OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Community and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - March 18, 2026

Community & Neighborhood Services Committee — Wednesday, March 18, 2026
BodySan Diego, California
SessionCommunity & Neighborhood Services Committee
DateWednesday, March 18, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:51:04

Transcript — Verbatim
4:14

Good afternoon.

4:18

Welcome to the Community and Neighborhood Services Committee meeting March eighteenth, twenty twenty-six.

4:25

Our committee layers on Natalie Kessler will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting.

4:34

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 Council Administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform.

4:45

Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before the virtual queue closes.

4:51

The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever occurs first.

5:00

This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct the city business.

5:03

We appreciate the public's cooperation.

5:05

Chair.

5:06

I will now call the community neighborhood services committee meeting of March 18th, 2026 to order.

5:12

And I will now call the role.

5:19

And Councilmember Campillo will be here later.

5:22

And I'm also present and also present with us today is Sergio Alcalde from the Office of Independent Budget Analyst.

5:30

Daphne Scogan from the City Attorney's Office.

5:33

Emily Piatanesi from the Office of Mayor Todd Gloria.

5:37

Lizelle Gloria, our committee consultant, and Natalie Kessler, our committee liaison.

5:44

And Natalie, please continue with public comment instructions.

5:47

Thank you.

5:48

I will now go over how the public can offer their testimony for today's meeting.

5:52

If you're in person, please complete a speaker sublocate at the entrance of chambers and place it in the tray indicated at the front of the room next to the public comment microphone.

5:59

Please submit your speaker slips in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management.

6:04

In-person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins.

6:07

Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage.

6:16

To join the Zoom webinar by phone, please dial 16692545252 when prompted.

6:32

Please note that if you're watching via City TV Channel 24 or online, there may be a delay.

6:38

Please participate.

6:39

Please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak.

6:45

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 are a calling participant, press star and on your phone.

6:53

If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered.

6:57

Chair.

6:59

Thank you, Natalie.

7:00

A quorum is now present.

7:04

And we also have Council Member Campio with us.

7:08

Thank you.

7:09

Here.

7:11

Great.

7:13

Okay, as a note to the public, we'll be hearing our agenda out of order.

7:17

After taking up item one, we will hear information item five and then return to our discussion items two through four.

7:25

So it'll be item one, okay of the minutes, and then item five.

7:32

And then we'll go back to two three and four.

7:36

So we will now at this time take up non-agenda public comment.

7:39

Council members respect and appreciate the public's input.

7:52

Parule 2.7, non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but within the subject matter jurisdiction of the committee.

8:00

Each speaker will have two minutes.

8:02

And we have received two speaker slips from two individuals here in chambers.

8:06

We will take those speakers before we move to the virtual queue.

8:09

Blair Beekman, please approach the elector, and you'll have two minutes to provide non-agenda public comment.

8:15

Then you'll be followed by allegedly Audra.

8:17

Then we will move to our virtual queue where we have eight hands raised.

8:29

Hi, uh Blair Beekman.

8:32

Um interesting meeting last night.

8:35

A lot of work and it was like a lot of new things to me.

8:41

Up and educated on these things about the term anti-semitized anti-semitism and what that actually means.

8:51

It was agreed in the human rights commission.

8:54

That's not its right name, but that that use of that word, they spent a lot of time just to clarify.

8:59

It's okay to use that word.

9:01

I think that's a basis of how we're going to have to review the future of this item.

9:06

That's a serious question.

9:08

Uh, along with the um, you know, 11 bullet points of the uh IRA ideas.

9:14

Um very nicely, a lot of councilpersons said we have to have some sort of better review of that process, a continuing review.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
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Summary of Proceedings

Community and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - March 18, 2026

The Community and Neighborhood Services Committee met on March 18, 2026, to discuss an information item on hunger and nutrition insecurity, approve grants for park lighting and a new neighborhood park, and consider a resolution supporting state legislation to protect Mission Bay Park. All agenda items passed unanimously.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes (Item 1): The committee approved the minutes from the November 19, 2025 meeting by a vote of 4-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Non-Agenda Comments: Multiple speakers addressed the committee. Speakers expressed support for the youth workforce program (Terry Ann Skelly, Joyce), urged an emergency ban on marijuana and tobacco smoking in public spaces (Terry Ann Skelly), opposed new cannabis dispensaries citing youth mental health risks and Rady's Children's Hospital data showing a rise from 20-30 to nearly 600 adolescent marijuana-related ER visits per year (Peggy Walker, Kathleen Lippitt, Becky Rapp), shared concerns about smoke shop oversight (Kathleen Lippitt), and raised issues about pension costs, park maintenance, and civil rights (Catherine Rhodes, Andrea Ebbing, John Stump).
  • Item 5 (Hunger Coalition): Blair Beekman requested positive dialogue on summer programs; Allegedly Audra advocated for community gardens; Andrea Ebbing supported the program but urged due diligence; Joyce praised the work and asked about collaboration with 500 partners; Catherine Rhodes suggested TOT revenue for funding.
  • Item 2 (Parks Lighting): Allegedly Audra expressed concerns about LED health effects; Madison emphasized park safety; Joyce thanked HUD and Rep. Scott Peters; Mandy Havlik supported; Blair Beekman raised biometric tech concerns; Kathleen Lippitt asked for security; Francine Maxwell supported and requested restroom upgrades.
  • Item 3 (Grove Park): Allegedly Audra questioned park costs; Catherine Rhodes suggested TOT funding for phase 2; Blair Beekman urged careful implementation.
  • Item 4 (AB 2525): Fred Tick, Robert Audley, Allegedly Audra, Stephanie Saitov supported the bill; Catherine Rhodes noted surplus land act allows park/open space priority; Mandy Havlik supported; Joyce supported; Blair Beekman emphasized truly affordable housing.

