Spring 2010 C3 Views...by C3 members. We look forward to the the Park’s opening and the opportunity to make full use of it! • C3 Views Ruocco Park Taking Shape Spring 2010 translating

At the End of 2009, The design for the long-awaited Ruocco Park was headed toward completion. Generated by Dennis Otsuji of ONA Landscape Architects, hopefully this Revised Plan is one which channels the spirit of its namesake.

The Park will be situated adjacent to the National Register Old Police Headquarters and north of Sea-port Village, a project within the Downtown His-toric Waterfront Plan which C3 participated in with strident advocacy.

Intended to honor the memory of C3 co-founders and contemporary San Diego pioneers Lloyd and Ilse Ruocco, the park has been envisioned for more than twenty years. Shopping for sites and funding has been a long legacy of C3.

Now the realization that the park is actually going to be completed, as well as the fact that the Ruoccos will become known as significant contributors to the post-war built environment of San Diego, is another great achievement of near generational commitment by C3 members. We look forward to the the Park’s opening and the opportunity to make full use of it! •

C3 ViewsRuocco Park Taking Shape

Spring 2010

translating vision into action

Revised Ruocco Park Plan, 2009, San Diego Unified Port District

In this Issue:

President’s MessagePlanning and Politics...and Hotels?...Page 2 Stephen M Haase, AICP, C3 President

County General PlanUpdate Status Report........................Page 3 Diane Coombs

San Diego CanyonlandsNewly Formed Nonprofit.................Page 3 Diane Coombs

SB1177Support for Senator Kehoe..............Page 4 Judy Swink

Annual Member MeetingMosaic Wine Bar.............................Page 5 Rosemary Rowan

C3: A Look BackA Brief History of C3......................Page 7 Judy Swink

In Every Issue:Contributors...............................Page 2

New Members............................Page 4

Breakfast Dialogue Program.......Page 6

Member News............................Page 10

Committees ...............................Page 10

Membership Application......Back Page

C3 Views- A Journal of Regional Planning Issues for San Diego County

C3 Mission StatementTo establish a non-partisan, non-profit or-ganization of informed citizens which will strive for the conservation and improve-ment of the San Diego region.

To present objective information, con-structive opinion, and educational programs, reflecting the deliberation of its members. To weigh all matters in view of the contribution toward acheving the highest standard of environmental quality, physical design, economic benefit, and social progress.

C3 Views is published quarterly to inform C3 Members on Board activity, and to promote excellence in land use planning in the San Diego Region. The views expressed inside, unless specifically noted, may not necessarily reflect those of C3 as an organization.

© 2010 by C3. All rights reserved.Editor: Kacie Bluhm

President’s Message: Planning and Politics … and Hotels?In a perfect world some dream the art of planning (a fundamental property of intelligent behavior) and the act of politics (the process by which groups of people make collective decisions) would be separate. This is not only unrealistic, but loses the synergistic benefits that ultimately derive from the development of advocacy for a policy or project. These prin-ciples will be put to the test with the consideration of an ordinance by the San Diego City Council to subject hotel projects within the downtown redevelopment area to a higher level of discretionary review.

When planning and politics are in balance, the creative tension results in change that ben-efits us all. However, when planning fails to engage the public, its efforts suffer from the perception of vision from the ivory tower. Politics suffers a similar fate when the exercise of power is not derived from the broader collective, but driven by interest groups and gadflies from throughout the political spectrum. While some lament politics as a necessary evil, I embrace Sir Winston Churchill’s dictum from 1947: “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” The challenge is to ensure our collective citizenship participates in the political process and de-mands the highest standards of planning. A higher level of project review by the political body destroys this balance.

As a former planning director charged with overseeing development activities in San Jose’s downtown redevelopment area, I saw up close and personal the clash of too little plan-ning and too much politics that resulted in a chilling effect on private investment in the downtown. Seeking a better model based upon trips and conversations with public officials in Vancouver, BC and Denver, the City Council separated the policy setting from project delivery. This resulted in clear rules (policy set by Council) and a certain and timely process (project implementation delegated to staff ).

I encourage the City Council to set the policy and stay out of the process. Requiring a higher level of review for a specific class of projects, such as hotels, politicizes the develop-ment process. The City Council needs to step back and let the community, staff, and devel-opment interests work together to deliver projects. Only then will San Diego grow up and achieve its potential.

