City Heights Area Planning Committee

Minutes Nov 2007-Jan 2008

November 2007 minutes

City Heights Area Planning Committee Minutes for November 5, 2007

present: Chair Jim Varnadore, Liz Avalon, Sam Charry (arrived 6:45), Russ Connelly, Stefanie Harris (arrived 6:45), Valentina Hernandez (arrived 6:55), Mark Kassab, Cassie Lewis-Beevers, Ahmed Malinomar, Mazda Mehraz, Jude Mendez (Arrived 6:45), Kasra Movahedi, David Nelson, Mohamed Omar, Jessie Sergent, Abdulahi Yusuf.

Absent: Joyce Brown, Jose Cervantes, DJ Taylor, Patty Vaccariello

Call to order – 6:35 pm
Public Comment - Bobby McManis informed the committee that Michael Sprague is in the hospital. Chair Varnadore will send a card from the committee.Colin Matthewson of Price Charities thanked the four members of CHAPC who have volunteered to serve on the Community Design Group, which will meet on the evenings of November 14 and December 5.
Staff Reports and Comment – Kim Nguyen of Councilmember Atkins office stated that the Council has passed a beach alcohol ban prohibiting all alcohol consumption on District 1 and 2 Beaches. The ban should go into effect shortly after the start of the year.
Committee member reports and comment – Jessie Sergent reported on the Day of the Dead activities at the performance annex. David Nelson opined that the new school on 52nd and University is surprisingly well designed and landscaped. Ahmed Malinomar reported on SDPD actions. Kasra Movahedi reported on information on new refugee immigrant communities that will be relocated to the San Diego region. Cassie Lewis-Beevers stated that a new recycling ordinance will be heard soon by city council. Liz Avalon reported on the Community Housingworks fall facelift.
Corrections to the previous meeting minutes - The minutes of October 1 were accepted with minor corrections.
Adoption of the agenda- adopted unanimously.
Business agenda
7.1. Draft Mid-City Facilities Finance Plan. Vicki Burgess and Cheryl Robinson of the city planning department provided a report on updates to the Draft Mid-City Facilities Finance Plan. Current impact fees are set at $2417 per new residential unit and are proposed to be raised to over $12,000 per unit. These impact fees pay for necessary infrastructure improvements like parks, schools, and libraries. Fees only apply to new units that cause increase usage of facilities. Therefore, remodels and rebuilds of existing units will not have to pay impact fees. The city hopes to have the report approved in time for the 2008/2009 fiscal year budget approval. Ms. Burgess will return to the committee in one month to allow the committee members time to review the draft report prior to making a recommendation.

7.2. 2873 39th Street (PTN 133019). Property owner David Stebbins addressed the committee and requested that the committee approve a recommendation in favor of granting a neighborhood development permit and a variance to lot coverage requirements to build a single family home on a currently vacant lot. Discussion ensued regarding the amount on on site parking depicted in the site plan and uncertainty over the percentage of lot coverage that the home would have. Russ Connelly made a motion seconded by Sam Charry to recommend approval of the neighborhood development permit, reserving the right to comment and provide recommendation on the lot coverage variance and FAR at a future meeting. Motion passed. Aye: 15, No: 0, CNV.

7.3 3417 46th Street (PTN 132086). Thomas Johnson, the property owner, addressed the committee and requested that the committee approve a recommendation in favor of granting a variance to side yard setbacks for a house currently under construction. Mr. Johnson explained that the house had already received all approvals up until final framing inspection, at which time the inspector ordered a survey to be completed, revealing that the house had been constructed within the sideyard setback. Attempts to resolve the issue through a boundary adjustment procedure with the adjacent property owner failed, and Mr. Johnson is therefore requesting the variance to side yard setbacks so that he can complete the construction process without having to reconstruct the south portion of the home. Motion by Liz Avalon to recommend approval of a variance allowing a 1.5 foot rather than the normal 3 foot sideyard setback. Second by both Valentina Hernandez and Jessie Sergent. Motion passed. Aye: 15, No: 0, CNV.

