Should local property owners, area businesses or the city be responsible for keeping Garnet Avenue and other busy streets clean? At its May 21 meeting, the Pacific Beach Town Council (PBTC) debated whether area property owners should fund a maintenance assessment district. The advisory board also discussed how the recently implemented Administration Citation Program is targeting raucous house parties and heard how Pacific Beach Middle School is working to attract students.
The assessment district would provide trash and litter removal, sidewalk power washing, graffiti removal and other services designed to improve the area’s cleanliness and overall appearance. The proposed area is bordered by Chalcedony and Felspar streets to the north, Gresham Street to the east, Thomas Street to the south and Ocean Boulevard to the west. Businesses and homeowners would foot the bill for the program’s estimated annual costs of almost $475,000.
While the assessment district addresses litter, graffiti and other chronic complaints of town council members, many were largely critical of the proposal.
“I could never endorse this if it puts a burden on businesses that aren’t part of the problem,” town council director Marcie Beckett said.
Individual businesses would only be responsible for their “fair share,” Discover Pacific Beach program manager Sara Berns said. Factors such as foot traffic and linear feet of street frontage would determine fees, she explained.
Berns estimated that homeowners would pay roughly $70 per year.
Discover Pacific Beach already receives money from businesses, town council director Bozier Demaree said.
Discover Pacific Beach’s budget of roughly $400,000 is intended to promote, rather than maintain, area businesses, Berns said.
The city and Pacific Beach’s business improvement district currently share such maintenance duties as street sweeping and litter removal. While many town council members agree that more needs to be done to make Garnet Avenue and other high-volume streets clean, some are hesitant to assume responsibility for the area.
“The thing that disturbs me is that we’re starting to get into the city’s areas,” said PBTC treasurer Mike Stevens, who presided in Ruby Houck’s absence.
“I’m torn because I think that’s part of our responsibility,” town council director and Safe and Beautiful Committee chairperson Jerry Hall said. “I don’t see our business improvement district taking on this work and I’m sick of seeing Pacific Beach trashed.”
“We’ve had a lot of support from bigger property owners,” Berns said.
“The little people don’t really matter,” Beckett said. “You didn’t do a good job of going to the community. You’ve only reached out to big business owners.”
Berns responded that area business owners received information on the proposed district.
“That’s not enough,” Beckett said.
Other town council members shared Beckett’s concern that owners of large businesses could have more than their fair share of influence on whether the assessment district is approved.
Votes are divided by parcels, rather than individual properties. For example, homeowners might have one vote for the section of land their single-family home occupies. A business, on the other hand, could have 20 votes. If more than 50 percent of the parcels approve the proposal, it will pass.
Before local property owners cast their votes, the City Council must approve the proposal. The council voted May 27 to table the measure for two weeks.
Business and homeowners will have a chance to weigh in on the assessment district at a June 5 meeting at the Discover Pacific Beach offices, 1503 Garnet Ave., at 6:30 p.m.
The area’s Administrative Citation Program is helping police more effectively manage disturbances, Officer Charlie Wetzel of the San Diego Police Department said.
Implemented in December, the program allows officers to fine tenants and owners $1,000 for noise from parties and other disturbances that can be heard 50 feet from the dwelling.
“It’s another tool we throw on officers’ tool belts,” Wetzel said.
Of the 26 citations written in the Northern Division, 22 have been in Pacific Beach, Wetzel said. All of the citations have been appealed and upheld, he added. Violators have also had to pay court fees and other administrative costs.
Another program having an impact on the community is the International Baccalaureate Program at Pacific Beach Middle School (PBMS).
Designed to emphasize critical-thinking skills and community service, the program is one of the few of its kind in the state.
“One of our primary goals is to make our school one that parents in the neighborhood would be proud to send their children to,” PBMS principal Julie Martel said.
The San Diego Unified School district is unique in that residency does not determine where a student attends school. Many of the students in local schools are bussed in from other parts of the city.
For more information on PBMS, visit its soon-to-be-launched website, www.PacificBeachMiddleSchool.com.
The PBTC will hold its next regularly scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, at the Taylor Library, 4275 Cass St.