We replaced playground equipment at Roadrunner Park, as well as Tierrasanta Community Park, and funded new shade structures for the Little League fields at Tierrasanta Community Park. We also funded the noise attenuation project inside the Tierrasanta Recreation Center. This helps accommodate the variety of uses that the center provides, ranging from serving as a meeting room to hosting basketball games.
 

Since the community is nearly built out, we successfully transferred the designation of Facilities Benefit Assessment (FBA) to Development Impact Fees (DIF) in the 2007 Tierrasanta Public Facilities Financing Plan.  As a designated Planned Urbanizing Community, all undeveloped and underdeveloped parcels in Tierrasanta were subject to FBA assessments, and all assessments have been collected and expended on public facilities projects, to date.  Future development will pay DIF assessments to mitigate the impact of new development on public facilities.

In the Navajo area, which includes San Carlos, Allied Gardens, Del Cerro, and Grantville, we also updated the Navajo Development Impact Fee (DIF) projects list.  We improved public safety by remodeling the San Carlos Fire Station, as well as tearing down the old Del Cerro Fire Station and building a totally new fire station.

To relieve traffic congestion in Allied Gardens, Grantville, and on I-8, we fully funded and documented the Alvarado Canyon Road realignment in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR).


As part of our Community Beautification and Improvement Campaign, we installed decorative community entrance signs in Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, and San Carlos, as well as developing new landscaped medians on College Avenue and Del Cerro Boulevard.

We built a comfort station at Lake Murray Community Park. We installed grass ball fields, including five acres of artificial turf, at Hearst Elementary School, Lewis Middle School, and Pershing Middle School. The value of these new ball fields has been reinforced by the many positive comments from children and their parents.  I credit strong partnerships and the absolute determination to overcome all obstacles - including lack of funds - as the reasons why we were able to put grass or high-tech turf on the ball fields. We replaced the playground equipment at Allied Gardens Park, San Carlos Recreation Center, and Princess Del Cerro Park.

Many people may not know that we have one of the largest urban parks in the country, namely Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP), right in our Council District.  Over the past several years, the City has been purchasing individual lots in what is called the East Elliott area bordering Santee, all as part of my strategy to expand Mission Trails Regional Park even more. 

We also acquired land south of Poway that we call MTRP North. Thus, we’ll significantly add to the park’s nearly 5,800 acres.  By the time my term ends, we should be able to announce that the park will have grown to nearly 10,000 acres.

The College Area saw many improvements, such as building the contemporary College Rolando Library that serves as a hub for the community.

SDSU is to be thanked for the new pedestrian bridge that has made a major difference on College Avenue, and there are attractive new landscaped medians on College Avenue, Montezuma Road, and El Cajon Boulevard, paid for by Crossroads Redevelopment.
 
The Mid-City Pipeline Project was completed to create a more reliable water supply, and we worked closely with the College Area Business Improvement District in developing a Maintenance Assessment District to keep up with improvements.  Lastly, a beautiful community entrance sign was installed in the College Area.

In Redwood Village, we are also installing a beautiful community entrance sign.  I am especially proud of assisting this fine community with officially changing their name from Darnall to Redwood Village.

In Colina del Sol we replaced playground equipment at Colina del Sol Park, and made this playground accessible to the disabled. We funded “Safe Routes to School” improvements at both Herbert Ibarra Elementary School and Mary Lanyon Fay Elementary School. 

On several occasions, we cleaned up the canyon at 51st Street and University Avenue, and, with help from our longtime partners Alpha Project, we removed homeless encampments.


 

We also funded major improvements at Pro Kids Golf Academy, the inner city golf course that is widely used by children from across San Diego.



In Rolando, we installed two decorative community entrance signs and financed 47 street lights to be installed along the University Avenue business corridor. We allocated funding to provide technical assistance to the businesses in the area in preparation for the formation of the University Avenue Business Improvement District.


Of course, the community is very proud of the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. 








It was an honor for me to serve on the Advisory Committee, and to work with the late Mrs. Kroc and the Salvation Army to bring this tremendous project to fruition. We also funded their marquee sign, along with Supervisor Roberts.



