Group tackles quality-of-life issues

Sandy, white beaches and a temperate year-round climate. Lively oceanfront restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels and shops dotting the three-mile boardwalk and surrounding areas. These are all factors that draw thousands of visitors to Pacific Beach every year. Because of its status as a tourist destination, the community’s population can swell from 40,000 to 800,000 people on any given sunny weekend, according to Sara Berns, executive director of Discover Pacific Beach. “Because of that, we [Discover Pacific Beach] have a unique population in our membership of businesses that survive trying to find a balance between that and also recognize the impact — both positive and negative — that this brings to a community,” Berns said. “The Hospitality Task Force is a subcommittee of Discover Pacific Beach that was formed to address those needs.” The Hospitality Task Force (HTF) was established in 2000 as a forum for the Pacific Beach hospitality industry to communicate with residents, business owners, police, government officials and other organizations, as well as to execute neighborhood programs in the stunning beach community they call home. “The HTF is a great source of information for all businesses in Pacific Beach, not just the hospitality industry,” said Billy Ramirez, co-owner of the PB Shore Club and The Fish Shop. Ramirez, a five-year member of the HTF, takes his role seriously. “One of the biggest economic drivers of the beach area [is] entertainment,” Ramirez said. “Be it the entertainment outdoors, shops, restaurants and nightlife, the HTF is involved in it all. I feel the biggest achievements for the HTF is the participation and willingness of its members.” Todd Brown, owner of Bub’s Dive Bar, has been actively involved in Discover Pacific Beach for nearly 14 years and said he has seen plenty of positive change in the Business Improvement District — a reason he became involved with the HTF upon its inception. “Identifying operational challenges, creating standards for safety and service, and creating a forum for proactive efforts within the industry for overall operation has been our ongoing agenda,” Brown said. “I have several businesses in and around San Diego County, and nowhere else have I found a collective effort to positively impact a community like the Hospitality Task Force,” he said. “People volunteering time and money in the place where they do business — I’ve always believed that’s our responsibility.” He said members of the task force are simply “doing what they should be doing,” urging others in the industry to get involved as well. “When we get closer to having everyone contribute — in one form or another — that’s when we will see community goals achieved, as they should be,” Brown said. The task force is comprised of members from nearly 30 popular bars, restaurants, cafes and hotels in Pacific Beach. “Every business is diverse, but as a whole, we believe there can be an expectation of safety, responsibility, and the ‘PB culture’ that can be messaged through the hospitality industry,” Berns said. “What we have done with the HTF is create a positive environment for businesses to work cooperatively with each other and their neighbors to create a powerful opportunity to send that unified message.” Over the past decade, the HTF has given more than $1 million back to the Pacific Beach community for safety initiatives and neighborhood events, including the donation of two fully equipped police bicycles to the San Diego Police Department’s Northern Division Beach Team officers last year. The oft-unseen efforts by task force members pay off with visible improvements like the installation of new high-tech security devices to reduce crime, twice the number of trashcans on Garnet Avenue to promote a clean neighborhood, and development of an “Out of Cars and into Bars” program encouraging police officers to patrol alcohol establishments in the area. The task force also puts on the annual Pacific Beach Holiday Parade and supports fellow Discover Pacific Beach subcommittees — including the Promotions Committee, Design and Improvement Committee and the Beachfest Committee — with efforts to put on events like the Tuesday Farmer’s Market and Beachfest. And the HTF continues to set its sights on the future. “I would like to see the HTF continue its efforts to improve PB through cleanups and strengthen our relationship with SDPD and city government,” said Victor Swircz, manager of Tavern at the Beach. “I would also like for the HTF to bring back the [recently shelved] PB Holiday Parade and continue to help save the Fourth of July fireworks show.” He also hopes to see the committee double its membership by next year. “Having more businesses involved will only help the HTF to accomplish and exceed its goals,” Swircz said. The grand vision of the task force, according to Berns, is to continue to highlight Pacific Beach as an international destination with a vibrant business community, great schools and parks, and longstanding residents. “I think that’s all any urban community can hope for, and we are lucky that we have a strong foundation already in place,” Berns said. “I see this [HTF] subcommittee as one that involves businesses that appeal to the customer looking to enjoy PB — whether that customer is fleeing the Arizona heat in the middle of the summer or lives just up the street and is looking to enjoy the weekend with their family after a long work week.” Task force members invite residents and other merchants to their After St. Patty’s Day Cleanup on Monday, March 19. Registration and check-in will begin at 10 a.m. at Typhoon Saloon/Fred’s Mexican Cafe, located at 1165 Garnet Ave. For more information, call (858) 273-3303. Involvement on Discover Pacific Beach committees is open to all community members. Visit www.pacificbeach.org for a full listing of meeting times, dates and locations or additional information.