Early next week, OBceans have a chance to show their support for the Ocean Beach Community Plan, a document that represents the blueprint for development and public facilities in OB, a plan that has been in existence for nearly 40 years, recently updated – and that has weathered an attack by the influential San Diego Planning Commission.
If you’ve followed the the twists and turns of the Community Plan Update process of last year, then you know of what I speak.
If you’re not certain of what all this means, a brief background is in order.
In 1976, the OB community plan was finally established and voted in by the San Diego City Council after years of the community battling the bureaucracy and wealthy elite who wished to turn OB into a tourist mecca. The new plan established the very first democratically-elected planning committee for a community in the history of San Diego. Today there are over fifty different planning committees throughout the city.
Since 1976 then, the Planning Board reviews projects, both private and public, and makes recommendations to the City, recommendations that usually carry a lot of weight. In the early 1990s, the City initiated an update process to bring the OB plan into alignment with the San Diego General Plan. That process recently ended last summer when the San Diego City Council unanimously approved the OB Plan and its update.
The Council approved the Plan only after a bruising fight with the San Diego Planning Commission which wanted to remove tools OB planners have used for 4 decades in efforts to prohibit over-development, tools which have allowed OB not to become like some of its neighboring beach communities. Thousands of OBceans signed the petition that supported the OB Plan. The Plan still must be reviewed by the California Coastal Commission, which is anticipated for some time this Spring.
In a significant sign of solidarity with the OB Planners, the OB Town Council last December designated the OB Community Plan as the Grand Marshall for the annual Holiday Parade. And over fifty OBceans marched in the Grand Marshall parade contingent at the front of the parade.
Now, the OB Rag is joining the Planning Board in a call for OBceans to turn out and vote in the upcoming Board election. We’re asking people – residents, property owners and businesses to support the Community Plan by taking part in these elections.
OBceans are called upon to participate in the annual elections to the Board.
You don’t know your planning district representative? You don’t know which district you live in?
No problem.
Here’s the OB Planning Board website and here’s a description and list of the 7 different planning districts in the OB planning area – which has strict boundaries.
On Tuesday, March 10th, the Ocean Beach Planning Board is holding its annual election. Polls will be open from 4 to 7 pm at the OB Recreation Center, 4726 Santa Monica Avenue. Unofficial results will be posted by that evening.
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