Stephen Michael Haase, AICP

C-3 President

C3 Executive Board & Directors

PresidentStephen M Haase, AICP

President-ElectSusan TinskyVP FinanceJohn Lomac

VP MembershipRosemary Rowan

SecretaryEvelyn Shields

Treasurer:Dahvia Lynch

At-LargeRoger Lewis

Directors

Diane CoombsMartin Flores

Charles KaminskiPaul McNeil

Manjeet RanuLuisa Schultz

Jay TurnerSandra Wellhausen

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Spring 2010

ContributorsThank You to Spring 2010’s Contributing Writers:Diane CoombsAnne FegeStephen HaaseChuck Kaminski

Vonn Marie May

Rosemary Rowan

Judy Swink

Contact:For information. questions, or com-ments:5252 Balboa AveSuite 207San Diego, CA 92117-7005(619) [email protected]: CitizenC3Become a fan of C3 on Facebook!


County General Plan Update Status Report

C3 has been represented on the County General Plan Update Interest Group since the Group’s es-tablishment almost ten years ago. It has been chal-lenging, to say the least, with starts and progress, then staff changes and revisiting issues, politics, and all this time development continuing under a long outdated plan. Worse yet, the county has contin-ued to process and approve General Plan amend-ments which are not consistent with the existing or proposed plans - the Merriam Mountain Project is only one of many examples.

C3 has supported the inclusion of smart growth concepts focusing development in urban areas and town centers away from the back country. This model will reduce infrastructure costs, improve quality of life, enable transit and affordable hous-ing, create walkable communities, reduce energy and water consumption, facilitate habitat protec-tion and connectivity, and aid in job and housing balance and public safety; particularly with respect to wildfires. We believe that the Environmentally Superior Map best addresses our goals as well as the requirements of state legislation (AB 32 and SB 375). Climate change and sustainability issues must be a driving force in the new General Plan. Policies with ambiguous wording such as “encour-age”, “may”, “if feasible”, and “support” should be replaced in most cases with clear language that as-sures the desired outcome: “shall”,” must”, and

C3 has a long history of collaborating with other non-profits, advocating protection and restoration of our canyon systems which help define our sense of place, provide habitat, improve water quality, nature education, recreation, and physical and men-tal health. Under the leadership of San Diego Civic Solutions with participation from C3 and the Sierra Club, a white paper was published in March 2006 titled, “Canyonlands - The Creation of a San Diego Regional Canyonlands Park”. In the introduction it notes:

“The idea of Canyonlands is to create a visionary open space park that will create a framework for our region. This park will be a system of natural and urban spaces and connections incorporating the canyons, coastline, and mountains that define

New San Diego Canyonlands Non-ProfitFour years after the creation of a documentary expressing the need for a Canyonlands Regional Park, a new non-profit hopes to make that dream a reality.

Thank You to Board MembersC3 Staff and the Board of Directors would like to express their gratitude to Joan Dahlin and Barry Schultz for their service as C3 Board Members. Joan has been a longtime contributor to C3, active in the organization for over thirty years. We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors. Replacing Joan and Barry on the Board are Luisa Schultz and Manjeet Ranu. We look forward to their input and ideas. •

Page 3

“require”. We have supported this, along with the development industry and oth-er stakeholders in the Conservation Subdivision. It would protect the environ-ment and agricultural lands, reduce infrastructure costs, promote public safety in fires, and reduce water and energy use as well as green house gas emissions. C3 also supports an equity mechanism in the General Plan which acknowledges extreme down zonings and up zonings. The County staff proposal to purchase development rights (with no funding mechanism) while resisting a Transfer of Development (TDR) rights to parcels proposed for significant density increases

Continued: ‘Plan’ Page 8

Artst’s rendering of the Merriam Mountain Project

Continued: ‘Canyonlands’ Page 8Bancroft Creek Canyon

Spring 2010


“SB 1177 would require the greenway zone to be permanently dedicated to the use and enjoyment of the public, so that if the 22nd DAA ceases to exist or if a part or all the property is sold, the greenway

and public access trail will remain.”

C3 Board Member RetreatLike clockwork, the C3 Board of Directors got together at the beginning of this year to review the successes and challenges of 2009, and chart the goals for 2010. This year, we met at the Jacobs Center in south-eastern San Diego in the Diamond neigh-borhood.

With a full agenda, the day’s topics includ-ed C3’s committee structure, organizational stability, advocacy, programs, events, mem-bership, fundraising, and office support.Highlights from the retreat include:

Both Stephen Haase and Susan Tinsky return to their positions as President and President-Elect, while VP Membership will pass from Diane Coombs to Rosemary Rowan. John Lomac has signed on as VP Finance, and Evelyn Shields accepted the role of Secretary. Dahvia Lynch continues as Treasurer and new board member Rod-ger Lewis took over from Evelyn as the At-Large board representative.

