News and Notices for Ocean Beach : Mid-May 2017

Developer Busted at OB Planning Board for Misrepresenting Vacation Rental

Architect Scot Frontis, owner of Frontis Studio, appeared at the May 3rd meeting of the Ocean Beach Planning Board, and told the board he represented an owner who wanted to build a second house on a property at 4925 Saratoga Ave., which currently contains one one-story, craftsman-style cottages. Frontis said, “The owner is planning to move into the (proposed) back house and put his mother in the (existing) front house.” But it wasn’t true as neighbor Mercy Baron told the Board. For one, Vrbo.com lists the existing two-bedroom, 800-square-feet house as accommodations for up to 10 people at a total price of $274 per night. In the end, the Board voted unanimously to reject the proposal. See Anthony de Garate’s excellent account at the San Diego Reader of how Frontis and the developer-owner got busted.

Pharmacist Sentenced to 16 Years for Fatal Shooting in OB

A pharmacist found guilty of fatally shooting his roommate’s boyfriend in Ocean Beach was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday. Thomas Francis Burke, 33, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in April of killing 35-year-old Jess Robles in June 2016. Burke had faced a maximum of 21 years in prison. 10News

Owner of OB Cannabis Testing Chimes in on Proposed Rules for Marijuana Industry

Greg Magdoff, owner of marijuana testing facility PharmLabs in Ocean Beach, said an area where the restrictions are relatively loose is requiring cultivators to get all 10-pound batches tested, double the five-pound maximum many expected the state to require. That will lower testing costs by requiring them less often, which will help legal dispensaries stay competitive with illegal operations, Magdoff said. But he stressed that the testing rules are far from soft. A lab would have to either pick up samples at the supplier to make sure it’s representative of the larger batch, or they could bring the entire sample to the lab. And either way, the process would need to be videotaped and the recording saved for 60 days.  San Diego U-T

OB Farmers Market Celebrates 25th Anniversary

This May, the OB Farmers Market celebrates its 25th anniversary. There will be special activities at the market including giveaways like free commemorative reusable produce bags. On May 17, Councilwoman Lorie Zapf will be on hand to present a proclamation to the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association recognizing the quarter-century-old OB Farmers Market. The Market is open on Newport Ave each Wednesday, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (and until 7 p.m. in the winter months), and showcasing local vendors of all varieties.

Coastal Commission Approves Modified Permit for Pt Loma Treatment Plant

The California Coastal Commission Wednesday unanimously approved a modified permit for San Diego’s Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant, saving the city nearly $2 billion, according to local officials. … Without the modified permit, converting the plant for secondary treatment capabilities would have cost $1.8 billion. The city’s commitment to reducing ocean discharges and implementing the Pure Water program were factors in the commission’s decision to approve the modified permit, according to officials. Times of San Diego

Keeping Vinyl Alive: Interview with Owner of Cow Records

In the heart of Ocean Beach, roughly sandwiched between two adjacent pubs along the bustling street of Newport Avenue, lies Cow Records. Pleasant tunes from numerous generations of genres fill the crisp, beachside air pervading the establishment. Some 5,000 records almost paradoxically occupy the 1,100 square foot space, lining the floors, shelves, walls and any other crevice that will accommodate them. A handful of vinyls even dangle overhead, suspended by strings mounted to the ceiling above. Loma Beat

OB One of Top Neighborhoods for Off-Leash Dog Tickets But PB Wins with Most

Ocean Beach, Mission Beach and La Jolla landed among San Diego’s top-ticketed neighborhoods for off-leash dog violations. Those four areas, together with Mission Bay and Balboa parks, made up 90 percent of violations citywide. … Public records show at Pacific Beach — long a favorite among tourists and partygoers, and already a leader in tickets issued to bicyclists and jaywalkers — accounted for more off-leash dog citations than any other in San Diego since 2012. San Diego U-T

