Meeting Minutes June 2023

Minutes for Tuesday, June 6, 2023, 6:00 PM until approx. 8:15 PM

Normal Heights Community Center

4649 Hawley Avenue

Attendance: Emily Colwell (Absent – Attended Late)

Motions & Votes are underlined and denote the maker of the motion, second, & vote tally.

6:00     Call to order 

1. Opening “reflection”
2. Introductions of Board members. 
3. Agenda Setting/modifications 
4. Approval of previous meeting minutes as sent via email – Secretary/Brian Schrader
   1. Motion: Jim & Brian, unanimous
5. Treasurer’s Report – Treasurer/ Frances Prichett
   1. New Account Balance $1332.46

6:15   Non-Agenda Public Comment

• Non-Agenda Public Comment regarding NH land use & related NH community issues (2min pp).
  • Adam: Jim will take care of FB group admin issues.
  • Jim: Ward canyon park update. Park & Rec has $1.4m left and Jim is attempting to figure out the other money went.
  • Paul: Where the group’s plan is for getting to the city’s 108,00 units? Get him info on when the Mid-City group meets.
  • Amy(?): Asks the group to oppose the unsafe camping ordinance.
  • Scott: AABA Endorsed the measure
  • Brian: Spoke about the housing/homelessness intertwined-ness.
• Digital Communications Monitoring from, Nextdoor, Facebook, Email, etc.
  • None

6:30     Action/Decision Items (Board member roll call may be performed for recording votes)

• Fenton Parkway Bridge Project

Paul Jackson, Program Manager for SDSU, will present on the Fenton Parkway 

• Project EIR should be submitted in January 2024.
• 2-lane Bridge crossing the river from Camino Del Rio N.
• Sidewalks and bike lane in both directions.
• Asking for community feedback by June 30^th.
• Jim referred to the City & Bike Coalition regarding the bike lanes.
• Paul advocated for existing cycle track.
• Resources can be found at: https://bfa.sdsu.edu/campus/facilities/planning/eir
• Francis is concerned about the park’s relation with the bridge & routing.
• Gerald asks about the bike trails connecting further north.
• Adam asks about bridge sculpture and artwork.
• Paul Coogan asks about city land and other nearby utilization.
• Emily Kamen asks about the project’s impact on zoning & the inclusion of this in the ballot measure from 2020.
• The crossing at Fenton will be at-grade.
• Gerald asks about flooding over the 100 year flood plan.

Bridge Project via Zoom – Q&A to follow.

• Letter of Support for Street Fair

Proposed motion: The board shall write a letter of support to the AABA supporting the upcoming Adams Ave Street Fair, Sept 23rd & 24th ’23. 

• Motion to approve: Jim & Adam, unanimous
• Communications Compliance

Proposed motion: All email communications by board members regarding board business use or include the nhcpc-board@gmail.com address to maintain a record of communications with a 5 year retention period and provide public access upon request as per City Council Policy 600-24 Section II.C.

• Motion to approve: Jim & Brian, unanimous
• Candidate Qualifications

Proposed motion: Remove previous meeting attendance qualification for board candidates as per City Council Policy 600-24 Section II.D 

• Jim suggests we request a variance from the city to require members to have visited at least one additional visit.
• Paul Jameson speaks in opposition.
• Adam says that the meeting requirement is moot.
• Taylor adds that diversity is harmed by in-person participation requirements & pushes for more hybrid.
• Motion to retain previous qualification requirements: Jim & Francis,
  • Brian & Allan oppose the motion; all others approve.
• Jim asks that a motion for the next meeting have a motion for asking for variance.
• Advisory Committees

Proposed motion: Advisory committees shall establish a completion date and scope of deliverables in writing upon establishment which may be amended by public vote in a regular board meeting.

The following categorizations were drafted:

• Advisory Committee
  • Utility Undergrounding (End Date: 12 months)
  • Cal-Trans Grant Submission (End Date: October)
  • DEI Program (End Date: 9 months)
  • Tree Replacement (End Date: 12 months)
• Standing Committee
  • Joint Mid-City Communities Plan Update (Standing)
  • Historical Property Review Report (Standing)
  • Park and Trail Development (Standing)
  • Traffic Issues (Standing)

Motion to approve categories: Jim & Brian, Scott abstains

1. Community Engagement

Proposed motion: The board shall create a report of community concerns by developing and distributing a survey to the public and delivering the completed report to public officials.