The residents of Fox Canyon and I were partners in numerous projects benefiting the community.  We held several clean-up days, obtained funding for a community park and installed neighborhood identification signs on city street signs. We funded a Neighborhood Code Compliance officer for four years to assist with eliminating blight and to work with absentee landlords and others to clean up nuisance properties with code violations.  It was a privilege to create the Islenair Historical District, as well as to save the neighborhood’s distinctive palm trees from being cut down. We also helped fund the Euclid Gateway intersection improvement.



I brought about major changes districtwide. One of the most important is traffic improvements, including portable radar units for use by members of the community, installing stop signs, and reducing the speed limit in specific areas. We are on the cutting edge of technology in using In-Lane Lights to make pedestrian crosswalks safer, and V-Calm signals that indicate the speed of moving vehicles.  The V-Calm signals were installed at intersections in Tierrasanta, Allied Gardens, and the College Area.


My office provided funding to the Urban Corps of San Diego’s Urban Forestry Program, and planted 250 new trees in our district. 





The communities of Rolando, Del Cerro, San Carlos, and Fox Canyon celebrated the long awaited transfer of unsightly overhead utility lines underground. 


Our district will see its biggest impact from the two newest redevelopment areas - Crossroads and Grantville – which will bring revitalization and major infrastructure improvements. The Crossroads Redevelopment Area is along College Avenue, University Avenue, and El Cajon Boulevard, and the Grantville Redevelopment Area is along Mission Gorge Road from Interstate 8 to the rock quarry near Princess View Drive.

Not only will these development areas bring opportunities for new homes and commercial areas, they also will bring much needed infrastructure.  Better roads, walkable communities, new parks and libraries, and funding to help build the San Diego River Park are all part of the plan. Of course, we already have the College Redevelopment Area and the College Grove Redevelopment Area in our district. And a portion of District 7 is included in the City Heights Redevelopment Area, which has served as a national model for redevelopment projects.

We made huge advancements on programs and projects that affect the City of San Diego. First I want to mention a few that affect public safety. I brought forward a brush abatement policy and erosion policy to make neighborhoods safer from future fires.

A personal experience motivated my involvement with one particular public safety issue. The passing of a dear friend made me aware of the need for automated external defibrillators (AEDs). When I first came to office, I led the charge to create San Diego Project Heart Beat, which promotes the placement of AEDs at City facilities, government buildings, schools, businesses, tourist attractions, healthcare facilities, the airport, and other public places.

Since its inception in November of 2001, San Diego Project Heart Beat has placed more than 4,000 AEDs and saved 48 lives throughout the County of San Diego.  In fact, you can read this article I wrote for Western City magazine that highlights the AED program in San Diego.

I believe in using technology to our advantage. Long before the state offered the service, and knowing that information was available that could help protect the public, I worked with the San Diego Police Department, San Diego Data Processing Corporation, the City Attorney’s Office, and the City Manager’s Office to create the Megan’s Law web site, where the public can access information about registered sex offenders.  After the creation of the Megan’s Law web site, we worked with state legislators to successfully renew and expand Megan’s Law so that parents and citizens have more rights and information available to them. I also worked with the City Attorney’s Office to implement a stricter version of Jessica’s Law on a local level.

Drawing on my background in technology, I created the Neighborhood eWatch web site for the City of San Diego, which allows residents to receive a regular email about crimes occurring over the previous 24 hours within their neighborhoods.


Early in my representation of District 7, there was a real problem with Illegal Street racing in the City of San Diego. The solution was to find a place where drivers could legally race, and to initiate a new ordinance that targeted spectators – which we did. Working with our partner, RaceLegal, we were able to secure Qualcomm Stadium as a legal venue. 


In order to make neighborhood streets safer, I created the “Slow Down…It’s our Neighborhood” traffic safety campaign. It was first unveiled in District 7, and was so successful that it soon went citywide.


