Category: Environment

Our hidden and invisible citizen reporters are everywhere. Thursday, August 13th witnessed a watermain break on Bolinas Street in northeast Ocean Beach.

Here are early a.m. scenes from that street. Hopefully, the spilled water will be used to water Collier Park, just down from this area.

By Monica Unhold / The Daily Transcript / August 11, 2009

An Ocean Beach architecture firm’s new offices will be the first commercial building in San Diego County to qualify as net zero — meaning it generates as much energy as it consumes.

Architects Hanna Gabriel Wells converted the 54-year-old Ocean Beach Auto Repair shop into a modern office building expected to enjoy no monthly energy costs …

by Concerned OBcean

While my son and I were in town last night having dinner, I saw someone spinning fire Poi at the west end of Newport. Surprised by the boldness of the spinner to be spinning right there in plain sight on a public corner, I pointed him/her out to my son. Thinking, perhaps hoping, it was simply a drunken fool performing a one time event, I didn’t think much of it.

Yet it continued. …

Gophers have made many enemies at Robb Field in Ocean Beach, burrowing and creating numerous holes on the park’s playing fields.

The San Diego-based Animal Protection and Rescue League (APRL), however, is not among that list of enemies. APRL is urging the city to find a non-lethal method to control the gopher population at Robb Field.

by Anthony Gentile / Peninsula Beacon / August 6, 2009

With city staff members present at Monday’s Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council meeting, the two sides agreed to disagree when it comes to the safety and relocation of popular cliffside benches.

The result of the deliberation between the two sides was a temporary hold on further removal of Sunset Cliffs benches until …

by Frank Gormlie

The Ocean Beach Planning Board met last night (8/05/09) and discussed the latest reincarnation of World Oil’s Sunset Plaza project destined for the corner of Sunset Cliffs Blvd and Voltaire.

Before a small crowd of about a dozen interested residents, the Board first narrowly defeated a motion to deny the project as it was presented. This was a 5 to 6 vote. Then … .

Editor: This was sent to us by an anonymous contributor.

by OBserver

What kind of neighbor is World Oil Corp.? Well since I live very close to what I’m going to refer to as “ground zero” I feel very qualified to say that they are a pretty shitty one!

…

by Jon Carr

Jon: “Hey honey, let’s pack a lunch and head down to the Sunset Cliffs tidepools for the day and soak up some sun!”

Honey: “That sounds great Jon, I’ll pack the lunch. Sounds fun!”

Or…

Jon: “Hey honey, let’s pack a lunch and head down to the Sunset Cliffs cesspools …

by Kim

World Oil’s proposed construction is overwhelmingly over-the-top when considering bulk and scale and leaves much to be desired when considering compatibility with the existing community character.

Sure, the rights of the property owner should not be disregarded, but what about the community for a change?

Sunset Plaza, the World Oil project slated for the corner of Voltaire and Sunset Cliffs is coming back before the Ocean Beach Planning Board at its general meeting Wednesday, August 5th. But you wouldn’t know it by checking out the Planning Board’s website.

Editor: In response to our recent post, “Sunset Cliffs – and surf culture – in danger of erosion” by Mary E Mann on July 20th, we have received the following article by Ann Swanson, current Chair of the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council.

by Ann Swanson

The article on Sunset Cliffs is filled with misinformation and distortions. I welcome the opportunity to give the facts …

by Frank Gormlie

Since I came of age here in Ocean Beach, I’ve always believed that urban planning should be a process in which the citizens and residents of a community have a significant and substantial role to play.

This concept was shared by an entire generation of grassroots activists here in OB during the first half of the Seventies.

In this continuous series about the history of urban planning in Ocean Beach, I’m attempting to outline the historical record so newer generations of OBceans can appreciate how OB came to be what it is today.