Community & Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - January 29, 2025
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Community and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - January 29, 2025
The Community and Neighborhood Services Committee met on January 29, 2025, to consider consent items, a discussion item on joint use agreements with the San Diego Unified School District, and three information items on refugee student support, downtown public restrooms, and committee priorities for 2025. The consent agenda and the joint use agreement item were both approved unanimously. Public comment was heard on all agenda items and on non-agenda topics.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Approval of the committee minutes from July 25, 2024. Passed unanimously (3-0).
- Item 2: Authorization to receive $850,000 from the FY24 Economic Development Initiative Community Project Funding for Marie Whitman Memorial Park. Councilmember Foster expressed gratitude to Congressmember Vargas and requested language adjustments before City Council. Passed unanimously (3-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Cesar Javier and Parita Javier raised concerns about a non-metallic mineral product manufacturing home business in a residential zone (District 9), alleging code enforcement failures and lack of action since 2021.
- Lori Saldania presented video of two recent hit-and-run accidents in Claremont, urging traffic safety improvements near schools and joint-use facilities.
- Terry Ann Skelly cited a JAMA study on marijuana's effects on working memory and expressed concern for teen health.
- Devin Rapp opposed marijuana advertising that appeals to children, noting risks of accidental ingestion and psychiatric disorders.
- Blair Beekman (mention of tech accountability and park issues).
- Judy Strang thanked the committee for a child-friendly city initiative, criticized a marijuana billboard (Cake House) as attractive to children, and raised concerns about Tijuana water pollution.
- Consent Agenda (Items 1 & 2):
- Cesar Javier criticized the minutes for not highlighting governance failures and budget deficits.
- Joyce (virtual, phone ending 7968) praised the grant for Marie Whitman Park and collaboration with Congressman Vargas.
- Item 3 – Joint Use Agreements:
- Cesar Javier urged focus on work over rituals.
- Lori Saldania praised cooperation but urged traffic safety near schools.
- Joyce (virtual) commended the agreements as a long-running success.
- Item 4 – Refugee Student Grant Update:
- Cesar Javier warned about proper use of the $1.7M grant and noted a closed city road used by a Waldorf school.
- Lori Saldania emphasized the need for trauma-informed services for refugee children and parent engagement.
- Joyce (virtual) urged applying for future grants and commended the program.
- Item 5 – Downtown Public Restrooms:
- Cesar Javier criticized the city's failure of rule-making and alleged misuse of money.
- Lori Saldania highlighted public health impacts (hepatitis outbreaks, sepsis, criminalization of homelessness) and urged more restrooms.
- Joyce (virtual) acknowledged complexity but supported political will to solve the issue.
- Item 6 – Committee Priorities:
- Cesar Javier requested speed bumps on Streamview Drive for safety and cited volunteer governance.
- Gloria Daniel thanked Councilmember Foster for 10 priorities but criticized Councilmember Campillo for leaving early; questioned tourism as a priority and urged restroom access.
- Joyce (virtual) asked for updates on code enforcement, youth homelessness metrics, and digital equity.
- Becky Rapp encouraged the committee to address sale of hemp-derived THC products to minors.
Discussion Items
- Item 3 – Joint Use Agreements with San Diego Unified School District:
- Staff (Tom Tomlinson, Shannon Scoggins) presented eight agreements (renewals and new sites) for shared use of school fields and facilities. Six facilities open FY25, others in FY26-27. The program is over 75 years old, with 94 existing agreements. Maintenance costs included in current budget. Councilmembers Campillo and Foster praised the collaboration for expanding green space. Motion to approve passed unanimously (3-0).
- Item 4 – Update on $1.7M Grant for Refugee Students:
- Staff (Tara Ryan, Carrie Schottler) reported on progress: grant awarded April 2023, welcome centers opened at five high schools in August 2024. Services include orientation, interpretation, referrals, mental health support. Served 184 students and 66 families to date. Expanded to site-based appointments. Focus on language translation, job placement, housing, transportation, food access. Committee members expressed support and gratitude.
- Item 5 – Grand Jury Report on Downtown Public Restrooms:
- Staff (Kelly Matheson, Samita Rao, Katie Stanko) presented case studies (LA, SF, Santa Monica, NYC, Paris). San Diego has 350 public restrooms (25 per 100,000 people), but only 22 accessible downtown in 2022. Efforts include a public map, land development code incentives, Blueprint SD policies, and a pilot partnership with Throne Labs (tested during December Nights). Challenges: funding, maintenance, security. Councilmembers discussed gender-neutral restrooms, partnerships with Throne and advertisers, and collaboration with MTS and Caltrans.
- Item 6 – Committee Priorities for 2025:
- Councilmembers submitted memos on topics such as libraries, parks, senior services, code enforcement, youth homelessness, digital equity. Chair Campbell summarized focus areas. Councilmember Foster emphasized equitable resource allocation during budget deficit. No vote required; committee will finalize priorities at next meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda approved unanimously (3-0): Items 1 and 2.
- Item 3 approved unanimously (3-0): Joint use agreements with San Diego Unified School District.
- Item 4, Item 5, and Item 6 were informational; no motions or votes taken.
- Committee will reconvene on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 2:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, welcome everyone. Good afternoon, and welcome to the community and neighborhood services committee meeting of January 29th, 2025. Our committee liaison, Natalie Kessler will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting. Thank you, Chair. While members of the public are able to attend the meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before the virtual queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. Chair. Thank you. And I will now call the role. And I am also present. And also present today is Baku Patel from the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst. Karen Lee from the Office of the City Attorney. Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link, which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 16692545252 when prompted, input webinar ID 161-686-5119 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will be will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you are watching via City TV channel 24 or online, there may be a delay. So please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. If you wish to speak on a particular item, wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon. Or if you're a call-in participant, please press star nine on your phone. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. The council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings. Natalie, please proceed with non-agenda public comment. Three speaker slips from individuals with non-agenda public comment in the committee room. We will begin with Cesar Javier and Parita Javier. If you can please approach the lecture, and you will each have two minutes. I don't know. Under God. Wey Javier and Cesar. Javier. Declare that our community issue on hazards of non-metallic mineral product manufacturing, aka ceramics manufacturing, and Keln home business located, constructed and operated at 50 to 30 to Streamview Drive, San Diego, California 92105 within District 9, a residential zone, dedicated community since 1984 in our three years of formal reporting beginning on June 13, 2021. COVID pandemic has not been addressed in this time, state and condition. Why? Oh, we sought help from the lawful authorities starting with the police fire and has made they came. But recent out they cannot investigate because the owner has the city treasury business tax permit. How was the application in 1984 of the permit processed and acquired at the city jurisdiction, such as code enforcement in parentheses building land blue environment group responded? Number one, no violation because of the city municipal code. No. Cesarabier, no, not the municipal code. Running the government or leadership. You are supposed to be working hard. In the absence of you, you should let somebody to chair your important contribution in SICA. About our constitution. And that is one of the pillars of our constitution to protect humans and the thing. I know my words may not be a legal word, but the attorney, I believe, must understand it because it is survival. I wonder with our presence consistently everywhere, as my friend Attorney Campiglio. Mr. Ravier, you are here. You are everywhere.
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