By JAY WILSON
SDSU Director of Government and Community Relations Rachel Gregg reported that earlier this spring, SDSU President Angela de la Torre toured the Adobe Falls site with Scott Sherman. SDSU is now negotiating with the city of San Diego to purchase the Mission Valley stadium site. A draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be out this summer. There should be a 45-day review process to allow for the public to respond to the EIR. SDSU wants community engagement and will hold town-hall meetings to explain their plans.
Del Cerro Action Council chair Mark Rawlins reported that the La Jolla Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) lawsuit hasn’t been completely resolved yet, but the city has decided to move forward in processing communities’ requests to establish MADs. The proposed Del MAD, supported by Friends of Del Cerro (FODC), is one of those projects that is in the cue to be worked. Based on information shared, it looks like FODC will be able to continue the process where it left off in 2017; more to follow in the coming months.
Councilmember Scott Sherman’s representative, Roarke Shanley, said the City Council approved a new ordinance that folks cannot sleep in their cars in residential areas. There is a safe sleeping zone by the Mission Valley Fire Station. Councilmember Scott Sherman has approved two donations from the city’s Arts & Culture Funds — $5,000 for the Lake Murray Fireworks to cover stage and lighting, and $5,000 to the Allied Gardens/Grantville First Friday Concerts.
Shanely has been working with SDGE to complete the median planting on Del Cerro Boulevard that was torn out when the natural gas line work was done about two years ago. This project was to be completed in May.
You may reach Shanely in Councilmember Sherman’s office at [email protected] or call him at 619-236-6677.
Pastor Robert Herber of All Peoples Church — which has proposed to build a new church building on the land behind the Chevron down to Interstate 8 and east of College Avenue — has stated the congregation is 900-1,000 adults, with 70% less than 40 years old. They plan on two Sunday services and on Tuesdays, they have training classes for about 65 people. There will be a gymnasium for basketball.
Marcella Escobar, land consultant for the church on the project, said plans have been submitted to the city. City staff will now review the proposal and release their initial “Cycles Report” later this summer. The plan is for the two-story, 900-seat church to be located on the southern side of the site, closest to the freeway, with the parking structure tucked into the hillside. The northern part directly behind the Chevon will be surface parking. There will be 374 parking spaces in total. The church is trying not to obstruct views and will try not to shine lights into houses. There will be 12 classrooms and office space.
The church has already begun meeting with community members living directly adjacent to the site of the new church. At the first meeting, Escobar agreed to have the architect review the plans to see if the pad for the church could be lowered a few more feet. Part of this decision rests with CalTrans as they own property south of the church.
Most of the church traffic doesn’t operate during peak times. The church is working to mitigate ingress and egress issues. Part of their plan is to have an additional entrance about halfway between the freeway and Del Cerro Boulevard. It would be toward the southern end of the existing median and could allow access from both north and southbound traffic on College Avenue. If approved, it would most likely include a traffic signal and operate only on Sunday mornings during their church services.
The project is estimated to cost around $13 million.
There will be an environmental review where the public can comment before the plan is voted on by the City Council. The City Council has previously approved a housing development for the site, which remains approved if the church does not go through. The community contact person is Kristen Byrne at [email protected] or 619-208-2499. Information is available online at thelightproject.org.
Don’t forget to make a donation for the July Fourth Fireworks & MusicFest at Lake Murray, visit lakemurrayfireworks.org.
The next DCAC meeting is July 25 at 7 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El.
— Jay Wilson is secretary of the Del Cerro Action Council.
