Ocean Beach, Point Loma, West Clairemont and the Midway Voted Against Measure E
OB, Point Loma, West Clairemont, and a few other neighborhoods, including the Midway District voted against Measure E. It won overall, 57% to 43%. Areas in orange voted against the measure and those in green for it. (See SD U-T here.)
It’s Official! Jen Campbell Is Running for City Council President
District 2 Councilmember Jen Campbell is running for President of the San Diego City Council. Among other duties, the City Council President sets the Council agenda and has appointing authority for Council committees. The newly elected City Council will be sworn into office and elect the City Council President on December 10, 2020. As part of her resume for the position, Campbell touts that she “proposed first-in-the-nation regulations on short-term vacation rentals to protect the existing housing supply for local residents,” as her announcement claims. Plus this: “Councilmember Campbell also ushered the Midway Planning Group proposal onto the ballot to exempt the community planning area from antiquated zoning rules that limited new development to 30 feet or less. Removing this restriction from the Midway area will promote long-needed rejuvenation while increasing San Diego’s housing stock, jobs and revenue creation.”
Joel Allen Named New Football Coach for Point Loma High
Point Loma High School has just named Joel Allen, 36, the head coach at The Bishop’s School, to lead the Pointers. Allen spent 12 years at The Bishop’s School from 2009-2020 where he compiled a record of 100-35-1, a .739 winning percentage. As the scoop from The Beacon reports: “His teams went undefeated in four of those seasons and won six Coastal League titles. Six of his teams went to the CIF Finals, winning three times. He coached a California state championship team in 2010 and was named state Coach of the Year by prep athletic site MaxPreps. He also guided a Southern California championship team and a state runner-up in 2016. Also at The Bishop’s School, he was named CIF Athletic Director of the Year in 2014-2015.” Allen accepted the job on Saturday, November 7, as announced by principal Kelly Lowry.
Winstons Closing Temporarily
According to an online post from Ted Wigler at Winstons, the nightclub “is closing its doors temporarily, until something gives.” Their last day was Sunday, Nov. 8. Wigler said, and “until we are able to either get another loan from Washington, a grant OR if live music starts up again, and we don’t see any of those things happening anytime soon.” Sunday was also the final football Sunday. San Diego Reader
OB Restaurant Walk 2020, “Take-Out Edition” – Nov. 9 – 12
The OB Restaurant Walk 2020 will feature a take-out edition for four nights. The fundraising event sponsored by the OB Town Council with the assistance of OB MainStreet Association will take place Monday through Thursday, Nov. 9-12. According to their promo, “This year’s Restaurant Walk will follow safety guidelines provided by the State, County, and City to bring the community a unique curated experience highlighting OB establishments.” Proceeds directly support OBTC initiatives like the OB Food and Toy Drive, and OB Holiday Tree and Parade.
Restaurant Walk participants should bring their digital or printed receipt to the designated check-in station Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at Ocean Beach Mainstreet Association, 1868 Bacon St., from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday’s check-in station will be We Be OB at 5020 West Point Loma Blvd. Restaurant locations will be open for pickup until 9 p.m. Upon arrival, each guest will receive a paper ticket/map, and a custom OB tote bag to collect the tastings from each featured restaurant. Once all items have been collected, attendees will have a delicious spread that can be taken home or enjoyed at your favorite open-air park or space. Go here for much more info.
Nov. 9 – La Dona, BBQ House, Noodle House 1502, The Harp, Pizza Port, Newport Quick Stop, Dirty Birds, Lighthouse Ice Cream, Nova Brewing (coupon), Wow Cafe (coupon).
Nov. 10 – The Joint, The Holding Company, OB Surf Lodge, Blue Water Seafood, Wonderland Ocean Pub, Raglan Public House, Kilowatt (coupon), Wow Cafe (coupon).
Nov. 11 – We Be OB, Mother’s Saloon, OB Noodle House, People’s Organic Food Market, Voltaire Beach House, Daybreak Island Grill, Lucy’s, Mike Hess (coupon), Beach Sweets, Wow Cafe (coupon).
Nov. 12 – Mad Munch Grilled Cheezer Co., Mr. Moto Pizza, Soi Ocean Beach, OB Brewery, Black Sands Hula Lounge, Cafe Bella Newport, Nova Hard Kombucha (coupon), Sunnie’s (coupon), Wow Cafe (coupon).
La Doña Debuts in Former Nati’s Space
La Doña has debuted in the space where Nati’s Mexican Restaurant was for nearly 60 years – at the corner of Bacon Street and Niagara Avenue in Ocean Beach. Co-owners Brendan Huffman and Hoffman Leung, part of the Social Syndicate, a San Diego-based restaurant development group founded in 2014, has brought on chef and Tijuana native Gabby Lopez to bring homespun Mexican cuisine to 1852 Bacon St.
Port Master Plan Is Back
A revised draft for the Port Master Plan Update has concentrated future hotel rooms on Harbor Island while preserving both La Playa piers and the Marlin Club sportfishing on Shelter Island. Port spokesperson Brianne Page said public testimony on the master plan update taken at Board of Port Commissioners’ meetings was reflected in direction by commissioners to staff. Those directions call for: Moving proposed Shelter Island hotel rooms to Harbor Island; maintaining the 30-foot building height limit; keeping La Playa piers open to the public with docks remaining private; no reconfiguration of Scott Street; keeping the La Playa trail natural and clarifying master plan update language.