In 2005, as Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I played a significant role in the efforts to replace 50 fire trucks over seven years, to replace the Police Department’s motorcycle fleet, and to acquire four new high-tech police helicopters to replace the City’s aging fleet. I was also a strong supporter of the City’s acquisition of two Fire-Rescue Department helicopters to increase fire fighting capabilities, and to improve resonses to other emergencies.


On the environmental and energy fronts, there has been some real advancement.  First is the citywide ban on smoking at City beaches and parks.  Council President Scott Peters and I brought that policy forward, and our colleagues agreed that the time had come to put a ban in place.  The impetus was concern for the environment rather than infringing on the rights of smokers. Another protection put into place is an illegal grading ordinance.  I created this after discovering open space damage done by a developer, and I vowed to prevent it from ever happening again. To save energy, I championed installing photovoltaic cells at the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant, and I promoted efforts to make it easier for businesses and the general public to dispose of their electronic waste, such as old and outdated computers. In addition, we were successful in reducing reclaimed water rates.


I’m a passionate supporter of our library system, and it is gratifying to see the many new or improved branch libraries that have been built in the past five years.  Through the efforts of many dedicated people, we secured a $20 million state grant for a main library, and we also a $5.35 million grant for the Logan Heights Branch Library.

My idea for preventing what I call “corporate graffiti” really struck a nerve. It is still a problem but we’ve stepped up the removal of disgusting street and sidewalk markings made by contractors to indicate utility lines. On a related note, I brought to City Council a new policy limiting utility companies from tearing up streets after they have been newly paved. Time and again we see that no sooner had a street been repaired than a utility company or the City of San Diego itself would ruin it when digging to reach utility lines.


Residents were clamoring for unsightly utility lines to be moved underground.  The visual improvement is beyond compare.  Newer residential areas automatically had lines installed underground when the development took place.  Older neighborhoods didn’t have that option until recently.  The City has embarked on a 20-year plan to rid our streets of those ugly utility poles and wires.  I am so proud of working with this City Council that has had the vision and foresight to accomplish this. I only wish we could speed up the process. In District 7, we have moved lines underground in several communities, including Redwood Village, Rolando, San Carlos, Del Cerro, and Allied Gardens.


Another approach for combating graffiti in our neighborhoods was the creation of Project TAG (Teamwork Against Graffiti). I worked with the San Diego Police Department, the City Attorney’s Neighborhood Prosecution Unit, Graffiti Abatement, and private partners to implement this program. The primary focus was eradicating graffiti in the City Heights area. It has always been a priority to work with each community to quickly remove graffiti.


One of the most challenging, and at the same time, rewarding, aspects of my public service career occurred with the Witch Creek Fire last October. People being evacuated needed a safe place to go. I am very proud of the work we did at the City’s Evacuation Center at Qualcomm Stadium. I was able to play a key role in guiding those efforts, and dedicated the entire week to that monumental task. It was ever-changing, demanding, and required constant communication within the City government and other agencies. Many of the operations we set up had to begin from scratch.  In fact, my entire staff worked at the Evacuation Center that week.

Commitment to public safety has been a reoccurring theme during my time of public service.  After the Cedar Fire, I created and, more importantly, funded a citywide Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), staffed by volunteers trained to help a community survive the first few days of an emergency until outside help can arrive. My commitment to the CERT program includes becoming a certified CERT volunteer, and I am proud that Don Mullen and Jay Wilson on my staff are also CERT volunteers.  In that same vein, I recently allocated funds for a disaster response vehicle for the American Red Cross.

This month the City Council approved restructuring the City’s redevelopment agency, a huge and significant undertaking. I brought this issue forward because the agency needs to be more responsive and less bureaucratic. I’m working with the Mayor to make the agency more of an entrepreneurial entity.

On the state level, I worked with a broad coalition including homeowner groups, environmental groups, small business groups, state legislators and others to bring forward the Local Taxpayer and Public Safety Protection Initiative. Prop 98 lost and Prop 99 won, providing eminent domain reform that protects private homes from being seized for non governmental purposes.


I’m fortunate to have served in some leadership positions, both locally and on a state level. All of these roles have enabled me to continue my quest to improve our neighborhoods and quality of life.  First, it is a real honor to have the City Council elect me to serve as Council President Pro Tem for 2008. 