Committee Structure was moderately adjusted with new board member Luisa Schultz and active C3 member Don Wood co-chairing the Water & Energy commit-tee. Diane Coombs will continue with her very active Waterfront Committee, and John Lomac will work with Judy Swink on Parks and Open Space. Sustainability will continue with Dahvia Lynch as chair, and Susan Tinsky will head the Equity in Community Planning committee.

Organizational Sustainability was the day’s major topic. Evelyn Shields and John Lo-mac prepared an Action Plan last fall as a follow-up to the Membership Survey con-ducted in 2009. The intent of the Action Plan “is to improve the organizational sus-tainability of C3 in the areas of decision-making, committee structure, membership engagement, fiscal responsibility, and gov-ernance practice.”

Within Finance and Fiscal Responsibility, the Board discussed ways to increase the organization’s income, and identified areas to target to reduce expenses. One outcome of this discussion was a modest increase in annual member dues.

In the Organizational/Committee Struc-ture discussion, the Board took action to form or assign responsibilities for C3 com-

Page 4

Continued on Next PageSpring 2010

mittees to be chaired by a Board member with a committee structure of members and interested others. We looked at mar-keting and re-branding the organization to raise the visibility of C3 as a thought leader and authority on the built and natural en-vironment.

Another important topic was embership ngagement and retention. The Board real-izes that the organization is only as good as its membership. Setting percentage goals for membership retention and increasing the membership base was an objective for discussion.

The Board also made a commitment to hire a full time office manager, funding permit-ting. We also looked at the possibility of es-tablishing an Advisory Board, how to bet-ter utilize the C3 Views and our monthly Breakfast Dialogues, as well as agreed to update C3’s homepage to make it more appealing, as well as user-friendly. In the last year C3 has developed a presesence on Facebook and Twitter, and would like to keep that momentum moving. The Board discussed what were the best ways to lever-age our events, publications, and mission to sustain the organization financially for the present and the future.

Dahvia Lynch presented the Sustainabil-ity Committee recommendations for both short and long term goals for 2010. The Committee’s major effort will be updating “Sustainable Paradise: A Call to Action for Creating Sustainable Urban Systems in the San Diego Region”, (pending title). The Board had spent over seven hours in the conference room when it re-ceived the position paper, and deferred discussion to en-sure it receives the attention it needs. A “parking lot” for topics that we couldn’t get to included by-laws, office man-ager job description, and the mission statement for each C3 standing committee. The retreat con-cluded at 4:30 PM. It wasn’t all business, as the Board members brought a pot-luck of food and refreshments to last throughout the day (we started at 8:30 AM). Board Member Roger Lewis’s Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyere appeared to be the hit of the day. I’m sure he will share the recipe if you ask. •

Welcome to 2010’s New Members

Charles AlmackSteve and Elizabeth BluhmJay CorralesAmy HarrisJacqueline KingTerra KingNick MarinovichBrenda MartinAnthony MendiolaRita MonaresLael MontgomeryTracy MoralesTodd PitmanPatty RangelTina Zenzola

Thank you, and Welcome!

Recently, C3 expressed their support to Sena-tor Kehoe on SB 1177, which would require a 100-foot wide greenway zone on Del Mar Fairgrounds. Here is the letter Senator Kehoe received from Judy Swink, of the Parks and Open Space Committee and C3 President Stephen Haase. Citizens Coordinate for Century III is a non-profit organization established almost 50 years ago to enable an educated citizen

voice in regional environ-mental and land use issues. C3 has long sup-ported the preserva-

tion and enhancement of San Diego’s river valleys and estuaries, often advocat-ing creation of regional open space parks to achieve this end.

We write to you in support of SB 1177 which would require the 22nd District Agricultural Association (DAA) to de-velop, manage, and maintain a minimum

C3 Letter of Support to Senator Kehoe on SB 1177


100-foot wide greenway zone on Del Mar Fairgrounds immediately north of the San Dieguito River, including a public access trail in or along this greenway zone. The greenway will enhance and restore the overall en-vironmental quality of the San Dieguito River and adjacent wetlands, and

provide permanent public access to the river and San Dieguito Lagoon.

The Fairgrounds property is surrounded by more than 600 acres of natural habitat, including the Southern California Edison $80 million restoration project required as mitigation for the San Onofre Nuclear Generat-ing Station (SONGS). The San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority ( JPA) and the California Department of Fish and Game also manage habitat areas near the Fairgrounds.

It is important to preserve public ac-cess and passive recreational uses on this unique piece of state property. With a minimum 100-foot buffer, the area will begin to recover, much as the surrounding open space has.

SB 1177 would require the greenway zone to be permanently dedicated to the use and enjoyment of the public, so that if the 22nd DAA ceases to exist or if a part or all the property is sold, the greenway and public access trail will remain. SB 1177 will assure permanent public access and enjoyment of this special natural resource.

