City Heights Area Planning Committee

Minutes February - April 2018

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

DRAFT - Minutes of April 2, 2018

 

1. Chairman Russ Connelly called the meeting to order at 6:30PM. Krista Berry Ortega, Rickie Brown, María Córtez, Kindra Green Carson, Brian Green Carson, José Hernández, Roddy Jerome, Aracely Lara, Mazda Mehraz, Halima Musa, David Nelson, Juán Pablo Sánchez, Andre Sanz, Jessie Sergent, Patty Vaccariello, Randy van Vleck, Abdullahi Yusuf, and Jim Varnadore were present. Taylor McDonald and Gerald Womaniala were absent.

 

2. The Minutes of March 5 were accepted.

 

3. The Chairman handed the gavel to Maria, chairwoman of the election subcommittee, who announced the results of the March election. David Bowen, Brenda Diaz and Jim Varnadore (tie vote), Patty Vaccariello, Scott Paquette, Rosa Calvario, Russ Connelly, Randy van Vleck, Juan Pablo Sanchez, Andre Sanz, and Jessie Sergent won seats on the Committee. The Chairman flipped a coin, Brenda Diaz called “heads”, the coin landed “heads”, and Brenda was seated. The Chairman retrieved the gavel and thanked off-going members Taylor McDonald, Krista Berry, Kindra Green Carson, and Jim Varnadore. The Committee then comprised members present: Rickie Brown, Mazda Mehraz, Roddy Jerome, María Córtez, Abdullahi Yusuf, Brian Green Carson, José Hernández, Halima Musa, Jessie Sergent, Juán Pablo Sánchez, Randy van Vleck, David Bowen, Brenda Diaz, Scott Paquette, Patty Vaccariello, Rosa Calvario, and Russ Connelly. One Youth seat is vacant. Aracely Lara, Andre Sanz, David Nelson, and Gerald Womaniala were absent.

 

4. Patty offered, Jessie seconded a motion to adopt the agenda. The Committee voted 16/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

5. Rick Nestor described a project he proposes to build on Juniper Street near Fairmount Avenue in the Hollywood Park neighborhood. Jim Varnadore reminded the Committee about the City Heights E-address list.

 

6. Kelvin Barrios from CD-9 offered staff comments and updates.

 

7. After the newly seated members had introduced themselves, Randy and Jim offered Committee comment.

 

8. The Chairman reported that the Committee Operations Workshop (COW) would be held May 5 in the City Administration Building. He also reported on the presentation that he and Jim offered to the Community Planners Committee about proposed changes to the Code Enforcement priority list.

 

9.1 Mitch Chemers described the Master Sign Plan for the shopping center located at the Southwest corner of 54th/El Cajon Boulevard and answered questions from the Committee and audience. After discussion, Mazda offered, Roddy seconded a motion to recommend approval of the plan. The Committee voted 16/0/0 and the motion passed.

 

9.2 Bob Faudoa from Gary Engineering offered a courtesy informational presentation about upgrades to a gas station at 47th/Federal in Webster neighborhood. He answered questions from the Committee and audience.

 

9.3 The Chairman reported on the absences of member Gerald Womaniala. After discussion, Mazda offered, Maria seconded a motion to declare the seat vacant. The Committee voted 16/0/0 and the motion passed.

 

8.4 At the chairman’s request, Randy and Juan Pablo offered to serve on the officer search subcommittee. The Chairman accepted the offers.

 

 

9. The meeting was adjourned at 8:02PM.

 

 

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

 

 

DRAFT - Minutes of March 5, 2018

 

 

 

1. Chairman Russ Connelly called the meeting to order at 6:30PM. Krista Berry Ortega, Rickie Brown, Maria Cortez, Kindra Green Carson, Brian Green Carson, Jose Hernandez, Roddy Jerome, Aracely Lara, Mazda Mehraz, Halima Musa, David Nelson, Juan Pablo Sanchez, Andre Sanz, Jessie Sergent, Randy van Vleck, Abdullahi Yusuf, and Jim Varnadore were present. Taylor McDonald, Patty Vaccariello, and Gerald Womaniala were absent.

