1. science
2. ecology
3. waste management
4. recycling

DEL MAR’S COMMUNITY JOURNAL
R U B B I N G P E O P L E T H E W R O N G WAY S I N C E 1 9 9 7
Volume 20, Number 3
April 2015
Del Mar Chargers
Art Olson | Avenida Primavera
I
t looks like the City of Del Mar has again been
blindsided by the 22nd Agricultural District
Fair Board’s actions. The Sandpiper has recently
discovered that an ongoing, and until now, secret
3-way negotiation has been underway between the
Fair Board, the San Diego Chargers, and the Killjoy
Development Corporation. In an effort to retain the
Chargers locally, and in the absence of support from
the city of San Diego, the Chargers management has
approached the Fair Board with a proposition to build a
new, one of a kind NFL football stadium on the Del Mar
Fairgrounds. Since the 22nd Ag District is state owned,
the development would be paid for with California
funds. With the Chargers endorsement of the proposal,
Killjoy has presented conceptual plans to the Fair
Board for its approval.
Speaking off the record, because of the sensitive
nature of the ongoing negotiations, one Charger
official described the unique features of the planned
stadium, and its relationship to the fairgrounds and the
surrounding communities. He emphasized the relatively
light footprint that the stadium will have due to the novel
design program and the economic analysis that will make
it possible. He went on to explain that unlike the trend
in other new NFL football stadiums, Del Mar’s Charger
Stadium will have a relatively low attendee capacity of
around 10,000 spectators. This will be due to the fact that
the Stadium will be designed and constructed to maximize
Stadium conceptual rendering, Seymour House, AIA
the number of private box suites. “In fact,” he said, “it will
be almost exclusively private boxes. It definitely pencils
out,” he went on, explaining that one private suite, holding
10 or so individuals will bring in more revenue than selling
100 ordinary stadium seats. A demographic analysis of Del
Mar and other upscale North County communities predicts
an ever-rising demand for private, premium viewing suites.
The Chargers figure that by selling season rentals of 100
luxury boxes they will more than break-even.“ After that,
all other income streams, such as TV rights, catering, and
continued on page 3
Also in This Issue:
Reviving an Icon
page 10
After Shockckckckckckcks
page 8
BOO HOO
page 18
Trash Talk
page 12
Editorial
referendum. But it is equally troublesome that a modest
percentage of residents make a survey-based decision for
the majority of residents who for whatever reason do not
respond to a poll or a survey. Where is the balance?
Full PLate Indigestion
T
he City Hall site, Shores Park, parking management
plan, proposed changes to Camino del Mar, Watermark,
The Garden Project, monster houses being built next door
and a new task force to beef up the DRB regulations.
Multiple City Hall site surveys with multiple choices, Shores
Survey and a Plan the Park Event, a Satisfaction Survey,
and an engagement website. Are we being overwhelmed
by projects and engagements? There are so many issues
to be involved with we worry the Council and the citizens
cannot fully engage and have a reasoned debate about the
issues. For many of us our private lives are already very
busy. We worry that some residents may simply ignore yet
another survey or poll leaving decisions to be made by a
minority or even vested interests in a single issue.
Setting priorities as the Council does is good, but good
priority setting requires good sequencing. The community
can only digest so many big decisions at a time.
The Sandpiper recommends that the Council limit the
number of major City-initiated projects taken up at any
one time. In addition to asking citizens to engage in
workshops hearings and voting, the Council could hold
neighborhood meetings that allow for the exchange
of ideas among residents in order to build community
consensus. Or perhaps we could have neighborhood
advisory groups chaired by residents with a single
“overarching” committee that has a citywide perspective.
During times like this it may be worthwhile to look at
the advantages of our decision-making overload. After
all we could be living in San Diego where the recent
One Paseo decision-making process ignored community
input completely and has so angered San Diego advisory
boards they are launching a colossally expensive citywide
Countdown
Zero Waste 2020
Each month CalRecycle will provide resources for
getting closer to Zero Waste.
Household Hazardous Waste
Products labeled with words such as “danger,
warning, poison, caution, flammable and corrosive,”
are household hazardous waste.
Call 800-714-1195 for disposal site information.
Free curbside pickup for those 65 years and older.
The Sandpiper is published by the Del Mar Community Alliance,
a not-for-profit corporation. Its purpose is to advocate the Del
Mar Community Plan, to foster informed public and government
decision-making regarding issues affecting the community of the
City of Del Mar, and to encourage a social and political climate
favorable to the protection of the community character of the City
of Del Mar and its environs.
Chuck Newton Circle:
Rosanne & Joel Holliday, Carol Kerridge, Beth Levine & Henry
Abarbanel, Diana Marquardt & Rod Franklin
Publishers’ Circle:
Jeff Barnouw, Darrese & Sam Borgese, Mary Ann & Bud
Emerson, Nancy Fisher & Mike Salt, Chuck Freebern, Lynn &
Charlie Gaylord, Maryka & George Hoover, Pat JaCoby, Louise
Keeling in memory of Dave Keeling,
Larry Schneiderman, Jane & Steve Voss,
Nancy and John Weare
Editors’ Circle:
Penny and Buck Abell, Vava Anderson, Anthony Corso, Sandy &
Bram Dijkstra, Mary & Jeffrey Friestedt, Susan & Judd Halenza,
Linda & Jerry Hirshberg, Shirley King & Art Olson,
Vernie & John McGowan, Bill Michalsky,
Suzi Resnick & Stan Marks, Gloria Sandvic & Harold Feder,
Rose Ann & Ira Sharp, Chic & Joe Sullivan, Sarah Dubin-Vaughn,
Molli & Arthur Wagner
Editors: Jeff Barnouw, Tony Corso, Dave Druker,
Bud Emerson, Ann Gardner, Shirley King, Art Olson,
Shelby Weaver, Betty Wheeler.