Sincerely,

Stephen M Haase and Judith Swink •

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Spring 2010

Last year, C3 joined the IPR Coalition after Lani Lutar of the San Diego Taxpayer’s As-sociation provided the board with a compel-ling presentation. C3 has supported water reclamation since the 1970s, and is excited to share the news of the coalition’s success with our membership. •

IPR Coalition Receives Award

At its annual conference on Monday, March 8 at Paradise Point Resort, the San Diego Chapter of the California Wa-teReuse Association honored the IPR Coalition with an advocacy award. The coalition received the award for its work highlighting the importance of investing in local sources of drought-proof water supplies that will require less reliance on energy and increasingly expensive imported water. Coastkeeper helped bring together the IPR Coalition, an unprecedented alliance of San Diego groups including San Diego County Tax-payers Association, Surfrider Foundation, San Diego Regional Chamber of Com-merce, San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, Citizens Coordinate for Century 3, BIOCOM and other business, labor, economic growth and ratepayer advocates. Most recently the coalition helped to encourage council members to vote in favor of the public outreach contract as part of the indirect potable reuse pilot project currently underway in the City of San Diego. [SD Coastkeeper News, 3-22-2010]

Annual Member MeetingBilled as C3’s 3C’s: Camaraderie, Cul-ture, and Cabernet (or Chardonnay if you prefer), C3’s Annual Member Meeting returned to Mosaic Wine Bar in North Park on March 18th, 2010.

Over seventy five of C3’s finest attended to meet old friends, speak with Board

Members, and greet new C3 members. They enjoyed hosted flatbreads, pizzas, and wine along with fast paced conversa-

tion and plenty of smiling faces.

The meeting spilled between Mosaic’s wine bar and the newly opened gallery space. Artist Mark Jesinoski generously offered his art at steeply discounted rates for silent auc-tion, splitting the

proceeds with C3. Adding to the evening’s fun, Kerem Bardot, a certified massage therapist of Moonstone Health, offered 5 minute stress and relaxation therapy, also sharing her profits with C3. Kerem was a big hit at the event, as the entire night she had a waiting list! Marti Kranzberg was the evening’s photographer, catching all of the night’s entertainment.

Staff and Board Members had just as much fun as the membership. Pictured: Chuck Kaminski, Susan Tinsky, Stephen Haase, and Kacie Bluhm

Artist Mark Jesinoski in front of one one of the paintings he auctioned to benefit C3

Thanks to Mosaic Wine Bar, Graphic So-lutions, and a special thanks to Marrokal Design & Construction who sponsored the event. We already can’t wait for next year!

All photos from the event featured in the Views are courtesy of Marti Kranzberg •

Voice of San Diego Welcomes Don Wood

Congratulations to C3 past president Don Wood and regular contributor to C3 Views for his new blog with the Voice of San Diego. Check in with Don on a regu-lar basis at www.voiceofsandiego.org as he follows issues related to the downtown waterfront, energy, and water. •

Lani Lutar of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association


Breakfast Dialogue ProgramFebruary’s Breakfast Dialogue brought the audience face to face with issues challenging a community that is truly mixed-use land with an overlooked and underrepresented population. “First in a Series Showcasing Ongoing Commu-nity Plan Updates: Barrio Logan,” moderated by Martin Flores of Rick Engineering, contained a diverse group of panelists including Lee Wilson of Continental Maritime and Working Water-front Group; Georgette Gomez of Environmental Health Coalition; Lara Gates of City of San Diego; and Vicki Estrada of Estrada Land Plan-ning; who shared their experiences as homeown-ers, business owners, community activists, and environmentalists attempting to come together to bring a new sense of community and future hope to Barrio Logan. Thank you to Rick Engineering, who sponsored the event.

The March 2010 Breakfast Dialogue, “Making San Diego Community Garden Friendly,” highlighted the struggles, frustrations, and ultimate successes of community groups in City Heights hoping to develop community gardens as anchors for their neighborhoods and communities. Amy Lint, Community Development Coordinator, San Di-ego Office of the International Rescue Commit-tee; Diane Moss, Director of the People’s Produce Project; and Judith Jacoby, San Diego Community Garden Network and Master Gardener; spoke to their experiences. Carla Blackmar, Community Development, City of Chula Vista, informed the attendees of the efforts by Chula Vista to incorpo-rate community gardens into their land use plan-ning efforts. Stephen Hill, Senior Policy Advisor, stood in for 3rd District Council member Todd Gloria as moderator. Good Earth Plant Co. Inc./Greenscaped Buildings was the March Dialogue sponsor.

