Community Opposes Residential Expansion

A building project in El Cerrito is facing opposition from members of the community. Members of the El Cerrito Community Council (ECCC) agreed unanimously to send a letter to the College Area Community Planning Board (CACPB) voicing their disapproval of the El Cerrito Enclave Project.

The project would call for the demolition of a single property at 5402 Gilbert Drive, a 0.62 acre lot, to make way for four two-story houses. The ECCC's blog has more details on the project.

The ECCC believes that the lot and the surrounding area will not be able to support the project construction and the increased traffic afterwards. A woman at the council meeting expressed her criticism towards the plan and recommended everyone in attendance visit the proposed site to see how small it really is.

Among other complaints the council included in their letter were concerns over a the effects of fill dirt on a retaining wall along Arroyo Ridge and the lot's proximity to a nearby fault. 

In order to build on the proposed land, construction crews would need to bring in fill dirt to level out the sloping lot. The council worries that the added dirt combined with compaction will place "undue stress" on the retaining wall below.

The La Nacion fault runs along the 54th St. and Collwood Blvd, which is only a few blocks from the lot. The ECCC recommends that a geologic survey be taken to determine if the site is even safe for the construction of the four buildings.

A copy of the council's letter to the CACPB is available online.

The ECCC is willing to hear comments from the community on the project and have included the addresses to their email and the CACPB:

El Cerrito Community Council: ECCC@cox.net

College Area Community Planning Board: cacc@collegeneighborhoods.com

Takin' Care of Businesses

Along College Avenue, just next to the San Diego Police Museum sits a small, inconspicuous one-story building. Yet despite its unassuming façade, here is where the College Area business district’s heart beats: The College Area Business Improvement District office.

The Business Improvement District (BID) is a non-profit organization that charges an assessment fee to participating local businesses in exchange for multiple benefits, like promotions and farmers’ markets meant to bring attention to businesses in the area.

Not only does the BID actively promote its businesses, it also provides graffiti clean-up and other maintenance services, like street light installation and repair, to improve the College Area.

For the College Area BID Executive Director Jennifer Finnegan, it’s not just about letting people know that these stores and restaurants exist. As she put it, “It’s about creating an identity for the area.” 

Currently, the BID is hard at work on preparations for their annual Boo! Parade and Carnival. The event is an opportunity to showcase restaurants in a festive setting that is free to the public. Finnegan says a lot of planning goes into the festivities. In fact, work on this year’s Boo! Parade started shortly after the end of last year’s. The attendance numbers from the previous year’s parade are used to determine the best use of advertising and allocation of funds to run the event.

In addition to crunching numbers, much of the time spent organizing the event is spent getting approval from the city. When asked why they would jump through so many hoops and deal with so much red tape, Finnegan said simply, “It’s fun.”