Meet the Ocean Beach Planning Board

Here’s a chance to “meet” the members of the OB Planning Board. And to think on attending their monthly meetings and even serving on the Board itself- currently, there are 3 vacancies. (All text and most photos from the OBPB website.)

About the OBPB

Purpose

The all-volunteer Ocean Beach Planning Board is recognized by the City of San Diego as the primary advisory group for land use and land development issues in the Ocean Beach community. One of over 40 community planning groups across the city, the Planning Board was formed by the San Diego City Council to make recommendations to the Mayor, City Council, Planning Commission, City staff, and other agencies on land use matters relating to the Ocean Beach Community Plan Area. [More below bios of members.]

Andrea Schlageter (Chair) – At Large

Andrea Schlageter was born and raised in the Ocean Beach Point Loma area. A graduate of Point Loma High School Class of 2009, she went on to study Political Science and International Relations at Boston University (’13).

She is thrilled to be back in America’s finest city and working on the Planning Board to help ensure that Ocean Beach maintains it’s unique neighborhood. She is also excited to be able to represent the needs of the younger and up and coming generations.

Kevin Hastings, P.E. (Vice Chair & Chair of Project Review Committee) – District 6

Kevin Hastings was born and raised in California, from the beach to inland Los Angeles, and in the small mountain town of Tehachapi. He graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a mechanical engineering degree and has worked in the profession for 15 years, gaining experience with design and construction of high-rises, single family homes, and commercial projects.

Kevin has lived in San Diego since 2004 and Ocean Beach since 2014. He has been active in the community, cleaning trash and graffiti from our beaches, volunteering his time at Town Council events, and fighting for OB’s interests at city hall. In his free time you might find him hiking our cliffs or at the dog park. Kevin and his wife Micki are raising their new family here and are committed to Ocean Beach for the long haul.

Craig Klein (Treasurer) – District 4

Graduate of USD School of law , JD-1981. OB resident since 1986 and commercial property owner since 1997. I have great memories of how OB was in the past and want to guide the future development of our community in a way that will preserve the unique small town feeling we all treasure.

Stephanie Villamizar (Secretary) – District 2

Stephanie Villamizar was born and raised in Southern California. After graduating Architecture school and traveling the world, she and her husband purchased their first home, a historical beach bungalow, here in Ocean Beach.

Stephanie brings 10+ years of architecture knowledge and experience in residential, commercial, and civic projects with an emphasis in historic preservation.

In her free time, you can find her grabbing a coffee and acai from one of our many local spots, working out at Performance 360 or taking a walk on the beach with her husband and their puppy. Stephanie was seated on the Ocean Beach Planning Board in April 2022 and is excited to represent the community!

Tracy Dezenzo (Chair of Transportation Committee) District 1

Tracy Dezenzo has been an OB resident for over 22 years and is proud to represent Ocean Beach’s District 1.

Tracy holds a BA in Fine Art (Photography) from UC San Diego and a BS in Graphic Design & Marketing from the Art Institute. She has been a graphic designer for over two decades, worked as a graphic design instructor for almost ten years, and is an award-winning graphic designer.

In December 2019, Tracy was appointed by Councilmember Jennifer Campbell and Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer, to represent San Diego’s District 2 on the San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture. She lives with her husband Bill and her poochbag Ava.

Nicole Ueno (Chair of Parks Committee) – District 7

A native OBcean, Nicole has a deep respect for the incredibly unique and tight-knit community of Ocean Beach. As a resident and business owner, she understands local issues and is passionate about listening to perspectives and ideas from the people who are most impacted by community planning & policies.

From volunteering with and donating to the OB Town Council, becoming a member of the OBCDC, and joining the OBMA’s Economic Vitality Committee, her record is one of engagement, action, and service.  She has a passion for helping Ocean Beach residents and businesses thrive, and is particularly interested in spaces and events that help build community.

Susan Booth At-Large

Susan Booth, PG is a California Professional Geologist with more than 35 years of program management experience for geologic and environmental site investigation, cleanup, and restoration projects in California, the Great Lakes Region, and along the eastern seaboard. She has worked as a consultant on a wide range of environmental projects for commercial and residential clients, as well as government agencies including the US Department of Energy, US Coast Guard, US Navy, US Marine Corps, and local agencies including the San Diego Unified Port District. She comes from family-owned construction firm that built some of the first paved roads and concrete bridges in Northeast Ohio. They owned and operated gravel pits; a stone dock and concrete batch plant on the shores of Lake Erie; and manufactured and sold bulk concrete, masonry blocks, sand and gravel, and other building and construction supplies for almost 100 years.

Susan has a BS degree in Geology from California State University East Bay and an AA degree in Photography from Grossmont Community College. She has lived in San Diego since 1997 and been a resident of Ocean Beach since 1999. Susan hopes that with her background in both the environmental and construction fields that she can be an asset to the OB Planning Board.

Chris Chalupsky – District 3

Chris Chalupsky oversees the Arts Program at San Diego International Airport with a focus on developing programming and partnerships with artists and arts organizations in the San Diego community. His 20+ years of experience in cultural arts and entertainment programming, including record label roles in the music industry of Los Angeles and staff for the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, reinforces the two through-lines of his life and career:  creativity + community.

Chris moved to Ocean Beach in 2016 after he and his wife Ashely strategically chose OB as their new, and final home (having previously lived in LA, OC, NYC and CHI).  They plan to raise their family here.  Chris hopes to bring his passion and expertise in civic government and arts administration to the OBPB for the betterment of all Obecians. His mission is to enrich lives through collaborative arts-based approaches & projects of the highest caliber.  He also has a personal interest in architecture.

Chris sits on the San Diego Regional Arts & Culture Coalition Steering Committee (SDRACC) and is a registered member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, & Publishers (ASCAP) and Songwriters of North America (SONA). He is a Minnesota native and an art creator himself, being a published songwriter and musician.

Tom Gawronski – District 6

Tom Gawronski earned his PhD in Molecular Biology from the Medical School at Dartmouth.  He worked almost 30 years Beckmann Instruments which became Beckman Coulter.

Tom moved back to OB in 1998 and is happy he did.

George McCalla – District 5

I was granted a BS in Forest Science and an MS in Range Science from Texas A&M University. My wife, Bev, and I bought our house in Ocean Beach 10 years ago and imported Bloomin’ Bossie, our painted cow, for our yard soon after. Bev and I retired and traveled for several years before we decided to go back to work so we could travel some more. I was a consultant in the area of renewable natural resources for several years, then due to travel demands, I started teaching in California secondary schools.

I began my teaching career in Life Sciences, but after 3 years, began teaching Special Education which included Severely Emotionally Disturbed and Resource students. Bev and I have volunteered at the Chili Cook Off, Christmas Parade, Octoberfest, Pancake Breakfast and other events such as Stand Down and the San Diego Blues Festival over the past several years. I became interested in a seat on the OB Planning Board because I thought it would be the best place for me to continue to contribute to the community Bev and I love. As a planning board member, I intend to do my best to ensure that new projects adhere to the Ocean Beach community plan and help OB maintain its unique character into the future.

Richard Merriman – District 2

Richard is a 35 year resident of San Diego, 27 year resident and home owner in Ocean Beach, a US Navy Veteran and SDSU graduate, 1992, B.S.E.E.

He brings over 25 years of experience with the US Navy, Civil Service, as an Engineer with NAVSEA and presently with Naval Information Warfare Center, (formerly SPAWAR SSC Pacific) to the Ocean Beach Planning Board.

Richard has been a member of the Board since October 2018.

Numan Stotz – District 5

Numan Stotz is proud to be a member of the Ocean Beach Planning Board, serving District 5.

As a born and raised local, he has seen Ocean Beach grow and change over time.
Numan has been a local real estate broker for nearly 15 years, buying, selling and managing anything associated with real estate, which is another reason Numan was excited and willing to make recommendations regarding real estate in a town he loves so much!

Numan was lucky enough to marry his favorite sweetie Annie, they have a crazy, fun son Grayson (6), and a princess bear Gianna (3).

Virginia Wilson – District 3

Virginia joined the OB Planning Board, October 2018.

She was appointed by Mayor Faulconer in June 2017 to represent San Diego’s District 2 on the Community Forestry Advisory Board and has been instrumental in the protection of some of the Ocean Beach Torrey Pines.

As a member of Save Peninsula Trees, she has also been a strong advocate for the City of San Diego’s “Free Tree” program and encourages developers, property owners and residents to keep existing trees onsite, plant new ones or apply for a “Free Tree” to increase the urban canopy in San Diego.

……………………

The Planning Board evaluates and makes recommendations on proposed development projects and permit applications as part of the City’s discretionary review process. It also advises the City on the preparation of, and amendments to, the Land Development Code, the General Plan, relevant community plans, and other land use matters affecting Ocean Beach as requested by the City or other government agencies. Additionally, the Planning Board provides the City with advice on other matters of concern to the Ocean Beach community whenever relevant.

Organization

The Planning Board consists of 16 elected members: 2 representatives from each of the seven districts that comprise the Ocean Beach Community Plan Area plus 2 at-large representatives. Terms are two years, with the two seats in each district staggered so elections occur in alternate years. Annual elections are held in March, and new terms typically begin in April after the election results are certified. The board may also appoint members on a discretionary basis to fill vacant seats. All members, whether elected or appointed, must meet the same requirements to serve.

The Board has four officers—Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer—who are appointed from within, typically following annual elections.

Committees

The Planning Board forms committees on an as-needed basis. Past committees have included the Community Plan Update Committee, the Project Review Committee, and the Elections Committee.

Meetings

As detailed on the Meetings page, the Ocean Beach Planning Board holds regular meetings on the first (1st) Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. The Board may also convene special meetings as necessary. Additionally, the Board’s various committees meet on an as-needed basis.

All Board and committee meetings are open to the public. Unless otherwise noted in the agenda, all meetings are held at:

Ocean Beach Recreation Center
4726 Santa Monica Ave
San Diego CA 92107
(map/directions)

Agendas for all meetings are published three days in advance. They can be found at the Meetings page, and also on the News Feed at the bottom of the every page. To be advised of upcoming agendas and other news, use the links at the bottom of this page to subscribe to Facebook, Twitter, or email updates.