By JAY WILSON
The quarterly meeting of the Del Cerro Action Council (DCAC) was held on July 23. DCAC chair Mark Rawlins read an update provided by John Steffen, our San Diego Police Community Relations Officer. The crime stats in the Del Cerro Area from April 1 to July 22 are as follows: Five violent crimes were reported and all five occurred on the portion of Adobe Falls Road off of Waring Road; three commercial robberies; one domestic violence, and one assault with a deadly weapon. There were 27 property crimes in Del Cerro: 17 thefts from vehicle, one residential burglary and nine motor vehicle thefts. Fourteen motor vehicle citations were also issued.
Lisa Scott, our representative for Council member Scott Sherman, reported parking citations remained in a grace period until Aug. 1. Following a recent vote by the City Council, the municipal code will now allow for moveable mini homes to be parked on residential property as soon as certain notifications are met. You can read more on this matter on Council member Sherman’s Facebook page.
Doug Livingston asked Lisa where mini homes had to be located on the private property; are they limited to the backyard or are they allowed anywhere on the property? Lisa will have to find the answer and let us know.
Kristen Byrne, principal of Byrne Communications, and Marcela Escobar, principal with the Atlantis Group, provided an update on the status of the All Peoples Church project. They have been working the last six to eight months to receive permission from CalTrans for an easement. There is a sewer manhole under the freeway which must remain accessible. The church would have to build a large retaining wall and a very long road for access to the sewer connection. The church has thought of a better plan to connect to the sewer, which would be more aesthetically pleasing for us and Cal-Trans, albeit more expensive to build. They need CalTrans’ approval for this. They are still working through the CalTrans bureaucracy.
The church will resubmit a new set of plans to the City in next three to four weeks. The new plans will reflect the sewer easement and enhanced landscaping plans per the neighbors’ requests following the March meeting with adjoining neighbors. The Church also presented their plans at a recent Navajo Community Planners’ Zoom meeting.
The Church is willing to build a screening wall between the parking garage and adjacent homes on Marne Avenue, which can be built only once all the eight adjacent neighbors unanimously agree to it. There can only be one type of screening wall. It cannot skip certain houses. At the present time, the resubmitted plans will not include this wall as the church has been unable to receive approval for all the neighbors.
The signal light at the median break on College Avenue was approved by city staff. It is to be operational with smart technology. Most of the time it will be free green light and activated for turns for Sunday services. It will be for left and right turns in and out of the church property directly to College Avenue.
The church will help beautify the College Avenue median south of Del Cerro Boulevard. There are 44 dead trees and empty planters, which are unsightly on the College Avenue median. The church will work with the Friends of Del Cerro for this median project.
The Church’s capital campaign ends soon. If they do not receive a response from CalTrans, they will have to move forward with the existing plans. Timing wise, they expect that the plans will go before the city’s planning commission and City Council by the end of the year. Members of the public will be able to comment on the project at each of these meetings. If approved, construction documents will be submitted. There is probably still a year to year and a half before they break ground. CalTrans really slowed down progress.
Under old business, Rawlins reported no update on the proposed Del Cerro Maintenance Assessment District. The city replaced three benches at Princess Del Cerro Park instead of adding three. They look nice and we might not need the three additional benches.
The next DCAC meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. It is currently scheduled as a Zoom meeting and the password will be imbedded in the link which be posted on the DCAC webpage on Oct. 18.
Del Cerro Action Council, along with the Allied Gardens Community Council and the San Carlos Area Council are hosting candidate forums for the District 7 and mayoral races. Most likely, the forums will be via Zoom (the password for candidate forums will be embedded in the link) The District 7 candidates forum for Raul Campillo and Noli Zosa will on be Wednesday, Aug. 19, a 7 p.m. via Zoom. Residents of Grantville, Allied Gardens, Del Cerro and San Carlos are asked to send questions for the forum to [email protected]. Only questions submitted in advance will be asked.
The mayoral forum with Todd Gloria and Barbara Bry will be on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 7 p.m. At this time, the mayoral candidate forum will also be a Zoom meeting. The link to attend the District 7 Candidate Zoom Forum will be placed on the Allied Gardens Community Council website agccouncil.org, the Del Cerro Action Council website delcerroactioncouncil.org and for the San Carlos Area Council, check their facebook page at facebook.com/sancarlosareacouncil.
— Jay Wilson is secretary of the Del Cerro Action Council. Visit delcerroactioncouncil.org.
