City Heights Area Planning Committee

Minutes November 2015 - January 2016

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

Draft minutes of the meeting of January 4, 2016

3910 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92105

 

1. The meeting was called to order at 6:35PM.  Kelvin Barrios, Russ Connelly, Erick Díaz, Georgette Gómez, Bob Leif, Tuan Luu, Mazda Mehraz, David Nelson, Jessie Sergent, Mark Tran, Patty Vaccariello, and Abdullahi Yusuf were present.  Krista Berry-Ortega, Kenton Finkbeiner, Josefina Garcia, Mark Kassab, Sally Lemmie, Marc Munic, Samuel Supranovich, and Kiley Wallace, were absent.

 

2. Georgette offered, Mark seconded a motion to adopt the agenda.  The Committee voted 11/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

3. The minutes of December 7, 2015 were corrected.

 

4. José Mauw and David Bowen offered public comments.

 

5. Rudy Vargas and Julio Rivera distributed the District-9 Newsletter and reported the status of storm drain maintenance.  They also noted the Youth Empowerment meeting to be held January 9 at Teralta Park.

 

6. Bob, David, Mark, and Mazda offered committee comments.

 

7.1 Bryan Olson offered a presentation about solar installations at 25 City facilities.  Two (Park de la Cruz and Central Police Maintenance Facility) are in City Heights.  They are expected to complete by Fall.  Mr. Olson answered committee questions.

 

7.2 The Committee reviewed and discussed the 10th Amendment to the Land Development Code (Chapters 10 - 15 of the Municipal Code).  After discussion, Russ offered, David seconded a motion to recommend no rooming house permits as a right; to continue to require a C.U.P. for K-12 schools; and recommend no satellite antenna installations in any CU zone in City Heights.  After further discussion, Russ offered, David seconded a motion to recommend requiring a C.U.P. for marijuana outlets in the CU-2 and CU-3 zones but to forbid them in the CU-1 zones; to recommend allowing
food trucks as a Limited use in the CU-2 and CU-3 zones but to forbid them in the CU-1 zones; to recommend allowing sidewalk cafes as a Limited use in the CU-2 and CU-3 zones but to deny them in the CU-1 zones; and to recommend allowing entry signs as a Limited use in the CU-1, CU-2, and CU-3 zones.  The Committee voted 9/0/0 (chair not voting) and both motions passed.

 

7.3 The Committee heard a presentation from Francisco Garcia asking for a letter of support to the City for his request to the City to be relieved of certain permit fees for his project and to give applicants binding assignments to a process level once an applicant has tendered a complete application.  After discussion, Russ offered, Mazda seconded a motion to authorize the Chair to send Council member Emerald a suitably worded letter using the memorandum from Mr. Garcia.  The
Committee voted 9/0/1 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

7.4 Chair reviewed two inconsistencies between the Committee’s bylaws and Council Policy 600-24 which governs the Committee’s activities.  After discussion, the Chair indicated that the inconsistencies would be best resolved by conforming the bylaws to the Council Policy and that she would so recommend to the City.

 

7.5 No one appeared to discuss rate structures and net metering policies in connection with the local electric utility company.

 

7.6 Erick, the Election Subcommittee Chair offered a status report on the election.

 

8. The meeting was adjourned 8:20PM to reconvene on February 1, 2016 at the time and place noted above.

 

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

Draft minutes of the meeting of December 7, 2015

3910 University Ave,
San Diego,CA 92105

 

1. The meeting was called to order at 6:32PM.  Kelvin Barrios, Krista Berry-Ortega, Russ
Connelly, Erick Diaz, Kenton Finkbeiner, Georgette Gomez, Mark Kassab, Bob Leif, Tuan Luu, Mazda Mehraz, Marc Munic, David Nelson, Jessie Sergent, Samuel Supranovich, Kiley Wallace, and Patty Vaccariello, were present.  Josefina Garcia, Sally Lemmie, Mark Tran and Abdullahi Yusuf were absent.

 

2. Bob offered, Jessie seconded a motion to adopt the agenda.  The Committee voted 11/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

3. The minutes of Sept 2, 2015 and Nov 2, 2015 were corrected.

 

4. Maria Cortez, Dan Tomsky, David Bowen, and Jim Varnadore offered public comments.

 

5. Rudy Vargas and Julio Rivera distributed the District-9 Newsletter and offered announcements about coming events; Particularly, the Charles Lewis III Park on Home Avenue will open at
1:30PM Dec 10.

 

6. David, Bob, Jessie, Patty, Tuan, Kenton, Krista, Kylie, Georgette, and Erik offered committee comments. Russ reported the results of the past CPC meeting. 

 

7.1 Francisco Garcia and Genelle Weits offered a report and discussion of their project to build two houses near Bowery Canyon. 

 

7.2 The Committee reviewed and discussed the draft bylaws.  David offered a motion to
recommend: 1) amending Article IV, Section 2 to delete the requirement for a vote of all eligible members of the community when two or more vacancies are concurrent and replace it with “Two or more concurrent community planning groups vacancies shall be filled by a vote of all eligible members of the community by secret written ballot for vacancies that occur within the same
Seat Name/Seat definition in Article III, Section d.”; and 2) amending Article V, Section 3 by changing the “60 days” requirement to fill a vacancy to read 90 days”.  Russ seconded the
motion.  The Committee voted 15/0/0 and he motion passed.

 

7.3 Bill Adams offered a power-point presentation about oving a Type-20 ABC license from a store at 38th/University over to a new building to be constructed at 3911 University. After discussion, Kelvin offered, Mazda seconded a motion to recommend denial of the application.  The Committee
voted 7/8/0 (chair not voting) and the motion failed.  The Chair asked if there was another motion.
David offered, Marc seconded a motion to recommend approval of the application with conditions.  The Committee voted 8/7/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.  The Conditions
included standard language from DSD, SDPD and the CHAPC and were available to the Committee.

