Democrat Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer doesn’t share a lot in common with her District 3 seat challenger, Republican Kevin Faulconer. Except perhaps his views on battery storage in the county.
Both Lawson-Remer and Faulconer believe in building battery storage that enables California’s transition away from fossil fuels toward green energy on county land, our MacKenize Elmer reports in a new story. They both oppose a ban on batteries – a notion that the current Board of Supervisors already turned down.
But neither would comment on a controversial project being planned just outside the city of Escondido that the election winner would probably have a chance to vote on.
Meet the Beat: Don’t miss your chance to meet Elmer at IB Espresso on Sunday, Oct. 27. She’s going to talk about her stories on the border sewage crisis and all things environment. RSVP at vosd.org/meet
County Postpones Camping Ban Discussion
San Diego County supervisors won’t consider a homeless camping ban for unincorporated areas until sometime next year.
A county official notified supervisors earlier this week that staffers will not return to the board with proposed options for an unsafe camping ordinance next Tuesday as planned. Instead, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Brian Albright wrote, staffers will return to the board early next year to seek direction from supervisors before scheduling a future vote.
An extended timeline: A year ago, county supervisors voted unanimously to have county staff draft an ordinance allowing the county to clear homeless camps in unincorporated areas where there are concerns about fires or other safety hazards. Now county staff are postponing a board review of the politically divisive topic a few weeks before the election. County staff previously postponed a review of a draft ordinance in September.
Since supervisors directed county staff to pursue a camping ban, multiple cities throughout the county have approved their own policies.
What’s happening: Albright wrote that staffers “continue to refine proposed options for the ordinance” that touch on issues including enforcement, shelter, encampment-clearing procedures and fire risks after receiving feedback from the community and multiple supervisors’ offices.
Related: 10 News reported that National City’s camping ban took effect Thursday.
In Other News
- The late Bill Walton’s former residence is up for sale. Two lots in North Park, actually, are for sale and the listing has some neighbors worried that the new owner could transform them into more dense housing. “This unique opportunity allows for a minimum of 5,000 square foot lots and the potential of using SB9 to create approximately 22 parcels at 2500 square foot lot subdivisions. Buyer to do their own research on highest and best use for these parcels,” the listing reads.
- Poway will consider a second water rate increase following a larger-than-expected spike in San Diego County Water Authority charges. (Union-Tribune)
- CDC officials landed in San Diego Thursday to kick off their fact-finding effort about needs and concerns tied to the long-running Tijuana River sewage crisis. (NBC 7) Related: inewsource reports that a contractor at the center of Flint, Mich.’s water contamination crisis is now the subject of three lawsuits for alleged mismanagement tied to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- The Metropolitan Transit System will crack down on fare evasion early next year after a major spike in violations. (Union-Tribune)
- District Attorney Summer Stephan is under scrutiny for dismissing charges against two 15-year-olds accused of two Chula Vista shootings and transferring their case to federal district court where they can be tried as adults. (inewsource)
- The Los Angeles Times waded into the drama surrounding sea lions in La Jolla. (Warning: This one’s only for subscribers.)
The Morning Report was written by MacKenize Elmer, Lisa Halverstadt and Scott Lewis. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.
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