Eccc Newsletter June, 2008

El Cerrito Community Newsletter Volume Five: Number 7 June 2008

CACC Planning Subcommittee Reviews AMCAL’s New Proposal: On June 2nd, AMCAL

ECCC’s Meeting Spaghetti & Garlic Bread Contest Thursday, June 19, 2008 Parish Hall – 7:00 p.m. Well, this is where the rubber meets the road! Our spaghetti & garlic bread contest is finally here. Bring a large pot of spaghetti or garlic bread to share. We would suggest you use a Crock Pot for the spaghetti as there is no way to keep food warm in the Parish Hall. Using the crock pots worked out well when we had our Chili Contest. This time we will give out six “Best of El Cerrito Certificates” – three to the spaghetti winners for first, second and third place and the same to our garlic bread winners. All will be nicely framed with your name on it. We would like to print your recipes in next month’s issue of the newsletter, so please remember to bring a copy with you. If you don’t feel like making spaghetti or garlic bread, why not bring a salad, side dish or a delicious dessert to share. As usual, we will provide tea, coffee, soda, water, utensils, plates, etc. Ice cream is available for desert.

Aztec Budget Inn Aztec Budget Inn Senior Housing Project

A lot is happening with respect to this site! Please take the time to read the items below.

asked the CACC Planning Subcommittee to recommend to the full CACC board approval of a conditional usage permit needed for this project. The Planning Subcommittee voted to delay the motion till its July meeting (June 30th) to allow AMCAL to do their due diligence in notifying the neighborhood councils of the project. This will allow the Project Review Committee to investigate AMCAL’s claims of 55 years for senior housing together with a waiting list, due to the “shortage of senior housing.” As a result, we have invited AMCAL’s representatives to discuss their project during the June 19th ECCC meeting. Thanks CACC! A job well done in their support of El Cerrito and the surrounding communities.

Please know that our spaghetti and garlic bread contest plans remain the main focus of the meeting. Due to AMCAL’s time frame, this is the only opportunity our community will have to meet, discuss and provided our input to the CACC on the proposed senior housing project.

Discussion of Proposed Senior Housing Facility: If you are interested in AMCAL’s new plan, please attend the June 19 ECCC meeting to review the new design for the Aztec Budget Inn Site and discuss the viability of their plans.

New Proposal for Aztec Site: AMCAL has responded to the collapsed housing market by requesting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to transform its condominium project into an affordable senior facility for adults 55+ years. AMCAL would rent these units and would mange the project, providing one on-site manager. This change in usage has impacted both the building’s design and its financing:

El Cerrito Community Council, P.O. Box 151268, San Diego, CA 92175-1268: (ECCC @cox.net) 619-287-2460

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65 units with 65 on-site parking spaces, one space per unit. 52 - 1 bedroom/1 bath units with 554 sq. ft 13 - 2 bedroom/1 bath units with 721 sq. ft

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3,000 sq. ft. commercial space with 16 parking spaces at street level

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Smaller foot print with a 2 story building on North side, 3 story building on Soria – 40 feet in height and a 4 story building on El Cajon Blvd.

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Windows and balconies will face inward – away from single family residential. 10,000 sq. ft residential courtyard on two levels 1400 sq. ft. recreation building Building to remain senior housing for 55 years Underground parking No tandem parking Financing: Details to follow

This proposed plan involves affordable housing funding. A loan, for this type of financing, dictates the use of the entire building to be affordable housing for a period of 55 years. The new plan also requires approval for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to allow senior housing use. Although the intended usage is for senior housing, we are investigating whether the project could transition into other uses at a later date. During the CACC Planning Committee meeting, AMCAL mentioned that the building would be similar to the senior housing on 52nd and El Cajon; in case you would like to visit that building, as a point reference, before the ECCC meeting. For a list of the qualifications to live in that building, please visit the Housing Commission site at: http://www.sdhc.org/giaffordhousingnews1a.shtml

New Concerns for Discussion: In addition, to votes on the best spaghetti and garlic bread recipes, we will take a vote as to whether or not you support this project and provide any stipulations you wish us to make. Your views will be provided to the CACC Planning Committee, which meets on Monday, June 30th, and the College Area Community Council that meets on Wednesday, July 9th. Both meetings will be held at 7:00 pm in the College/Rolando Library on Montezuma Road. You are encouraged to attend these meetings and give both the Planning Committee and the CACC your feedback. While we are tasting the various spaghettis and garlic breads, we would like the community to discuss:

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This project's influence on the community's balance of housing stock and the need for our neighborhood to have projects that add to the economy and revitalization of El Cerrito.

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The chances that the use of the building will be able to be converted from senior housing use to general affordable housing and the related question of parking and traffic impacts.

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The concern that the developer’s history and responsiveness with the current site management is an indicator of its future commitment to on-site management. Plus any other issues you wish us to bring to the CACC’s attention.

Demolition & Clean Up: According to AMCAL, we

should start seeing daily activity on the site with respect to clean up and securing it. We are advised by Mr. Tom Davis, Vice President, Acquisitions & Development, AMCAL Multi-Housing Inc., that someone will be on the site several hours every day to make sure it is clean and free of trespassers. On Monday, June 9th, 2008, a HazMat survey will start and once completed, AMCAL can pull the demolition permit. AMCAL anticipates that actual demolition will start late June or early July and be complete near the end of July. The plan is to remove all construction materials and vegetation, leaving an empty lot until construction of the new building. Hopefully this will bring great relief to those neighbors who have put up with the ongoing vandalism, prostitution and homeless occupancy.

