This is a brief report of the OB Town Council meeting held Wednesday, July 27th, as usual at the Masonic Center on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. What we found out: the City has a new complaint website and App, there’s another 7-11 coming into OB, and the Town Council has set up its election schedule – half of its seats are up for re-election.
What with conflicts with a big-name concert, the continuing Democratic convention, and the heat – the gathering was a little sparse. Forty attendees were counted by the end of the meeting, but many of the city departments that serve OB did not have their usual reps present to make reports (SDPD, firefighters, life guards).
Tony, Matt and Laura unfurl the new banner on the OB Library’s centennial celebration.
“Get It Done” Webpage for City
One of the main presentations of the evening was by Conrad Wear, representative of Councilwoman Zapf’s office, on a brand new element of the City’s website called “Get it done” that makes it easy to report problems, especially street-related issues. There is also an App available. Here it is .
On the webpage – and with the App – citizens can report problems such as:
- dead animals
- storm drain problems
- abandoned vehicles
- potholes
- sidewalk cracks
- faded street striping
- graffiti
- traffic sign or signal problems
- tree hazards
Wear explained that there are 10 to 15 people staffing the Dispatch Center – which is the main intake line for the City. The Dispatch Center then routes the problem issues to the respective City departments. Park and Rec doesn’t see them, Wear said, unless they’re routed to them. In an answer to a question, Wear said that the responsibility for seawall graffiti is Park and Rec.
Friends of OB Library Prepping for September Centennial Celebration
Laura Dennison, hubby Dan, and Matt Beatty, head librarian at the OB Library branch, unfurled the Friends of the OB Library’s brand new banner – which announces the library’s centennial celebration which the Friends are organizing in September. (The OB branch is not 100 years old itself, but OB has had a library for a century – with the original one in the building where New Break Cafe is currently.)
You never know who’ll you find at an OB Town Council meeting. Here’s Gary Gilmore, with other half Beth to his left, and Denny Knox of the OBMA to his right.
OB Town Council Board Election Schedule
Board president Gretchen Newsom announced their upcoming tentative election schedule for Council, where half of its seats are open. Normally, the Board has 15 seats. The seats currently held by Gio Ingolia, Nate Bazydlo, Julie Eramo, Trudy Levenson, Mel Roark, Melanie Williams are up for grabs. (It’s not known at this time which termed-out Board members will be running for re-election.)
The basic requirements to run as a candidate are:
- Be a member in good standing – takes $20 to join – and the deadline to join in order to run is Sat., Aug. 20th;
- A candidate requires that one live, work, or own a business within Ocean Beach;
- Submit a Candidate Statement to the Board – deadline is Aug. 26th;
- Attend and introduce yourself at the Board’s meeting. For more info go here.
Second 7-11 Coming to OB
It was also announced that a second 7-11 market was coming into Ocean Beach – planned for the dry cleaners kitty corner to the Olive Tree at Sunset Cliffs and Narragansett. The company contacted the OBTC as it wants “community feedback” and also plans to hold a community forum.
And a big issue is the 7-11 seeking an alcohol sales permit. Because it wants a permit for off-site consumption, it needs to go before the OB Planning Board. It’s not known whether the 7-11 permit is on the agenda of the next meeting of the OBPB, set for August 3rd.
This won’t happen for another year, as the dry cleaners still have that time on their lease. When Newsom asked for a hand count in support of the new 7-11, only 2 went up.
Other News
Vacancy on Board – there is currently a seat vacant – and the Board is looking to appoint someone to hold that seat for the 2 months until the next election (and that person would have to run as a candidate).
Position on Short Term Vacation Rentals – the Board is in the process of drafting its position on short term vacation rentals in response to a presentation by Save San Diego Neighborhoods recently – the organization opposes the vacation rentals.
OBTC Instrumental in Plastic Bag Ban – Newsom announced that she and her board are very proud of the recent decision by the City Council to enact a plastic bag ban ordinance. “This Board was instrumental in getting the plastic bag ban,” she said.
Joint Meeting with Planning Board on Repaving Newport
At the next public meeting of the Town Council on Wednesday, August 24th, there will be a joint session (no, not that kind) between the Council and the OB Planning Board on the repaving of Newport Avenue. That meeting will also be the OBTC Candidate Forum.
The Board announced the winners of its Community Grant Awards – see separate post.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Hopefully, we’ll soon find out if the new 7-11 is on the OB Planning Board’s agenda for Aug. 3rd.
Oh boy – another 7-11, just what OB needs! And right across from a genuine local market, Olive Tree – that will sure help the economy, huh Byron Wear. And more booze, right on! Southern OB really doesn’t have enough alcohol establishments.
I like to drop in at Olive Tree, to pick up a deli sandwich or maybe a cooked chicken. Olive Tree is a locally owned home grown mom and pop place like the other independently owned family businesses I frequent in OB. For a late night visit, I have stopped in a Victory Liquor, just a block away for the past 35 years…
I can’t wait until Jensen’s opens on Catalina and Talbot. Long overdue.
Next Question?
This constant heckling of Byron on here has got to stop. It makes a reasonable person want to tune you out entirely. Go ahead and disagree, but at least wait until he has said something!
Ugh. OB needs a second 7-11 like it needed a second big chain ‘pharmacy’ in CVS. “It was announced…” ? I wonder how this actually happened?
So excited about the new 7-11. Because Victory liquor is like 65 steps further away, sooo inconvenient. 7-11 is great because they sell PBR and stogies in singles so I can take them to the cove (and leave them there).
LOL.
Meh. 7-Eleven isn’t exciting, but there are a lot of worse chains I could think of (almost any of them). If I still lived in the neighborhood, though, I likely wouldn’t spend much time there – Olive Tree has their killer deli, a lot better beer selection than Sevvies will ever have, and a bunch of cool boutique food options I enjoyed on the rare occasion I could afford them. I don’t buy much from 7-Eleven aside from giant cups of Gatorade when I’m out working in the sun.
The ugly truth is that 7-Eleven exist because we spend money there.
The only good thing about having a 7 Eleven in south OB is that it is open 24 hours. There have been too many times where I would like to purchase something to eat or drink late at night and my only options in south OB are…. nothing.
the Thai place is open until 10pm, and Rite Aid 24 hours for some frozen stuff. 7 eleven is moving there so they can sell booze to visitors until midnight.
7-11 at Catalina and Voltaire can sell alcohol till 0200. I don’t know of anywhere in Ca.
that still sells alcohol that late, not that I’m complaining.
How about as many 7/11’s as tasting rooms? Or 7/11’s with tasting rooms?
Between CVS and 7-11 — might be able to get groceries.