By Jay Wilson | Del Cerro Action Council

The quarterly Del Cerro Action Council (DCAC) meeting was held on April 26 and featured reports from police and elected officials as well as information about the ColRich site, changes at the Montgomery-Gibbs Airport and more.

City of San Diego and SDSU police reports

City of San Diego Community Police Officer John Steffen stated there were no violent crimes over the past month. There were nine property crimes and seven were vehicle break-ins. To report homeless concerns, use the city’s free Get It Done app.

Corporal Mark Peterson, the SDSU Police Community Resource Officer, informed us that graduation for SDSU will be May 11–13. This will generate a high volume of traffic for eastbound traffic exiting on College Avenue during those three days. SDSU hired Charles Kay as the new police chief for SDSU. He was formerly with the San Diego Police Department.

Elected and appointed officials report

Liz Saidkhanian, council representative for Councilmember Scott Sherman, provided an update on the Rancho Mission Park Playground. The contract should be awarded in July or August. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2018 and should be completed in the fall of 2019.

Jonathan Clark, the new community representative for Rep. Susan Davis, reported Davis has been working on new FAA regulations regarding drones; particularly making it a crime for an unauthorized drone to fly into areas such as wildland fires, as this has grounded water drop airplanes. She is also working with the Navy to have them look into the sewage spill concerns with the Tijuana River, as the Navy is planning on a new $1 billion expansion of the Navy Seal facility on the Silver Strand. The concern is the sewage run-off into the ocean may be detrimental to Navy Seal exercises.

Rachel Gregg, community relations manager for SDSU, stated the new president is Adela de la Torre. She will assume her duties on June 28. Gregg also announced there will be no tuition increases for the 2018-19 school year. The SDSU Master Plan Update is scheduled to go to the trustees for approval in the next several months. Gregg again offered to give a tour of SDSU to anyone. You may reach her at [email protected].

ColRich housing project now All Peoples Church

Executive Pastor Kendall Laughlin from the All Peoples Church and Marcela Escobar-Eck, a principal with the Atlantis Group, a land planning firm, gave an update on the new plan for the former ColRich housing development south of the Chevron Service Station. The church was informed the land was for sale.

They are working with the city to determine a new land designation. They hope to go to Navajo Community Planners, Inc. within a month or two and they will keep us updated as well as they move forward.

They are aware of the traffic concerns. There will be no daycare or school-type activities at the church. It will primarily be Sunday services. The church will be aesthetically pleasing with respect to the single-family homes adjacent to their property.

The congregation, including children, is about 1,100. They currently hold three services on Sunday morning. The initial plan would hold up to 500 people. Pastor Robert Herber, who leads the congregation, emphasized they want to be very good neighbors and a positive member of the community.

Montgomery-Gibbs Airport Master Plan Update

In addition to upgrades of the physical plant; expanded hanger space, increased tie-downs and the tower, additional landing space is being proposed for the main runway. The runway is not being lengthened, but the point of where planes may touch down is to be lengthened by up to 1,176 feet. This will certainly generate more air traffic.

Joe Regan, a Del Cerro resident and former military and commercial pilot has been following the plan as it moves forward and has attended several of the community input meetings. He gave a presentation on the proposed expansion from a residents’ perspective.

A proposed change is to the approach to Runway 28 (landing from the east over Lake Murray, Del Cerro and Allied Gardens). Planes could be lower by 60 feet.

To lessen noise, Regan proposed rules on planes approaching Runway 28 based on size of the aircraft requiring them to have certain navigation equipment to govern landings.

Regan concluded by stating we need airplane noise monitors in Del Cerro. Information will be posted on the DCAC website as it becomes available. Go to our website for more information.

Other business

There is an update about water bills on the DCAC website from the Public Utilities Department.

The DCAC is requesting the city evaluate the intersection of Del Cerro Boulevard and Marne Avenue for posting a “No U-turn” sign for eastbound traffic on Del Cerro Boulevard at this intersection.

The DCAC will also contact the property manager for the Windmill Farms Shopping Center to provide a safer pathway for walking customers using the driveway entrance from Del Cerro Boulevard at Marne Avenue.

The next meeting of the DCAC will be on Thursday, July 26, 7 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El. Visit the DCAC website at delcerroactioncouncil.org.

— Jay Wilson is secretary of the Del Cerro Action Council. Reach him at [email protected].