Webmaster: Virginia Lawrence. Editor Emeritus: John Kerridge.
All staff members and writers are unpaid volunteers. This
publication depends upon the contributions of readers like you.
Make checks payable to Sandpiper, Box 2177,
Del Mar, CA 92014
Letters to the Editor
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The Sandpiper welcomes readers’ letters and articles.
Material submitted must include the writer’s name,
street address, and phone number, and should not
exceed 500 words.
Material selected to be published may be edited or
shortened.
Send to: The Sandpiper, Box 2177, Del Mar, CA
92014; or [email protected]
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 2
LAGOON Love-In
Del Mar Chargers
continued from page 1
SUNDAY, APRIL 19th
sports paraphernalia are pure gravy,” he went on.
Killjoy spokeperson, Manny Rhodes, described a conceptual
plan that calls for four levels of box suites, both in altitude
and attitude. The lowest in cost “aspirational” units,
the Bronze suites, will be closest to the field, each with
seating for 10-12 guests, and have a self-stocked bar with
flat screen TVs. Next will be the “social climber” Silver
Suites, with better views of the entire field, and added
amenities like a Jacuzzi, and gourmet kitchen facilities.
The “Executive” penultimate “Gold Suites” will have ocean
views, and include an outdoor fireplace, barbeque and
concierge service. Finally the spacious Corporate two
storey Penthouse Platinum Suites, will have, in addition,
spectacular 360 degree views of the ocean and distant
mountains, an outdoor pizza oven, and wine cellar, as well
as on-board chef and masseuse. The Chargers are certain
that given the trending nature of the Del Mar market, the
pricing will be appealing for many in the area.
Lucy Zizka | 28th Street
T
he Lagoon Committee was established by the City
of Del Mar in 1974 by a group of concerned citizens
who recognized that the time to prevent the Lagoon
from being more developed would soon be upon them.
Their efforts and those that followed have helped in
restoring the remaining wetlands to the health we view
today. As mitigation for the damage caused by the San
Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Southern California
Edison and their partners, at the direction of the Coastal
Commission, began the journey to bring the Lagoon back
to a functioning estuary. The results are evident, many
birds, marine specimens and native plants have returned.
But it is still a work in progress. Once again the opportunity
to learn about the San Dieguito Lagoon is here. Our annual
celebration will occur on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 5:00 PM
at the Powerhouse.
Killjoy still faces a number of environmental and
community hurdles that must be overcome before
construction is approved. Parking and traffic concerns
are being addressed in the current plans. Since the new
stadium will occupy much of the existing fairgrounds
parking facilities, new parking will need to incur much
farther into the surrounding lagoon and floodplain. Mr.
Rhodes described a unique parking system that is being
designed. All parking spaces will be supported on
pontoons, so that during flooding conditions the parked
cars will be floated above the water. Space between the
pontoon floats will be reserved for native flora and fauna.
Even though the amount of stadium traffic will be
minimized by the exclusitivity of the venue, Rhodes
explained that any excess traffic will be handled by a unique
state of the art GPS system which will control the network
of traffic signals in the surrounding area, so that the VIP box
holders can pass through unimpeded. He also explained
that Killjoy will mitigate any of Del Mar community
concerns regarding the high cost of attending a football
game with a stadium consisting of all private suites. “We’ve
crunched the numbers and are willing to designate 10% of
the stadium capacity as affordable seating, for those that
don’t have the means or the wealthy friends to enjoy the
game in one of the private suites. We estimate that those
seats will sell for somewhere in the neighborhood of $100$200 each.”
A Charger representative described other community
outreach efforts planned to ease the concerns of those
near the development. “We are sending out a poll to all of
the residents of the neighboring communities to get their
opinion of which high-end retailers they would like to see
in the subterranean shopping mall that will be constructed
underneath the stadium. With everything in place, the
Chargers will remain in the area, but will be called the
Del Mar Chargers. Plans are to break ground on April
1 2016. Stay tuned. For more information go to: www.
Killjoystadium.com/aprlfls.
Photo Stu Smith
Lagoon Day activities will begin with a 10:00 AM
interpretive hike of the Lagoon on the Boardwalk Trail.
(East side of Jimmy Durante Blvd., across from the Fire
Station.) Then activities will resume at the Powerhouse
at 5:00 PM with an opportunity to learn about the
recreational, educational and volunteer opportunities
available at our Lagoon and River Park from the
organizations that support these natural resources. It will
also be an opportunity to learn about the history of the
Lagoon and the ongoing efforts being made to increase
our enjoyment of the Lagoon, including an update on the
new River Path Trail Extension. At 6:00 PM the formal
presentation will begin with recognition of those who have
been instrumental in restoring the Lagoon, followed by our
featured speaker, Jacqueline Winterer, presenting Historical
Sites along the San Dieguito Lagoon Left Bank. Light
refreshments will be served.
There is no charge for the event. The Del Mar Powerhouse
is located at 1658 Coast Blvd. in Del Mar.
All are welcome to help us celebrate Lagoon Day 2015!
For more information visit lagoondaydelmar.com
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 3
Ask Doctor Rich
ASK Dr. RICH!
Rich Simons | Upper East 11th Street
Every month, Rich Simons answers readers’ most perplexing
questions.
Q – It seems that City Hall is suddenly all “atwitter”
over the matter of parking. They’ve got special staff
dedicated to preparing what they call a Parking
Management Plan. They’ve got the city cut up into
a bunch of different sectors, and have identified four
different groups of parkers. