Month: April 2024

By Liam Dillon / LA Times – Yahoo News / Mon, April 29, 2024

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has ruled that a landmark law ending single-family-home-only zoning in California is unconstitutional, a decision that could lead to the law being invalidated in the state’s largest cities.

Judge Curtis Kin determined that Senate Bill 9 does not provide housing restricted for low-income residents and therefore cannot override state constitutional protections afforded to local zoning practices.

COST TO BUILD??? COST TO MAINTAIN??? WTF???

By Geoff Page

For anyone who may not be aware, the City is conducting a fourth survey of opinions about a new OB pier. This survey followed the last public workshop the city held on Saturday, April 6 at Liberty Station.

So, imagine going to a car dealer who brings you out three cars to look at: a VW Bug, a Ford RAV, and a full sized, four-door, black BMW sedan, with no pricing on them, and being asked, which one you “preferred.” The BMW would be the winner for sure.

Then, the dealer shows you a list of fancy options and asks which ones you ‘prefer” and you go for heated seats of fine leather and other unnecessary niceties, with no pricing.

by Amber Coakley / April 27, 2024

There’s some bizarre sea creatures washing ashore along the Southern California coastline. They can be described as jellyfish-like blobs that are shaped like oval discs. Known as Velella velellas, this marine species lives on the surface of the open ocean.

With other names like sea raft, purple sail, little sail and by-the-wind sailor, this sea creature has a “sail” rising vertically from the center of its bodies. Jessica Rodriguez, the education and communications manager at a popular whale watching tour agency in Newport Beach, California, said velella velellas are not always around.

By Greg Moran /inewsource / April 24, 2024

San Diego Port District commissioners dug in harder against a bill pending in the state Legislature that would require ethics and governance changes to the agency, saying they would support it so long as large sections were cut and several amendments included.

At a special meeting Monday afternoon the commissioners voted 6-1 to oppose AB 2783, a bill from San Diego Assemblymember David Alvarez, unless changes covering funding, ethics reform and governance of the board were adopted.

Public Service Announcement

Ridership is surging on a free airport shuttle from the Old Town Transit Center, showing growing local demand for the more direct airport-transit connection that regional planners have been studying for years.

Despite no marketing campaign and minimal promotion, annual ridership rose by 73 percent on the shuttle from 2022 to 2023 — 75,680 passenger trips in 2022 versus 130,912 passenger trips in 2023.

Last week, U-T writer Lori Weisberg did a lengthy piece about the new “overhaul” for Belmont Park that “could bring new rides and reinvented beachfront restaurant” to the hundred year old amusement park in Mission Beach. She recounted in glowing terms the new rides, new restaurants and attractions Belmont Park is –or will be getting once Coastal Com’ish authority is obtained.

It’s always been a challenge to lure those “sunbathers and passersby strolling the boardwalk to venture inside.” And every decade or so, owners of the park engage in a new overhaul with new upgrades, rides, bars and eateries.

Why it was just a decade ago — that Weisberg did another glowing report on the “new” Belmont Park back in September 2014

As pro-Palestinian protests have erupted on college campuses nationwide, protesters — including students and faculty — have been arrested. The protests grew after an encampment on the campus of Columbia University in New York City led to the arrest of more than 100 protesters on April 18.

There’s a new burger joint in OB — Wow! Really? Aren’t there too many in OB already?

Well, this one is called “Bar-Food” and it’s different. It is open seven days a week from noon to 2 a.m and can be found at 5026 Newport Ave.

Here’s more why it’s different: “When you walk through the doors of this Ocean Beach burger joint, you’ll be swept away by a punk rock 90s vibe.”

By Jennifer van Grove / San Diego Union-Tribune / April 24, 2024

San Diego International Sports Arena, the imposing concrete venue in the Midway District and the longtime home of the San Diego Gulls, is worthy of special recognition ahead of its expected demolition. On Thursday, San Diego’s Historical Resources Board voted unanimously, with Chair Tim Hutter recused, to designate the 58-year-old sports arena as a historic resource.

The San Diego City Council recently approved a nearly $3.2 million settlement in a federal lawsuit case, Michael Bloom, et al. v. City of San Diego, which challenged the existing Vehicle Habitation Ordinance. The settlement set new rules for how the City is allowed to enforce its ordinances against unhoused people who sleep in their vehicles or RVs during a three-year period.

VEHICLE HABITATION ORDINANCE

City Municipal Code Section 86.0137 prohibits the use of streets for storage, service, or sale of vehicles or for habitation stating: It is unlawful for any person to use a vehicle for human habitation on any street or public property, unless specifically authorized for such use by the city manager: