RB Council Meeting Recap: Marijuana; Auto Theft and Redistricting

The Rancho Bernardo Community Council held its monthly meeting on Thursday at the RB Library.

Highlights from the agenda:

• Medical marijuana: San Diego police Officer Susan Steffen spoke about MediBloom, a dispensary that opened at 11665 Avena Pl., Suite 106 just off of Webb Park at the beginning of April. A number of residents and neighboring businesses have complained, especially after a burglary and robbery there. Steffen said the dispensary was notified Wednesday that it is not in compliance with city regulations, including operating without a business license. The new city policy on dispensaries prohibits them from being within 600 feet of parks, and this dispensary is just off of Webb Park. Some questioned whether Webb Park counts since it is a private park owned by the Bernardo Town Center Property Owners Association. Roberta Robinson, a lawyer whose office is near the dispensary, said she feels unsafe and has begun carrying a large flashlight and turning on her car alarm as she heads to her vehicle to help protect her. Steffen said there are 166 operating dispensaries and the narcotics team is working with city Code Compliance to let them all know that they operating illegally.
• Auto theft: Retired San Diego police officer Matthew Weathersby, who now works with the Institute for Public Strategies presented about auto theft. He described the four layers of protection drivers can use to protect their cars from theft, or recover them once they've been stolen:

1. Common sense: Park in well-lit areas; lock your car; don't leave the car running "just for a minute" while you run inside.
2. Warning devices: "A visual deterrent is a good thing," Weathersby said, citing items such as The Club. Alarm systems also work. Visual deterrents can help stop potential thieves before they break your window.
3. Immobilizer: "Kill switches" and other methods of disabling the vehicle's operation once stolen can help protect, but thieves only discover them once they've already broken in the car so a visual deterrent may be a good thing, too, he said.
4. Tracking device: There are multiple devices available that can help you locate your car once it's been stolen. Many vehicles are taken to Mexico and sold.

• Redistricting: The Council unanimously supported a proposal from the Government Relations Committee to realign the City Council districts so that RB's district (No. 5) includes: RB, San Pasqual, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Sabre Springs, Rancho Peñasquitos, Torrey Highlands, Black Mountain Ranch/Del Sur/Santa Luz, and a portion of Scripps Ranch.

• Elections: Applications for the RB Community Council election can be found at RBCommunityCouncil.com.

Other Notes

• Slurry seals: Four more streets are slated for slurry seals in September, said Jack Straw, the community representative for Councilman Carl DeMaio's office.
  • Pomerado Road, north of RB Road all the way to Interstate 15.
  • RB Road, remaining portions.
  • Bernardo Center Drive, on the west side of Interstate 15.
  • Bernardo Oaks Drive, south of RB Road.
• Welcome sign straw poll: Ed Muna led a straw poll (in front of the Albertson's at Pomerado and RB roads, and online) about the welcome sign. The vote was split about 50-50 between the contemporary and traditional designs.
• Storms in the midwest: The meeting began with a moment of silence for those affected by the storms in the Midwest and South, such as residents in Alabama.

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