7.4 Metro Waste Water Division Review of Point Loma Sewer Treatment facility – Dr. Tim Bertch made a presentation on the decision before the City Council to decide whether to request a 5 year waiver to allow the Point Loma Sewer Treatment facility to continue to conduct advanced primary treatment of wastewater and not upgrade the facility to conduct secondary treatment. He explained that research shows that the net negative environmental effects of the secondary treatment plant, including increased air pollution, energy use, and landfill needs would outweigh the relatively minor benefits to water quality that secondary treatment provides. Motion by David Nelson, seconded by Russ Connelly, to recommend approval of the waiver to allow advanced primary rather than secondary treatment of watewater at the Point Loma facility. Motion passed. Aye:15, No: 0, CNV.

7.5 Appointment of 2008 Election Subcommittee – Chair Varnadore stated that the CHAPC members eligible to serve on the committee include anyone who will not be running for re-election next year. This includes members Avalon, Cervantes, Charry, Hernandez, Mehraz, Mendez, Omar, Taylor, Yusuf, and Varnadore. Motion by Valentina Hernandez, seconded by Sam Charry, to appoint all eligible members named to the Election Subcommittee. Motion passed. Aye:13, No: 2, CNV (Lewis-Beevers and Sergent opposed)

Committee adjourned – 8:15 pm.

December 2007 minutes

City Heights Area Planning Committee Minutes for December 3, 2007 - 6:30pm

Present: Chair Jim Varnadore, Liz Avalon, Jose Cervantes, Russ Connelly, Valentina Hernandez (arrived 6:45), Ahmed Malinomar, Mazda Mehraz (arrived 6:50), David Nelson, Mohamed Omar, Jessie Sergent, DJ Taylor, Patty Vaccariello, Abdulahi Yusuf.

Absent: Joyce Brown, Sam Charry, Stefanie Harris, Mark Kassab, Cassie Lewis-Beevers, Jude Mendez, Kasra Movahedi,

Call to order – 6:35 pm
Off-agenda public comment – David Bowen stated his opposition to the 42nd Street condo conversion.
Staff reports and comment – Kim Nguyn reported that the City Council overrode the mayor’s veto on recycled water, and that there would be a meeting Tuesday December 11 at 6:30 pm of the Bus Rapid Transit working group at the Metro Career Center. Todd Gloria distributed copies of Representative Susan Davis’s newsletter.
Committee member reports and comment – David Nelson reported on the I-15 Bus Rapid Transit working group. Valentina Hernandez reported on the Swan Canyon cleanup. Patty Vaccariello stated her concerns that CHAPC had been excluded from the BRT working group and requested that the Chair appoint two CHAPC representatives to the working group. Jessie Sergent reported that the next meeting of the community court would be January 21 from 6-8 pm. Russ Connelly reported on the City Heights sign meetings, the next one will be December 13 at 6pm at the Metro Career Center.
Adoption of the agenda – Motion by Russ Connelly, Second by Jessie Sergent.
Corrections to the minutes for November 5, 2007 – the minutes were amended.
The business agenda
Report of Safe Routes to School project for Marshall Elementary and Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary schools (information)
Siavash Pazargadi, Senior Engineer with the City of San Diego CIP Engineering and Transportation Division reported that there are two pending applications for Safe Routes to School Funding in City Heights, one for FloJo and one for John Marshall. The City hopes to receive funding through the Safe Routes to School program for one of the locations, but funding approval for both is highly unlikely.

Report of planned acquisition and rehabilitation of Colina Park North Apartments (4333 Dawson Street) and finance plan. (Action)
Pete Stanley, representing the developer, stated that the project would include seismic retrofitting, interior upgrades to the units, and repainting the exterior of the building. In review of the proposal, the Committee expressed concerns that there were no copies of the reports, little exterior improvement was planned, and that the building would be removed from the tax base of the redevelopment area. Motion by David Nelson to recommend disapproval of the project based on removal of funds from the tax roll, lack of benefit to the surrounding community, and improper use of tax credits. Patty Vaccariello seconded. Motion passed. Aye: 11, No: 1, CNV.

