City Heights Area Planning Committee

Minutes May 2014 to July 2014

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

Minutes of the meeting of July 7, 2014

3910 University Avenue

City Heights, CA 92105

 

1.  The meeting was called to order at 6:31PM.  Russ Connelly, Kenton Finkbeiner, Georgette Gomez, Mark Kassab, Robert Leif, Sally Rice Lemmie, Ahmed Malinomar, Mazda Mehraz, Guy Mock, Amanda Moss, Marc Munic, David Nelson, Samantha Ollinger, Katia Rodriguez, Patty Vaccariello, Jim Varnadore, and Kiley Wallace formed a quorum.  Jeanette Neeley, Leslie Renteria, Hong Tran, and Abdullahi Yusuf absent.

 

2. Robert offered, Ahmed seconded a motion to adopt the agenda.  The committee voted 14/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

3.  The minutes of June 2, 2014 were corrected and adopted.

 

4.  Jan Perry, principal of America's Finest Charter School, announced that she needs a location with about 15,000 SqFt to move the school.

 

5.  Rudy Vargas and Julio Rivera from Council District-9 and Tom Sepulvado from Congressman Vargas's office made brief status reports and noted coming events.  Julio affirmed that money for a skate park at Park de la Cruz had bee obtained and that the skate park will be built.

 

6.  Sallie, David, Russ, Mark, Kenton, Ahmed, and Patty made announcements.

 

7.1 The Committee heard a report about re-designing the 50th/University intersection to increase pedestrian safety.  The Committee discussed the design and offered suggestions to City staff.

 

7.2  The Committee heard an information presentation by Claudia Valenzuela of SDG&E about work to rebuild an old electrical substation in Fairmount Park.  The Company will also have a presentation for the Fairmount Park neighbors.

 

7.3 The Committee heard a presentation by Danielle Nissan about the City's Urban Forest Management Plan.  The Committee discussed the plan and offered suggestions.

 

7.4  The Committee heard a presentation by Kerrigan Diehl about a wireless communication facility to be located at 2924 39th Street.  There was discussion, questions, and answers about the project; and the Committee offered suggestions for improvement.  One member noted the installation of a wireless facility near the intersection of Home/Euclid which completely hides the antennas inside a faux pine tree.

 

7.5 The Committee heard a presentation from Brian Vitelle about the Otay First Pipeline improvements.  The pipeline traverses parts of City Heights.

 

7.6  The Chairwoman announced a vacancy in the Youth-15 seat and called for volunteers.  No one responded.

 

8.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:30PM to convene again July 7, 2014 at the time and place listed above.  If called, a mid-month meeting will be held Monday, July 21 at 6:30PM in the Mid-City Police Substation.  Separate agenda will be issued and posted.

 

 

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

Minutes of the meeting of June 2, 2014

3910 University Ave

City Heights, CA 92105

 

1.
 The meeting was called to order at 6:36PM.  Russ Connelly, Kenton Finkbeiner, Mark
Kassab, Robert Leif, Sally Rice Lemmie, Guy Mock, Jeanette Neeley, Katia
Rodriguez, Patty Vaccariello, Jim Varnadore, and Abdullahi Yusuf formed a
quorum.  Georgette Gomez, Ahmed Malinomar, Mazda Mehraz, Amanda Moss, Marc Munic, Samantha Ollinger, and Hong Tran absent.

 

2.
Robert offered, Russ seconded a motion to adopt the agenda.  The committee voted 10/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

3.
 The minutes of May 5, 2014 were corrected and adopted.

 

4.  There was no off-agenda public comment.

 

5.
 Rudy Vargas and Julio Rivera from Council District-9 made brief reports about coming events and distributed the newsletter.  They reported that the Charles Lewis III park on Home Avenue is expected to be completed in mid-2015 and that the Wightman Street Park is expected in mid- to late-2015.  Funding for Fire Station-17 is in a bond measure that is involved in legal action. 
No date is being contemplated for its completion.  Civic San Diego will install sidewalks on the
East side of Euclid Avenue near Dwight Street.  Other Euclid Avenue sidewalks on the West side and North side are not yet funded.

 

6.
 Sallie, Guy, Katia, and Jeanette made announcements.

 

7.1
 Item withdrawn by applicant.

 

7.2  The Committee heard an information presentation about a City Heights Community Identification sign.  Discussion, questions, and answers were offered.

 

7.3
 Mark nominated, Jeanette seconded David Nelson to fill the vacant District-3, 16 seat. 
The nominee accepted the nomination. The Committee voted by secret ballot to seat David.  Kenton nominated, Robert seconded Kiley Wallace to fill the vacant District-2, 16 seat. 
Kiley accepted the nomination. The Committee voted by secret ballot to seat Kiley.  Jeanette nominated, David seconded Leslie Renteria to fill the vacant Youth-16 seat. 
The Committee voted by secret ballot and to seat Leslie.  The Chairwoman expressed the Committee’s gratitude to these volunteers.

