OB Must Descend on the Coastal Commission Thursday

Ol’ OB Hippie Joins Calls for Community Action In Support of OB Community Plan

Any OBcean worth her or his salt has been following the travails of the Community Plan Update for Ocean Beach.

And they know that the California Coastal Commission is holding a hearing on the OB Plan on Thursday, August 13.  They also may want to know that there will be a bus to take OBceans over to Chula Vista where the Commission is holding their meetings.

This is a critical hearing on the OB Plan – for the Coastal Commission has a mandate to protect our coast and to provide public access to the coast. Any project within the coastal zone has to have their final approval.

And there are complications – differences between the Commission staff and the City of San Diego staff over a number of issues. There are different scenarios that could play out – with at least one where the OB Community Plan is placed in limbo and not formally enacted – perhaps for another year.

Yet, OB has got to descend on the Coastal Commission on Thursday.

To show support for a community plan that was updated over a 12 year process that involved many OBceans, that has the support of 1’000s of OBceans who signed the petitions last summer, of a Plan that was unanimously approved by the City Council last summer.

Now, it’s not like the Coastal Commission’s ideas or issues are bad. Not at all. And it’s not like the City is unreasonably resisting. But what has happened is that OB and our village plan – updated yes – is being tossed about in a power struggle between the Coastal Commission and different levels of government – like the City of San Diego, like the San Diego Port Commission.

We can agree with the Coastal Commission ideals theoretically but object to the use of the OB Plan as a football between two sides who can’t agree. Many of the issues can and should be addressed on a more general plan basis and not allowed to hold up the OB Plan letting it be singled out just because it’s the first community plan update in San Diego’s coastal zone in 40 years.

There’s a special meeting Wednesday night to finalize preparations for the Coastal hearing.

OB must descend on Chula Vista Thursday.

There is a bus leaving from the OB Rec Center. If you can drive and have room, please show up at the Rec Center at that time to give any rides to the spillover.

Also know that the OB Plan won’t probably be taken up until late in the afternoon. So bring food and patience. We must have a sizable show of support – much like at the Holiday Parade and of course last summer at the City Council.

Please come out – and wear your blue shirt.

Until further notice, this is the current schedule:

The first 40 people to show up will get a seat on the bus so it is advised that if you want a seat please be early. Individuals riding the bus should pack a lunch.

The hearing location is:

Chula Vista Council Chambers
276 Fourth Ave
Chula Vista, CA 91910

Bus Itinerary

Here is the itinerary for the bus that will be chartered on Thursday, August 13th for the California Coastal Commission hearing.

Date: Thursday, 08-13-2015

Departure: Ocean Beach to Chula Vista
Time: 10:00am
Pick-up: OB Rec Center
Address: 4726 Santa Monica Ave, SD, CA 92107
Dropoff: Chula Vista City Council Chambers
Address: 276 Fourth Ave Chula Vista CA 91910

Return Trip: Chula Vista to Ocean Beach
Time: Approximately 4:00PM – 5:00 PM
Pick-Up: Chula Vista City Council Chambers
Address: 276 Fourth Ave Chula Vista CA 91910
Drop Off: OB Rec Center
Address: 4726 Santa Monica Ave, SD, CA 92107