Report from First vice-Chairperson about draft Public Facilities Finance Plan review (information)
Patty Vaccariello stated that the Committee has begun review of the Draft Public Facilities Finance plan at the mid-month meeting, including prioritization of items within the plan. The committee will discuss the Plan again at the December 17 mid-month meeting.

Acceptance of resignation from District 1-09 seat and declaration of vacancy (action)
Patty Vaccariello moved to accept the resignation of Jude Mendez from District 1-09 and to announce the vacancy at the January 2008 meeting. Second by Ahmed Malinomar. Aye: 12, No: 0, CNV.

Declaration of vacancy in District 4-08 seat owing to absences (action)
Valientina Hernandez moved to accept the resignation of Joyce Brown from District 4-08 and to announce the vacancy at the January 2008 meeting. Second by Jose Cervantes. Aye: 12, No: 0, CNV.

8. Meeting adjourned.

January 2008 minutes

City Heights Area Planning Committee

MINUTES January 7, 2008

1. The meeting was called to order at 6:37PM. Liz Avalon, Sam Charry, Russ Connelly, Stefanie Harris, Valentina Hernandez, Mark Kassab, Cassandra Lewis-Beavers, Ahmed Malinomar, Mazda Mehraz, Kasra Movahedi, David Nelson, Jessie Sergent, D.J. Taylor, Patty Vaccariello, Abdullahi Yusuf, and Jim Varnadore present. Jose Cervantes, and Mohamed Omar were absent.

2. Public Comment was received from David Bowen, Heide Bruckner, Steve Russell, Jay Powell, and Theresa Quiroz.

3. Government Reports were received from Kim Nguyen about the City’s new street sweeping project and from Todd Gloria who introduced Nick Norvell as his replacement on Representative Davis’s staff.

4. Committee member announcements were received from David Nelson about the city’s needle exchange program, Russ Connelly about the Azalea Park recreation council, from Patty Vaccariello about the Islenair historic district, and from Jessie Sergent about a Latino youth group being formed at the multi-cultural center.

5. Connelly moved, Avalon seconded to delete business items 7.1 and 7.3, which were removed by the applicants, and to adopt the amended agenda. The Committee voted unanimously to approve.

6. The minutes of the December 2007 meeting were adopted as tendered.

7.2. The Committee heard an application to waiver a tentative map for a condominium conversion at 4391 El Cajon Boulevard and to waiver the requirement to put off-site utility feeders underground. After discussion which included the applicant’s agreement to provide motion-sensitive alley lighting and street numbers on rear and side walls, Avalon moved and Sergent seconded to recommend approval. The Committee voted 15/0/0 (Chair not voting) and the motion passed.

7.4. The First vice-Chairperson reviewed the draft Public Facilities Finance Plan and received suggestions.

7.5. The Secretary of the Election Sub-committee briefed the Committee on the status of the 2008 election preparations.

7.6. Hernandez nominated and Malinomar seconded David Bowen to fill the vacant District 1-09 seat. With written ballots, the nominee received 4 Yes votes, 12 No votes, and was not seated. Vaccariello nominated and Connelly seconded Jeanette Neeley to fill the vacant District 4-08 seat. Vaccariello then nominated and Connelly seconded Heather Bentley to fill the vacant District 4-08 seat. Hernandez nominated and Nelson seconded Andrea Zinko to fill the vacant District 4-08 seat. In the first round of voting by written ballot, Zinko received one vote, Bentley received 7 votes, and Neeley received 8 votes. In the second round of voting by written ballot, Neeley received 7 votes, Bentley received 9 votes and was seated.

7.7. The Committee and the audience conducted a seminar about whether to convert Fairmount Avenue to a one-way Northbound street and keeping 43rd Street one-way Southbound. A summary of the seminar comments is filed as a Committee memorandum for the record.

8. The meeting was adjourned at 8:57PM.