City Heights Area Planning Committee

Minutes February-April 2024

C.H.A.P.C minutes for April 8, 2024

 

1. Chairman Marcellus Anderson gaveled the meeting to order at 6:34PM and called the roll. A majority of the seated members formed a quorum.

 

2. Corrections to the minutes of March 4, 2024 were noted.

 

3. The Chairman thanked members departing the Committee for their diligent service to the Committee and Community.

 

4. The Chairman seated newly elected Committee members.

 

5. The agenda were approved unanimously.

 

6. The mayor’s staff member reported the status of City initiatives.

 

7 – At the request of a member of the public there was a discussion about the venue for Committee meetings. The Chairman will look into the matter and report to the Committee.

 

8.1 Mr. Henry Sanchez representing Mr. Harraq Amar offered a presentation about converting three units at 4165 Wilson Avenue from rental apartments to condominium units for sale. After discussion, Edwin offered and Alex seconded a motion to recommend approval. The Committee voted 13/0/7 and the motion passed.

 

8.2 The Chairman reported openings in the Mid-city Communities Plan update Committee. After discussion, Patty nominated David who declined the nomination. Jim nominated Patty who accepted the nomination. Alex nominated himself. Evihn nominated himself. The Chairman called for an election. Patty received 8 votes. Aled received 4 votes. Evihn received one vote. The chairman appointed Patty as the representative.

 

8.3 The chairman announced the formation of an Officer Search Sub-committee and solicited volunteers. David and Patty volunteered and were appointed.

 

9. The Chairman opened a discussion about holding Committee meetings in-person or electronically, or both. The Committee discussed the matter. The Chairman will make and announce a decision.

 

10. There was no Committee comment.

 

11. The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 7:33PM.

 

 

 

C.H.A.P.C. minutes for March 4, 2024

 

1. Chairman Marcellus Anderson gaveled the meeting to order at 6:33PM and called the roll. Rahmo Abdi, Dan Castañon, Russ Connelly, María Córtez, Francisco García, Alex Hemphill, Edwin Lohr, Denisse López, Mazda Mehraz, Wendy Miller, David Nelson, Evihy Vasily, Patty Vaccariello, Mark van Milligan, Jim Varnadore, and Brian Wintz formed a quorum. Jennipher Hager and Sussan Ornelas were absent.

 

2. Corrections to the minutes of February 5, 2024 were noted.

 

3. The agenda were approved unanimously.

 

4 – No staff comment was offered.

 

5 – A member of the public asked about an earlier project, an archway over University Avenue. Russ and Patty described the history, current status, and some of the constraints. Fernando García, a candidate for elected office, offered remarks about the election. Cat Hanzel discussed “dark sky” and the effect of urban lighting. Cynthia Tecson discussed the draft Environmental Justice Element to the City’s General Plan.

 

6.1 City planner Alex Frost offered a power-point presentation about Community Plan Updates and announced future presentation date/times, and locations.

 

6.2 M.T.S. staff member Matt Marquez offered a presentation about the Clean Transit Advancement Campus (CTSC) that MTS will build near the intersection of 47th Street and Federal Boulevard to maintain electric vehicles, especially busses.

 

6.3 Balboa Park Cultural Partnership staff member Peter Comisky offered a power-point presentation about the partnership, its members, and its plans for the Central Mesa area of the park.

 

6.4 Memoria Terra of the A.J.A. project introduced their project, its mission, and described some of its activities.

 

7A. The Chairman noted the coming “Book Delivery” project at the Jackie Robinson YMCA and some of the related activities.

 

7B. The Election Committee reported the results of the annual election. The Committee chairman will circulate an e-mail report to the Committee and the larger community.

 

8. There was no Committee comment.

 

9. The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 8:01PM.

 

 

 

C.H.A.P.C. minutes for February 5, 2024

 

1. The Chairman, Marcellus Anderson, gaveled the meeting to order at 6:40PM and called the roll. Rahmo Abdi, Marcellus Anderson, Dan Castañon, Russ Connelly, María Córtez, Francisco García, Alexander Hemphill, Edwin Lohr, Wendy Miller, David Nelson, Evihn Vasily, Patty Vaccariello, Mark van Milligan, Jim Varnadore, and Brian Wintz formed a quorum. Jennipher Hager, Denisse López, Mazda Mehraz, and Sussan Ornelas were absent.

 

2. Corrections to the minutes of January 8, 2023 were noted.

 

3. The agenda were approved unanimously.

 

4 – Assembly-member Weber’s staff member and a member of the mayoral staff gave updates.

 

5 – Dan Smiechowski, Danielle Laman, and Becky Rapp offered public comment.

 

6.1 Lior Abraham presented the Verizon proposal to update its tele-communications installation at Euclid/Myrtle. Overall it proposes to replace the present mono-Palm with a mono-Eucalyptus design. After discussion, Patty offered, Russ seconded a motion to recommend approval. The Committee voted 11/4/0 and the motion passed.

 

6.2 Mr. Mark Calleran and other City staff members presented the proposed General Development Plan for the Sunshine-Bererdini playing fields. The Committee and the public discussed the proposal. No vote was taken.

 

6.3 The Chairman introduced the Rosa Parks Safety Initiative. After initial discussion, María offered, Daniel seconded a motion to make the agenda item an Action Item. The Committee voted 15/0/0 and the motion passed. After presentation and discussion, David offered, Evihy seconded a motion to support the preparation of a traffic study in the affected area to include the hours from 7:00-8:00AM and from 3:00-4:00PM when traffic is heaviest. The Committee voted 15/0/0 and the motion passed.

 

7. The Chairman noted that in a recent City initiative to open Planning Committee duties to other groups than the present Committee, no group applied to become the City Heights Area Planning Committee.

 

8. The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 8:21PM.