Friday,
September 7,
2007
Hillcrest Centennial Gala — Thursday, October 4th
Please join the Hillcrest History Guild for a special evening in the grand ballroom at The Prado Restaurant on Thursday evening, October 4th, as we celebrate Hillcrest’s centennial with a spectacular dinner, dancing and a silent auction. Musical entertainment will feature boogie woogie queen Sue Palmer and her Motel Swing Quintet.
Beginning at 5pm a big red bus will be making a wide swoop through
Bankers Hill and Hillcrest to Park Boulevard then south to Balboa Park,
dropping off celebrants at the front door of The Prado. After the
event...it will make a reverse trip along the same route to take you
home.
Thursday,
September 6,
2007
Historic pine tree removal spurs neighborhood protest
Wednesday afternoon ten Hillcrest residents showed up with handmade signs to protest the morning removal of a 150-foot tree north of Washington on Fifth Avenue. The decades old star (Norfolk Island) pine was a landmark that could be seen from Mt. Helix.
At the end of the day
three local activists (Mercedes Bell, Mary Petruccione and Marilyn
Mangion, at right) showed their dissatisfaction in a silent protest
next
to the wide stump that remains. Mangion had nominated this tree for
protective status through Urban Forestry expert Drew Potocki’s
“Conserve-A-Tree” program. In mid-July a hospital official had told her
that Scripps Mercy was renting the house next to the tree for office
space and that the giant pine would remain.
Wednesday,
September 5,
2007
September Uptown Planners Discuss Height Limits
A crowd filled Joyce Beers Community Center last night at the Uptown Community Planners meeting to hear an update on the proposed 65-foot interim height ordinance (IHO) for much of the Hillcrest core. Bill Anderson, the acting Director of City Planning and Community Development, and City Planner Marlon Pangilinan (shown) presented what the Mayor’s Office has suggested. Several members of the community voiced a concern over the 30-month sunset provision. There were also concerns over the IHO needing “teeth” with specific limitations and requirements, rather than the vague guidelines that could be interpreted at the Planning Department’s discretion. In its current draft, the IHO would be an amendment to the community plan and insure that every project over the height limit gets discretionary review.
According to John Taylor, community activist and IHO task force team member, “this IHO proposal would not have stopped a project like 301 University, but it will assure the community knows about every project over the height limit. We are moving in the right direction, yet still have a long way to go.” One of the best comments of the evening was by Bill Anderson, who pointed out the roadway system would not be able to support a Hillcrest built out with structures that are currently allowed.
The IHO will be on the Tuesday, October 3 Uptown Planners agenda as an action item.
Tuesday,
September 4,
2007
>>> Hillcrest Restaurant Week
Runs from today thru Sunday
(Sept 4th-9th) <<<
Fixed-price
Breakfasts, Lunches & Dinners
Monday,
September 3,
2007
Will you help save these homes from demolition?
Important Uptown Planners meeting tomorrow
Joyce Beers Community Center 6pm Tuesday evening...
1.) An update on the proposed 65-foot interim height ordinance for Uptown. Bill Anderson, the acting Director of the City’s Planning and Community Development Department, will discuss what the Mayor’s Office is suggesting for a proposed ordinance. The Interim Height Task Force and other interested community members will have the
opportunity to comment and suggest revisions or
alternative approaches; and 2.) At present there are over a dozen
potentially historic structures in Uptown threatened with potential
demolition (examples shown). All these homes are listed on the draft
Uptown Historic Survey — however, this has not prevented the City from
issuing demolition permits without any public notice.
Recently,
two Mission-styled homes located on Third Avenue were
demolished before community members had time to mobilize and intervene
to preserve the buildings. A motion has been proposed for the approval
of Uptown Planners requesting an explaination of how this happened.
Help
save our history!Sunday,
September 2,
2007
>>> Hillcrest Restaurant Week Tuesday-Sunday Sept 4th ~ 9th <<< Breakfasts, Lunches & Dinner
Did you tune into Fox6 this morning to watch Lynn Stuart interview Crest Cafe’s Cecelia Moreno and Courtney Ray from Baja Betty’s promote Hillcrest Restaurant Week? For only $9.07, $19.07 or $29.07 enjoy a fixed-price meal at a variety of eateries including Asian Bistro, Kemo Sabe, Bite, Cafe Eleven, Busalacchi’s, Terra Restaurant, City Deli, Bombay and Brazil by the Hill. Beginning Tuesday and running through next Sunday dozens of Hillcrest’s finest restaurants will be celebrating Hillcrest’s first 100 years with special menus (as well as their usual fare). Enjoy!
Saturday,
September 1,
2007
— This week’s GLT editorial, 301:
Is the City Council corrupt, or just stupid?