 

7.4
 The Committee heard a presentation by Francisco and Genelle Garcia about constructing two houses on one lot on Bowery Street, in Bowery Canyon.  There was discussion, questions, and answers about the project.  After discussion, Kenton offered, Russ seconded a motion to recommend approving a Neighborhood Development Permit for the project.  The Committee voted 13/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

7.5  No one from BikeSD appeared to offer a presentation about the North Park - Mid-City Regional Bike Corridors project.  The Committee took no action.

 

7.6  The Committee heard a presentation by Eric Bowlby of San Diego Canyonlands for a Site Development Permit to complete a canyon restoration project in City Heights.  After discussion, Katia offered, David seconded a motion recommending approval of a Site Development Permit. 
The Committee voted 12/1/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.  Jim offered brief remarks
against introducing more people into the canyons, believing that people are the explanation for the degraded condition of the canyons now and that adding more people is not a good idea for any canyon.  The Committee voted 12/1/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

9.  The Chairwoman indicated that a mid-month meeting would be called.  The regular meeting
was adjourned at 7:50PM, to convene again July 7, 2014 at the time and place
listed above. 

 If called, a mid-month meeting will be held Monday, June 16 at 6:30PM in the Mid-City Police
Substation.  Separate agenda will be issued and posted.

 

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

Minutes of the meeting of May 5, 2014

3910 University Ave

City Heights, CA 92105

 

1.
 The meeting was called to order at 6:36PM.  Russ Connelly, Kenton Finkbeiner, Georgette
Gomez, Robert Leif, Sally Lemmie Rice, Ahmed Malinomar, Mazda Mehraz, Guy Mock,
Amanda Moss, Marc Munic, Jeanette Neeley, Katia Rodriguez, Hong Tran, Patty
Vaccariello, Jim Varnadore, and Abdullahi Yusuf formed a quorum.  Mark Kassab and Samantha Ollinger absent.

 

2.
Russ offered, Robert seconded a motion to adopt the agenda.  The committee voted 15/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

4.
 The minutes of April 7, 2014 were corrected and adopted.

 

5.   Pavel Ratnovskiy described a program called NextDoor.com.  After the presentation,
Mr. Ratnovskiy answered several questions.

 

6
 Rudy Vargas from Council District-9 made brief reports about coming events and distributed the newsletter.  Community planner Michael Prinz was in the audience to answer questions.

 

7.
  Katia, Russ, Guy, Amanda, Jeanette, Ahmed, Georgette, and Jim offered other announcements.

 

8.1
Item withdrawn by applicant.

 

8.2  Marcella Escobar-Eck announced and discussed having the Rock Church operate from the Regional Transportation Facility (4001 El Cajon Blvd).  The church proposes to lease the facility.  Members raised issues of parking and how many City Heights’s residents attend the Rock Church.  There were questions about some of the church’s intended activities, like programs against human trafficking and homeless activities.  There were voiced objections to the proposal which won’t be heard formally at the Committee until the City issues a First Assessment Letter and Cycle Issues Report.  Some urged the church to hire City Heights’s residents for its activities. 

 

8.3
SANDAG staff member Bridget Enderle presented the current draft of the Bike Corridor Study.  There were suggestions for wider outreach to residents along the corridors, for integrating the
Corridor Study results with the Urban Greening study, and a caution about parking on the Easterly portions of the Southern corridor, along University Avenue.  Enderle expects to return to the
Committee in Septemner 2014.

 

8.4
Item withdrawn by applicant.

 

8.5
City Heights resident Kenton Finkbeiner presented renderings of a community identity sign he proposes to locate near the intersection of Fairmount Avenue and University Avenue.  After discussion, Jim offered, Mazda seconded a motion to recommend approval of the “first”
design Kenton brought to the Committee.  Guy asked that the motion be amended to indicate the approval is in concept with a final decision later.  The maker and second accepted the amendment. 
The Commmittee voted 8/5/1 (Chair not voting) and the motion passed.  In view of the wide disparity of the vote, the Chair indicated she would place an item on the next agenda to re-consider the vote.

 

8.6  The Chair reported that the District 2-16 seat is vacant owing to the resignation of the incumbent.  After discussion, the Committee voted 14/0/0 (Chair not voting) to declare the seat vacant.

 

9.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:17PM, to meet again June 7, 2014 at the time and place listed above.  If called, a mid-month meeting will be held Monday, May 19 at 6:30PM in the Mid-City Police Substation.  Separate agenda will be issued and posted.