Sunday,
December 7, 2008
— District 3’s Councilman-elect
Todd Gloria who will be sworn in tomorrow morning
Saturday,
December 6, 2008
— North Park resident Helen
Crookes who attends December
Nights year after year
Friday,
December 5, 2008
Hillcrest residents’ holiday party Tuesday 7pm
This month’s Hillcrest Town Council meeting will begin 30 minutes later than usual to allow the HBIA additional time for elections. (The business association’s meeting will run from 5-7pm.) Sweet treats will be provided by area restauranteurs (Crest Cafe, City Deli, Babycakes, Mille Feuille) for this evening to socialize, network and celebrate our 2008 accomplishments. Invite you neighbors to attend next Tuesday’s gathering as two years of community input on HTC bylaws will be finalized by residents. Join friends and meet other Hillcrest residents as we celebrate the holiday season.
Most of the evening will be spent spreading peace and joy among each other. In addition, the group will discuss the newly created bylaws. This will be your opportunity to ratify the HTC’s organizational structure. The town council meets on the second Tuesday of each month at the Joyce Beers Community Center in the Uptown Shopping District (Vermont north of Cleveland). Join in and speak out. The Hillcrest Town Council does make a difference for our community!
Thursday,
December 4, 2008
Have you picked up your free copy of HillQuest yet?
Our seventh edition is underway. The popular urban guide will debut the
end of June, but if you place your order now through the end of
December you’ll get our annual earlybird rates through the end of the
year. Need more info? Call (619) 260-1929.Wednesday,
December 3, 2008
The City Council voted unanimously to save SD’s Mills Act Program yesterday afternoon by setting the property tax “loss” to $200,000 (about 100 Mills Act contracts a year), as opposed to the $100,000 limit requested by Mayor Jerry Sanders. (The most Mills Act contracts completed in the past has been less than 80.) This means no change in the processing of Mills Act contracts in the near future. They also voted to fund a $500 discounted “intake fee” to process reports for all nominations in the pipeline, as opposed to the $1,185 requested by the mayor. Preservationists saved $685 for all homeowners whose nominations have been collecting dust for up to two years waiting to be put on the Historical Resources Board agenda. Councilmembers Toni Atkins and Donna Frye felt it was unfair to change the rules after submission, but Director of Planning Bill Anderson complained loss of intake fees might mean staff layoffs, so they compromised at $500. (Staff will still go after the $590 Mills Act contract drafting fee and $492 inspection fee, but we do not know if they will apply these fees to existing Mills Act contracts or for designated houses without Mills Act contracts).
Councilmember Donna Frye is our champion for making both nominations. Councilmember Toni Atkins also shares in the spotlight, as she argued against charging fees for pipeline cases. And Councilmember Ben Hueso spoke passionately at the November 24th hearing in favor of historical designation.
Councilmembers James Madaffer and Scott Peters voted against lowering the intake fee for people in the pipeline. They expressed concern that the City of San Diego is in a financial crisis and all forms of revenue recovery are necessary to save the city. Fortunately for the 100 families whose nominations are in the pipeline, these two were in the minority.
The Neighborhood Historic Preservation Coalition, SOHO, realtor Elizabeth Courtier, University Heights Historical Society, Between Heights, The Heart of Kensington, realtor Peter Dennehy, community activist Kathy Blavatt, Ocean Beach Community Planning Council Chair Landry Watson, El Cerrito Community Council Chair Jan Riley, and a host of other group leaders worked tirelessly to organize and get people out to the crucial hearings, meet with city council representatives and mayoral staff, and hammered the newspapers to turn the tide in our favor. We owe our gratitude to each and every one of them.
Tuesday,
December 2, 2008
HillQuest’s earlybird rates available through December
It’s that time of year again, and with the end of 2008 quickly approaching, HillQuest’s volume seven is underway. This award-winning community favorite will again debut in the spring, but if you place your order now through the end of December you’ll get our annual earlybird rates (which allows you to buy next year’s ad for last year's prices — as little as 90¢ per day). As a bonus...purchase an ad in the next HillQuest, an Urban Guide to 92103...and beyond! and get your business information posted on www.hillquest.com the same day! With thousands of visitors, there is no better way to promote yourself for less than a dollar a day.
Year after year HillQuest features new, unique and quirky stories about Uptown history, people, places and things. Is there something that you would like to learn about or do you have a story to share? Please let us know.
For the last two years HillQuest, an Urban Guide has featured one of our neighboring communities. This year’s “Neighbor Chapter” will focus on hip North Park, the SoHo of San Diego. From Ray at Night to the
Festival of the Arts
and from the Birch North Park Theatre to the Holiday Toyland Parade and
the Indie Music Festival...North Park offers an eclectic array of
restaurants and independent coffee shops along the main arteries of
30th Street and University Avenue. The area is also dotted with bars
and night clubs that cater to a diverse community. Learn more about
this neighbor to our east in our next edition. Don’t miss this
opportunity to $ave money with earlybird rates. As HQ7 is underway we welcome suggestions for this year’s articles. Know some great history about Uptown? Or a community character worth sharing? Please give us a call at (619) 260-1929 to discuss being a part of HillQuest’s seventh edition.
Monday,
December 1, 2008
— Councilman-elect Todd Gloria weighing in on the
budget decision