April’s Upcoming Breakfast Dialogue, “ Show-ers to Flowers or Toilet to Tap: A Solution to the Region’s Water Supply?” will feature a panel of government and public agency representatives from the Orange County Water District and the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department together with a professor from San Diego State University Graduate School of Public Health. The moderator is a partner with Coast Law Group.

Currently in planning, the May dialogue hopes to bring to the panel local political personalities to discuss the June ballot initiative on “Strong Mayor/Strong Council”. Circle May 27th on your calendar to join us so you’ll have all the informa-tion to make an informed decision on the ballot.

Page 6

Topics up for consideration for the remainder of the year include: the San Diego County General Plan Update, the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan, Balboa Park’s Conservancy,,Plaza de Panama, SANDAG/SB375, Water Bonds, and one or two fall Dialogues reflecting on the issues you may be voting on in the November ballot.

Join us to explore some of the pressing issues in the San Diego region as C3 keeps you informed and knowledgeable through our monthly Breakfast Dia-logues.

Interested in joining the breakfast dialogue committee, or have an idea for a dialogue you’d like to see? Contact the C3 Office at [email protected] •

Spring 2010


What better way to celebrate our Golden Anniversary then with a Gala?

Our Board of Directors and Staff are currently putting together a committee to throw our 50th Birthday Party. We encourage members to lend a hand in any way they can.

We’re also asking our members to let us know what they remember about C3 over the years. Was there a specific event or dialogue you particularly enjoyed? How has the organization impacted your neigh-borhood and community? Let us know.

Also, we’d love all past presidents and board members to come forward so we can acknowledge their leadership and stewardship. •

“Part of Citizen Coordinate’s function is, of course, to ask for impossible things. Dreaming the big dream, favoring the hard alternative, speaking up for the

unpopular cause are some ways this group can serve as the voice of the citizen who cares.”

-Harold Keen, “Cabrillo Freeway Fight”, San Diego Magazine, Sept. 1966

If you are interested in being a part of the 50th Gala Committee, or are a past president or C3 Board

Member, please contact the C3 Of-fice at [email protected],

or (619) 232-7196

As C3 gets closer and closer to our big 5-0, we can’t help but feel a little nostal-gic. In 1961 when our organization was formed, the world was a much different place. The United States just broke rela-tions with Cuba while Moscow announced they would be the first to put a man into orbit around the Earth. Patsy Cline topped the record charts, and Audrey Hepburn delighted audiences as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at T i f f any ’s . In San Di-ego, the Old Globe opened; the Amer i c an F o o t b a l l L e a g u e Chargers played their first season at Balboa Stadium; and Lloyd Ruocco and Esther Scott formed an organization called, “Citi-zens Coordinate for a Handsome Com-munity,” with the goal of educating and coordinating citizen action in San Diego.

The history of C3 is the story of a hand-ful of citizen activists who banded to-gether to make a difference. Originally, their goals were to be a, “Voice for Beauty” and a “Link to a Handsome Community”, but soon they found themselves battling with the outdoor advertising industry, the California Division of Highways, the City Council, the Christian Anti Communist

Crusade, Mission Valley developers, and proponents of high-rise construction in La Jolla. The story of C3 speaks of architects, artists, scientists, horticulturists, and con-cerned citizens who cared about preserv-

C3, A Look Back and to the Future: 50 years of Citizen Activism, Sponsorship, and Education

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Spring 2010

Architect and C3 Founder Lloyd Ruocco

50th Anniversary Gala Committee

articles during the coming year. •

*Harold Keen, San Diego journalist from 1936 until his death in 1981, reporter for the SD Sun and SD Union, then contrib-uting editor for San Diego Magazine and editorial director for KPBS-TV.

ing San Diego’s very special environment, and discovered that the only way to do so was through concerted citizen action, com-munity planning, land use and zoning or-dinances, and purchase of open space. It is the story of the development of a group that Harold Keen* called “the aesthetic conscience of the community”.

C3 grew out of a comment made by archi-tect Lloyd Ruocco in a speech at a luncheon meeting of the League of Women Voters. In his speech, titled, “The

Arts: Public Weapon for Progress”, he spoke of San Diego’s natural beauties but expressed concern for San Diego’s “lack of coordinated planning to protect its envi-ronment and beautify its urban center”, as evidenced by the location of the luncheon itself in a Mission Valley, already beginning to show the results of careless, piecemeal development. Then he asked:

“But where are the people organized to demand and welcome this new urbanity?...who will be there with a constant demand

for beauty, with instant aggressiveness against ugliness?...We need...a quick, dynamic form of organization so that those most against ugli-ness are all broughtinto contact for optimistic

action.”

