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Saturday, March 8, 2008	Park Study presented to the community The Balboa Park Committee & authors of the new Balboa Park Study shared their findings, data sets and answered questions yesterday morning in the park’s Recital Hall. Presenters included Peter Harnik, Director, Urban Parks Division, Trust for Public Land; Richard Little, Director, The Keston Institute; John Morey, President, The Morey Group and Glenn Sparrow, Professor Emeritus SDSU, School of Public Administration and Urban Studies. The Balboa Park Committee, the volunteer committee that reviews land-use matters in the park, has been asked to engage the public in a discussion of the report and to provide a recommendation to the mayor and city council on the future stewardship of Balboa Park. The committee which has committed themselves to an open discussion of all the facts, will also present a schedule of meetings over the next few months that include public participation.
Friday, March 7, 2008	“In July 5, 2007 G & L Times, I personally challenged Todd Gloria and Stephen Whitburn to a ‘No Developers Contribution’ pledge. Since that challenge, I have personally talked with both candidates about my concern with outside money influencing this election. I completely understand the rationale to raise lots of money to win an election, but wouldn’t it be interesting to know who is giving money to whom?” — Hillcrester John Taylor in this week’s letters to the GLT editor
Thursday, March 6, 2008	“The community is now much more diffuse and spread out beyond one particular enclave. As society has evolved into a more open attitude...LGBT people have felt empowered to choose whatever neighborhood they like, though I think a great many of us still find the urban center most inviting.” — State Senator Christine Kehoe re: the gay community growing beyond Hillcrest
Wednesday, March 5, 2008	Historical tile restored at Alcazar Garden The Committee of 100, dedicated to the preservation of the Spanish Colonial architecture in Balboa Park, cordially invites the community to join them this Friday afternoon as they celebrate the completion of the Alcazar Garden tile restoration project. Come to Balboa Park at 2pm for a short program and refreshments as you enjoy the garden and its restored tile fountains and benches that look better than they have in years! The committee raised the funds necessary to complete the project which required over 1,800 tiles that were hand-crafted to match the originals.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008	Seven new board members voted onto the Uptown Planners Nearly 100 Uptown residents gathered at the Joyce Beers Community Center tonight to elect new members to Uptown Planners. Leo Wilson, (birthday girl) Ernestine Bonn, Roy Dahl, John Lamb, James Mellos, Steven Satz and Michael Seidel were overwhelming elected to four-year terms.
Monday, March 3, 2008	Residents, help plan the future of Uptown this Tuesday An important election of Uptown Planners will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, March 4th, at 6pm in the Joyce Beers Community Center (on Vermont Street near Trader Joe’s). Please arrive by 5:50pm and vote for the seven candidates who support the Interim Height Ordinance (IHO). There has been a significant shift in recommendations by Uptown Planners over the last few years because of community involvement and excellent turnouts at these elections. We are now at a pivotal time, and support of this ordinance reflects an alignment and emphasis on community concerns, desires for land use and the planning processes. This Uptown Interim Height Ordinance will place a limit on height in some areas of Uptown until the outdated community plan is revised. Until the IHO is passed, we have to fight inappropriately large/tall projects that are proposed item by item! The seven pro-community candidates are: Ernestine Bonn, Roy Dahl, John Lamb, James Mellos, Steven Satz, Michael Seidel and Leo Wilson. (The eighth candidate, Ian Epley, did NOT vote in support of the Interim Height Ordinance. He has served on the committee for years and represents the old guard which generally favored out of scale development in Uptown.) PLEASE BRING PROOF OF RESIDENCE such as a driver’s license or a bill showing your name and address on it to Tuesday’s meeting. You are welcome to stay and listen to the candidates’ presentations. Additionally, this meeting includes a final discussion and vote on the IHO draft. The current height limit is 200 feet in our neighborhood. The IHO would limit buildings to 65 feet (about six stories). While speaking to the Hillcrest Town Council at their February meeting, Mayor Jerry Sanders said he thought the 65-foot limit was a good compromise.
Sunday, March 2, 2008	“The plan has these wonderful platitudes but on every page you should be hitting the cash register... In theory, this plan talks about how we’re going to implement smart growth, how we’re going to do infill and make this more like a European city with walkability and less sprawl, but the problem is it costs a ton of money, and it could result in neighborhoods getting more density, more traffic and losing their neighborhood character if not done right.” — Community activist and Uptown Planner chair Leo Wilson re: a new general plan for San Diego’s future
Saturday, March 1, 2008	It’s Girl Scout cookie time Girl Scouts Miranda, Elizabeth, Hannah and Ms. Thin Mint staffed a table outside Hillcrest’s WaMu today. The Scouts will be tempting your waist line at the entrance to the popular bank over next three weeks. Hannah said Thin Mints and Do-Si-Dos are her favorites. Funds raised from the annual cookie sales are individually used by local troops. Last year Troop 3480 spent a fun day at Disneyland with their proceeds.

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