Eccc Newsletter October 2008 V2

El Cerrito Community Newsletter Volume Five: Number 11 October, 2008

ECCC Community Garage Sale

There were over 50 participants in this year’s El Cerrito Annual Community Garage Sale. A big “thank you” to all of you who participated. We hope you made lots of $$$.

The Boulevard Boo! Parade and Carnival Saturday, October 25th, 2008 ECCC’s Meeting Council Member Jim Madaffer Thursday, October 16, 2008 7:00 p.m. Parish Hall Council Member Jim Madaffer will be our guest speaker this month. We would ask you to write any questions you have for Mr. Madaffer on an index card (provided at the meeting) and hand them to Carl Luster who will be the moderator. This will be the last visit of Council Member Madaffer due to the fact that he is termed out.

September’s ECCC Meeting

The community was introduced to our new Community Officer, Dean Thomas. His contact information is: Phone 619-516-3009. E-mail: [email protected]. You can also call the general San Diego Police nonemergency phone number 531-2000. Residents voiced concern about several home invasions, theft from cars and stolen vehicles. One encouraging note, according to the statistics, car thefts have gone down 34%. The rest of our meeting was devoted to our guest speaker: Mr. Gary Pence, Traffic Engineer, City of San Diego. He was given information concerning traffic issues within El Cerrito. We hope to have Mr. Pence back at a future meeting to find out our options and solutions to ease the traffic flow within the community.

If you see Laura Riebau, give her a big “thank you” as she heads up the organization - collecting names, address and items for sale, putting them on a map & distributing copies to the neighborhood, and with the help of Carl Luster, Amy Earhart & Jan Riley gets signs put up and taken down. Lynn Clinton, our Treasurer, does all the co-ordination. Our appreciation goes out to these community minded members who make the garage sale possible and a great success.

4th Annual BOO Parade Hop on your broomsticks and fly over to the College Area to experience a day of Halloween thrills and chills! It’s the return of The Boulevard BOO! Parade and Carnival, where ghosts and goblins of all ages are invited to encounter the magic on Saturday, October 25th from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. This FREE family-friendly event is action-packed with a parade, carnival games and rides, live entertainment, tasty treats and costume contests. New to this festive celebration is the first ever haunted beer garden. Don’t lose your head at this chance to don your cape and favorite costume as you enjoy this faBOOlous event! Get consumed by the fiendish Halloween spirit as you observe the extravagant floats, unique vintage cars, enchanting costumes and marching bands all masquerading down El Cajon Boulevard. The BOO! Parade begins at 59th Street and travels along El Cajon Boulevard ending at Roland Boulevard from 11:00 AM to Noon. San Diego State Hall-of-Famer Fred Dryer makes his best play yet as Grand Marshal for this year’s BOO! Parade. When the clock strikes twelve, creep on over to partake in the carnival festivities, which lurk right around the corner at Clay Park, off El Cajon Boulevard at Seminole

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

Drive. From Noon to 6:00 PM everyone’s funny bones will be tickled as they take a wicked ride down the inflatable slides or whirl on the merry-go-round. Take a walk on the wild side, dare to journey onto the cackling swings, and display your talents at the various carnival games. Shake your skeletons to the upbeat country tunes of Eve Selis and enjoy a variety of dance groups including the award-winning San Diego State Dance team.

Support Our Local Businesses Wild Harmony Wellness Center 5837 El Cajon Boulevard We treat a wide variety of health issues, pain & emotional disharmony $10 off your first treatment with this ad Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine

Tradition comes alive as little witches and vampires trick or treat their way down the Boulevard BOO! Parade and Carnival and discover everything that the College Area has to offer. This spooktacular event, brought to you by the College Area Business District, features a spellbinding parade, interactive games and rides, live entertainment, costume contests and much more! Don’t miss out on this experience full of exciting activities guaranteed to cast a spell on you. For more information please visit www.booparade.com, www.mcfarlanepromotions.com or call 619.582.1093.

