The Benefits of Community Planning Groups

By Marti Emerald, San Diego

How wonderful, the absentee homeowners that have rented their homes to drug dealers and illegal aliens along that stretch of Imperial Avenue and the shop owners who have been selling narcotics paraphernalia to addicts for the last 20 years get a free makeover. What great community service our candidate/reporter is providing, because my heavens, we need to "protect" and "preserve" that "community." Because clearly she couldn't find anyone actually worthy of the help in that area. Perhaps true homeowners and community members nearby who have been held virtually hostage in their homes are a little more deserving of preservation.

Posted by D | reply to this comment
June 27, 2007 1:41 am

Marti-so are you running? Give up the 411, we want to know! BTW-you're a great investigative reporter. You interviewed me in Del Mar (I had my 2 dogs with me) about Duke Cunningham the day he announced he was not going to fun for re election (Duke was in San Marcos), and I said that was the least of his problems, lol.

Posted by Billy! Bob! Henry! | reply to this comment
June 27, 2007 1:42 am

Marti, As a District 7 resident, would you support the formation of a new community planning group to represent Allied Gardens and Grantville? As you know, this part of the City is the target of a controversial redevelopment project. It would be great if the citizens here could plan their own affairs, rather than relying on planning board directors from San Carlos and Del Cerro to do the right thing. As I understand the process, the formation of a community planning group is driven from the bottom up. Citizens form a group, adopt bylaws based on the City Attorney's shell, incorporate, then request the City Council to recognize them. The roadblocks are certain members of the City Council and certain staff in the Planning Department. They want to preserve the status quo. Brian T. Peterson, DVM link

Posted by Brian T. Peterson, DVM | reply to this comment
June 27, 2007 2:11 am

It is easy for a neighborhood to write their own Community Plans. All the public information is already in databases and just needs to be compiled. For a template, use an existing Community Plan with the same types of land uses and issues. Then cut, past, and replace and you are half way done. link Katheryn grew up in District 7. With your leadership skills, you would make a wonderful council person. We hope you run and win.

Posted by Katheryn Rhodes and Conrad Har | reply to this comment
June 27, 2007 2:34 am

as a resident of the 7th district, tierrasanta for nearly 20 years, i have seen first hand the value of community planning groups. we have some of the best in the city. they buffer us from decisions made by people who often have no interest in the needs of our communities or the visions we share for our neighborhoods. these planning groups serve as our voice, and are the embodiment of our civic duty. the sunroad scandal should serve as warning about what can happen when a community has no voice. so why not allow grantville and allied gardens to have a greater say in the future of their communities?....the business that generates revenue....the new development and projects that impact property values, safety and quality of life. i say bring it on.

Posted by marti emerald | reply to this comment
June 27, 2007 12:40 pm

Unfortunately, Allied Gardens needs a community planning group to help prevent anything new being planned. AG is a middle class jewel. Powers that be want to bring in high-density housing, urban village nonsense, condos, low income housing...all these things will RUIN Allied Gardens. The little crime that occurs there comes from the garbage who stay at the Adobe Falls motel just off I-8..they come up the hill into AG, do their thing, and go back down the hill. Could a planning group call in an airstrike?

Posted by D | reply to this comment
June 28, 2007 7:52 am

good to hear from you again "D". i'm with you. a.g. is a jewel. it's a wonderful neighborhood with history, and new families now moving in and making new history. the way to limit unwanted development would be to flex some muscle as a community. dr. petersons post has a link to a webpage advocating for a planning group and local control over a community plan. according to the link there will be a meeting on the issue july 5th. is that right, doctor p? i'm marking my calendar. how about you?

Posted by marti emerald | reply to this comment
June 28, 2007 1:33 pm

Saving AG is a great and quite necessary endeaver. I still am not happy about your plan to give the freebie facelift to the homes and markets along 2200-2400 Imperial. I think 10 gives that leadership award to people who give back to their community...you're rewarding a group that many of which have been victimizing the community. I bet a handfull are actually deserving - the rest deserve spite from the community who has suffered for years because of their indifference to the crime and drug use they've been supporting.

