By Colleen O’Connor
Often overlooked, under-appreciated and ignored, volunteers in political dustups are what make democracy “great again.”
The fight over implementation of the State Senate bill, SB10, is one such fight pitting long-time residents, neighborhood defenders, and most San Diegans against their Mayor and City Council probably depends on volunteer advocates.
Champion them.
Saturday shopping at Jensen’s in Point Loma was a case in point. Not only were there small puppies on site from the Animal Shelter, and other advocates, but most importantly this summer, were women volunteers sitting at a table under the shade, collecting names and passing out flyers on the STOP SB10 initiative.
How to summarize the strong opposition (by the people of San Diego) to massive infill neighborhood developments allowed under SB10 and the equally strong and incomprehensible defense of these mega LegoLand-type projects already destroying neighborhoods (the Mayor and Council)?
Mission Hills corner was a one story corner flower shop. Now a PINK high rise…
Let’s try a popular book title to explain the “lost” residents, Strangers in a Strange Land. Here the sci-fi lead character is from Mars and dumped on earth. Like so many locals who have witnessed the high-rise density in once walkable, safe, and human scale neighborhoods, this character struggles mightily to understand the unrecognizable new world.
What was there before this monstrosity was built? Before the neighborhoods became ugly. Before the parks and swimming pools disappeared. Before bike lanes and roundabouts devoured parking and street access. Before golf courses and schoolyards became “sites” for development. Before restaurants and hotels close for good. Fiddler’s Green in Point Loma just shut down as have many older establishments in Ocean Beach.
Think what might have been instead of the Midway Development, Mission Valley/hotel circle high-rises, the SpaWars building in process, and the former Midway Post Office now ugly rental units. Then there is Park Blvd, North Park—minus the parks!
Drive by. See for yourself. What ever happened to the City Architect?
Better still, for those of us on Earth One (with memories of “Camelot by the Bay,” try the title lyrics from Frankie Vallie & the Four Seasons, “Let’s Hang on to What We’ve Got.”
Seriously, we cannot undo the damage already upon us, but we can stop more of it from becoming uglier. Hence, the need to STOP SB 10.
For information on this herculean attempt to stop unsightly and unnecessary high-rise development and infill projects in San Diego’s older neighborhoods (which basically eliminates single family residential zoning laws), you can access one of the best political websites in the country with a simple scan and “one-click” email to the Mayor and Council.
North Park area and Park Blvd — Bike lanes, several high rises and loss of parking lots
Seriously, how easy. Visit www.NFABSD.org. Get a yard sign (in huge demand). Defeat the Council and the Mayor. Contribute or volunteer—just like the women volunteers in front of the store.
It matters. You matter. Your home, your city, your efforts matter.
San Diego is the #1 test case. The guinea pig, if you will, to become an example the rest of the state must follow. Stop SB10 while we can.
Let’s not be “Strangers in a Strange Land,” rather “Let’s Hang On To What We’ve Got.”
Be a champion. Volunteer.