My other leadership roles include the following:

 • Vice Chair of the City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Fire Prevention and Recovery

• Member of the City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee

• Chairman of the Natural Resources & Culture (NR&C) Committee, Public Safety & Neighborhood Services (PS&NS) Committee, Land Use & Housing (LU&H) Committee, and Rules Committee. Had the distinction of being the only Councilmember to chair every longstanding City Council Committee and to be a Committee Chairman every year I’ve been in office.

• Served on San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Board of Directors since 2002

• Chaired SANDAG Transportation Committee 2007-2008

• President of the League of California Cities 2007-2008

Next, I want to talk about goals that I want to complete in 2008 before I leave office in December. Once again we’ve set an ambitious list of goals.  However, considering our track record, I know we’ll be checking each item off as completed.

I’ll begin with some citywide issues.  First, I’m working with Mayor Sanders, SANDAG, the Regional Airport Authority, and other stakeholders on reinventing Lindbergh Field Airport.

Previously, I mentioned my efforts in making portable, life saving AEDs accessible to the public. The goal is to make them as widely available as fire extinguishers. On the state level, we successfully extended California’s Good Samaritan Law so that people will use AEDs in emergency situations without fear of liability. Next on my list is changing the building code so that many new buildings will be required to install AEDs. 

I’ve got an action plan for the communities in District 7 which I will list by area:

In Tierrasanta, I want to update the Tierrasanta Community Plan to include a new and much needed second fire station, to complete the allocation of funding for the Tierrasanta CERT program, and to establish a Youth Endowment fund for the community, which will be administered by the Kiwanis Club of Tierrasanta.

The Mission Trails Regional Park Task Force is working with the park’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee to complete the park’s Master Plan, which has been outdated by more than two decades. Since assuming office, I’ve been working steadily on guiding the City in acquiring additional parcels to enlarge the park’s boundaries. Before leaving office, I want to begin the process whereby the City can officially take possession and dedicate the new park land.

I have ambitious plans for the Navajo area, with much to do in just six months.  I want to have the Grantville Redevelopment Area Master Plan and Environmental Impact Report in place, pave Mission Gorge Road from Conestoga Way to Margerum Avenue, and install new equipment at Dailard Park and – near and dear to my heart – complete the construction documents for the much anticipated San Carlos Library. As part of my Community Beautification and Improvement Campaign, we’ll soon install a decorative community entrance sign that says “Welcome to Grantville” on one side and “Welcome to Mission Valley” on the other side. The sign will be installed where Mission Gorge Road and Friars Road meet, and this project should be completed over the next few weeks.

In the College Area, we’ve made dramatic progress in curbing the problems created by what I call mini dorms or nuisance properties.  It appears that until I organized a town hall meeting on September 19, 2006, few people outside of this community were aware of the problems associated with multiple students crammed into a home located in single-family neighborhoods.

Since then, I brought this issue to the City Council’s Land Use & Housing Committee, and then to the full City Council.  On April 15, 2008, the City Council approved the Rooming House Ordinance, which went into effect 30 days later and will give the City greater authority in enforcing nuisance properties.

I’m very, very pleased about a brand new project that is underway now, and that my team will complete before I leave office.  Very recently, the City Council approved my allocation of over $1.1 million to build new ball fields at the Montezuma Language Academy located in the College area. 

For the Eastern Area, the list of projects for the next six months includes completing the design and the funding for Wightman Park. As you can tell, parks and ball fields are very important to me, and the new park on Wightman Street will increase the amount of new and improved parks throughout our communities.

As for the future of District 7, I’ve already thought about what the next District 7 Councilmember will face.  Distilled to its essence, the goal is to provide the best of service so that we have enough police and fire protection, that our streets are taken care of, street lights are working, that we have adequate parks and ball fields for our children, that we have libraries that provide 21st century services, that we have a constant, reliable source of water, that home and property codes are enforced, and that other important services that make San Diego such a desirable place to live are in place and working. 