[“Notes from a talk by Lloyd Ruocco, Jan.17, 1961”, CC Office Archives]

Two women in the audience, Esther Scott and Dorothea Edmiston, took up Lloyd Ruocco’s challenge and made the first steps towards bringing together the people who became the core of the organization. Most of those early members of CC, as it was called before incorporation in 1970 as “Citizens Coordinate for Century 3”, became lifelong active supporters of C3. As we move toward C3’s 50th Anniver-sary in 2011, we can look back on a long and successful history. Bits and Pieces of this history will be reviewed in C3 Views

C3 Founder Hamilton Marston


At the February 11th meeting of the Coastal Commission, the Port’s applica-tion for a Coastal Development Permit for North Embarcadero Phase One improve-ments was delayed until the April 14th meeting in Ventura. It was clear this was the Port’s attempt to amend their mas-ter plan via a CDP. This would eliminate the long planned oval park intended for the foot of Broadway, and another along Broadway Pier, due to the decision to con-struct a permanent cruise ship terminal. Under the Port CDP, the public’s access to the waterfront would be greatly restricted due to the increased number of driveways for vehicles servicing cruise ships, as well as heightened security measures, which require no public access for a period of 36 hours when a cruise ship docks.

The Coastal Commission delayed the mat-ter to April to allow the Port and Com-mission staff time to review ways in which additional park area may be secured, mak-ing up for the proposed removal of the oval-shaped park and plaza. The motion made it clear that the new space must be equivalent in size, quality, and function. Subsequently, supporters for waterfront preservation, which includes protecting views, waterfront access, and park spaces, have meet with several Port Commission-ers, Port, and Coastal Commission staff and proposed several alternatives. The Port and Coastal Commission staff have also met.

The recently released staff report for the April 14th Coastal Commission reflects a lack of any alternative park site, and rec-ommends the approval of the CDP with conditions including compliance with a, “Waterfront Destination Park Plan,” to ensure that a new park replacing the oval park and plaza will be designed and con-structed. It also includes revised final plans requiring the restroom located across from C street be moved or redesigned in a way that no portion of the structure will be in the 40 foot wide clear zone. A revised public access program is also addressed, attending to pedestrian and bicycle cir-culation. Public access to Broadway Pier is also focued on, as is a parking removal phasing and replacement plan, circulator

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Spring 2010

On the Waterfront shuttle, signage, a revised landscape plan, and liability for costs and attorney fees.

While the staff report and recommenda-tions stressed development of a new park with environmental analysis, public out-reach discretionary approvals including a Port Master Plan Amendment, they also noted that funding must be identified and obtained. They address milestones and dead-lines for review, and construction of the Project. The park must be brought to the Commission for review no later than two years after approval of the CDP.

The Coastal Commission staff recommen-dations are fine, but most waterfront advo-cates believe they do not go far enough, and have suggested additional conditions. In an April 5th letter to the Coastal Commission from the Navy Broadway Complex Coali-tion the following additional conditions were proposed:

1. Prior to issuance of the CDP, the Port shall obtain a performance bond for com-pletion of the alternative Waterfront Des-tination Park.

2. The Waterfront Destination Park shall be completed not more than one year after the Commission approval of the Port’s al-ternative.

3. The alternative Waterfront Destination Park shall be given priority over all other projects included in the Port’s Capital Im-provement Program.

4. The Waterfront Destination Park shall be designated as part of the California Coastal Walk, and dedicated in perpetuity as a public park.

5. The Port shall complete construction of the public park identified for Navy Pier in the existing Port Master Plan to assure that all mitigation measures for the Mid-way Museum are fulfilled no later than 24 months after completion of the alternative Waterfront Destination Park.

6. None of the alternative Waterfront Des-tination Parks may be a park or similar use that has already been approved by the Port

or that is currently being considered as a park or similar use by the Port or any other public agency. Why ask for these additional conditions? The answer lies in the Port’s history, and Navy Pier is a perfect example. About nine years ago, the Midway gained approval to dock at Navy Pier. The Navy

also agreed to transfer ownership to the Port with conditions which were to be accom-plished in phases over ten years. The im-pacts of shading from

this huge carrier have been mitigated in a south bay wetland. The promised removal of parking from the pier, and replacement nearby has not occurred. Most importantly, the promised park on Navy Pier has either been forgotten or neglected, while the Port focuses on Phase One NEVP. Could it be they want to make good on their prom-ises to Carnival Cruise? At the February Coastal Commission hearing there was a lot of talk about approving the CDP, as it was a shovel-ready project and could pro-vide badly needed jobs. Why not focus on a nine year old project, a forgotten promise, and a requirement on Navy Pier while pro-viding these jobs? •

Parks & Open Space

City budget cuts for its share of the San Dieguito River Valley Regional Park JPA and State legislation introduced in Febru-ary regarding the San Dieguito River Estuary were the subject of two letters sent expressing 1) concern about the damaging impacts of City withdrawal of all funding for the San Dieguito JPA and 2) support of Senator Kehoe’s proposal for a permanently dedicated buffer (a 100’ greenway with public access trail) between the Del Mar fairgrounds property and the wetlands restoration project funded with mitigation funds from Southern California Edison.

