City Heights Area Planning Committee

Minutes August - October 2016

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

DRAFT - Minutes of October 3, 2016

 

1.  Vice-Chairwoman Krista Berry Ortega called the meeting to order at 6:33PM.  Fartun Adan, Krista Berry Ortega, Kenton Finkbeiner, Kindra Green Carson, Ken Grimes, Mark Kassab, Tuan Luu, Taylor McDonald, Mazda Mehraz, Juan Pablo Sanchez, Andre Sanz, Jessie Sergent, Terry Stanley, Abdullahi Yusuf, and Jim Varnadore were present.  Sandra Alvarado, Kelvin Barrios, Russ Connelly, Erick Diaz, Marc Munic, Samuel Supranovich and Patty Vaccariello, were absent.

 

2.
Jessie offered, Juan Pablo seconded a motion to adopt the agenda.  The Committee voted 14/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

3.  The minutes of September 7, 2016 were reviewed and adopted.

 

4.  Jim Baross, Andy Henshaw, Maria Cortez, John Hartley, Billy Craig, Roddy Jerome, Randy van Vleck, Valentina Hernandez, and Bob Leif made off-agenda comments.

 

5.  There was no staff comment.

 

6.  Taylor and Andre offered committee comments. 

  

7.
Jim reported on activities at the CPC including the City’s Waterways Maintenance Plan and its planned Drainage Master Plan, a plan by the Metropolitan Transit System to study public transit, and changes proposed to manage mini-dorms in the College Community.  Tuan reported the results of the mid-month meeting.

 

8.1
Members of the public offered suggested priorities that the Committee might consider recommending to the City.  They included additional street lighting and sidewalk repair, encouragement for more
organic, healthier food choices, better traffic control, an upscale grocery store along lines of Sprouts or Whole Foods, and solar-powered street lights and other lighting.

 

8.2
City employee Phil Rust briefly described a City project to change the nature of University Avenue from Fairmount Avenue on the West to Euclid Avenue on the East, including bike lanes, changed medians, changed sidewalks, roundabouts, etc.  The proposal has two phases, one to be installed early in 2017 to re-pave University Avenue between Fairmount Avenue and Euclid Avenue, then paint traffic control features onto the new pavement to test some traffic control ideas.  The second phase expects to install some of the proposed changes permanently after the first phase is evaluated.  After discussion, Kenton moved, Ken seconded a motion to recommend approval of the first phase of the project.  The Committee voted 12/2/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

8.3
Jody Carey, the chairman of the City Heights FaceLift Committee presented a finance plan for the 2016 FaceLift.  The plan includes accepting $40,000 from Civic San Diego and transferring an
additional $20,000 from the City Heights account in the Housing Trust Fund to the 2016 FaceLift.  After discussion, Jim offered, Juan Pablo seconded a motion to recommend that the City transfer
$20,000 from the Housing  Trust Fund to the FaceLift project.  The Committee voted 13/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

8.4
The chairwoman introduced two letters from the City requesting support for a 1-hour parking restriction on a segment of 44th Street between El Cajon Boulevard and the first alley South of there and for a 2-hour parking restriction on the North side of University Avenue between 48th Street and
Euclid Avenue.  The Chairwoman severed the question.  After discussion, Jim offered, Mazda seconded a motion to recommend approval of the 1-hour parking restriction on 44th Street.  The
Committee voted 13/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.  After further discussion, Kenton offered, Kindra seconded a motion to recommend approval of the 2-hour parking restriction on University Avenue.  The Committee voted 13/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

8.5
The City planning staff presented the results of a planning study on El Cajon Boulevard between Highland Avenue and 50th Street, including a dozen possible alternatives to the current configuration. The Committee asked questions about the proposal and there was discussion about the project.  It appears from the discussion that neither the Committee nor the City Heights Community Development Corporation had been asked to participate with the City and its contractor in studying El Cajon Boulevard. This caused some upset in the Committee. Some in the audience, including some who had participated in study activities, preferred other alternatives than the dominant one offered during the presentation.  The City staff offered to meet with the Committee and the CHCDC in the near future to review the project.

 

9.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:25PM.

 

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

DRAFT - Minutes of September 7, 2016

 

1.  Vice-chairman Marc Munic called the meeting to order at 6:34PM.  Sandra Alvarado, Kelvin Barrios, Russ Connelly, Kenton Finkbeiner, Ken Grimes, Mark Kassab, Tuan Luu, Mazda Mehraz, Marc Munic, Jessie Sergent, Terry Stanley, Abdullahi Yusuf, and Jim Varnadore were present.  Fartun Adan, Krista Berry Ortega, Erick Diaz, Kindra Green Carson, Taylor McDonald, Juan Pablo Sanchez, Andre Sanz, Samuel Supranovich, Patty Vaccariello were absent.

