Partnership board cuts ties to city

The Uptown Partnership, our community’s parking advisory board, met Thursday at their monthly board meeting to discuss the future of the organization. The board elected David Gatzke president filling the vacancy left by the resignation of Anne Rast. Hillcrest property owner Ron Baranov, volunteered to assume the responsibilities of vice president in addition to his role as treasurer.

Following the elections, a message and proposal from community leaders was presented to the Partnership board. The community leaders from Mission Hills, Hillcrest and Bankers Hill/Park West met Wednesday to discuss the future of the parking advisory board and the role of neighborhoods in the restructure of the Partnership. The leadership group agreed with the Partnership that a neutral third party should facilitate the reform and that all neighborhoods and all constituents should drive the restructured of the organization. The leadership group stated that despite the efforts of the Partnership board to make recent positive changes, the Partnership’s involvement in the selection of a facilitator or management of that contract will not have the support or the confidence of neighborhood organizations.

The Uptown Partnership was strongly urged to step aside and allow City Planning and Community Investment (CPCI) manage the contract and affairs of the Uptown Partnership for a period of time. The CPCI’s role would be to solicit proposals for a facilitator as soon as possible and work with a task force of individuals from each segment of the community to select the facilitator and assist with the outreach to constituents to obtain input used in re-structuring the organization. The board discussed the proposal and proceeded to make a motion to request the CPCI retain and manage the contract of a facilitator.

Later in the meeting board member Jim Frost (above) made a motion to notify the city that the Partnership has no intention to contract with them after their contract expires next month, then passed both motions. UP’s next board meeting will be at 4:30pm on November 17.

Celebrate Kate’s birthday this Saturday

A free public event is being planned for tomorrow to honor the memory of Kate Olivia Sessions, the Mother of Balboa Park.

Everyone is welcome to join in celebrating the birthday of one of San Diego’s first tree-huggers and the person most responsible for turning Balboa Park into an urban oasis. This year Kate Sessions would be 153 years old and that calls for a party! Join us at the Marston House on Saturday, November 6, 11am-2pm to enjoy the festivities.

Activities include a brief history of Sessions’ and her efforts to plant trees in Balboa Park, a tour of the park’s urban forest, a talk and walk to the Kate Sessions statue, a tour of the Marston House and gardens, a Geranium George plant sale, and of course, cake and lemonade.

Three organizations with strong ties to Kate Sessions and Balboa Park have joined together to create a fun-filled day. Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) maintains the historic Marston residence and gardens and is committed to raising awareness of historic preservation. The San Diego Floral Association helped develop Balboa Park and preserve native groves of oak and Torrey pines. The Friends of Balboa Park funds projects that enhance, protect and preserve the park’s legacy. When? This Saturday, November 6 • from 11am-2pm Where? Marston House & Gardens, 3525 Seventh Avenue Parking? Free parking along Balboa Drive, Sixth Avenue, Upas and Thorn streets. A Free Shuttle Tram will be running from Inspiration Point Tram Central (on the east side of Park Blvd. at Presidents Way) with pick ups every 8-10 minutes.

One of Kate’s favorite sayings was, “A 50¢ tree should be planted in a $5 hole.”

Thanks to everyone for your input

Over 20 dedicated residents and business people participated in a Hillcrest community “mapping” workshop at the Joyce Beers Community Center Tuesday evening. Attendees included stakeholders on the plan update; Uptown Planners Mary Wendorf, Ernestine Bonn and Roy Dahl; Hillcrest Town Council chair Bruce Bielaski; local businessmen Alex Marin (Bamboo Lounge) and Stefan Chilcote (Urban Mo’s, Baja Betty’s & Gossip Grill); Hillcrest History Guild president Ann Garwood; Save Hillcrest president Susan Fosselman; Hillcrest Business Association director Benjamin Nicholls and president Nancy Moors all participated in this community event to gather neighborhood input.

The first exercise looked at current zoning heights vs. actual building heights in Hillcrest. There was a group consensus that building heights in the core area should be limited to no more than 65 feet with setbacks in the core area. Suggestions were for retail at street level with offices on the second or third floors and residential units above. Opinions leaned towards one or two stories along eastern University Ave. and Park Blvd. The Uptown District and Atlas Hillcrest were sited as projects that fit well into the community (but several added that Atlas lacked proper setbacks). If additional density is needed, the group’s consensus was to add it to the Scripps area with direct access from Highway 163.

The second exercise was to map potential historic and conservation districts. Bruce Coons, director of Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) explained the difference. Identified areas were Third, Fourth & Fifth avenues between Robinson & Maple; Park Boulevard south of University; Marston Hills; Fifth Avenue between Robinson & Washington; and Seventh Avenue north of Upas should be considered as conservation or historic areas. The Hillcrest sign and the pergola in Marston Hills were singled out for historic designation.

The workshop was a combined outreach by the Hillcrest History Guild, the Hillcrest Town Council and the Hillcrest Business Association. Opinions will be shared with community organizations and forwarded to the city for use as part of the community plan update.

Identify height limits & conservation areas

Hillcrest mapping workshop Tuesday

Hillcrest residents and preservationists are encouraged to attend a one-time mapping workshop tomorrow evening to address future zoning limits (Hillcrest’s existing map is shown at the left) and get community input as the city plans for our community plan update.

Should height limits in central Hillcrest (shown as light lavender) continue to be set at 200 feet? Should we have an unlimited height north of Washington Street? The group will also discuss conservation areas for Hillcrest on group maps. What is worth perserving in our neighborhood?

A second interactive exercise will answer:

1) Where are potential Conservation Areas? Do you agree with the areas we identfy as conservation areas? Would you modify the boundaries of the identified areas? Woud your recommend any additional conservation areas?

2) Map out potential Conservation Areas on city-supplied maps with reasons for selections

3) What elements of character within each district should be conserved? Some examples include: scale, setbacks, street trees, garage & driveway locations, building materials and architectural features.

The interactive meeting will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, November 2) beginning at 6pm in the Joyce Beers Community Center (on Vermont Street north of Cleveland). Everyone is welcome. For more information call (619) 260-1929. We are one year into a two-year process by the City of San Diego to create a new community plan for Uptown. The original community plan was written in 1988 as an outline for area development. Please join us as we plan for Hillcrest’s future.