Uncertainty over the makeup of the Peninsula Community Planning Board has ended.
After two months of waiting, PCPB members held a run-off election Saturday that has filled a handful of seats that were up for grabs. As a result, four new faces will join the 15-member board.
According to a final election tally, Darrold Davis, Gary Halbert, Suhail “Steve” Khalil and Mark Hoppe garnered at least 51 percent of the vote during the first round of balloting at the Point Loma/Hervey Branch Library.
The result made two additional rounds of balloting that day a moot point.
According to election results, 715 Peninsula residents, property and business owners turned out for the early election round that began at 9 a.m. and ended at 11 a.m.
The final results, tallied by the League of Women Voters, were: Davis, 426 votes (50.6%); Halbert, 416 votes (58.2%); Khalil, 393 votes (55%); Hoppe, 375 votes (52.4%); Jarvis Ross, 293 votes (41%); Edwina Goddard, 291 votes (40.7%); Cynthia Conger, 288 votes (40.3%); and Cleo Pearson, 279 votes (39%).
Davis, Halbert, Khalil and Hoppe join Jay Shumaker ” who was elected in April in an otherwise inconclusive election ” as the five newest members of the planning board. The last four are scheduled to be seated on Thursday, June 21, at 6:30 p.m. during the board’s next regular meeting.
Ross, Conger, Pearson and Goddard were incumbents.
The election was not without accusations and obvious disappointment as emotions ran high on all sides.
“It was disastrous,” said board member and longtime resident Mignon Scherer.
Scherer said the candidates she wanted were not elected but that “there’s always next year.”
Mignon’s disappointment appears reflective of a deeper divide between board members, candidates and the public during a politically tumultuous election process that began earlier this year, playing itself out in the public arena and the press.
The battle over the board stemmed from differing viewpoints over how the Peninsula community planning board should best serve the community.
Labeling each other as “activist” or “pro-developer,” the two sides of the board sparked heated discussions during board meetings and letters to the editor.
“It’s unfortunate that it’s been presented that way, I don’t think there is anybody in the Point Loma area that is for changing the charm of our community,” said Dianne Rechardt about the “developer” label.
Rechardt, a member of the Chamber of Commerce and a local resident since 1969, said recent planning board meetings have become more about arguing than about sensible design planning.
She said many people who have spoken out against prevailing board viewpoints have been labeled as a “developer” because of their occupations as Realtors or architects or because of their previous employment along those lines.
On the other side, residents have expressed concern about the future and direction of the Peninsula community.
Ross said he is concerned about “interests” that could change the zoning on the Peninsula, which could possibly result in the replacement of one- or two-story homes with large buildings, increasing the population density of the Peninsula.
During the course of the election and the days following, some voters reported incidents of possible electioneering around the polls.
Peninsula resident Judy White said posters and flyers posted inside and around the library violated election laws that prohibit campaigning within 100 feet of the polls.
Another voter, Elizabeth Barrington, said some people were asking voters for whom they were going to vote and selectively writing down their responses. Barrington said some voters were told they might be called and asked to return for the next round of voting ” others were ignored ” depending on the answer given about the candidate of choice.
Deputy City Attorney Alex Sachs, who was present, said that according to administrative guidelines, electioneering at the polls must be a “reasonable distance” from the polls ” a distance to be determined by the board’s bylaws.
Although Sachs said he didn’t see any improper electioneering on library grounds, he did have to caution about five people for campaigning too close to the library. They were reportedly asked to move.
Regardless of outcome, according to board treasurer Cydney Shinn, the real winners were the electorate.
“The people came out and they spoke,” Shinn said. “I’m glad that it only took one (round),” she added.
The Peninsula Community Planning Board advises the City Council on land-use-based community development goals and projects. For more information, visit www.pcpb.net.