 

7.4 Ron Luong and Su Nguyen of the Little Saigon San Diego Foundation offered a presentation about putting a flag pole on El Cajon Boulevard near Fairmount Avenue to fly the flag of the former country of South Vietnam.  After discussion, Georgette offered, Tuan seconded a motion to recommend approval of the project.  The Committee voted 11/3/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

7.5 Russ reported the action of the Community Planners Committee about the 10th amendment to the Land Development Code and described what is involved in that amendment.  Jim Varnadore explained the differences between the Central Urbanized Planned District Ordinance, which is governs land use in City Heights, and the Mid-City Planned District Ordinance, which was the earlier document governing land use.  After discussion, Russ offered, Kiley seconded a motion to request an extension of time so the Committee can consider the matter more fully and if an extension is not
granted, to recommend that CU zones not be changed in the 10th amendment.  The Committee voted 12/0/0 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

7.6 Erick, the Election Subcommittee Chair offered a status report on the election.

 

8. The meeting was adjourned 9:46PM to reconvene on January 4, 2016 at the time and place noted above.

 

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE

Minutes of the meeting of November 2, 2015

3910 University Ave,
San Diego,CA 92105

 

1. The meeting was called to order at 6:30PM.  Russ Connelly, Erick Diaz, Georgette Gomez, Krista
Berry, Mark Kassab, Bob Leif, Tuan Luu, Mazda Mehraz, Marc Munic, Jessie Sergent, Kiley Wallace, Abdullahi Yusuf, and Patty Vaccariello were present.  Kelvin Barrios, Kenton Finkbeiner, Josefina Garcia, Sally Lemmie, Ahmed Malinomar, David Nelson, Samuel Supranovich, Mark
Tran, and were absent.

 

2. After the Chairwoman’s request to replace item 7.1 with a different matter, Russ offered, Jessie seconded a motion to adopt the amended agenda.  The Committee voted 11/0/0 (chair
not voting) and the motion passed.

 

3. The minutes of September 2, 2015 were continued.  The minutes of October 5, 2015 were
corrected.

 

4. Allen Sipe described his proposal to build a 7-11 convenience store at 39th/Univesity and left a handout.  He noted that his application for a Statement of Public Convenience or Necessity in connection with an ABC Type-20 license had been denied and that he expected to appeal the denial.  Ricardo Flores introduced himself as a candidate for Council District-9.  Georgette Gomez
introduced herself as a candidate for Council District-9.  Maria Cortez reported that the Teralta West
Neighborhood Association had its first meeting.  Taylor McDonald reported the work to date to form a Cherokee Point Neighborhood Association.

 

5. Rudy Vargas distributed the District-9 Newsletter and offered announcements about coming events. The Charles Lewis III park on Home Avenue will open December 10.  There was a discussion of the relation-ship between this Committee and the City about who in the community officially offers advice to City departments.

 

6. Russ reported the results of the past CPC meeting.  That Committee considered a draft Climate
Action Plan.  The CPC noted that no cost-to-benefit analysis had been made. The newly hired Planning Director was introduced to the CPC.  Kylie asked about the Islenair Art event.  Several members complained about dust, dirt, and debris from water and sewer repair projects. 

 

7.1  Gretchen Sorenson from CivicSD reported on the project to install sidewalks on the East side of Euclid Avenue between Dwight Street and Isla Vista Drive.  The City will not install a retaining wall to
short up the sidewalk against the adjacent canyon and has removed a guard rail from the design.  There was a discussion of the exact design of the handrail to be installed.  The Chairwoman asked the Committee to decide what it wants installed.  Georgette offered, Krista seconded a motion to continue to press the City to install the handrail design that the community has chosen.  The
Committee voted 11/0/1 (chair not voting) and the motion passed.

 

7.2  Gretchen Sorenson from CivicSD reported on the status of the Sally Wong building (4102-08 and 4110-16 University Avenue).  The property will be considered by the Historic Resources Board in November.  After discussion, Kylie offered, Russ seconded a motion to recommend
that the building at 4102-08 (but not the others) be preserved and designated historic under the earlier of the two historic reviews on the property and that the building be incorporated into the design of whatever is built on the property.  The committee voted 12/0/0 and the motion passed.

 

7.3  Steve Howell and Andrew & Monica Hekman described a vacation of the public right of way
adjacent to Bellingham Place.  After discussion, Russ offered, Marc seconded a motion to recommend approval of the requested vacation.  The Committee voted 10/0/0 (chair not voting)
and the motion passed.

 

7.4  City staff member Phil Rust described a City plan to improve University Avenue between Fairmount Avenue and Euclid Avenue, and asked the Committee to participate in a task force to help design the project.  The Chairwoman suggested that she form a subcommittee of members instead which would reach out to other interested groups and individuals.  Rust and the Chairwoman will discuss the matter and make a decision.

 

7.5  Avina Veen from United Way offered an update on a united way proposal to create a mural in the vicinity of the Recreation Center.  The proposal must be heard by the Art Commission and by the City Heights Recreation Council.  Several youth groups and ethnic groups have offered suggestions for the mural.

 

7.6  The Chairwoman asked for volunteers for the Election Subcommittee that will conduct the March
2016 elections.  Erick Diaz volunteered.  The Chairwoman will appoint other members.

 

8. The meeting was adjourned 8:52PM to reconvene on November 2, 2015 at the time and place noted above.