City Council Hearing November 9, 2020 starting at 11:00 a.m.

Item 600: Complete Communities: Play Everywhere – City of San Diego Parks Master Plan, General Plan Recreation Element Amendment, and Citywide Park Development Impact Fee.

For all the documents, click on the Agenda item link above or click here for the Complete Communities website.

In general, we are very concerned about the lack of public input into the plan or the absence of any meaningful dialog between City Planning staff and communities across San Diego.

Please let your elected officials know your concerns regarding the Parks Master Plan.

The Friends of Rose Creek has the following recommendations for comments on the Parks Master Plan.  Here are the major areas of concern for the Friends of Rose Creek. Feel free to use these or add you own.

  • The Friends of Rose Creek support the Equity Driven Framework to address park needs in communities of concerns and appreciate Condition Based Assessment.
  • We are very concerned about the plans to commercialize and/or privatize our parks. The City is removing this line from parks regulations “Protect parks from commercialization and privatization.”  We strongly request that this statement remain, but be modified as follows: “Protect parks from inappropriate commercialization and all privatization. Ensure that commercial uses within parks contribute to the recreational use and value of the park.”
  • We are concerned that expanding recreational trails in our open spaces areas does not place enough emphasis on protection of the natural resources.
  • For EA2, we strongly recommend the underlined clause be added “Maintain an integrated Citywide network of trails and open spaces, natural areas, and scenic views that serves all residents and visitors while protecting and enhancing the natural resources.”
  • Thank you very much for including the changes to CO6 that includes planting drought tolerant trees NOT on the California Invasive Plant Councils  (CAL-IPC) list of Southern California. However, we are dismayed at the “where feasible.”  The majority of the landscape trees on this planet are not on the CAL-IPC list so it should always be technically feasible to achieve this goal and it is necessary to protect our MSCP, MHPA, and open space canyons and watersheds from invasive species.
  • For CO10, we appreciate that restrictions are placed on access in MSCP lands to protect the natural resources for which the lands have been protected. However, we feel this does not go far enough and should include all open space parks. We strongly recommend you add this language to that point “and the biologic resources of all open space parks.” This comment also applies to the same statement that appears in CSR22.
  • While we appreciate the goal of getting San Diego’s residents and visitors alike out in the amazing natural spaces that exist in the City of San Diego, we are very concerned that overuse, inadequately placed trails, and in-appropriate uses will degrade the biologic resources such as the plants and the wildlife that depend on these plants. To that end, we would ask you to add the following clause “to provide unpaved and unlighted trail linkages that do not degrade the biologic resources ” under CSR 24.
  • The Friends of Roes Creek is 100% supportive of the new “Urban Watershed Parks” concept and believe the stretch of Rose Creek from the Southern End of Marian Bear Park to Mission Bay Park should be included in these planning efforts.
  • We also feel that the delineation of goals, policies, and points associated with open space parks, MSCP, and MHPA lands is still muddled in the Parks Master Plan. We strongly believe that resource protection must come before recreational opportunities for any of our undeveloped lands. Most of these lands are sensitive and appropriate resource management plans should be developed before any trail planning takes place.  With the current work plan, trails seem to be being emphasized over habitat protection. As the joy and quality of visitor experiences in our open space areas are directly connected to the quality of the habitat, the wildlife viewing opportunities, and the opportunity to experience nature in all her glory, we need to start with the needs of plants and wildlife and then add in unpaved and unlighted trails where biologically appropriate.
  • Finally, we are grateful for the multiple Arts & Culture policies that are inclusive of Kumeyaay culture and traditions. We feel this is an important first step to acknowledging past and present injustices to the indigenous peoples of this area.

Please email and/or call your City Council Representatives today with your comments.  email all City Council Representatives.  We also would like to request that you virtually attend the hearing on November 9th and/or submit comments via the Webform.   Details are below the council representatives contact information.

District 1
Council President Pro Tem Barbara Bry
(619) 236-6611
barbarabry@sandiego.gov

District 2
Councilmember Jennifer Campbell
(619) 236-6622
jennifercampbell@sandiego.gov

District 3
Councilmember Chris Ward
(619) 236-6633
christopherward@sandiego.gov

District 4
Council Monica Montgomery
(619) 236-6644
monicamontgomery@sandiego.gov

District 5
Councilmember Mark Kersey
(619) 236-6655
markkersey@sandiego.gov

District 6
Councilmember Chris Cate
(619) 236-6616
chriscate@sandiego.gov

District 7
Councilmember Scott Sherman
(619) 236-6677
scottsherman@sandiego.gov

District 8
Councilmember Vivian Moreno
(619) 236-6688
vivianmoreno@sandiego.gov

District 9
Council President Georgette Gómez
(619) 236-6699
georgettegomez@sandiego.gov

Official Testimony on the Item

Please make plans to either provide phone in testimony on November 9. The City Council hearing begins at 11:00 a.m.  If you cannot provide phone in testimony, please submit formal written comments through the webform.  Directions for both below.

Phone in Testimony

When the Clerk introduces either the item you would like to comment on or the comment period for, Non-Agenda Public Comment, follow the instructions within the “Public Comment Instructions” by dialing the number below to be placed in the queue.

  1. DIAL 619-541-6310
  2. Enter the Access Code: 877861 then press ‘#’.

Written Comment through Webform:  

Comment on Agenda Items may be submitted using the webform indicating the agenda item number for which you wish to submit your comment. Comments received by the start of the meeting will be distributed to the City Council and posted online with the meeting materials. All webform comments are limited to 200 words. Comments received after the start of the meeting but before the item is called will be submitted into the written record for the relevant item. 

Written Materials. If you wish to submit written materials for submission into the record or have an attachment to your comment, you may email it to cityclerk@sandiego.gov   or submit via U.S. Mail 202 C Street, MS2A San Diego, CA 92101. Materials submitted via e-mail will be distributed to the Councilmembers in accordance with the deadlines described above. Materials submitted via U.S. Mail will need to be received the business day prior in order for it to be distributed to the City Council.  

Categories: Rose Creek

0 Comments

Leave a Reply

Avatar placeholder

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.