OB Rag

by Ernie McCray

The devastation and human pain
Hurricane Ian
has left in its wake,
is so depressing
and disheartening
especially since we’re to blame
for its overwhelming intensity,
as we’ve essentially
turned our backs
to more life sustaining sources of energy
like the wind and the sun,
insisting on feeding Mother Nature
fossil-fuel-fed
greenhouse gas emissions

The Ocean Beach Planning Board meets Wednesday night at 6pm — and they’re back at the OB Rec Center, 4726 Santa Monica.

The Board will review a “granny flat” application for 4733 Saratoga Ave, hear a city presentation on organic waste recycling and discuss next year’s city budget priorities for OB.

Here’s the official agenda:

By Neighbors for a Better San Diego

After waiting 7 months to see the Planning Department’s revisions for the College Area Community Plan Update, many of you were locked out of last night’s long-awaited meeting on September 28th, 2022. The meeting materials have been posted to the City’s website and we are providing this summary for our members.

Limited Public Participation

First, City staff failed to properly accommodate the number of pre-registered attendees.

Over 70 environmental and conservation groups in the ReWild Coalition called upon the San Diego City Council to fund Mission Bay wetlands restoration in next year’s budget. The groups rallied on Sept. 20 outside City Hall to request that the City Council earmark $250,000.

At the rally, Andrew Meyer, director of conservation at San Diego Audubon Society stated:

“After almost 30 years of inaction on the master plan, the City must show leadership, vision, and decisive action to restore the lungs of the bay, reconnecting us and protecting our communities from the climate crisis. It’s time to ReWild Mission Bay.”

Back in the mid to late 1990s, during the Mayor Susan Golding administration, the grandiose idea of creating a canal between the two bays, San Diego Bay and Mission Bay, was alive. With the then recent closure of the Naval Training Center — now Liberty Station — there was interest in a canal. It seemed more than a dream at the time.

It won support from public workshops on the future of the Midway area. And from Mayor Golding. (For a while at least, the canal plan was dubbed “Golding’s Locks.”) But — now over twenty years later, we can see that the canal plan never drew water. It faded away, like the fog of Point Loma. Yet — now, the dream is back! Maybe.

Rachel Laing, director of communications for the City of San Diego and Mayor Gloria’s top PR person, took a swipe yesterday at Editordude of the OB Rag, Frank Gormlie.

In a discussion of local journalists on her tweeter account, Laing took a shot at Gormlie — for some reason.

Surfrider Summons Ocean Lovers to Paddle Around Ocean Beach Pier for the 30th Year

Event offers a mass display of solidarity for the protection of our coastline.

Ocean lovers and beach enthusiasts from throughout San Diego County can make a statement – wet or dry –  in support of clean water at Surfrider Foundation San Diego County’s 30th annual Paddle for Clean Water, starting at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2 at the Ocean Beach Pier.

Peninsula News from PLA

The waterway beside NTC Park is ready to transfer from the Navy to the City. Finally.

We checked our archives and found a story about the process in our newsletter on January 11, 2018. Here is a direct link to that story, which we thought would be the first of many about this inviting inlet. But there’s been little news until now. The waterway is included with the land transfer from the Federal Government following their 1993 closure of Naval Training Center San Diego.

The ad hoc group of local residents who formed recently to campaign for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the passage of the 30 foot height limit, has just launched their website.

It’s at keepthecoast30.org and is in its beginning stages of having material and news. One of their slogans is:

Vote No on Measure C, the Repeal of the 1972 Citizens’ Initiative

Here is its introduction:

A spaceship-themed Tiki bar opened in May at Killowatt Brewing’s taproom in Oceanside.

The “Space Pad,” a small hidden speakeasy, was inspired by the late Ocean Beach artist Clinton Cary, better known as the “Spaceman of OB,” who died in 1993.

Pam Kragen, at the SD Union-Tribune, recently wrote about the thematic connection between the bar and Spaceman:

In 1957, Cary began writing and painting about his personal encounters with aliens from a planet he called Rillispore.

In fact, Spaceman talked openly to anyone who would listen about Rillispore. And those who knew him were given “space numbers” which would save them once the aliens landed. Mine was XIB/20 (I think). (I have 3 of his paintings – one of which is a blacklight marvel.)

Join the Ocean Beach Town Council at their September public meeting — Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 7pm.

The meeting will be LIVE at Water’s Edge Church (1984 Sunset Cliff’s Blvd) AND broadcasting/interactive on Facebook/Zoom.

CA State Assemblymember Chris Ward will be in attendance and speak to the group.

From City of San Diego:

Starting on Monday, Oct. 3, at noon, hosts can apply for a short-term residential occupancy (STRO) license to operate a dwelling unit in the City of San Diego for short-term rentals. The STRO license will be required starting on May 1, 2023.