 

2. The vice-Chairman entertained a motion to adopt the agenda.  Ken offered, Mazda seconded a motion to modify the agenda by adding a discussion of a Conditional Use Permit at 3911 University Avenue as an emergency item.  There was a discussion.  The Parliamentarian reminded the Committee that an emergency item must be a genuine emergency, that the matter must have come to the Committee’s attention after the draft agenda were circulated, and that such was not the case. There was further discussion.  After discussion the Committee voted 9/2/2 and the motion passed.  Item 3.a. to discuss a Conditional Use Permit at 3911 University Avenue was added to the agenda as an information item.

 

3.  The minutes of August 1, 2016 were reviewed and adopted.

 

3.a.  The vice-Chairman recognized Ahmed Malinomar, Godwin Higa, Robert Zakar, David Bowen, María Cortez, Tracy Gabriel, and Valentina Hernandez, all of whom spoke in opposition to issuing a Conditional Use Permit at 3911 University Avenue.  Although the item was adopted into the agenda as an information item, an effort was made to offer a motion to deny issuance of the Permit.  The vice-Chairman declined to recognize the offered motion.  A heated discussion ensued, in the course of which the vice-Chairman adjourned the meeting.

 

4 through 7. Owing to adjournment, these were not taken up.

 

8.1 through 8.5.  Owing to adjournment, these were not taken up.

 

9.  The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:30PM.

 

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

DRAFT - Minutes of August 1, 2016

 

1.  Chairwoman Patty Vaccariello called the meeting to order at 6:34PM.  Fartun Adan, Sandra Alvarado, Krista Berry Ortega, Russ Connelly, Erick Diaz, Kindra Green Carson, Ken Grimes, Tuan Luu, Taylor McDonald, Mazda Mehraz, Marc Munic, Juan Pablo Sanchez, Andre Sanz, Jessie Sergent, Terry Stanley, Patty Vaccariello, Abdullahi Yusuf, and Jim Varnadore were present.  Kelvin Barrios, Kenton Finkbeiner, Mark Kassab, and Samuel Supranovich were absent.

 

2. Marc offered, Jessie seconded a motion to adopt the agenda.  The group voted 18/0/0 and the motion passed.

 

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

 

4.  John Highken, Elaine Holman, David Bowen, Shawn Elam, and Maria Cortez made off-agenda comments.

 

5.  Council member Emerald offered several remarks.  Eric Young from the Mayor’s staff introduced himself.

 

6.  Taylor, Ken, Kindra, Tuan, and Jim offered committee comments.  The chairwoman reviewed the status of the My Market ABC license and discussed the matter of stop sign approvals in City Heights.  She recommends that stop sign proposals come to the Committee for review as a way to control their proliferation.

 

7. Russ reported on activities at the CPC including a bond measure for fire houses, status of DeAnza cove, and the preparation of the 11th amendment to the Land Development Code.

 

8.1 Aracely Lara discussed the status and prospects for the mural on Fairmount Avenue near its intersection with Home Avenue.  A group of citizens proposes to repair the present mural and then extend it along the Home Avenue part of the property’s boundary wall.

 

8.2 The Committee invited residents to recommend priorities for land uses in City Heights.  These were introduced:

 

-       Transportation including bicycle corridors (4 speakers)

-       Walkability improvements and street trees

-       Improve the timing of traffic lights throughout the City

-       Find a way to prevent delivery trucks blocking the 4000 block of Menlo Avenue when delivering to retail stores

 

(Note: the Chairwoman reminded the Committee about the SANDAG plan to construct three bike corridors through the Mid-City area.

 

8.3  City employee Phil Rust briefly described a City project to change the nature of University Avenue from Fairmount Avenue on the West to Euclid Avenue on the East, including bike lanes, changed medians, changed sidewalks, roundabouts, etc.  There was a discussion about the proposal.

 

8.4 Jim Bliesner from the Fairmount Avenue Art Collaborative discussed some of the Collaborative’s ideas for art on Fairmount Avenue and on the Sally Wong Building at 4108-11 University Avenue.  There was a discussion.

 

8.5  Mr. Charles Stoll from the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) delivered a power point presentation about the proposed increase in the local sales tax and the planned uses for that money.  There was a discussion.

 

9.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:20PM.