Minutes for Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Normal Heights Community Center/Zoom
4649 Hawley Avenue
Attendees:
X = in attendance
| X | Paul Coogan (C) | X | Kenny Patrick | X | Emilie Colwell |
| X | Allan Harjala (VC) | X | Dan Soderberg | X | Sierra Orsinelli-Rivers |
| X | Sami Burrows | X | Eydie Kaufman | X | Brian Adams |
| X | Frances Prichett (T) | X | Nancy Lawler | X | Madison Stevens |
| X | Julia Corbett (S) | (AABA) | X | Mark Lawler |
Paul called the meeting to order at 6:10 and read the opening reflection. Then Paul gave a brief overview of the meeting procedure.
Community Attendees
Estimate: 14 zoom participants, 40 attendees in person.
Non-Agenda Public Comment
- Madison: encourages residents to bring topics they’re interested in to the board so they can add it to the agenda
- Sara Al-Agha: the abandoned storefront building at Ward Canyon Park is completely demolished. Full construction/cleanup will be completed by the end of August. Parks after dark, the free summer series of social events in the park, begins this month and takes place every Thurs./Fri./Sat. night. The budget for FY 2026 was approved last week by the city. Thanks the community for advocating for community resources like parks, rec centers, homeless services, public bathrooms, libraries, etc.
- Brian: asks if there’s any talk regarding lowering the speed limit on Adams from 25 mph to 20 mph like they did on University Ave.
Presentations
Normal Heights Property Line Discrepancies – Mr. Pallamary
The first survey and map records of Normal Heights were done in 1906 by the county. From 1912-1914, the county built sidewalks in Normal Heights, also utilizing maps and surveys. In 1924, Normal Heights was “annexed” to the city of San Diego primarily so that the city could build infrastructure related to water and sewer. In 1936, the city did another survey of Normal Heights, and moved the property lines around from where they had been in the county’s 1906 survey. The survey markers/monuments found throughout Normal Heights were installed thirty years after its subdivision, and therefore they are not reliable indicators for property lines- just sidewalks. Homeowners who use these monuments as property lines do so at their own risk, and many property fences throughout Normal Heights do not match the monuments. These property line discrepancies are primarily found along the curved roads near Normal Heights’ northern canyon.
Following the property line discrepancies created by the city’s 1936 survey of Normal Heights, there has always been a problem surrounding property lines and their ambiguity in Normal Heights. However, there have been no major development incentives that have kicked the issue into major debate until the recent Bonus ADU program. Average property line discrepancies in Normal Heights range from 1.1-1.5 ft, enough for a developer to sue an independent homeowner over. Today’s presentation is due to just that. A local homeowner brought this issue to the community planning group after receiving a lawsuit from a private developer over land that has been a part of her property for decades.
Complicating this issue is the city’s unwillingness to share records related to this matter in direct violation of California’s Public Records Act, which requires that public records such as community surveys and maps are made available to the public.
Ramie, the local homeowner fighting a property-line lawsuit from a developer, requests that neighboring homeowners sign onto an amicus brief. An amicus brief is a legal document filed with a court by an organization or group that is not a formal party to an action, requesting a particular outcome. Ramie notes that other homeowners who live in the area could fall victim to similar lawsuits from developers, who make a claim to what has been a neighboring property’s land for decades or even a century.
For questions, concerns, or interest regarding signing onto the amicus brief please contact Mr. Pallamary at mpallamary@pallamaryandassociates.com
Actions/Decisions
Board will write a second letter to the city regarding property lines, with reference to the 1906 map & consulting Mr. Pallamary
Frances 1st, Kenny 2nd
Eydie: abstains
vote: Paul, Allan, Sami, Frances, Julia, Kenny, Dan, Nancy, Emilie, Brian, Madison, Mark, Sierra
Delay approval of PRJ-1133750: Construction at 3585 Adams Avenue (4 story mixed use building).
Emilie motions to delay approval until the project is further along and has filed an application on file with the city. Item is tabled.
June Minutes approved
Eydie 1st, Nancy 2nd
Abstain: Sierra
Yes: Paul, Allan, Sami, Frances, Julia, Kenny, Dan, Eydie, Nancy, Emilie, Brian, Madison, Mark
Filling of any empty seats on the board
Scott has officially resigned from the board, the remaining seat is reserved for a someone from the Adams Ave Business Association (AABA)
NHCPG endorses the Save Our Heritage Organization based on common cause
Sami 1st, Julia 2nd
Frances: the work of SOHO overlaps with our mission statement
Julia: let’s define adaptive reuse, and write a quick blurb that says historic preservation is not in opposition to business/housing development
Vote to submit letter presented at meeting with minor edits described above
Yes votes: unanimous for all members in attendance
Reports/Updates
Standing Committees
Adams “Community Recreation Advisory Group” – Nancy
The demolition of the mock building is scheduled for completion by the end of August. The city trimmed the two big trees next to the mock building and got rid of the palm tree. There are summer camps at the rec center for $125/week including breakfast & lunch.
Community Garden – Paul
Funding target at 65%, phase 1 is 98% done (should be done by end of the week), next steps to communicate to city about conditional use permit and getting water to the site
Joint Mid-City Communities Plan Update Committee – Emilie
The next meeting was rescheduled for August 15th. The agenda and location are TBD but the meeting will focus on the existing conditions report. Property line discrepancies were brought up at the last meeting by the audience.
Historical Property Review Report – Dan
3544 36th street was deemed not to be historic. There was an inquiry on whether the Starbucks building or property is historic in any way.
Advisory Committees
Utility Undergrounding & Street Lighting MAD – Emilie
Intends to request a meeting on utility undergrounding in the community. There is no upcoming meeting currently planned.
Traffic Calming – Brian
Intends to request a speed trailer for the intersection of 35th St. & Mtn View. They will have a list of requests for the board to review next month before submitting to the city.
Community Engagement and Finance Committees – Sami
Requests support from the board. The high turnout from today’s meeting is thanks to Ramie, a local homeowner, advertising the property line discrepancy issue on the meeting agenda. It’s important to also consider timing with the community presentations so that we have time to complete the meeting agenda.
Paul: I will receive a copy of the presentation before our meeting for this purpose
Kenny & Madison volunteer to join the committee.
Madison volunteers to create a schedule for committee meetings and a template for flyers
Adjournment
Paul called the meeting to adjournment at 8:25pm