The Pacific Beach Town Council (PBTC) discussed eliminating graffiti from and adding trash cans to its busy streets at its general monthly meeting, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, at the Earl and Birdie Taylor Library.
“I think we all know we have a plague of graffiti,” said Safe and Beautiful Committee Chairperson Jerry Hall. “It’s not a casual thing in PB.”
Hall said there are roughly 400 spraypainted markings, or tags, along Garnet Avenue to Mission Boulevard. The tags usually include a crew or tag name as well as the tagger’s moniker.
Officer Phil Franchina of the San Diego Police Department’s (SDPD) Graffiti Strike Force is one of two officers who document graffiti and apprehend taggers north of Interstate 8.
Although Pacific Beach is a popular target for graffiti, the offenders come from different areas, Franchina said.
If residents find graffiti, they should call (619) 531-2000.
“The main thing is you want to get it documented and get a case number,” Franchina said.
Taggers who are caught receive probation and must pay restitution. Chronic offenders can receive six months to a year in jail.
Cases resulting in less than $400 in damage are considered misdemeanors, Franchina said, while cases with more than $400 in damage are felonies. The damage from individual tags is not combined when determining the level of offense.
Dumpsters and utility boxes are popular targets, Franchina said. San Diego Gas and Electric can repaint defaced utility boxes.
The City of San Diego can paint hard-to-reach areas and other property that has been tagged if a consent form is filled out beforehand. The important thing, Franchina repeated, is that residents and business owners photograph the tag before painting over it. The city can also provide recycled paint to residents and business owners who wish to paint tags themselves.
For more information, call the Graffiti Control Hotline, (619) 525-8522.
“There’s a lot of graffiti in PB, and we’re sick and tired of it and we want to knock it down,” Hall said.
One method the Safe and Beautiful Committee is considering to combat graffiti seems simple ” stencils. Created by an artist, the stencils could be used to restore the original image to a defaced area quickly and inexpensively, Hall said.
Another method the group is considering is more involved.
“We’re going to use a unique approach to address litter and graffiti,” Hall said.
California Art Institute students Jeff Hunter, SueAnn Erickson and David Gonsalves have designed a plan to heighten awareness of Pacific Beach’s litter problem and provide the tools to solve it.
“We wanted to turn around this mindset that it’s OK to throw your trash around,” Hunter said.
Through surveys, observation and focus groups, the students discovered that Pacific Beach’s litter problem has emotional and practical roots.
In addition to reporting that they could not find a trash can when looking for one, residents also reported a feeling of hopelessness when it comes to litter, Hunter said.
Using design methodology and positives messages, the group developed a three-pronged approach to tackling Pacific Beach’s litter problem: awareness, motivation and opportunity.
To “create a presence in the community,” the students designed eye-catching signage and trash cans with playful messages such as “I Don’t Mind Being Used” and “I Can Handle It.”
In an area that attracts thousand of visitors, the trash cans and their message are “enough to remind people that PB residents care about where they live,” Hunter said.
It was also enough to impress the judges of a national design contest. Hunter, Erickson and Gonsalves were awarded a $12,900 grant to help make their vision a reality.
“It’s really important we do something,” Hall said. “This is a tremendous resource that should not be wasted.
Funding is also the pivotal issue for additional camera surveillance in the beach area. “It’s all about the money,” said SDPD Lt. Brian Ahearn. “We’d love to expand to Garnet, the south jetty and Mission Bay Park. The infrastructure is already there.”
Cameras cost approximately $2,000 each, Ahearn said.
Asked how he felt about the police department’s handling of the Labor Day melee, Ahearn said,
“We train for this. “¦ It was kept on the sand.”
Town council board member Jim Menders said, “I live a couple blocks from the beach and I felt safe.”
In light of the incident, Councilman Kevin Faulconer has proposed a citywide alcohol ban on the beaches. City Attorney Mike Aguirre is working on the ordinance, which is scheduled to go before the city’s Public Safety Committee Oct. 10.
Some residents dealing with noisy neighbors who have loud parties are not feeling as secure.
Ahearn urged attendees with noise complaints to call police but to be patient because police have to deal with urgent, higher-priority calls first.
Extra officers who were patrolling the beach communities during the peak summer months have been sent back to their regular command posts, Ahearn explained, adding that Police Chief William Lansdowne has authorized overtime on weekends.
To report crime, call (619) 531-2000. To get involved in a Neighborhood Watch program, call the PBTC offices, (858) 483-6666.
Volunteers are needed for this year’s BeachFest on Oct. 6. To help, call the PBTC offices.
The PBTC will hold its next regularly scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at the Earl and Birdie Taylor Library, 4275 Cass St.