Posted by D | reply to this comment
June 28, 2007 11:17 pm

Marti, that is correct. The next meeting of the Grantville Action Group (GAG) is Thursday, July 5th. The time is at 6:30 PM, and the location is the VFW at 4370 Twain Ave. in Grantville. To refresh the people’s memory, GAG is a grassroots organization of residents, property owners, and business owners of Allied Gardens and Grantville. We oppose the Grantville Redevelopment Project, because we feel that it represents redevelopment abuse and eminent domain abuse. The City has declared our community blighted, even though it is not. Redevelopment is supposed to be reserved for communities that are truly blighted and where properties are a hazard to health and safety. We are seeking to have control of our future, and we are seeking representation that respects the livelihoods and the quality of life of those that live and work here. We look forward to meeting you and telling you of our concerns. Brian T. Peterson, DVM link

Posted by Brian T. Peterson, DVM | reply to this comment
June 28, 2007 11:45 pm

We all need to back the City Attorney's charter request in front of the city council that strengthens community planning groups. We should make a master list of who's on each group, their affiliation, and note the vacancies -- anyone know MS Excel? This would be a useful web resource to know who exactly is calling the shots from the community level, and determine how much infiltration there is by special interests -- we could highlight their names in red! We could start with the CPG in Pt. Loma, head downtown, and have a looksy at the Project Area Committee (CCAC) and look at the rest of the city. Furthermore, we should have a database of the minutes and agendas for the meetings, and research/ track info as needed to determine the justice by which our communities are developed/ manipulated.

Posted by Christopher Hall | reply to this comment
June 29, 2007 12:00 am

chris has some great ideas. this is grassroots community action. documenting is essential for tracking who's doing what and helping the next group that wants to take charge of their destiny. it's a roadmap showing the what to do and what not to do. christopher....will you be at the meeting on the 5th? i hope so. i also just got off the phone with the city attorney's office. they will try to staff the meeting to answer legal and technical questions. and, d.....the imperial ave. project will be helping elderly people and small business owners who are deserving. while you and i may not see eye to eye on that project, i hope you will bring your passion and your resolve to this effort in grantville an a.g. see you next week....happy holiday to all!!

Posted by marti emerald | reply to this comment
June 29, 2007 2:36 am

The Barrio Logan meeting is tonight at 5 p.m. at the Cesar Chavez Educational Center (1960 National Ave., Rm. 116). Thanks for the story Ms. Perlman.

Posted by La Playa Heritage | reply to this comment
June 29, 2007 5:03 am

Well, well, well. It appears the "I haven't made up my mind yet" psuedo-candidate has made up her mind to act like an actual candidate by attending community meetings outside of her own community. Thus, if it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, then it must be a candidate. While the Grantville folks may want to hear from Marti about how poorly they claim to have been treated, perhaps she should give up her "news investigator" position to avoid a conflict and then start attending community meetings to hear about problems first hand rather than by hearsay from some who don't even attend the meetings themselves. Further, some of those who commented don't have correct info. The Adobe Falls motel mentioned by "D" was razed last year and new condos are being built right now. Low-income housing remains a rumor in Allied Gardens as a scare tactic.

Posted by Buddy in Mission Valley | reply to this comment
June 29, 2007 8:24 am

kathryn, what happened at the barrio logan meeting? will you post at laplayaheritage.com? barrio logan faces the same challenge as grantville-a.g.....u against stacked decks at the city and the institutionalized drive to enrich developers at the expense of the villages that give san diego its diversity and continued opportunity for small and local businesses. the recurring theme in much of the important civic work done by rhodes and har.....community planning, navy broadway and sunroad among them. thank you for all you do.

