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District 2 residents have been sending me their choices of the Top 3 issues for the District. Here, then, are their selections. – Carolyn
- Traffic to and from Downtown including parking.
- Balance between residential and commercial development in the district.
- Affordable housing and the homeless people
- Gentrification – The wealthy people living in Pacific Beach trying to restrict access to the beach by restricting parking, limiting hours of bonfires, and trying to prohibit alcohol on the beach.
- The lack of designated Park Status for the Pacific Beach section of Rose Creek.
- Poorly planned Public Transit for the Beach communities – hours of operation are not in line with hours of need, all parts of Mission Bay are not served by public transit.
- Alcohol and its handmaiden, licensing
- The dreaded block party
- The trashy appearance of Garnet Avenue. (Compare it to Prospect in La Jolla!) Sadly, I've filed formal complaints with the city but to no effect.
- Keeping the beaches and bays healthy
- Getting some kind of handle on the insane bar/party atmosphere that has taken over PB (especially the infamous Block Party)
- More city programs for the homeless – District 2, between downtown and the beaches, has the lion's share of these folks.
- Clean up beaches and bays. District 2 is a donor district. Raises lots of TOT and lease revenue for City, yet we don’t get back what we need maintain infrastructure.
- Airport
- Proper fire equip, parks for downtown.
Also a big deal downtown is train noise. For Pt Loma - Holding McMillan to his promises at NTC.
- NTC give away. Awful. NEVER AGAIN, please. Please hold McMillan's feet to the fire wherever possible. Same concept for the SPORTS ARENA. No give away to privates.
- Permitting for GRANNY FLATS and other remodels in the old beach area. The requirements for suburban development do not work here. It is a nightmare.
- Open government. Donna Frye has it right.
- Drunks and drunk drivers. There are far too many liquor licenses in PB. I have been in 3 car accidents with drunk drivers in PB. The police refused to come to the accidents because there were no obvious injuries (no blood or broken bones). I live every day with pain from injuries received in one of those accidents. It’s ruining our town. I thought that I would never want to leave PB but I am ready to go.
- Bad behavior and trash left behind on the beaches and in our neighborhoods by visitors. Again, alcohol consumption and police refusing to take action ruins the enjoyment of our homes and beaches.
- Traffic and parking.
The pension system (of course), the infrastructure in the beach (Mission Bay, streets, water, sewer, maintenance), and the overall view of the how the city is run from downtown.
Pot holes, saving open space, taking of people’s property and replacing older buildings with new. That is one of the charms of eastern cities, they haven’t completely gotten rid of the old. Just stayed in an 1807 hotel in New York and was struck by our desire to destroy the old.
- Redevelopment of Midway area
- San Diego Bay waterfront development plans
- Improved city surfaces in the district: potholes, sidewalks, medians
- Required source separation for recycling and composting from residential and commercial facilities including city facilities in the City of San Diego.
- Storm drain and beach pollution prevention and cleanup
- Sewer pipe repairs
- PB transit to downtown
- Densification of midway area, including threatened eminent domain (get them out early) and raising the height limit.
- Almost anything to do with McMillan and NTC. Much of it is too late but every promise he made has been broken… with the help of the council. Has also screwed up one of the few outlets off of Pt loma by the changes to Rosecrans… beneficial to him and not to other residents… much less rush hour traffic.
- Airport plans… another eminent domain issue… as usual, with the intention of taking the homes and small businesses of people.
To give a few thoughts to your Dist. 2 question. Of course, the burning concern is to get the financial mess at the City straightened out. This has everything at a standstill. The public needs to know the truth – at least those who care and understand. Where it started is interesting, but when it will end is crucial. We must get the audits done, even if this entails going to court and firing everyone on the Pension Board.
The lack of funds to complete infrastructure projects in D2 are the most noticeable. Pot holes and patches on patches abound. Many streets have not been resurfaced in years. Traffic is horrible – you know how long it takes to get onto the freeway at just about any hour of the day. Park staff has been cut to the point that the lack of maintenance sorely shows. It seems park staff is the first sacrificial cow – in lieu of police and fire – now we here police and fire are short too. Closing of Rec Ctrs and Libraries to save $$ is STUPID. This insures the police will have more clients since some kids will have trouble making as an alternative. Drinking in the areas close to the beach is a problem. [All the folks I know that live in D2 want the seals of D1 left alone. All my out of town visitors want to go there and then shop in LJ. $$ is $$.]
The pledge of no new taxes is insane – although near death politically. What are the alternatives? Cut spending and eliminate what the public believes they are entitled to – find new sources of revenue – or raise taxes.
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