{"id":250555,"date":"2016-08-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-08-12T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/heading-to-the-finish-line\/"},"modified":"2016-08-12T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-08-12T07:00:00","slug":"heading-to-the-finish-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/heading-to-the-finish-line\/","title":{"rendered":"Heading to the finish line"},"content":{"rendered":"

Uptown Planners nearly done with Community Plan Update<\/strong><\/p>\n

Por Ken Williams | Editor<\/p>\n

You can almost hear the fat lady singing.<\/p>\n

The Uptown Planners are putting the finishing touches on the Uptown Community Plan Update (CPU), and are expected to add final comments at the monthly meeting scheduled at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, at Joyce Beers Community Center in Hillcrest.<\/p>\n

Various issues involving the CPU dominated the Aug. 2 meeting of the volunteer advisory group to the city\u2019s Planning Department. Supporters and detractors of increased density pleaded their cases to the Uptown Planners, and board members weighed in with their own thoughts about the update progress.<\/p>\n

Also, about 50 residents of Middletown returned to Uptown Planners, seeking to clarify language in the CPU that affects their community in their ongoing fight involving traffic and safety concerns along India Street.<\/p>\n

\"CPU<\/a>After a lively discussion, the local planners voted 10-4-1 to approve a motion to request the city to delete all references in the June 2016 CPU \u2014 the current proposal \u2014 to the removal of parking and\/or sidewalks from India Street in the section from Palm Street to Washington Street. The motion also called for a written statement to be incorporated in the final CPU that the city will not add the removals in the final document, which is expected to be approved by the City Council this fall.<\/p>\n

The CPU discusses the removal of parking and\/or sidewalks from India Street as part of possible mitigation, but rejected the idea in tiny print on several graphics. Residents said parking was at a premium on India Street, and removal of any parking spots to add more traffic lanes was unacceptable.<\/p>\n

About 100 Middletown residents attended the July 5 Uptown Planners meeting and described how they have observed speeding drivers as well as confused and lost tourists trying to find the airport\u2019s consolidated Rental Car Center, located at 3355 Admiral Boland Way. You can read that article at bit.ly\/2aOqrXg.<\/p>\n

Comments on CPU<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the end of the Aug. 2 meeting, Leo Wilson, chair of Uptown Planners, opened the floor for public comments on the overall CPU.<\/p>\n

Several representatives of the Pernicano family \u2014 who own valuable land along Fifth and Sixth avenues in Hillcrest that includes a long-vacant restaurant carrying the family\u2019s name \u2014 urged the Uptown Planners to keep the current recommendations in the CPU that allow for higher density along transit routes in the Uptown area. Those routes include Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues, Park Boulevard, University Avenue and Washington Street.<\/p>\n

Sherman D. Harmer Jr., president of Urban Housing Partners and one of the people representing the Pernicano family, thanked the minority of the Uptown Planners who have argued against downzoning and criticized the majority who oppose higher density.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your recommendation goes through, it\u2019s a disaster to property owners,\u201d Harmer said. \u201cNobody is going to build at 43 units per acre and with a 60-foot height limit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harmer said the Uptown Planners were sending conflicting signals to the Planning Commission and the City Council by opposing great density when the city\u2019s new Climate Action Plan (CAP) encourages density along transit routes.<\/p>\n

Harmer is working with a group of property owners who have formed the Uptown Gateway Council. Members include Bennet Greenwald, Nick Totah, Lucy Burni, Charlie Jadallah, Ron Pelman, Gary Pernicano, KG Ventures, Lyda Cohen, Mike Johsz, Roger Arko, Chris Shaw, Ronald R. Bamburgun, Robert H. Schwab, Westcore Properties and Clara Wreidt, according to the hillcrestgateway.com website.<\/p>\n

Ian Epley, a local architect and former member of the Uptown Planners, said he was glad the city dropped the historic core designation for Hillcrest in favor of the Main Street America program. He also applauded the increased density supported along Park Boulevard, which matches up with what the North Park Planning Committee approved in its CPU. He noted that while Uptown Planners fought density and supported height restrictions, the city\u2019s redevelopment dollars went to places like East Village and Little Italy.<\/p>\n

Several members of the millennial generation spoke in favor of higher density and being able to live, work and play in the same neighborhood without ever having to own a car.<\/p>\n

One speaker scoffed at the Uptown Gateway Council, saying they were only out for the almighty dollar instead of caring about local residents.<\/p>\n

After the public comments were closed, members of the Uptown Planners got to talk about the process, which has been ongoing for almost seven years.<\/p>\n

Tim Gahagan said he was concerned about increased density and traffic problems because transit and infrastructure aren\u2019t keeping up with development.<\/p>\n

Cindy Thorsen said she was disappointed about the lack of parks and the CPU shows a deficit for years to come.<\/p>\n

Mat Wahlstrom slammed local business groups for wielding too much influence over the CPU.<\/p>\n

Tom Mulaney said the CPU as written \u201cwill be a disaster\u201d and predicted legal challenges if it is approved by the Planning Commission and the City Council.<\/p>\n

Roy Dahl railed against the process. \u201cWe didn\u2019t get serious about the CPU until the past few months,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Leo Wilson said he is excited about what is happening in his neighborhood of Bankers Hill, which has tall buildings mixed in with private homes. He said Mission Hills was able to keep its village feel in the CPU. But he said he was sad about the ongoing conflict in Hillcrest between the business community and residents, calling it a \u201cmalignant sore\u201d and a \u201cbattle zone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael Brennan, the secretary, said he was happy with the current CPU and said the plans for Park Boulevard \u201ccomplements what\u2019s happening on the North Park side\u201d of the thoroughfare.<\/p>\n

Dana Hook acknowledged that she is part of the board minority and said the CPU does not match up with the goals of the CAP.<\/p>\n

Gary Bonner worried about the lack of parks and was disappointed the bicycle community wasn\u2019t more involved in the CPU to push for filling in the gap on University Avenue on the east-west biking route. The business community fought to keep parking spaces instead of allowing protected bike lanes from First Avenue to the state Route 163 overpass.<\/p>\n

Maya Rosas said she was in favor of density on the transit corridors and called downzoning \u201ca step backward.\u201d She supports the CPU as it is, and argued that growth is not a cancer.<\/p>\n

Ken Tablang said he was standing with Rosas. \u201cI love the way Bankers Hill is turning out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Bill Ellig said he was a multi-modal person and bicyclist, but added that \u201cit\u2019s going to take more than transit to get people out of their cars.\u201d He also said the update process was \u201crushed\u201d to make a time deadline.<\/p>\n

Otras noticias<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Uptown Planners also:<\/p>\n