As I see it, there are four top priorities for the District: infrastructure; parks and libraries; redevelopment’ and community improvements:

• Initiate building the Paseo Project at SDSU, which will have a tremendously positive impact in providing student housing, thereby reducing the need for mini dorms and provide desperately needed additional parking in the San Diego State University area.

• Design landscaped medians on Lake Shore Drive between Jackson Drive and the La Mesa city limits, on Jackson Drive east to the La Mesa city limits, and on Cowles Mountain Boulevard from Navajo Road north to Golfcrest Drive.

• Remodel and expand the Tierrasanta Library

• Remodel and expand the Benjamin Library

• Build the San Carlos Library

• Continue implementing the park system in Fox Canyon

• Build the connection for Ontario Road in Fox Canyon, as shown in the City’s plans

• Continue transfering utility lines underground throughout the older District communities

• Realign the interchange of I-8, Fairmount Avenue, and Alvarado Canyon Road

• Address the flooding issues in Grantville

• Further the implementation of Crossroads and Grantville Redevelopment Areas

• Remodel the San Carlos Recreation Center

• Shore up and rebuild the earthen berm at Mission Trails Regional Park

• Dredge Kumeyaay Lake at Mission Trails Regional Park

• Continue the expansion of Mission Trails Regional Park North

• Build a comfort station at Mission Trails Regional Park

• Build a skateboard park in Tierrasanta

• Remove from planning documents the designated street connections of Tierrasanta Boulevard to Mission Gorge Road and Santo Road to Friars Road

• Provide upgrades to Lake Murray Park including a new play area, new sidewalks and make it compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements

• Install new play equipment at Dailard Park and make it ADA compliant

This, too, is an ambitious list for whoever in December assumes the office of Councilmember representing District 7. 

However, much of the groundwork has been laid, and it is now a matter of keeping the momentum going.  It has been my honor to have been a part of getting so much accomplished for San Diego.

The U.S. Open this week in San Diego


Thanks to the leadership and efforts of the Century Club, the City of San Diego is extremely honored to be hosting the U.S. Open this week at Torrey Pines in La Jolla.  As chair of the City Council's Natural Resources and Culture Committee in 2002, I had the honor of participating with the Century Club in helping land the U.S. Open at San Diego.

 

Having attended previous Opens, it is especially gratifying for me that the Open is taking place in San Diego.  Torrey Pines has long been recognized as one of the nation's premier municipal golf facilities. Often referred to as a "golfer's paradise", the Championship North and South courses provide views of the Pacific Ocean to the west. 

 

Besides Bethpage Black where the Open took place in 2002, San Diego is only the second municipal golf course to host the U.S. Open. For our city, the economic impact is tremendous not to mention how the popularity of the Torrey Pines golf course will increase all the more following the tournament.  This increased notoriety will ultimately mean more revenues to help improve our golf program in the city.  It's my hope that Torrey Pines will become a regular stop for the U.S. Open.
 

As a member of the city Council, I have been provided passes for the U.S. Open and it is my honor to distribute these passes to citizens who can aid the promotion and/or improvement of the City of San Diego. 

As a loyal subscriber to my eNewsletter (especially considering you read through this far of such a long one) and someone who is interested in promoting and improving our city, I am offering you the opportunity to enter a drawing for passes to the U.S. Open. 


Available dates are Wednesday, June 11; Thursday, June 12; and Friday, June 13. Two pairs of grounds-only passes (four each day) are available for each of these days.  The only caveat in entering the drawing is that you must not sell these tickets and they must be used by you for your own personal use. 

To enter the drawing simply send an e-mail to either of the following addresses: WednesdayUSOpen@jimmadaffer.com or ThursdayUSOpen@jimmadaffer.com or FridayUSOpen@jimmadaffer.com.  You are limited to only one entry and duplicate entries will be disqualified.  You must include your name, address and a telephone number (preferably a cell) that you can be reached at.  Unclaimed tickets will be given away to backup winners.


Since turnaround is quick, the deadline to enter is this Wednesday at 9 a.m.   Winners must come to City Hall at 202 C Street, 10th floor with positive ID to pick up their passes and must sign a statement indicating the tickets will not be resold and are for their own personal use. 