Vickii Gervais, LM LAc

619 286 2888

Therapeutic Message, Reiki, Essential Oils

Melissa Romahn, HHP

619 813 9991

WE’LL DO YOUR LAUNDRY FOR YOU!

FREE pick-up & delivery for El Cerrito Residents! Take advantage of Get It Clean’s laundry service right in your neighborhood & receive FREE pick-up & delivery with 20lb min. laundry service. Call us today & schedule a pick up @ (619) 2693973

News You Can Use About El Cerrito & Surrounding Areas Coyote Contact Information -By Kelle Cooter

Upcoming ECCC & Community Events

The ECCC received the following e-mail:

The person that I spoke with is Eric, of Wild Life Rescue. His number is 858 694-2518. Leave him a message if you have a coyote sighting. It takes him a couple of weeks to get back to you, but he is very kind and helpful. He told me of the capture and death of the coyote that had very bad mange and was extremely thin. He said the female is still in the area. You can also try the Department of Agriculture. There phone number is 800486-0010. Another number to call is Dangerous Animal Control at 619-236-4250.

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Passing of Doris Perry

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

Many of you knew Doris Perry and we are all saddened by her sudden passing on September 13th. Doris gave a lot of her time to several community organizations, was the heart and soul of the Rolando Community Council and founded the Rolando Street Faire. She will be greatly missed in all the surrounding communities. Donations in her honor may be made to the Disabled Services Advisory Council, City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department, 3325 Zoo Drive, MS 33, San Diego, CA 92101; or the Kroc Center Theatre Scholarship Program, 6845 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92115.

CACC (Information ONLY Item) Village Lindo Paseo – Presented at the CACC meeting was a Conditional Use Permit for a 143,670 sq. ft., 5 story, 896 bed student dormitory with a 6,661 sq. ft. basement plus a 34,821 sq.ft., 900 car below grade automated parking structure at 5565 Lindo Paseo Drive, located in the Fraternity Designated Area of the College Community Redevelopment Area.

Saturday, October 25th BOO Parade E Cajon Blvd Sees Candy Distribution – To be determined Holiday Pot Luck: Thursday, December 18, 2008

Graffiti Committee If you see graffiti in the community, please send an email to [email protected], or call (619-2872460)

ECCC Contact Information:

It’s HOT and it’s Fire Season Brush Management Guide Published by San Diego Fire-Rescue Department

The City of San Diego has over 900 linear miles of wildland-urban interface, where the back yards of homes meet the natural vegetation in canyons and other open space areas. Years of drought have increased the flammability of vegetation. This time of year, vegetation can pose a wildfire risk and requires proper management to prevent future tragedies. The following information describes actions you and your family should take to reduce your chances of being affected if a wildfire ever occurs near you. SAN DIEGO’S UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT San Diego’s semi-arid natural environment contains drought tolerant brush called coastal sage scrub or chaparral, which is home to many rare and endangered plants and animals. In fact, San Diego has more sensitive

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

species than anywhere in the continental United States. Dangerous wildfires can occur in this environment. Fire becomes a potential problem where there are homes located next to dense stands of native or naturalized vegetation. But, you can create a defensible space around your home that can slow the fire down, giving firefighters crucial time and space to protect your home. CREATING “DEFENSIBLE SPACE Defensible Space is the landscape between your house and the potential fuel source (dense stands of native or naturalized vegetation) that is your responsibility as a homeowner to maintain to reduce fire risk. The City’s Municipal Code* regulates brush management and creates two Brush Management Zones with different requirements. The Code was amended in October 2005 to make these Zones total 100 feet of defensible space from the structure. (However, your property may be governed by a previous entitlement requiring different zone widths. If in doubt, check with the Fire-Rescue Department or Development Services Department before you begin your work! Brush Management Zone 1 is typically 35 feet from the structure on the level portion of your property next to your house. ZONE 1: • Generally must be permanently irrigated to maintain succulent growth. • Shall consist primarily of low-growing plant material, less than 4 feet in height with the exception of trees. Plants shall be low-fuel and fire-resistive. • All portions of trees which extend within ten feet of the outlet of any chimney must be removed. • Trees adjacent to or overhanging any building must be free of dead wood. • Roof and rain gutters of any structure must be free of leaves, needles, or other dead vegetative growth. • Buildings or conditions legally in existence at the time of the adoption of the Brush Management Regulations as amended in 2005 (including habitable structures, accessory buildings, and other structures such as fences, gazebos, and decks) are allowed to have their use or occupancy continued. However, such use or occupancy must not constitute a distinct danger to life or property. New construction of nonhabitable structures such as fences, gazebos, and decks must be non-combustible and/or have a minimum 1-hour fire resistance rating. • Irrigation from Zone 1 must not run onto Zone 2 as it encourages growth of flammable vegetation. Brush Management Zone 2 is the remaining 65 feet that extends beyond Zone 1 and is usually comprised of native and/or naturalized vegetation. ZONE 2: • Can have NO permanent irrigation.

