As a resident of the Point Loma community, I am concerned about the upcoming Peninsula Community Planning Board’s elections this Saturday. My angst centers on the mudslinging that has occurred with the various candidates. In all of the drama we’ve seen since the election debacle in April, neither side has really addressed the issues the community faces or the work that the board has accomplished.
The health, safety and welfare of this community are on the line. Why? Because infrastructure issues including traffic, water/sewer, undergrounding utilities and growing crime are major and will get worse as this community grows “¦ and grows. I believe controlled development is good for the area but with the caveat that the infrastructure is considered and the community plan for our area is followed. I’m not so sure that has happened.
My concerns, among many, include the continued development in the former NTC. Rock Church’s occupancy will grow to nearly from 3,600 to 10,000 with additional services, along with a themed hotel likely to increase neighborhood traffic and parking issues.
The growth at Lindbergh Field and the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan, the fate of the 30-foot height restriction along the coastal areas that might have a high-rise on every corner with additional density and parking problems and the blatant disregard by some homeowners to the historic preservation of homes and vegetation worry me greatly. The impact of these and other community issues that affect the quality of life and make the area valuable to all who live here cannot be overstated.
So, where does all of this leave us, the citizens of this community? We have an important election this Saturday, June 9, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Point Loma Library. Who to vote for?
I want proven leaders, people who are on the board with a track record that includes among many other things: approving 95 percent of the projects put before them in the last few years; attending various meetings to alert and report to the community on issues involving the airport, community plan, naval oil plume, condo conversions, etc.
I want board members who want to uphold the Peninsula Community Plan while working with the various city agencies, developers and the community to find solutions to our growing problems.
Most important, I want individuals who value the community first, not their own political or economic interests (or those of their pals). So while an incumbent or two may be a lightning rod for those who don’t agree with them, the work they have done and continue to do benefits all of us in this precious Peninsula community.