We chose to live in the Navajo Communities.
We purchased our houses, we rented our residences, and we decided that this was where we would raise our families. We are long-term residents, we are recent arrivals, and we are folks who grew up here and returned. All of us were drawn to our homes by the single-family residential character of the Navajo communities.
Now “they” tell us that our communities are wrong, that the single-family residential neighborhoods of Allied Gardens, San Carlos, and Del Cerro should not have been so zoned, that the area should be compact with multi-family buildings, and that the shopping malls should be developed for residential as well as commercial/retail uses. But we made our lifetime investments on what was, not on what they now say what it should have been.
We try to talk to “them” about the increases in residential density that they will impose on us and we ask what we will receive in return for their sacrifice of our low density. They do not respond with why the increased density cannot be located on the miles upon miles of thoroughfares (El Cajon, Clairemont Mesa and La Jolla Boulevards come to mind) that have infrastructure and public transit adequate for thousands of apartments and condominiums.
They are never sure of how many such units they need. They never give us clear reasons why our single-family neighborhoods are so important to their plans. They say that we need affordable and low-cost housing, but that type of dwelling is only the smallest percentage of what they plan to build. Needless to say, nothing is offered in compensation for our loss.
That we are not heeded is best represented by the recent treatment of the application for a permit to develop the All Peoples Church.
After years of investigation of the project the Navajo Community Planners, Inc. (NCPI) concluded that the project is incompatible with our Community Plan, found that the factual findings necessary for approval were not met, and determined that the community is opposed the development. NCPI recommended to the Planning Department denial of the permit.
The Planning Department ignored the conclusions, findings, determinations and recommendation of the Community Planning Group. Without comment on or rebuttal of the findings of the Community Planning group, without articulation of the legally required findings, the Planning Department proposed that the Planning Commission approve the permit. The Planning Commission similarly ignored the work of the Community Planning Group and approved the development.
In our community town councils and our Community Planning Groups we examine issues facing our neighborhoods. We lean in with solutions. We propose and recommend to the city. But they don’t listen, maybe because they don’t see us.
Woody Allen is quoted as saying 80% of success is showing up. Our success is found in the numbers of citizens who show up. You can be sure that our representatives are counting heads at our meetings. To the extent the public is interested, they are interested.
Our community meetings don’t always, maybe don’t often, deal with matters of critical importance. They can be pretty dull. But your presence lets the officials know that they have to take into account what we have to say. We will be heard if you join our meetings.
The Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council maintains an email contact list.
Through that contact list we offer information about what is going on in the community. We pass on information about Mission Trails Regional Park, Allied Community Gardens, Navajo Community Planners, Inc., San Diego Canyonlands, the doings at Benjamin Library, events sponsored by our elected officials, and other matters of public interest. You can show support for our community by signing on to that contact list.
Go to our website – aggccouncil.org – click on the “Contact us” link, and complete the form.
You will be glad you did.
Photo credit: navajoplanners.wordpress.com/.
