
Dear Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer: This is the second time I have had to resort to communicating with you (Mayor Faulconer) regarding the placement of DecoBike racks in Mission Beach. Just to refresh your recollection, the Mission Beach Precise Planning Board addressed this issue directly with you by letter dated July 24, 2015, in which the PPB explained in detail its opposition to the placement of DecoBike racks in Mission Beach and the reasons therefore. By letter of the same date, I addressed the matter on behalf of the Mission Beach Town Council, expressing the same basic reasons for the TC’s and community’s opposition to the placement of DecoBike racks on our community. In my first letter (sent to the mayor, the Beach & Bay Press and Councilmember Lorie Zapf), I stated: “Frankly, I am baffled and dismayed by this turn of events. In the face of overwhelming community opposition, the City nevertheless is allowing this to happen. And, from appearances, the City is even encouraging DecoBike’s actions.”
Subsequently, and to our satisfaction, the proposed placement of DecoBike racks on the Ocean Front Walk in Mission Beach was reversed and the placement stopped.
Then, at the Mission Beach Town Council’s September 2015 meeting, the following resolution was passed overwhelmingly by the membership present and voting at the meeting, to wit:
“The Mission Beach Town Council opposes the placement of DecoBike stations in our community at any location south of Pacific Beach Drive, north of North Jetty Road (San Diego Place), and west of Gleason Road (Bahia Hotel). (Motion carried 26 in favor, one opposed.)
Unfortunately, we are once again confronted with a DecoBike rack placement (Number 110) forced upon our community. For a few weeks now, DecoBike has had approximately 20 racks encroaching west of Gleason Road on the south side of West Mission Bay Drive. These racks are close enough to our community as to once again push City-supported competition upon our local businesses located at Ventura Place, Mission Boulevard, and Belmont Park. Indeed, these particular racks are only approximately 100 meters from a local rental facility located on north side of West Mission Bay Drive.
Need I say, again, that I am baffled and dismayed by this turn of events? I can only add, with the overwhelming support of the community, that I am not only baffled and dismayed, but also disappointed and disgusted, that the very elected officials who are sworn to protect the interests of its citizens are failing in their duty. Clearly, DecoBike can encourage and, to some degree, achieve, the greening of San Diego and should be given every reasonable incentive to do so. However, this recent move into Mission Beach by DecoBike, with the obvious support and encouragement of your administration and the City Council, are not intended to green San Diego, but to cynically compete with and force from business our local recreational bicycle renters to enrich the outside corporation’s coffers. This should stop immediately. Yours truly,
Fred Day,
President of Mission Beach Town Council (This letter was sent the Beach & Bay Press, Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer and Councilmember Lorie Zapf.)