  Mark Kassab, Samuel Supranovich, and Abdullahi Yusuf were absent.

 

2. Russ offered, Jessie seconded a motion to adopt the agenda. 
The Committee voted 18/0/0 (Chair not voting), and the motion passed.

 

3. The Minutes of April 4 were adopted as tendered.

 

4.  Linda Pennington, Carla Pisbe, David Nelson, Randy van Vleck, and David Bowen offered public comments.  Lori Saldana, a candidate for Mayor of San Diego, introduced herself and reviewed her campaign.

 

5.  Shanika McCarty and Rudy Vargas from Council District-9 staff reported on matters at the City Council level.

 

6.  Marc, Kenton, Tuan, Ken, Russ, Taylor, Kelvin, Jessie, Terry, Patty, and Jim offered Committee comments.

 

7.1. Gretchen Sorenson from Civic San Diego discussed the Colina Park lighting and sidewalk
project and the East Euclid Sidewalk project.  She introduced the project construction manager and project manager, and she reviewed some of the matters not yet solved.  Construction is planned to begin Summer, 2016 and end a year later.

 

7.2. The committee heard an application from Dr. Sammi Bidi for a conditional use permit
at 4111 Home Avenue.  The business there, “My Market”, has been operating with a Type-21 ABC license, but it does not have a conditional use permit.  There is some confusion about whether a conditional use permit was issued earlier, so the City now requires the owner to apply for one.  The applicant summarized the history of the ABC license now at the premises.  The discussion in opposition included a claim by the applicant to have 400 signatures on a petition of support [other
testimony set the number at 125-150]; the proximity of a “6-to-6” childcare program near the premises; the proximity of a type-21 license about 100 yards distant from the premises; the presence of other ABC licenses in the vicinity; the fact that in the census tract there are 8 ABC licenses although only 3 are authorized; the proximity of a methadone clinic within one-quarter mile of the
premises; a crime rate of 144.8% of the citywide average; a Police services rate of 11 calls to the premises in 2015 [nearly one per month]; the fact of 54 crimes [≈ 1 per week] and 21 arrests [≈ 2 per month] within a two-block radius of the premises in 2015; an assault with a deadly weapon near the premises in April 2016; and five Code Enforcement cases from November 2014 to May 2015.

 The discussion in support included the recognition that the permit costs are high for the applicant to bear; the convenience of one-stop shopping; a claim that the applicant is a store owner trying to earn a living; a claim that the store is comfortable for family shopping; and several audience members’ statements of personal support for the applicant.

 After the discussion which included the applicant, committee members, and the audience, Kelvin offered, Sandra seconded a motion to recommend denial of the application.  The Committee voted 13/3/0 (Chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

7.3. The Chairwoman invited the Officer Search subcommittee chair, Kelvin Barrios, to conduct officer elections.  He reminded the Committee that it should elect a Chair, two vice-Chairs, and a
Secretary.  The candidates for Chair were Russ and Patty.  At a roll call, Russ received three votes, Patty received 15 votes, and she was elected to the Chair.  The candidates for first vice-Chair were Russ, Ken, Marc, and Krista.  On the first round of balloting  Russ received 5 votes, Ken received 6
votes, Marc received 4 votes, and Krista received 2 votes.  Russ, Ken, and Marc advanced to a second round of voting.  In the second round, Russ received 4 votes, Ken received 7 votes, and Marc received 7 votes.  Ken and Marc advanced to the third round of voting.  In the third round, Ken Received 7 votes, Marc received 12 votes and was elected as first vice-Chair.  The candidates for second vice-Chair were Krista, Terry, and Russ.  In the first round of voting, Krista received 7 votes, Terry received 5 votes, and Russ received 7 votes.  Russ and Krista advanced to the second round of voting.  In the second round, Russ received 8 votes, Krista received 11 votes and was elected.  Jim was the only candidate for Secretary and was elected 19/0/0.

 

7.4. The audience had dwindled to 3 individuals who wished to speak.  One suggested that Community priorities be received at a different venue than the Committee meetings.  The Committee discussed the matter at some length.  The Chair assigned the matter for discussion at the mid-month meeting and asked the First vice-Chair to report back on the results of that discussion.

 

8.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:47PM.