 

 

 

2. Jim moved, Jesse seconded a motion to adopt the agenda. The Committee voted 13/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

 

 

3. The Minutes of February 5 were accepted.

 

 

 

4. Manuel Andrade offered public comments.

 

 

 

5. Kelvin Barrios from CD-9 offered staff comments and updates.

 

 

 

6. Krista, David, and Randy offered Committee comment.

 

 

 

7. The Chairman reported that SANDAG would like public response to the Bicycle Path project along Howard Avenue and Orange Avenue. Residents were encouraged to connect to www.surveymonkey.com/f/northparkmidcity and vote. He made other short announcements from the CPC meeting.

 

 

 

8.1 Jasmine Koltarz from the San Diego Housing Commission offered a presentation about the Commission’s uses of the City’s Housing Trust Fund during 2017 and its plans for 2018. A handout was distributed. After discussion, no one offered a motion.

 

 

 

8.2 Daniel Kay from Civic San Diego asked the Committee to send a letter of support for a grant application that CivicSD proposes in order to complete some of the projects in the City Heights Capital Improvement Program (CIP). After discussion, Jim offered, Krista seconded a motion to authorize and direct the Chairman to draft, sign, and send a letter of support for the CivicSD application. The Committee voted 13/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

 

 

8.3 Khoa Nguyen from LimeBike offered an information presentation about dockless bicycles in San Diego, including his company’s bicycles.

 

 

 

8.4 As the election was still in progress, there was no report.

 

 

 

9. The meeting was adjourned at 7:53PM.

 

 

 

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

DRAFT - Minutes of February 5, 2018

 

1. Chairman Russ Connelly called the meeting to order at 6:33PM. Krista Berry Ortega, Rickie Brown, Russ Connelly, Maria Cortez, Kindra Green Carson, Brian Green Carson, Jose Hernandez, Aracely Lara, Taylor McDonald, Mazda Mehraz, Halima Musa, David Nelson, Andre Sanz, Jessie Sergent, Patty Vaccariello, Randy van Vleck, and Jim Varnadore were present. Roddy Jerome, Juan Pablo Sanchez, Gerald Womaniala, and Abdullahi Yusuf were absent.

 

2. Patty moved, Jesse seconded a motion to adopt the agenda. The Committee voted 16/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

3. The Minutes of January 3 were accepted.

 

4. Mark Jolles and Alison Moss offered public comments.

 

5. Kelvin Barrios from CD-9 offered staff comments and updates.

 

6. Taylor, Randy, Patty, David, Mazda, and Jim offered Committee comment.

 

7. The Chairman reported the opening of a skate plaza at Park de la Cruz; about a fire station proposed near Fairmount Avenue and Home Avenue; about the departure of the Planning Director, and about the City’s street tree program, recently re-invigorated.

 

8.1 Megan Laviolette offered a presentation about Coca Cola Company’s proposed changes to its facility at 1348 47th Street. The Company wants a substantial conformance review of Site Development Permit 40-0158. After discussion Jim offered and Patty seconded a motion to recommend approval of the application. The Committee voted 16/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

8.2 Ricardo Flores from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offered a presentation about economic development especially along El Cajon Boulevard including the Little Saigon San Diego Cultural and Com-mercial District. He proposed that LISC conduct a Program Environmental Impact Review (PEIR) for the whole boulevard to allow this project and others to proceed more quickly through the development review process. He expects the PEIR to cost about half a million dollars that LISC will provide.

 

In the subsequent discussion, there was strong sentiment for LISC to examine University Avenue rather than El Cajon Boulevard. Some Committee members asked detailed questions about financing the project. One member proposed that the LISC project, whether on University Avenue or El Cajon Boulevard, be guided by the adjacent Community Planning Groups and not involve Civic San Diego or the City Planning Department. As the presentation was am information item, no motion was considered.

 

8.3 The Committee reviewed the City’s priority list for Code Enforcement and offered suggestions for change. After discussion of the proposed changes to the Code Enforcement priority list, Jim offered, Brian seconded a motion to authorize and direct the Chairman to transmit the proposed priority list to the Code Enforcement Division. The Committee voted 16/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

8.4 Maria offered a report of progress with preparations for the election in March. Various Committee members volunteered to circulate information about the election to their individual e-address lists.

 

9. The meeting was adjourned at 8:22PM.