• Taylor asks if the Street Faire could be the venue for this.
• QM Code to Survey Monkey, FB, questionnaire.
• Jim clarifies that this would be related to Land Use Issues only.

Motion to approve: Scott & Adam, unanimous

1. Opposition to SB10

Proposed motion: The board shall write a letter to the planning commission opposing the adoption of SD10 into the Housing Code Update 2.0

• Delayed to the next meeting since adequate notice was not posted.

7:30     Reports/Updates

1. City, County, and State government agency representatives, if present.
   1. Lydia Marshal – City Parks & Rec – presentation on Ward Canyon GDP development
      1. Update provided by written email report, read aloud.
   1. District 9 Councilmember Elo-Rivera – Ben Mendoza, 619-236-6699
      1. Budgeting
      1. During the update, Emily Colwell joined in attendance.
   1. Mayor’s Office – Lucero Maganda <LMaganda@sandiego.gov>
      1. Budgeting
   1. County Supervisor Fletcher – (removed until further notice) Ana Laura Martinez 619-531-5525
   1. State Senator Atkins – Andi McNew — 619-688-6700
      1. Andi.McNew@Sen.ca.gov
   1. Assembly Member Ward – Christopher Gris — 619-280-7801
      1. Not present.
2. Chair report
   1. Community Planners Committee – Paul Coogan
      1. Creation of dispensaries (fully allocated). Additional licenses have been requested.
      1. Board members still needed for the Park & Rec Group
   1. Need board members for rec group – Paul Coogan
      1. Meeting takes place at 4th Wednesday at 6pm
3. Community Group updates when present
   1. Adams Avenue Business Association – Scott Kessler
      1. Preparing for Taste of Adams
      1. AABA used the Owl system for Hybrid Meetings
      1. Reballoting the MADs that stretch down Adams Ave & 30^th to raise revenue for the energy bills for street-lights, trash pick up, etc.
      1. AABA budget has returned to pre-pandemic levels
   1. El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association – Gary Weber
      1. Additional development is planned along El Cajon Blvd.
   1. NH Community Association and NH Urban Arts – Greg Stone/Norma Stafford
      1. Community bike ride around the neighborhood. Meet up before.
         1. Free to attend. 6/24 9:30-12.
      1. Butterfly Mural will go up this summer.
   1. Adams “Community Recreation Advisory Group” – Nancy Lawler
      1. Mot is the first project in the Ward Canyon Park.
      1. 35^th St. Ball Field foul balls damage cars. Park & Rec will raise the fence.
   1. NH for Smart Growth – Paul Coogan
      1. Board meeting, focused on more dialogue between stake holders.

7:45       Standing and Advisory Committees

1. Utility Undergrounding & Street Lighting MAD – Emilie Colwell & Francis Prichett
   1. News from SDGE
   1. There is no priority list, but the city can advocate for neighborhood priority.
   1. ‘District Creation’ this summer – the definition is unknown. Schedule to follow.
2. Caltrans Grant Submission – Paul Coogan, Jim Baross, Greg Stone, Taylor Everich
   1. Decision will be made in September.
3. DEI Program – Paul Coogan, Scott Kessler, Jim Baross
   1. AABA will begin sending out FB ad messaging.
   1. Needs help with Spanish translations.
4. Tree Replacements – Greg Stone, Emilie Colwell, Gerald Schoelen
   1. No Update
5. Joint Mid-City Communities Plan Update Committee – Paul Coogan, Greg Stone, Scott Kessler
   1. Administrative overall. Work starts next month. 2-3 year effort.
6. Historical Property Review Report – Dan
   1. No update
7. Parks & Trail Development – TBD
   1. No members
8. Traffic Issue Taskforce – Allan Harjala
   1. No word back on the large list.
   1. Crosswalk from Shell to the Bridge was rejected.

NOTICE: Next meeting will be July 11^th as the usual date would be the 4^th of July.

8:15    Adjournment

              Motion: Jim & Brian, unanimous