RB Planning Board Delays Welcome Sign Decision, Picks New Officers

The Rancho Bernardo Planning Board's meeting agenda for Thursday included: the welcome sign; redistricting; and new officers.

Here is a recap:

• Welcome Sign: The Board tabled a vote on the welcome sign design amid debate about desired changes and uncertainty about its execution. Board member John Woods, an architect, said some aspects of the design cannot be constructed in reality. A motion by Lou Dell'Angela to accept the design with two modifications—removal of the "welcomes you" tagline and the colored, curvy lines—died on the floor. The Board asked that a more detailed "cut sheet" showing all sides of the design, with measurements, be provided before a vote is taken.
• Redistricting: Midori Wong, chief of staff for the 2010 Redistricting Commission of the City of San Diego, gave a brief presentation about creating boundaries for the city's districts. A ninth district will be created, not because of population changes, but as part of Proposition D passed last year which created a strong mayor system and added a ninth City Council seat, Wong said. This will be the first new district since the 1960s, she said, and a number of factors will determine where the boundaries are drawn. The goal is for each district to cover 144,624 people. For more information, see sandiego.gov/redistricting.
• New Officers: 
  • Chair: Teri Denlinger
  • Vice Chair: Joe Kowalski
  • Secretary: Fred Gahm
  • Treasurer: Alissa Messian
  • Parliamentarian: Joe Dirks

Other Notes

• During the non-agenda public comment section, Jack Straw, the community representative for Councilman Carl DeMaio, defended his . "It is well within my right to do so ... It is absolutely not inappropriate," Straw said, adding that he is the one who deals with community issues and is always open to talk to residents.
• Attempts by Planning Board members Joe Dirks and Robin Kaufman to delay the welcome sign vote and vacant seat appointments due to were denied. Dirks contended that the welcome sign could not be voted on because it had been added to the agenda after an April 11 administrative committee meeting and the bylaws state that the agenda is set at the committee meeting. Denlinger disagreed with Dirks' interpretation of the bylaws. Kaufman said the vacant seats should not be filled at this meeting because no notice had been posted, but Denlinger said the board had met its notice obligation by posting the announcements prior to last month's meeting.
• Bob Gretel was appointed to the vacant seat for Oaks North. John Woods was reappointed to the commercial representative seat.
• Felipe Monroig, DeMaio's chief of staff, said a City Council vote on the for private streets has been delayed possibly until the first week of May. Monroig said he hoped to have more information on Friday.
• The 7 p.m. meeting stretched until 10 p.m. with lengthy discussion about the welcome sign, and only ended then because it was time for the community center to close. The Board tabled committee and liaison reports at the end of the agenda.

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