Details of the probable impacts on the San Dieguito River Park if the budget cut is finalized, can be read in the JPA Board

Continued: ‘Parks’ Page 10

The Coastal Commission staff recommendations are fine, but most

waterfront advocates believe they do not go far enough.


Re-use, desalination, and of course, conservation, appear to be our best

hopes for a future sustainable region.

has been challenged by several members of the Planning Commission. TDR’s have been used for decades in many jurisdic-tions to achieve equity. When we create

winners and losers, why not have the win-ners foot the bill?

Water is the most important determinant of future development. Current resources are overcommitted statewide, and re-use, desalination, and of course conservation appear to be our best hopes for a future sustainable region. It is critical that a wa-ter supply for agriculture be protected to assure we have a food sustainable future in our region. New development must demonstrate a water source that does not impact existing users or have negative im-pacts on ground water resources.

On April 16, the County Planning Com-mission will meet to address outstand-ing issues regarding the plan update and they may take final action. Some of the issues include: Pipelining policy, popula-tion projections, I-15 corridor buildout, equity mechanisms permissive versus re-strictive language,village core mixed use designation,and conservation subdivision program. •

Plan: Continued From Page 3

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Spring 2010

our communities and their setting. It will include connections and windows to the canyons. It will be green infrastructure for the future - a necessity, not a luxury.”

Later that year, C3, with grants from County Cable TV, the Hattie Ettinger Conservation Fund, and Lambda Alpha International Foundation, produced a San Diego Canyonlands video which has been aired on UCSD TV and is available in the C3 office. UCSD TV provided support, and Shannon Bradley wrote, produced, and directed with assistance from former C3 President, Jennifer Whitelaw, who also narrated.

The good news-- these seeds have sprouted and are now growing! A new non-profit has been established with encouragement and funding from the San Diego Founda-tion to focus solely on establishing a San Diego Canyonlands Regional Park. They have received additional grant funding and private donations. In addition to estab-lishing and nurturing Friends of Canyons groups, they are collaborating with other organizations to get kids in canyons to learn about nature while working on resto-ration projects. Richard Louv focused on this effort in his book, “Last Child in the Woods”.

With a grant last year from the San Diego Foundation and support from others, San Diego Canyonlands has embarked on a project to cre-ate a Canyon-lands Enhance-ment Planning Guide for the City of San Diego. Us-ing Manza-nita Canyon as a model, they are draw-ing planning b o u n d a r i e s , mapping prop-erty owner-ship, easements and habitat, and planning for restoration and appropriate access. The Manzanita Friends group and expert volunteers as well as staff, including city staff, are participat-ing. When the plan is complete, they will begin the implementation phase. This step by step guide can then be used for other canyons. Guide components include:• Guidelines and protocol for canyon en-hancement• Maps, Directory of resources• Internship program• Existing conditions Analysis & Opportu-nities Assessment• Youth and Nature Opportunities• Assembling a Stakeholders Group• Enhancement Opportunities Analysis• Stakeholder Action Plan• Building support and enhancement ap-proval process

C3 members Vicki Estrada, Mike Stepner, Andy Spurlock, and John Lomac serve on the Canyon Enhancement Planning Com-mittee. Without their generous commit-ment of time, talent, and resources, this ef-fort would not be possible. Please consider a contribution to Canyonlands to help this dream become a reality! (www.sdcanyon-lands.org) •

Canyonlands: Continued From Page 3

The San Diego Children and Nature Collaborative

The San Diego Children and Nature Collaborative (SDCaN) was organized in January 2009, and is dedicated to provid-ing families and schoolchildren greater access to nature experiences; informing community-based organizations about

the health, develop-mental, and emotional benefits of outdoor experiences in nature; and strengthening learning opportunities and resource shar-ing among SDCaN participants. It brings the national Children & Nature Network (CN&N) movement to San Diego, inspired by “native son” col-

umnist and author Richard Louv with his 2005 book

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, and building on successful programs in more than 60 cities, states, and countries. In the first year, SDCaN has held bi-monthly meetings with participants from more than 50 organizations, and monthly meetings of a Steering Group that has drafted the mission, strategic goals, and current structure. Other accomplish-ments include attracting seed money for marketing the February 24 event and organizing meetings; declaring April as “Children and Nature Awareness” month by the City and County of San Diego; attending the national C&NN meeting in September; and being awarded a grant of $100,000 from the Sempra Foundation for pilot school, family nature groups, and communication projects.Contact Anne Fege for more details [email protected] •