Posted by marti emerald | reply to this comment
June 29, 2007 12:51 pm

It's time Marti Emerald made a decision - either keep doing her investigative reporting or become a candidate for the city council seat and start attending community meetings rather than taking shots in the dark based on incorrect information. Marti: You know very well that you can't do both. District 7 voters await your decision.

Posted by Buddy in Mission VAlley | reply to this comment
June 30, 2007 1:23 am

Marti: Welcome to the trenches of San Diego city politics! lol!!! Since recently announcing my run in D3, and posting on 'Voice', I have had my motives questioned in not too generous terms by a few people on here. Let's see, first, I'm a 'carpetbagger' because I moved from D2 and bought a home in D3, 'just to run for office'. Umm, what else? Oh, yeah, I'm pandering and sucking up to public safety employees for their votes. It's not possible for a political candidate to actually have -- gasp! -- genuine convictions and personal integrity. Though there are legitimate expections, up to a point, about professional journalists keeping their personal biases out of their reporting, the silliness that is going to come your way in the months ahead will far outweigh any view that may have vailidity at its base...

Posted by www.robert-lee.org | reply to this comment
June 30, 2007 9:30 pm

Marti: Everyone out here loves your reporting. What will happen to your reporting, which is so very necessary, if you run ? Many of us feel that you actualy make a great difference now and would be actually hampered by politics. What's your thought ? The Planning Groups are struggling here in San Marcos. A developer is proposing a multi-family, mixed-use residential project in the midst of the industrial zone. Not only do health risks abound, but the city is requiring 2 health-risk waivers for signature by residents. We are all very concerned with the idea that ANY city could or would even consider such a project. July 10, 2007 6:00 PM the City Council will vote on the Final 'EIR . The project was voted down in 2004. Children > Cancer. Palomar Station needs you.

Posted by San Marcos says | reply to this comment
July 1, 2007 10:40 pm

Marti, How do we possibly get approval from our city for our Community Planning Groups? Do we just create them with the proper structure and representation and the city will approve them ? We already have representation by groups from neighborhoods in the City of San Marcos, but the city pays no attention to their opinions ! Please write a further brief column to let us all know what t do so that the city will take heed in their land-use decisions. As in most cities, it is a must here in San Marcos. Is there anything of an advisory nature written for Planning Groups ? Specifically, our groups have tried to stop the land-use abuse at Palomar Station which will have the Final vote at City Hall on July 10, 2007 6:30 PM. We sure do need help .

Posted by San Marcos says | reply to this comment
July 2, 2007 7:27 am

good monday evening. thank you robert-lee and san marcos for your kind words and support. this issue of community vs development is certainly a big one. the land grab will continue until every available acre is paved over unless voters take a stand. that's my perspective. as for buddy......these past few months have offered me incredible insight about the political process and the pros and cons of running for public office. it is not a decision that can or should be made lightly or in haste. that's why i am taking my time in deciding if i will run for the seventh district city council seat. right now, i will continue my community advocacy work and honor my contract with 10news. scott lewis has invited me to share thoughts in the "cafe"....look for my posts there in the weeks ahead.

Posted by marti emerald | reply to this comment
July 2, 2007 12:10 pm

I was just reading all these posts by Marti Emerald and preparing to write one of my own. Before I could do that, I came across the posts by buddy in mission valley. Thanks buddy. You saved me a lot of writing. Of course, Ms. Emerald enjoys the same rights to free speech as anyone else, but should her TV employer continue its relationship with someone purporting to bring news into the homes of San Diego each evening? Which is it? Partisan candidate (in a nominally non-partisan race) or TV reporter? Channel 10/39, you'd better get this lady to figure that out soon. Another thing, the myopic view in Grantville doesn't recognize that it is an appendage -- an anomaly in a district otherwise politically far different from what goes on in that area. In other words, good luck, Marti Emerald in your race. You'll need it. (cont.)

Posted by Edgar | reply to this comment
July 4, 2007 9:03 pm

#2: The support of Gen. Robert E. Lee, will not help you much in District 7. Maybe you better not quit your day job.