Crime Statistics – El Cerrito January/February/March, 2008

Officer Bernie Piceno provided us with the following crime statistics at last month’s meeting:

Mid City Division

2007 Murder 3 Rape 21 Robbery 111 Aggravated Assault 161 Violent Crime Total 296 Residential Burglary 269 Commercial Burglary 80 Larceny 568 Motor Vehicle Theft 399 Property Crime Total 1,316 Crime Index Total 1,612 Car Prowls 334

2008 4 8 102 125 239 221 86 523 340 1,170 1,409 253

% Change 33.3% - 61.9% -8.1% -22.4% -19.3% -17.8% 7.5% 7.9% -14.8% -11.1% -12.6% -24.3%

2008

% Change

El Cerrito 2007

El Cerrito Community Council, P.O. Box 151268, San Diego, CA 92175-1268. (ECCC@ cox.net) 619-287-2460

Murder Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault Violent Crime Total Residential Burglary Commercial Burglary Larceny Motor Vehicle Theft Property Crime Total Crime Index Total Car Prowls

0 1 4 5 10 8 4 36 12 60 70 15

0 0% 0 -100% 2 -50% 8 -60% 10 0% 18 125% 8 100% 23 -36.1% 19 58.3% 68 13.3% 78 11.4% 7 -53.3%

Last Month’s ECCC Meeting

Unfortunately Council Member Jim Madaffer, at the last minute, was unable to make the meeting and sends his apologies to the El Cerrito community. Mr. Tracy Reed, Crossroad Project Manager (Project Area Committee) stepped-up-to-the-plate and filled the gap for us. Mr. Reed had some very interesting information for us regarding the implementation of the PAC’s five year plan, the reorganization of the Redevelopment Agency and the upcoming elections.

Traffic Calming Measures on 58th Street between University & Trojan Avenues The ECCC received the following e-mail from David Folch concerning his efforts, on behalf of the ECCC, to have traffic calming issues dealt with on 58th Street between University Avenue & Trojan. The following is a synopsis of what he advised us: “After the May 15hth ECCC meeting, a few people stayed behind to talk about traffic calming on 58th St. The following is a brief timeline of my efforts to reduce and/ or calm the traffic on 58th St between University & Trojan. All communication I've been involved with has revolved around just this stretch of 58th only, but I know there are also issues between Trojan and El Cajon... not to mention along Trojan itself.

Issues:

1. There is too much pass-through traffic by vehicles which should be on 54th/College/El Cajon/University. We should reduce the traffic generated by the apartments at 58th St & University & the schools that pass through the intersection of 58th St and Trojan. 2. Traffic speeds are too high.

Timeline:

11/19/07: Initial contact with Joanne Dickson in the traffic division. She filed a report to initiate preliminary research into alternatives to address traffic issues along this street. She was to contact me in 30 days.

On February 7, 2008 I called to find out the status. I was told Joanne had retired or transferred from the department. On the same day a manager/supervisor called me back. He said the case was closed, but he didn't have the file easily available so could not answer specific questions. He said he would call back. On March 11, I called back to find out the report results. The supervisor called back and told me that the report was closed because speed bumps/humps were not an option due to the slope of the road & the distance needed for signage preceding a hump/bump. Also, since the road is a “collector” they are limited on the remediation they can do. He opened a new report to study for possible, more creative, traffic calming devices (e.g. chokers, traffic circles, solar powered radar speed sign, etc.) May 15, 2008: Mr. Mark Stauffer (Principal Traffic Engineering Aide) showed up unannounced at my house to make a site inspection. Luckily, I was home. The best solution he could come up with was putting a stop sign on 58th St at Spartan. He also said a solar powered radar speed limit monitor could be erected.

Proposals: 1. Make driving on 58th St really annoying by putting traffic circles at Trojan, Spartan and Olympic. However, there MUST be sufficient protection for the houses so that cars don't go flying into them if they miss the circle! 2. Remove the designation of 58th as a collector. This would allow for many creative solutions. 3. Implement solutions on 54th/College/El Cajon/University which makes staying on these big streets “better” than passing through the neighborhood. The ECCC is attempting to see if they can get a Traffic Engineer to come to either the September or October ECCC meetings and discuss traffic calming issues for the entire community.

Graffiti Committee

If you see graffiti in the community, please send an email to [email protected], or call (619-2872460). Shayne will visit the site within 48 hours to document the afflicted area. When contacting us, please include the street address, block number, the nearest cross-street, a description of the affected property, the time you first noted it, and if possible whether it is on private, business, or public property. Photos will be taken. We’ll attempt to contact you to let you know the graffiti has been documented and sent to the police.

El Cerrito Community Council, P.O. Box 151268, San Diego, CA 92175-1268. (ECCC@ cox.net) 619-287-2460

Alma’s Cleaning Service European Attention to Detail References on Request 858-336-3527 Upcoming ECCC & Community Events in 2008 •

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Thursday, July 19, 2008 – Mr. Curtis Hussey – Code Enforcement – City of San Diego Residential High Occupancy Permit – Ron Halbritter. A presentation on new Council policy for Mini Dorms Pot Luck & Silent Auction – Thursday, August 21, 2008 Community Garage Sale - Saturday, September 20, 2008 Sees Candy Distribution – To be determined Holiday Pot Luck: Thursday, December 18, 2008

ECCC Contact Information:

E-mail us at [email protected] or [email protected] or call Jan Riley 619-287-2460. Fax: 619-269-8057.

El Cerrito Community Council, P.O. Box 151268, San Diego, CA 92175-1268. (ECCC@ cox.net) 619-287-2460