Currently, there’s a push by Point Loma residents to create a mini-park at the Del Monte Avenue overlook. Del Monte is the only Ocean Beach east-west street that doesn’t go all the way through due to the steep climb of the hill. The dead-end at the top of the hill has served as a stopping off point for generations of locals. It has one of the best views of OB and the ocean below.
Now, due to residents’ complaints of sunset and night-time crowds, their noise and trash, the city and the Peninsula Community Planning Board are mulling over options for the small space.
One idea is to transform the site into a mini-park with benches and landscaping – and importantly – to block vehicles from accessing the overlook. Peninsula planners were asked by the city on whether to install bollards (short posts to keep cars out) or some other type of barricade.
One problem with any barricades is that it is a public right of way and one residence uses it to access their own driveway.
Even though the site is within the jurisdiction of the Peninsula planning area, the Ocean Beach Community Planning board was asked their opinion. In a letter to the city, OB Planning board chair, Andrea Schlageter, said they wanted to relocate the vehicle barrier 15 feet back and narrow the driveway easement to 10 feet. The OB planners also wanted to add benches “with the intention of that space being maintained as a pocket park,” wrote Schlageter. The OB board voted 8 to 7 on the motion. Schlageter explained:
“The dissenting votes were from board members who did not want to opine on things that were outside of our planning group. Although, the overall consensus was that we did not like how the bollards are placed. But the community is invested in keeping that an open access to the public.”
The pandemic has found crowds enjoying certain places, like Sunset Cliffs, which have brought even more complaints from residents. It’s unclear what will happen when the pandemic subsides and locals resume pre-Covid behavior.
Before Covid struck, the only real crowds that gathered at the overlook were on July 4th to watch the OB fireworks from the Pier – when there were fireworks. (They’ve been cancelled for the second year in a row. The issue of the fireworks, in general, is frankly another issue, as some have voiced ideas of doing away with them permanently and replacing them with color laser shows and displays. But that is another issue.)
The view from the overlook. Note trash on the ground, but also note the trash receptacle is overflowing and doesn’t look like it has been emptied for a while.
In the meantime, city staff are supposed to be coming forth with their recommendations for the overlook in a month and half or so.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Wish the city would fix the del monte ave ocean overlook, bermuda beach stairs, ob tidepools area, etc….what a neglected neighborhood
I’d LOVE to put a labyrinth there in that redone pocket park–what an idyllic spot for a walking meditation/prayer path! Seems like one could get a 30-foot diameter circle in there without blocking the neighbor’s driveway. :-)
Yay we could walk in circles all day!!
Mr. Gormle. Can you possibly complain any more? I just had a heart attack at 34 years old and it has given me a completely different perspective. Your obsession with these “injustices” are entirely misplaced. The most aggression I’ve seen in San Diego is your rag.
I would like to ask you a queation….why are you so angry?
I just performed cpr on a homeless person. Broke his ribs trying to keep him alive. I’m c19 vac but I tried to breath his lungs back to life. It didn’t work and I watched him die and the life leave his eyes. Life is too short to worry about any of this.
I have no idea what you’re talking about. There is no anger or complaint in this article. Perhaps having a heart attack at the age of 34 is a warning sign that something’s not healthy.
If the Del Monte overlook becomes a park I’d like to be the forst to offer my condolences to residents in that community. When the parking lots at Sunset Cliffs were closed during he pandemic all the traffic got pushed into the neighborhoods. The results were crowds partying in streets of the residential neighborhoods every night at sunset. Neighbors had trash thrown in the street, and lawns as well as their lawns & streets use as public toilets. Resident complaints to our district council representative were passed off to the mayor’s office and went unanswered.
I recognize the pandemic situation was an anomaly. However, having lived in the Sunset Cliffs neighborhood for 20+ years I can tell you from my personal experiences even without the restrictions imposed by the pandemic many of the issues I stated above remain. With a approach of summer neighbors can expect nightly sunsets with reckless drivers, yards used as trash cans and public toilets, loud music and fire crackers going off until early into the morning hours on the weekends.
I get it. Those of us who live here don’t own the public streets, or Sunset Cliffs Park.
It’s just so disheartening to see this beautiful area being destroyed.
For those who live in the community where the Del Monte overlook park is being proposed this is your future. If you can stop this pocket park project it’s in your best interest to do so.