Posted by Edgar | reply to this comment
July 4, 2007 9:04 pm

To: Edgar, None of us has any way of knowing what is in the heart of another person, and while you have the same rights to free speech, I wonder if you have taken any kind of look at what Marti Emerald has done - the wrongs she has exposed - the countless numbers of people she has helped. Now, that was before she gave any thought to running for politics ! Sometimes, more good can be done from the outside, by being vigilant and aware, than there can be done from the inside. Many years ago I heard or read the comment that if you have a troublemaker, just put them to work so you can keep an eye on them. Marti, we all need you and your special investigative reporting, however, you need to do what is right for you.

Posted by San Marcos says | reply to this comment
July 5, 2007 8:51 pm

Oh, boo hoo. Such a sad story. Look. I don't do sob sisters, that includes you, San Marcos, and the way out there in Left field, Ms. Emerald. But, I have no intention of making a big stink about it, either, since I know she has only two chances of winning election to the SD City Council: slim and none. People running for public office have NO BUSINESS passing themselves off as unbiased reporters. The average person barely knows his right hand from his left. So, when he turns on the TV, he should not inadvertantly be held captive to the biased political views of someone who purports not to have an agenda.

Posted by Edgar | reply to this comment
July 6, 2007 12:20 am

Edgar, I wonder what has made you so bitter ? You do have a right to your opinion as others do theirs. I am sorry for you. All of us need to remember that this is the United States of America (and we are lucky it is because if we were anywhere else, we would be eliminated). Doesn't the average person know his right hand from his left ? People are more aware than you think they are.

Posted by San Marcos says | reply to this comment
July 6, 2007 10:27 pm

To: Brian D. Peterson, DVM : How did your GAG meeting go on Thursday evening. Please, post more information like: do you have a website ? Could or would your group be willing to help others in a similar situation ? Up here in San Marcos, near Vista and Escondido, we are faced with a real mess. A developer (with contacts through his very powerful consultant), goes before our City Council for a final vote on the FEIR for his project, Palomar Station, which is going to be dumped in the middle of the industrial zone, between 2 regional distribution centers, next to very serious toxic chemical spills that have introduced not only benzene but other dangerous chemicals into our groundwater. The City is requiring the signing of Health Risk Waivers by residents. City Council 6:00 PM Tuesday, we need help

Posted by San Marcos says | reply to this comment
July 6, 2007 10:34 pm

San Marcos, The GAG meeting last Thursday went well. In attendance were Alex Sachs of the San Diego City Attorney’s office, private attorneys who are interested in working with us, and Marti Emerald of Channel 10. Some video of our meeting was on Channel 10 news that night. Yes, we have a website. Follow this link: link On our website we have links to organizations that may help you. You may also contact me through the website, and I can give you the name of some attorneys who could possibly help you. We try to help other groups in similar situations as much as we can, just as we look for help from them, too. We have a relationship with some of those fighting the land grab in National City. Brian T. Peterson, DVM. Grantville Action Group.

Posted by Brian T. Peterson, DVM | reply to this comment
July 7, 2007 7:17 pm

kudos to marti emerald and the Allied Gardens and Barrio Logan communities who want to take back control from the well connected developers. I attended Lewis JR High briefly, but am not a resident of either area. I support all citizens who are sick and tired of being "redeveloped". This includes coastal homeowners being eminent domained for a hotel to come in. This includes east county landowners whose eminent domain was called MultiSpecies..Act MSCRa. They only took the "use" of half of their properties, but let the owners continue to pay their full taxes and assume full financial liability despite being deprived of the use of half of their property. Will govt taking away private property ever end or even lessen?

Posted by janice | reply to this comment
July 8, 2007 7:35 am

Oops! guess who owns a business (USA Cab) at 2660 Imperial? Hint: last name rhymes with peso. More Huesos, Jose A. and Alfred, benefitting from Councilman Ben-eficiary Hueso.

Posted by The Hueso Connection | reply to this comment
July 24, 2007 8:38 pm

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