Ocean Beach Parking Lot at Antique Center in Stand-off

“We have very high-profile buyers from San Diego and Orange County ready to step up and buy the Antique Center property, but not with that shared parking agreement on the table,” said Tony Franco, the realtor handling the sale of the property. Franco said he is within 60 days of closing a deal if he can get the city onboard. “After 25 years, the owners are ready to retire.” The Antique Center is the largest parcel in Ocean Beach’s retail corridor. The 18,000-square-foot building at 4864 Newport sits on a 30,000-square-foot lot. The shared parking agreement is a thorn in the side of owners Scott Allgaier and Craig Gerwig. It’s something they both signed of their own free will in 2009, but Franco said they never would have if they had known it was going to be forever. They did it as a favor for their buddy Donald Purvis two blocks down (5059 Newport Avenue) at South Beach Bar & Grille. San Diego Reader

Famosa Slough Nature and Bird Walk May 20th

On Saturday, May 20, the friends of Famosa Slough will be hosting a Famosa Slough Nature and Bird Walk from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. as a part of the San Diego River Days second weekend of activities. Though it is estimated that 95 percent of California’s historical wetlands have been lost to development, one slough in that has survived human encroachment, albeit nearly completely surrounded by it, is Famosa Slough. Other than the small channel that runs under I-8 and Point Loma Boulevard to feed the marsh from the San Diego River Channel to the north, the preserve is entirely ringed by buildings and asphalt. San Diego Reader
Naval Base Point Loma Exposed to Tuberculosis

Personnel at Naval Base Point Loma may have been exposed to tuberculosis over the last six months, county health officials reported Monday, May 8th. Without providing information on the source of the exposure, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency has been working with the Navy to notify those at risk, according to Fox 5 San Diego. Officials report that the periods of exposure to TB were from Oct. 1 last year to Jan. 31 at the Old Town Complex, Building OT3, and from Feb. 1 to April 7 in the Topside Building. Navy Times

69th Annual Ocean Beach Kite Festival – May 13th at Dusty Rhodes Park

69th Annual Ocean Beach Kite Festival: Saturday, May 13th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Dusty Rhodes Park, on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, between West Point Loma and Nimitz boulevards, Ocean Beach. Free. (619) 225-8705, (619) 890-9397 or here. .

Local OB Breweries Take Home Winners

Beers from Belching Beaver, Mike Hess, Kilowatt, and Pizza Port Ocean Beach won awards at last month’s Los Angeles International Commercial Beer Competition and at theSan Diego International Beer Festival. San Diego U-T

OB EXPOSED Coming May 19th – Deadline May 17th

This year OB EXPOSED! – the Photographic Impressions of Ocean Beach & Point Loma is on May 19th, from 6pm to 8:30pm at the Masonic Center, 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., O.B. Deadline to submit entries (5 max except for historical photos) is May 17th.  See entry form for details.

OBTC Forum on Short Term Rentals – City Atty Mara Elliot to Attend – May 24

The OBTC will be hosting a public forum on Short term vacation rentals and they encourage your attendance to make your voice heard. The next OB Town Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 24 at 7:00 pm, 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA 92107. It has been confirmed that City Attorney Mara Elliot will be attending. The Mayor has been invited.

Dusty Rhodes Dog Owners Unite! at the Rec Council Meeting May 25th

OBTC Logo Design Contest

Point Loma Association Forum

6th Annual San Diego Surf Film Festival Showcases Journey from Homelessness

The sixth annual San Diego Surf Film Festival runs May 10-13 at Misfit Gallery, located at 565 Pearl Street, Suite 100 in La Jolla. Tickets range from $10 for one night to $125 for the Nautilus Pass that includes full festival access. The event is expected to sell out, so don’t wait to purchase your tickets here. At the Festival this weekend in La Jolla, an animated film about the journey to overcome homelessness will join the lineup of international surf films. Father Joe’s Villages’ Shine is a three-minute film that tells a story of hope intended to shift public perceptions of homelessness and inspire action. Festival-goers can catch Father Joe’s Villages’ Shine film on Friday, May 12 in the 7 – 9 p.m. film block and Saturday, May 13 during both the 5:45 – 7 p.m. and 7 – 9 p.m. blocks.