Author: Source

‘You cannot manage anything you cannot measure’

By Ashley Mackin-Solomon / La Jolla Light / May 8, 2021

Hoping to find quantitative data that can measure the impact of short-term rentals under the city of San Diego’s new ordinance, the La Jolla Community Planning Association will work with the Ocean Beach Planning Board on a set of metrics to submit to the city.

The idea came from the San Diego Community Planners Committee, which has representation from all the city’s planning groups. The metrics were to be taken back to the groups for feedback before a final list is voted on this month.

The new STR ordinance was signed into law in April and is to be reviewed annually for effectiveness. “We already know STRs impact our quality of life,” said Ocean Beach Planning Board Chairwoman Andrea Schlageter.

by Bill Powers/ Times of San Diego / May 8, 2021

Point Loma Nazarene University’s Fermanian Business & Economic Institute on April 27 published a summary review of public power for San Diego. The review somehow concluded that San Diego transitioning to a nonprofit public utility would have an uncertain impact on rates and little impact on the city’s struggle to deal with climate change.

Unfortunately, the Fermanian review relies on misinformation, worst-case assumptions and omissions to make its case. The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce paid for the review. The chamber was the recipient of over $250,000 in dues and contributions from Sempra and its affiliate San Diego Gas & Electric in 2020. There is no mention

Save the Libraries: Part II

By Colleen O’Connor

Why, ask yourself, is the 8th largest city in the country unable to completely fund its libraries?

Why, with a Democratic-majority City Council, are buckets of taxpayer monies found for a convention center expansion (in the middle of a pandemic); while gutting the greatest aid where it would do the most good?

Granted the outcry from the “friends of the library;” the users of the libraries; the Library Foundation; and the parents of the children without Internet access and a refuge to read; managed to get the Mayor “promise to reduce the cuts.”

The sizeable blowback was politically significant,

In March and April, the City of San Diego Historical Resources Board (HRB) designated ten new historical resources, and among these there are three in Point Loma: 4415 Long Branch Avenue, 977 Albion Street, and 3551 Garrison Street.

Here they are – from Save Our Heritage Organization‘s May – June newsletter:

By Thomas Ultican / Tultican

Laurene Powell Jobs and Amplify Education are hosting a “Virtual Summit” which is what they’re calling this May’s sales event. Jobs is very confident that her billions qualify her to shape education policy.

In her drive to privatize public education, she has accumulated and created several pro-edtech and anti-teacher organizations.

By Colleen O’Connor

Some House Republicans are prepping a vote to remove, Wyoming’s Rep. Liz Cheney, the highest-ranking woman in the House GOP, from her #3 Leadership post.

“There is no way that Liz will be conference chair by month’s end. When there is a vote, it won’t be a long conference [meeting]; it will be fast. Everyone knows the outcome,” opined Republican.

This will be the second such attempt. Cheney survived the first such effort; 145 to 61. A secret ballot.

Cheney’s grievous offense? Calling out Trump on his “BIG LIE” trying to overturn the 2020 election results and his participation in the January 6th Capitol insurrection. “What he did on January 6 is a line that cannot be crossed.”

By MacKenzie Elmer / Voice of San Diego / May 3, 2021

Like a Nutrition Facts label listing the ingredients for the kind of energy powering your home, SDG&E’s latest Power Content Label shows the utility is providing less renewable energy than previously thought — and advertised by the utility.

That means SDG&E has a longer road ahead in reaching goals recently announced to drastically lower planet-warming gases the company’s products emit into the atmosphere.

The global economy has about a decade to drastically cut its use of fossil fuels

May Events From the Ocean Beach Green Center
All events are online and free unless stated otherwise.

* May 10th Monday 11 am History of Women’s Suffrage Through Art Part 2: The Intersection of Women’s Rights and Civil Rights
* May 12th Wednesday 6:30 pm – 8 pm Join us to discuss our May Book Club book “Crusade for Justice-The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells”
* May 13th Thursday 5:30 pm Immigration Updates Webinar
* May 13th Thursday 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Event by I Love A Clean San Diego Cooking Up Change: Zero Waste Cooking Demo
* May 13th Thursday 6 pm Water Issues in San Diego County, Clean Ups, and Advocacy 101
* May 16th Sunday 4 pm – 5:30 pm Showing Up for Racial Justice San Diego Meeting
* May 16th Sunday 2 pm – 4 pm Coronado BLM Caravan Event by Caravan for Justice

AND MUCH MORE – COME INSIDE

Here’s how TreeWatch San Diego works to protect our urban forest.

By Carolyn Chase / San Diego Union-Tribune OpEd / April 26, 2021

While big events like the EarthFair in Balboa Park were delayed for the second April in a row by COVID-19, the annual observation of Earth Day still gave people time to look for what you can do the rest of the year to connect with nature and help protect it, such as help your local trees and parks.

In the city of San Diego, healthy trees 110 years old and in the public right-of-way have been cut down in violation of city policies and processes. These trees are the latest casualty in a disturbing trend of tree losses to development, disease, pests and neglect. California pepper trees were planted in 1910 in Kensington and about

by JW August / Times of San Diego / April 30, 2021

It was back in 2016 when Geoff Page noticed during his runs up and down Ocean Beach Pier what he thought were troubling structural problems.

Page has a construction background, so he says he couldn’t help but notice excessive wear and other damages to the supports for the 1,971-foot pier — the longest concrete pier on the West Coast.

It was also the same year that Ocean Beach celebrated the iconic pier and its 50-year survival of many of nature’s challenges. Over the decades, massive waves have taken a toll on the pier but how serious the problems may have become had never been made public by the city.

Editordude: This is the third and final part of our series highlighting proposed improvements of Ocean Beach’s parks. The proposals come from the Ocean Beach Planning Board Parks Subcommittee. (Here is the original.)

Robb Field

The largest recreation space in Ocean Beach, Robb Field is a great community asset that can be updated to provide more recreational amenities and support a diverse range of activities and interests.

Robb Field Athletic Field is the main recreation space in Ocean Beach, and home to many activities that draw users from all over San Diego.

Proposed Improvements

Community requests include the addition of:

• a disc golf training course around the perimeter of the park,

Editordude: This is the second part of our series of the proposed changes and improvement to OB’s seven parks by the Ocean Beach Planning Board Parks Subcommittee. (Here is the original presentation document.)

Ebers Street Park

This family-focused pocket park adjacent to the Ocean Beach Recreation Center is in need of updates to support the health and safety of the many local children that use the playground and grassy area.

Set in the midst of a family neighborhood and across the street from Ocean Beach Elementary School, this park is highly utilized by local children and their caregivers.