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Must be thinned and pruned on a seasonal basis to reduce the fuel-load of vegetation greater than 24 inches in height without harming native plants, soil or habitats, as described below. HOW TO THIN AND PRUNE BRUSH IN ZONE 2 Step 1: Remove…. as much dead wood and invasive species as you can within the Brush Management Zone areas. Step 2: Thin…. the entire Zone 2 area. Start by cutting down 50% of the plants over 2 feet in height to a height of 6 inches. Don’t go any lower than 6 inches so the roots remain to control soil erosion. The goal is to create a “mosaic” for more natural look, so do your cutting in a “staggered” pattern. Leave uncut plant groupings up to 400 square feet — that’s a 20x20-foot area, or an area that can be encircled by an 80-foot rope — separated by groupings of plants cut down to 6 inches. Thinning should be prioritized as follows: 1) invasive non-native species, 2) non-native species, 3) flammable native species, 4) native species, and 5) regionally sensitive species. Step 3: Prune…. all plants or plant groupings that are left after the thinning process to achieve the horizontal and vertical clearances. Tree and Shrub Spacing Remaining plants, 4-ft or more in height, should then be cut and shaped into “umbrellas.” This means pruning one half of the lower branches to create umbrellashaped canopies. This allows you to see and deal with what is growing underneath. Upper branches may then be shortened to reduce fuel load as long as the canopy is left intact. This keeps the plant healthy, and the shade from the plant canopy reduces weed and plant growth underneath. Vegetation that is under 4 feet in height, like coastal sage scrub, should be cut back to within 12 inches of the root crown. Step 4: Dispose…. of the cuttings and dead wood by either hauling it to a landfill; or, by chipping/mulching it on-site and spreading it out in the Zone 2 area to a depth of not more than 6 inches. Step 5: Thin & Prune annually…. because plants will grow back. NOTE: In general, Brush management activities are prohibited within coastal sage scrub, maritime succulent scrub, and coastal sage-chaparral habitats from March 1 through August 15, during Gnatcatcher nesting season. Additional Information: Brush/Weed Abatement; use of goats: Fire-Rescue Department (619) 553-4444.

Helpful Phone Numbers – Cut out & Keep

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

Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Air Pollution Brush in Canyons Building Code Violations Building Permits Cockroaches Code Violations 236-5500 Community Clean-Up Community Officer Dean Thomas Community Police Number Construction without A Permit Council Member Jim Madaffer Curb Painting Dead Animal Removal Dilapidated Fences ECCC Mayor’s Office Miramar Landfill Permit Assistance Community Police Potholes Senior Services 236-6905 Sewer/Water Emergency Repair Vector Control Zoning

858-495-7856 858-650-4700 619-533-4444 619-236-5500 619-236-5500 858-694-2888 619858-492-5055 619-516-3009 619-531-2000 619-236-5500 619-236-6677 619-533-3126 858-694-7000 619-236-5500 619-287-2460 619-236-6330 858-694-7000 619-685-1386 619-532-2000 619-527-7500 619619-515-3525 858-694-2888 619-446-5000

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