OB Rag

By Joni Halpern

Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe made an interesting but erroneous assumption in her defense of the City Council’s recent approval of city planning reforms that would allow taller apartment buildings and more backyard units in so-called Transit Priority Areas.

Ms. Steppe’s comment was based on an incorrect assumption that often surfaces whenever residents of stable housing, particularly residents of single family homes, voice opposition to over-densification, rescission of parking requirements, and the overburdening of public assets and facilities through the addition of thousands of residents in a neighborhood over a short period of time.

In a close 5 to 4 vote, the San Diego City Council yesterday approved a raft of so-called “reforms” to the building code, including the very controversial rule that allows taller apartment buildings and more backyard units when a property is near mass transit — with that transit line being up to one mile away and which may not even be built for over a decade. The previous measurement was a half-mile.

And Councilmember Jennifer Campbell actually did the right thing and voted against the change, as did councilmembers Joe LaCava, Marni von Wilpert and Raul Campillo.

Campbell said the change would have a “tremendous” and “terrible” impact because studies show most people won’t walk a full mile to transit.

Live cam at Mt. Laguna Lodge. Shot taken at 10:35 am this morning, 2/15/23. Two hours earlier the roof top in the foreground was all white.

By Judi Curry

Sometimes, when things look darkest, a prism of sunshine shines through and wipes out that darkness.

Yesterday I posted a friendly warning to my neighbors on Next Door  regarding some extra large raccoons roaming the neighborhood. In a few cases they have attacked small dogs and/or cats that have gotten in their way .

Changing the topic, many of you know that I lost my beloved Golden Retriever in November. Even though I have adopted another dog, my love for Golden’s has been strong.

Alien life forms emerged from a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon this past weekend near Escondido. More to follow!

Go here for more info and links to buy tickets.

Sustainable Development Areas (SDAs) – Not a good bargain for the City of San Diego

By Nico Calavita / February 13, 2023

On February 14th, the San Diego City Council will vote on expanding two incentive programs, the Complete Communities Housing Solutions Program (CCHS) and the
Accessory Dwelling Unit Affordable Density Bonus Program (ADUDB) to almost the entire city through the creation of a new geographic area — Sustainable Development Areas (SDAs) — in the Municipal Code.

It is one of the most important land use decisions of the past few years, yet it is buried in the Land Development Code package with 83 other items.

The local residents’ group, Neighbors for a Better San Diego, are urging the City Council to pull what’s called the Sustainable Development Area (SDA) proposal from the Land Development Code Update. They’re also urging their fellow residents to speak out at today’s council meeting.

The full council is meeting today, Tuesday, Feb. 14, on this controversial proposal at 2 pm.

The Voice of San Diego reporter Andrew Keats broke a story at the end of last week that Midway Rising, the Sports Arena redeveloper, was fined $5,000 by the San Diego Ethics Commission for failing to submit a disclosure form that informed the public of its political investments until nearly a year after it was due.

Of course, it didn’t really matter as the San Diego City Council chose the partnership Midway Rising – pushed by Mayor Gloria – as the winning developer without the benefit of any disclosures. And Keats notes, “That made it impossible for the public to consider that political spending ahead of the city’s selection.”

In September 2022, the San Diego City Council chose the partnership Midway Rising, led by Zephyr development, to redevelop the Sports Arena.

By Steve Anderson / LomaBeat.com/ Feb.

Nearly 200 years ago in the spring of 1845, Henry David Thoreau borrowed an ax and began collecting lumber for his cabin that he intended to build at Walden Pond. For about two years Thoreau lived at Walden Pond and practiced simple living.

He dedicated his life for a couple of years to learning to live off the land with as little as possible, rejecting any sort of luxurious living and argued that the comforts of life served as hindrances to the advancement of mankind.

By Grace Toohey / Los Angeles Times / Feb. 9, 2023

A growing debate over the possible environmental damage caused by fireworks shows, especially over waterways, recently erupted in federal court where climate activists are pushing for stronger regulations of a popular Independence Day celebration in Southern California.

While fireworks have for years been known to cause significant air pollution — with July 4 and 5 recording some of Southern California’s worst air quality days — activists and attorneys with the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation want officials to help minimize the damage fireworks pose to waterways