Discussion Items

  • Item 5: Overview of San Diego Hunger Coalition: Alondra Alvarado and Joseph Kendrick presented. Key findings: In December 2025, 25% of city residents were nutrition insecure, including nearly one in three children and one in four older adults. The coalition partners with 500 organizations. CalFresh provides 60% of food assistance. The meal gap is about 3 million meals per month, and only two-thirds of eligible families are enrolled, leaving 81,000 eligible but unenrolled. Due to HR1 changes, 25,000 people have already disenrolled (likely due to fear), and 67,000 more will lose access starting April 2026, increasing the meal gap by 3.6 million meals per month. The coalition provides free trainings and outreach. Councilmembers asked about enrollment strategies, summer feeding programs (Sunbucks), and how people can find help (e.g., libraries). Councilmember Campillo expressed concern about senior poverty and HR1 impacts.
  • Item 2: Clean and Safe San Diego Parks Initiative: Presentation on accepting $850,000 in HUD grant funds for lighting improvements in parks within the 50th Congressional District (districts 1,2,3,5,6). The grant requires no matching funds. Funds will be used for LED or solar lighting repairs and replacements. The deadline is 2032. Staff will coordinate with affected council offices. The committee voted 4-0 to accept the grant.
  • Item 3: Grove Neighborhood Park Funding: Presentation on accepting $4.3 million in state grant funds for Phase 1 of a new park on an 11-acre city-owned site in Otay Mesa. Phase 1 includes a children's play area, picnic facilities, utilities, lighting, walkways, and stormwater infrastructure. Total project cost is $12.1 million; the grant fills the shortfall. Design is underway, with construction expected to begin summer 2027 and deadline March 2030. The committee voted 4-0 to accept the grant.
  • Item 4: Resolution Supporting AB 2525 – Surplus Lands, Mission Bay Park: Staff presented a request to draft a resolution in support of Assembly Bill 2525, which would exempt land within Mission Bay Park from the California Surplus Land Act. The Surplus Land Act requires offering surplus properties to affordable housing developers, but Mission Bay Park is dedicated parkland under the city charter and residential development is prohibited. The bill is authored by Assemblymember Chris Ward and sponsored by Mayor Todd Gloria. The committee voted 4-0 to direct staff to draft the resolution for full Council consideration.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved minutes from November 19, 2025 (4-0).
  • Accepted and appropriated $850,000 HUD grant for Clean and Safe San Diego Parks Initiative (4-0).
  • Accepted and appropriated $4.3 million state grant for Grove Neighborhood Park (4-0).
  • Directed staff to draft a resolution in support of AB 2525 (Surplus Lands – Mission Bay Park) for City Council consideration (4-0).
  • The next regularly scheduled meeting is Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 2 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon. Welcome to the Community and Neighborhood Services Committee meeting March eighteenth, twenty twenty-six. Our committee layers on Natalie Kessler will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting. 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 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 the city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair. I will now call the community neighborhood services committee meeting of March 18th, 2026 to order. And I will now call the role. And Councilmember Campillo will be here later. And I'm also present and also present with us today is Sergio Alcalde from the Office of Independent Budget Analyst. Daphne Scogan from the City Attorney's Office. Emily Piatanesi from the Office of Mayor Todd Gloria. Lizelle Gloria, our committee consultant, and Natalie Kessler, our committee liaison. And Natalie, please continue with public comment instructions. Thank you. I will now go over how the public can offer their testimony for today's meeting. If you're in person, please complete a speaker sublocate at the entrance of chambers and place it in the tray indicated at the front of the room next to the public comment microphone. Please submit your speaker slips in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In-person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by phone, please dial 16692545252 when prompted. Please note that if you're watching via City TV Channel 24 or online, there may be a delay. Please participate. 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 are a calling participant, press star and on your phone. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you, Natalie. A quorum is now present. And we also have Council Member Campio with us. Thank you. Here. Great. Okay, as a note to the public, we'll be hearing our agenda out of order. After taking up item one, we will hear information item five and then return to our discussion items two through four. So it'll be item one, okay of the minutes, and then item five. And then we'll go back to two three and four. So we will now at this time take up non-agenda public comment. Council members respect and appreciate the public's input. Parule 2.7, non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but within the subject matter jurisdiction of the committee. Each speaker will have two minutes. And we have received two speaker slips from two individuals here in chambers. We will take those speakers before we move to the virtual queue. Blair Beekman, please approach the elector, and you'll have two minutes to provide non-agenda public comment. Then you'll be followed by allegedly Audra. Then we will move to our virtual queue where we have eight hands raised. Hi, uh Blair Beekman.

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