There will be two winners for each of the three days I am making passes available.  Good luck to all who enter and thanks for being involved to help promote and improve the City of San Diego.

From time to time I include a few community events taking place throughout the District and in San Diego.  Here are a few you may be interested in:

June 12 – City of San Diego’s Park and Recreation Department’s Senior Citizen Services is holding a Father’s Day dance from 1:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. featuring live entertainment by Billy Harper and the Hot Shots.  The $3 admission includes live entertainment, refreshments and door prizes.  The dance will be held at the Balboa Park Club located off of Park Boulevard and President’s Way. For more information call (619) 236-6905.

June 14 – An Eco Run/Walk takes place at Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP). The event is a 5K and 10K walk/hike/run and is an entirely green race incorporating a trash pick up of MTRP as part of the event. Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. at the East Fortuna Equestrian Staging Area and the race/walk begins at 8:00 a.m. The clean up will take place at 11:00 a.m.  For more information, visit their web site at www.mtrp.org.

June 21 – Join Mission Trails Regional Park trail guides for a free special interpretive walk at twilight.  The walk starts at 7:15 p.m. at the Kumeyaay Lake Campground entry station and lasts for approximately 90 minutes. Participation in these very popular walks are limited to maximize your enjoyment so sign up by calling (619) 668-2748.

June 21 – The City of San Diego is hosting a compact fluorescent light bulb exchange event at Birch Aquarium in La Jolla from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and at 4S Ranch Community Park in Rancho Bernardo from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The City of San Diego encourages all residents to help conserve energy this year by participating in one of the upcoming "Light Bulb Exchange" events. Bring up to five (5) incandescent light bulbs to exchange for five (5) free energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs), while supplies last. You must also bring a valid California ID and/or your SDG&E bill. CFLs use about one-fourth to one-third the energy of comparable incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. For more information visit the City’s web site by clicking this link 

June 25 – The Gallery on 5th presents a fun filled Casino Night at the Bombay-Exotic Cuisine of India in Hillcrest beginning at 6:00 p.m.  Proceeds benefit the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation.  For more information, visit the web site at www.capfsd.org.

July 13 – Tifereth Israel Community Concert in the Park takes place at the Allied Gardens Community Park located at 5151 Greenbrier Avenue in Allied Gardens.  This free event takes place from 6:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The 70-piece Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra performs a variety of popular songs for all ages. You are encouraged to bring a blanket or lounge chairs and picnic items.  For more information visit the web site at Navajoevents.com

July 4 – The annual Lake Murray July 4th MusicFest takes place at Lake Murray Community Park located at 7001 Murray Park Drive. The event takes place from 9:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. with fire works beginning at approximately 9:00 p.m.  There will be live entertainment including the groups Rockola and also Blue Liquid as well as food and refreshments. For more information visit the web site at Navajoevents.com.

August 1 – Opening day for a special exhibit called Art of the Boat featuring 40 black and white photographs of yachts by father and son team of Morris and Stanley Rosenfeld. The exhibit is at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. For more information and reservations call 619-234-9153 ext. 101 or visit their website at www.sdmaritime.org.

Reverse 911 - Register Your Cell Phone Too

City of San Diego residents can register their cellular phones to receive emergency alerts – such as an evacuation notice – from the city's Reverse 911 system. Go to www.sandiego.gov/ohs/reverse911/index.shtml. Residents will need to provide their cell phone number, home address and e-mail address.

The County of San Diego also offers an outstanding webpage on disaster preparedness.  You can visit that page here:  www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/ready/

You can sign up for the County’s Reverse 911 system by visiting this link.  I would suggest you register for both the City’s and the County’s system.

www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/ready/signup.html

Dial 511 For Traffic Updates

Did you know that you can now dial 511 for Roadside Assistance on our roads and highways?  If you get stranded in a non-emergency situation, you may use your cell phone to dial 511 to be connected to the Call Box Answer Center for assistance. To find out more about this, visit SANDAG's 511 web site at http://www.511sd.com/