Where is the Coastal Resiliency Board Hiding? Thoughts from a Native OBcean attending the OB Planning Board Meeting

By Lynne Miller

First: These were my thoughts  after attending the Ocean Beach Planning Board meeting Tuesday, August 5, at the OB Rec Center. The meeting was one hour, and a big thank you to the OBPB for taking the time to research, conduct meetings, and for being available to OBceans. Without your willingness to serve we would have no lifeline to the City Leadership!

The ‘what’? The CRMP, the Coastal Resilience Master Plan Board! Remember about a year ago we stuffed ourselves into a very hot, overcrowded room at the OB REC! The chair of the Resiliency Advisory Board, Julie Chase, that day, was faced by a kind of mutiny. Neighbors insisted that the structure of the meeting change from a cooperative learning activity to a larger meeting where all questions and ideas were heard.

Remember? So the committee took a whole bunch of information that was written on big poster papers. We thought that would result in ‘back to the drawing board’ for CRMP. We think that might have happened, but we don’t know? Next, there was a follow-up ZOOM meeting, and many people online asked questions, and like the first meeting, the committee went away with a lot of things to consider. What happened? For us, in the community, we are still waiting. I guess there is a draft online, but no locals have been able to talk to anyone on the committee. Twice, or three times, City Hall has removed CRMP from the agenda, and when that happens the plan
mysteriously disappears from the City Website. How convenient, confusing, and defeating.

Last night,at the very small Ocean Beach Planning Board, there was a speaker, the assistant administrator from Jen Campbell’s office, Manuel Reyes [MaReyes@sandiego.gov]. He spoke briefly, and the CRMP was mentioned by the Planning Board. I spoke, “I came to this meeting today to ask how to get in touch with
the Coastal Resilience Master Plan Board. Many locals have questions and cannot get in touch with the board.” I am still baffled by his answer: “There is no CRMP Board.”

The response should not have surprised me — it is the way our city leaders confuse us while their plans go forward. I continued, “We all attended a meeting here about the CRMP, and a committee or group presented, and they presented a second meeting online on zoom. We have not been able to talk to anyone since, and we have a lot of questions.”

Again I heard “there is no board” from Jen Campbell’s assistant. When I asked who we contact with concerns and questions I was told, contact me (Manuel Reyes). Go for it neighbors, ask away. MaReyes@sandiego.gov. An audience member spoke as Mr Reyes pushed through the exit door, “There is a board.” From an OBPB member, “there is a new updated Resiliency plan as of this month, and the contact is Julie Chase.” chasej@sd.gov.

Again, write write write and ask you questions. CRMP ‘plans’ several projects in California. In San Diego, they plan such things as Sunset Cliffs (one way street project and expanded park pathways), Dog Beach, and the bathroom relocation. Correct me if I am wrong. The city government, our elected officials, set in motion changes, and they set up the rules to engage the community. For the CRMP they set up two meetings which I assume met ‘their’ rules of engagement.

Meanwhile, we are still waiting for the Coastal Zone responses to the project, I think. No one to ask, we, the public are in the dark again. Where is the most current Coastal Resiliency Master Plan draft? It was UP on the City website, UNTIL it was removed from Agenda, and then it was taken down. (Twice or thrice this happened.) WHY? There is a cloak of secrecy throughout our city government that makes research and collaboration almost impossible, unless of course, you are a developer and/or a financier. Did you know that if you want to ‘see’ a construction project you can go to wherever DSD lands, and you can look at the project. But you will be supervised, and the rules are no notes, and no photos. I hope you have a photographic memory.

Why are there close to 50 plans in San Diego, plans that, on paper are similar to the Coastal Resilience Master Plan? We in OB/PL know about the Coastal Resilience
Master Plan (which may now be approved by Coastal Commission, I don’t know). Did you know that there are other plans all over the city? Why? What are they? Who suggests them, creates them, and more importantly who FUNDS them and BENEFITS from them?

In order to understand any of this, we citizens are forced to add to our skill sets– DETECTIVE. I feel a lot like Inspector Clouseau, stumbling through a world that
profiteers and land thieves invent. At least Inspector Clouseau knew he was looking for the Pink Panther. We are in search of tracking and exposing systems that are not as simple as an oversized diamond. However, money is the motive, and confusion, chaos, and new laws block our views, literally and intentionally.

Speaking of following the money, the government is building their own kinds of communication loops, mirroring the cul de sacs that are packed with too many houses
and too many cars. What do we do?

If we are not smart enough to get the current leaders voted out, we might as well sell our property to the highest bidding developer and leave the not so fine city. Hey, our
property prices are inflated beyond reason, and the state wants tiny homes stacked to the clouds. Seriously, not sure of the numbers but upwards of a million have run from California laws that deplete them of their money, freedom, and way of life. It is not a bad choice.

If however, you choose to stay, you have probably joined a local organization that is fighting back. So many great groups have ‘risen’ in the past few months and years. But we arrived after the war started, and have a lot of ground to regain. I don’t have the answers but I know if we don’t fight , ‘they’ win. Even if we suddenly get very organized and lawyered-up, ‘they’ have new laws and State mandates that make the battles unfair.

May I talk about money for a moment? Who is providing the money for any of the plans? I don’t think we have billionaire donors providing public transit for dogs to be
transported to Dog Beach. I don’t think any residents will pay for moving a big stinky beach bathroom within a sniff of their home. Who would fund sand dunes that have
been unsuccessful over the years? Where will the city get the money? The simple answer is taxpayers. Considering that there is a grand jury indictment hanging over the
heads of past San Diego Councils to the tune of $48 million I think we all have the right to question the plans (50 or so), the funding, and the philosophy that drives the plans.

Happy notes:

• Human Trafficking has been increased to a felony. Another surprise, it wasn’t already a felony?
• Cal Trans will be in charge of cleaning up embankments that border freeways, but not all embankments. This could be bad news, if you think about funding. Our detective extraordinaire discovered that many of the current OB projects have no funding. When she followed the money, Cal Trans was the source of funding for some of the projects. Huh? I thought we had to keep our cookie jars straight?
• Airport reconstruction is moving along, and Sept 14th there will be an Open House.
• CIP Capital Improvement Funds are available to anyone who wants to apply. However the deadline is quickly approaching. Before you take your money and fly to Idaho or Texas pick something you love about San Diego. Anything, there is so much! Then find a group that is active and support them.
• Just a heads up to WeBeOB. Might want to check with the City Planning Department, or OBPB regarding a Gate that will be placed soon, perhaps on the border of your property. It is going to stop entry to Robb Field and could impact your parking. WeBeOB, I love your community spirit and fund raising for the health of children!