Uptown Planners election next Tuesday, March 2

The local planning group will meet next Tuesday from 6-9pm in the Joyce Beers Community Center to elect three new board members. To vote an individual must (no exceptions) show identification proving they are a resident, property or business owner in the Uptown Planning Area; identification may be in the form of a driver’s license, utility bill, tax bill, business license or rent receipt – any document that has the individual’s name and street address. The qualified candidates are: Kim Adler, Mission Hills; Gary Bonner, Bankers Hill/Park West; Neil Ferrier, University Heights; and Janet O’Dea, Mission Hills.

Also of interest to many Hillcrest residents (at approx. 7:10pm) will be the “Corwin Project” (3844 Albatross) This proposal will remove an existing residence to construct four multi-unit residential buildings on a 1.30 acre site at the northeast end of Albatross Street, between Robinson & University avenues and is partial located within Dove Canyon, an area designated as open space. An amendment would be required to the Uptown Community Plan to redesign this property from open space to a residential use. What do you think? At about 8:40pm the group will discuss what’s up with the City of San Diego re: a new Community Plan for our neighborhood. A group of community stakeholders should be meeting monthly. The city did not hold a meeting in December then cancelled the February gathering for these local volunteers. Unfortunately, the city-hired consultants do not attend these meetings which are packed with community concerns for our quality of life and infrastructure. As the process is currently set up, neighborhood input re: our next 20-30 years will be shared second-hand (via city employees) to those making plans for Hillcrest’s future. (Feel better? Me neither.)

Do you have Hillcrest transportation ideas?

Traffic issues getting in and out of Hillcrest? Too many cars and too few pedestrians? Bike lanes? How to accommodate for the future? Shuttles? What’s the best way to move people?

Share your ideas with the Hillcrest Business Association re: Hillcrest’s Mobility System — such as transportation, walkability & accessibility. Concerned citizens are asked to meet at Baja Betty’s, 1421 University Avenue, tomorrow evening (Thursday, February 25) from 5-7pm to explore ways for improving people movement throughout Hillcrest. Please give your input at this fun and exciting forum to discuss neighborhood transportation ideas for the future. A lecture will be presented by SDSU professor Sherry Ryan whose research primarily deals with transportation and its elements including land use interactions and the influence of land use patterns on travel behavior, physical activity and health. Want to be involved? Please RSVP to Benjamin Nicholls (not required, but preferred).

HBA members Bob Grinchuk and Glen Younger are chairing these quarterly forums over the next two years to get public input as the city gathers information for the development a new vision for Uptown’s next 20-30 years — a new community plan. As part of this process, the local business association is organizing a series of workshops to visualize the future of Hillcrest on a variety of topics.

“Imagine if you could get together with a bunch of really bright folks over cocktails, invite the foremost experts in the field, and plan the future of Hillcrest” say’s Younger... “Well that’s what we’re planning on doing”. All are welcome.