OB Rag

The Ocean Beach Planning Board meets tonight — live — Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the OB Recreation Center at 4726 Santa Monica Avenue, 6 pm.

5018 Narragansett

The only project up for review is a permit for 5018 Narragansett. This is an application for a Process 3 Coastal Development Permit for the construction of a 453 square foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU or “granny flat”) above an existing 2-car garage.

When the Project Review Committee met on the project, they voted 3 to 0 to recommend to the full board that the project be rejected because it exceeded the floor-area-ratio (FAR) by 400 square feet, plus the ADU allowance is not allowed in the Coastal Zone, which is where the property is located.

By Gary Wonacott

Mission Beach is shrinking but the City is not using this fact in issuing licenses for short-term rentals (STR). This addresses two issues related to the 2020 census data, not yet included in SANDAG Data Surfer, but everyone else in the world has access to it.

Upon examination of the 2020 census data, there is one piece of information that jumped out at me.

While the housing in the majority of San Diego has been growing, in some areas by leaps and bounds, the number of housing units in Mission Beach has decreased, substantially.

By John Ziebarth

Measure C should be a constructive discussion about affordable housing and redevelopment in the Midway/ Sports Arena area. Instead, it is a referendum on how much you trust the Mayor and the City Council to regulate development.

In 1972, Prop D established the 30’ height limit west of Interstate 5 because the public did not trust the City Council. Do you trust this City Council today or a City Council in the future?

In 2015, the council members from other districts approved One Paseo over the objection of the of councilmember for the affected district 3, affected community planning groups as well as the objections from the City of Del Mar and the City of Solana Beach. As a result of the Council decision, numerous community planning groups around the city rallied to oppose the decision and a public call was heard for a referendum.

By Mike James / Special to the OB Rag

Every year the Dia de Muertos grows in popularity internationally. Yet this growth is fairly recent.

In the late 1930’s, the Càrdenas presidency embraced the holiday to celebrate the indigenous culture and create an inclusive national identity. Yet for decades the holiday was mainly observed in Mexico as a private family ceremony, with the ofrenda being the main component.

Much of the credit of an increase in the popularity of El Dia de los Muertos can be traced back to the Chicano movement in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Antonio in the early 70’s. The activist and the artist of the Chicano movement promoted Dia de Muertos as a way to reconnect with their pre-Hispanic and Mexican Identity as a community. Processions through Mexican American neighborhoods and celebrations of Dia de Muertos became more commonplace.

From Neighbors for a Better San Diego

Here’s what happened at Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting of October 27…

After much public testimony and Commissioner commentary, the Planning Commission passed a resolution recommending that the City Council adopt the 2022 Land Development Code Update (LDC) Update with the exception of:

Item 5 – Definition of a Sustainable Development Area (the item we asked you to comment on)

By Mike James / Special to the OB Rag

At midnight, October 31st marks the beginning of the Day of the Dead. The direct Spanish translation is Dia de los Muertos, but in Mexico it is more commonly known as Dia de Muertos. The holiday falls on November 1st and 2nd.

In its present form Dia de Muertos is a fairly recent Mexican tradition and can be traced back to the late 1930’s to the Presidency of Lázaro Cárdenas. Càrdenas in an effort to create a united national identity, sought to promote Dia de Muertos that would encompass the indigenous interpretation of the Roman Catholic holidays of All Saint’s Day (All Hallow’s) and All Soul’s Days.

By removing Catholic religious iconisms and replacing it with the elements associated with the indigenous population, the holiday has been embraced by Mexicans and its popularity is spreading internationally.

Nothing Is Easy

By Donna Frye

I read in The San Diego Union-Tribune recently that Midway Rising (who is currently having private discussions with the city to get the exclusive development rights for the Sports Arena area) has provided over $450,000 in campaign contributions to help pass Measure C.

According to the article, “More than $300,000 has already been spent, primarily on mailers.”

Those are the same mailers that make numerous false claims about what Measure C does, such as creating 2,000 affordable homes for working families, veterans and the homeless and adding 20 acres of public parks and public open space.

We know that Measure C does not do what the voters have been led to believe it does.

OB People’s Food Co-op Halloween Party & Parade

Free event for the whole community on Oct 31st from 4-6pm here at the Co-op!

Plus: OB Town Council Halloween Decor Contest

There’s a Linda Lukacs campaign mailer just out that implies the OB Rag has endorsed her candidacy. That is not true. The Rag has not endorsed Lukacs — or Campbell either for that matter.

On one side of the small flier, put out by the Committee to Elect Linda Lukacs for City Council 2022, Campbell is slammed. On the flip side it’s just testimonials by certain District 2 people. One of the favorable quotes is by Judi Curry who writes for the Rag. Her quote is given, her name, “Resident,” and then in parentheses “OB Rag”. This is misleading as it implies that both Judi and the Rag are favorable to her. Judi is; we’re not.

On Wednesday, during Farmers Market, a banner hung from the Ocean Beach Pier. It stated: “Vote Them All Out! Save OB”

While not as drastic as that, the banner does reflect a simmering among coastal voters, one of anger, a sense of betrayal, cynicism, pessimism and even of revenge.

Is there a revolt among coastal voters? If there is, the pundits and media columnists have missed it. Although, the Union-Tribune hinted at it when the editorial board endorsed Republican Linda Lukacs for the District 2 council seat.

Campbell Is in Trouble

Among older progressive voters, at least, in Ocean Beach and other coastal Democrats, Jen Campbell is in trouble. The incumbent, who won the primary with not even 30% of the vote,

There’s just 3 days remaining in the coastal access photo contest being run by the group Keep the Coast 30.

All entries must be in no later than 5 pm, Monday, October 31 — Halloween.

Here’s the rules:

There are only two categories and the winner of each will be awarded $100. Sent entries to the Rag at our email address: obragblog@gmail.com  with your full name and street address, as well as the address of entry.