The revised PMPU is now out for public review. After that, Port staff will sift through all the public comments received, and hopes to wrap it all up before the end of 2021. The Port encourages and welcomes additional public feedback and looks forward to continued community engagement. To review the PMUP Revised Draft and provide feedback, go to portofsandiego.org/pmpu. Feedback will be accepted through Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Fencing at Dog Beach
Here is most of a report from Beacon writer, Dave Schawb about the Ocean Beach Estuary Project, a project to enhance and extend existing beach fencing – separating humans and canines from environmentally sensitive areas – proposed at Dog Beach. City park ranger Araceli Dominguez has now pitched the idea to both the OB Planning Board and the OB Town Council. Approved by the Planning Board in October, vice chair Kevin Hastings, stated: “It’s adding wood slats to prevent people and dogs from crossing the existing rope barriers into areas that are already off-limits. People and dogs can still access the entire sandy beach, including from paths crossing over the dunes. Dog Beach is massive, so I don’t see anything controversial about keeping people out of the bird habitat and vegetation.”
Mark Winkie sounded positive about the project when he stated, “This is a very popular project and there is not really anybody against it. It’s really important to have the funding to keep the fencing up, and not let it go into disrepair so it becomes a bit of an eyesore.” Dominguez said, “This whole section of the river is under Mission Beach’s Master Plan, not Ocean Beach’s. I want to focus on the wetlands, emphasizing Smiley Lagoon wetlands, which are not the same as the beach.” She continued, “We all benefit from wetlands, which contain about 35% of all endangered and threatened animal and plant species, which depend on wetlands in some way, shape or form. Marsh birds are only found in this particular habitat which provides a nursery and breeding grounds for fish, shellfish and waterfowl. It’s estimated that more than 50% of wetlands have been irreversibly altered or destroyed. Only by working together can this habitat be protected.”
Dominguez pointed out environmentally sensitive habitat adjacent to Dog Beach has been disturbed by humans and transient encampments, as well as having been polluted by dog feces that ultimately finds its way into the ocean. “More than 259 piles of dog feces were recently counted in one eight-hour shift, and those feces contaminates water, posing a threat to our health and our dog’s health,” she noted. The park ranger said the solution proposed is to upgrade and extend existing fencing in the area, some of which is in disrepair, with sand fencing specially designed for coastal areas. “You can see through the slats, and animals can still go in and out from it,” Dominguez said adding, “It’s rather less costly than other fencing we’ve looked
OB “Unofficial Census”
A writer at The Reader took an unofficial census from different neighborhoods; here’s the report from OB, from a safe six feet away, unofficial, unscientific, and unnecessary findings: Ocean Beach – Newport Street outside Hodad’s, 3:50 pm – 5:20 pm:
- Tattooed young women holding hula hoops while skateboarding: 1
- Golf carts bearing Nebraska Cornhusker football bumper stickers: 1
- Skinny, black-clad hippie throwbacks loitering on the corner and begging for money: 2
- People walking by on westbound sidewalk (one minute): 18
- People walking by on westbound sidewalk (one minute) sporting visible tattoos: 15
- Ostensible adults on scooters running the stop sign: lost count
- People with dwarfism in line at Hodad’s: 1
- 1950s vintage Rolls Royces on nearby streets: 1
Couple Stranded at Bottom of Cliffs
A couple’s relaxing evening on a Sunset Cliffs beach took a frightening turn when they found themselves in total darkness and unable to climb up the steep incline. The rescue call went out at 7:19 p.m. on Oct. 29 and sent lifeguards and San Diego Fire-Rescue crews from several stations to the cliffs at the intersection of Monaco Street. The first engine on the scene, observing the darkness at the site, put in a call for Copter 2, a department resource, to provide lighting for personnel. Crews used the fully extended aerial ladder from Truck 20 to reach out over the cliffs. A system of ropes was used to lower rescuers to the beach where the uninjured man and woman were trapped. From there, each was raised separately with a firefighter, beginning with the woman, to safe ground above. A crowd of about 100 watched the complex operation, attracted by the helicopter and flashing lights of the half dozen fire vehicles and police blocking access to the scene. Once brought to safety, each offered identification to police officers. When finished, the couple sauntered off towards Ocean Beach as rescuers began the half-hour task of retrieving hundreds of feet of rope and retracting the huge aerial ladder. San Diego Community News Group
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Let me reiterate that: Midway voters rejected Measure E.
San Diego mayoral candidate Barbara Bry conceded the election on Monday, clearing the way for challenger Todd Gloria to take the title and make several firsts for the city.
Bry said she called Gloria on Sunday to congratulate him. As of the latest tally, Gloria was ahead in the race by nearly 12 points.
First in the nation control of short term rentals? When I looked into taking a job in Mammoth Lakes something like 30 years ago, I learned that they had a ordinance on the books that prohibited short term rentals in single family zoned areas. STVRs were only allowed in condo zoned areas. In fact, I think they were only allowed in multi-unit buildings.
I have to chuckle about the claim that 250 piles of dog poo is polluting Dog Beach and the San Diego River. I’m sure it is, but context is important. How about the thousands of drug addicts who live in the San Diego River bottom from Lakeside to Mission Valley. Where do you think they poop and pee?
“It’s Official! Jen Campbell Is Running for City Council President” – Time to heat up the recall campaign.
“Joel Allen Named New Football Coach for Point Loma High” – We will see how well Aleen does at a school that cannot offer scholarships to kids anywhere in country as his previous school did.
“Fencing at Dog Beach” Despite being asked directly for substantiation of the claim about dog feces, the ranger had none, and this was asked after the OBPB presentation. It was disappointing to see she made no change in her presentation and continued with the fear-based tactic people have tried to use for years against Dog Beach. The amount of pollution from dog shit is dwarfed by what washes down the river. If there was ever a direct connection between water quality and the dogs at the beach, one would think the authorities would have shut the beach down long ago to dogs.