Bridge at Penasquitos Canyon


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Spring 2010

tee members, has almost completed a draft report with recommendations to Mayor & Council. The next stage will be estab-lishment of a public benefit 501(c)(3) and Board of Directors. The Draft report and Notes from Task Force meetings is posted at the BPTF web page now at: http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/general-info/bptf.shtml

Reconfiguration of the Plaza de Panama as a pedestrian plaza was added to the Balboa Park CIP list in February. The goal is to have restoration completed in time for celebration of the 2015 Centenary of Panama-California Exposition. C-3 and others began expressing support for removal of cars from the Prado area in the 1960s and has testified to that position during preparation of numerous Balboa Park planning documents.

DOWNTOWN PARKS/CCDC: The CCDC Board has recommended ap-proval of an agreement with Spurlock Poirier Landscape Architects for a Parks, Open Space and Recreation Implementa-tion Plan, to create a detailed strategy for implementing parks and open space in downtown San Diego.

•The proposed location for a new Char-gers Stadium downtown would remove two CCDC- designated parks within the proposed footprint. It’s important that CCDC and parks advocates begin considering ways to compensate for these lost park areas if stadium construction is approved.

MISSION BAY PARK: The newly-constituted Mission Bay Park Committee will also serve as Oversight Committee for expenditures of lease revenue funds as ap-proved by voters in Nov. 2008. The amount for FY2011 will not be known until after the end of FY2010. In the meantime, the Committee is considering By-Laws and procedures for reviewing and approving

projects as laid out in the new Charter Section 55.2, beginning with dredg-ing major areas to return Mission Bay channels to full navigability. A separate project funded by Federal “Stimulus” money began in mid-2009 as the Army Corps of Engineers rebuilt the North Jetty, damaged by several severe storms during the past 2 decades; the Mis-sion Bay Channel will be dredged from the ocean to the Ventura (Glenn Rick) Bridge. These 2 projects are separate from the City’s responsibilities within Mission Bay Park. •

C3 Spring Member News

C3 is proud of our members, and we want to make sure your accomplishments are shared with the community. If you would like to share your news with the mem-

bership, send an email to [email protected].

In the News

Cary Lowe and Michael Jenkins published an opinion-editorial entitled “Solving Development Conflicts” in the San Diego Union-Tribune on April 8, 2010, dealing

with the use of mediation in resolving disputes over land use issues.

Congratulations

We would like to extend our congratulations to Paul Robinson, who recently has been appointed by Mayor Sanders and the city council to chair the newly formed

Mission Bay Park Committee and the Mission Bay Park Fund Oversight Committee.

In the Community

Cary Lowe and Trish Butler presented a program entitled “Achieving Consensus Among Commissioners” at the American Planning Association’s 2010 National

Planning Conference in New Orleans. The program was based on Trish’s experience as a member of the City of San Diego Planning Commission and Cary’s experience as Chairman of the City of South Pasadena Community Redevelopment Commis-

sion.

Parks: Continued From Page 8packet of 2/19/10 at http://www.sdrp.org/jpaboard.htm

BALBOA PARK – The Balboa Park Task Force, including two C-3 Parks Commit-

Thank You

C3 would like to thank Vonn Marie May for her years of service as editor of the C3 Views. It’s volunteers like Vonn who allow C3 to continue as an active presence in San Diego for nearly 50 years.


C3 Committees

50th Anniversary GalaChair: C3 BoardContact: [email protected]

Breakfast DialogueChair: Charles KaminskiContact: [email protected]

Equity & Community PlanningChair: Susan TinskyContact: [email protected]

Parks & Open SpaceChairs: John Lomac & Judy SwinkContact: [email protected], [email protected]

SustainabilityChair: Dahvia LynchContact: [email protected]

Water & EnergyChairs: Luisa Schultz & Don WoodContact: [email protected], [email protected]

WaterfrontChair: Diane CoombsContact: [email protected]

Volunteer for a Committee We encourage our membership to get involved in all of our committees. If you are interested, please contact the desig-nated Chair.

C3 is also always looking for Volunteers to help out in the Office and at events. Call or email the C3 office with your availability if you would like to volunteer.

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Downtown San Diego Skyline

Spring 2010

Contact:For information. questions, or comments:5252 Balboa AveSuite 207San Diego, CA 92117-7005(619) [email protected]: CitizenC3Become a fan of C3 on Facebook!

Documents

Spring 2010 C3 Views...by C3 members. We look forward to the the Park’s opening and the opportunity to make full use of it! • C3 Views Ruocco Park Taking Shape Spring 2010 translating