News from the Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council

By Shain Haug, Tommy Thorton

SoccerCity

The next Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council (AGGCC) Town Hall Meeting will be on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at Ascension Lutheran Church at 51st and Zion avenues.

Subject to confirmation by FS Investors, we will hold a public forum relative to the proposed SoccerCity development of the Qualcomm Stadium property. The initiative that will bring the matter to the City Council in June 2017 appears to have sufficient signatures to require the council to take action, probably as a public vote in early November 2017.

Everything about the proposed development, from financing to completion, is complex at several levels. The plan calls for conversion of public land to a privately developed, mixed-use area with a Major League Soccer stadium, residences, a river park, businesses, and public playing fields.

At the May 23, 2017 forum, the developer will explain all aspects of project and will give you the information you need to inform your vote.

Homeless

At the March 28 Town Hall Meeting, we had presentations by the SDFD and the SDPD. A summary of their suggestions for your safety and security will be published in the newsletter that we will send out in May 2017.

The Ascension Lutheran Church and AGGCC are considering how the community can deal with the needs of and issues presented by our local homeless population. We decided that our most effective work could be in connection with two new homeless projects in the area. The spiritual and material support we can offer are of critical interest to our neighborhood.

Our primary speaker at the March 28 meeting was John Wurster of Affirmed Housing, the for-profit organization developer that is converting the Motel 6 on Alvarado Canyon Road to a residence for homeless military veterans and that will build a similar residence at the corner of Fairmont Extension and Twain Avenue. Both facilities will have on?site management, support, and counseling services dealing with personal finance, nutrition, behavior, and mental health.

The Motel 6 Project work will begin late this year and will open for residents in late fall or early winter 2018. The hotel will be converted to 85 studio apartments as permanent homes for homeless veterans and for on-site counselors. The restaurant will be converted to a clubhouse for the residents. The perimeter will be fenced and gated to avoid the area becoming a place for congregation of non-resident homeless persons.
The Fairmont/Twain Project should open in late 2020. There will be two buildings: one of 80 units (40 studio/40 one-bedroom) as permanent residences for homeless veterans; and one of 80 units for low-income families.
It is anticipated that the Veterans Administration will have a strong presence at both locations. There be a plaza for retail businesses between the buildings.

You need to know more, a lot more, so please have reference to the information we will put in the May newsletter. We have a long way before we can decide how the church and the community can best participate. We will begin when we know who the on-site providers are. In the meantime, your thoughts, suggestions, and questions will be much appreciated.

Off leash dog area

In light of the number of folks who run their dogs without leash at the recreation center and with the high density residential development planned in Grantville, it is time for dog owners to consider establishing an Off Leash Dog Area (OLDA).

To begin the procedure you need to set up a fund of $5,000 and then work with Parks and Recreation to request an area to be set up. If the park space is found, there is a one-year trial period for the OLDA and then Parks and Recreation will decide whether to officially establish it.

First Fridays

The Allied Gardens First Fridays Concert Committee is proud to once again, host a series of free summer concerts. This year there will be five performances. They will be held on the first Friday of each month, beginning in June and ending in October.

The entertainment begins at 6 p.m. and ends approximately at 8 p.m. The events are intended to be enjoyed by the whole family, lawn chairs and picnics are encouraged. They will be held in the park adjacent to the Allied Gardens Recreation Center.

Your first chance to see free, live music will be on Friday, June 2 and performing will be High Tide Society, a yacht rock band.

The AGGCC Board of Directors meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Ascension Lutheran Church. Our next meeting will be on May 1. The public is welcome.

—Shain Haug is the president and Tommy Thorton is board member of the Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council. Reach them at [email protected]. Suggestions for Town Hall Meetings and Council action will be much appreciated.