The Ocean Beach Planning Board (OBPB) hosted a committee meeting Wednesday, July 20th, to begin discussion about potential community projects that could benefit from almost $24million in grants that the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is making available to provide incentives for Smart Growth projects within the region.
Previously biased toward walkability and transportation projects, the grant process was opened up by the ad hoc committee of the OBPB to those community organizations and individuals who would like to have a dog in the grant money hunt. The ad hoc committee met in the OB Recreation Center in order to meet the SANDAG deadline of August 1, 2011, for community planning groups to provide suggested changes to the existing Smart Growth Map . SANDAG will provide for the updated map this Fall with an additional timeline for specific project applications in the Spring of 2012.
Although OB already has its foot on the Smart Growth map, ad hoc Committee Chair Landry Watson saw the initial meeting as vital to obtain funding for those ‘shovel ready’ projects the community has seen caught in a rip tide of the political economy at City Hall. With their sights fixed on Planning and Capital Improvement funds, the community at large and representatives from the OB Historical Society, OB Community Development Corporation (OBCDC), OB Mainstreet Association (OBMA), and OB Town Council peppered the Chair with suggestions.
Some of the suggestions:
- historical review of entire OB
- improvement and expansion of public comfort stations
- Veterans’ plaza improvements
- completion of OB Entryway to include the “missing link” of the Robb Field bike path
- eliminate parking on Sunset Cliffs Blvd and create bike lanes
- more bicycle racks and pedestrian safety improvements
- improvements to pier parking lot
Since this was the Committee’s initial meeting there was also the matter of electing a Chairperson and establishing boundaries. In as much as the OBPB is an advisory board to the City of San Diego and as such cannot apply for the grants itself, the ad hoc committee is leaving an opening for a Co-Chair preferably someone with experience in grant writing. For more information, contact Landry Watson at landrywatson.obpb@yahoo.com
Also see the SANDAG website
Smart growth map
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
to all those who moan about OB never getting a slice of the cash pot pie, nows your opportunity to present your ideans and plans for Smart Growth. for me, any time someone offers a portion of millions to improve the community and all i have to do is present a working plan with goals and ability to record progress, i’m feel a fool for not stepping up and asking for a fair share.
this is not to be taken lightly folks. if you’re sick and tired of seeing ob ignored when it comes to City Budgets and the ole lack-o-funds merri-go-round, now is the time to come together and get this communities slice of the SANDAG pie.
Notice the bend on the map to exclude the corner of Voltaire and Sunset Cliffs. The World Oil property could be made into an electric car charging station. Possibly roofed over with solar panels. People could shop locally or eat at a restaurant while their car charged. Site could also make solar hot water for coin-operated hot showers (bicycle commuters.) Secure bicycle lockers, too.
be careful, SanDag is 1 of the most corrupt agencies of all and they will do everything in their power to see that $ goes to a developer for a hideous “affordable housing” project. They are great at taking these windfall grants and finding ways to give them to their friends.
I vote for rehabbing historic buildings and bike lanes.
ok, not to reply to myself, but I see that the $ cant really be used to construct housing but it lays the groundwork…see below.
for example sandag is giving us this hideous project in Uni Heights. It is a HORRIBLE project and just a way for them to shovel the cash to their special interests. We all love public transit, I voted for public transit, but I did not vote for this godawful destruction of Park Blvd turning an uncongested street into a 6 lane highway that peds and bikes can no longer cross. The community universally rejected it and SanDag said..”tough sh&t, this is what you are getting”…they will probably pull the same stunt on you…making you think you are part of the process then forcing the $ to go to some absurd project.
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/ive-got-issues/2011/jun/02/mid-city-rapid-transit-a-rapid-waste-not-what-we-v/
I guess it probably, hopefully cant be used to construct an affordable housing project, but just wait for your 24 million dollar rapid transit bus lane that will consist of simply widening a road and all the “rapid” will occur by timing the stop lights. In the meanwhile you will get a massively wide street that pedestrians and bikes wont be allowed to cross and will also then allow developers in the future to avoid any CEQA reviews of projects w/in a 1/2 mile because its a rapid transit lane and because of SB 375. unfortunately “smart growth” is being used by SanDag to clear a path for developers to come in and mow every last piece of history down and build their 3 to 4 story tenement slums.
nice insight, christine. thanx fothe heads up.
I apologize for not making the intent and purpose of the ad hoc committee clear to the public at large. But for any O’Beacean worth an ax to grind “four story tenement slums” wouldn’t pass the Project Review Committee of the Planning Board let alone this ad hoc committee. Furthermore, regarding housing; the notion of affordablility is one which has historically been subject to debate before the OBPB and in fact has guided board policy (see OB Precise Plan). However without specific data to indicate what constitutes ‘affordability’ to O’Beacean census tracts (vice the community at large) the planning board has been flying blind. That’s why the very first sugestion befaore the committee was aimed at updating and restoring the Existing Conditions Reports.
Like I said, I want to apologize for not being clear in my report but my lack of clarity should not be seen as an opportunity for those who wish to colonize our community dialogue to that of the municipal corporation. As was then, as is now and forever:
US OUT OF OB!
From an OB Library computer,
Danny Morales 8>p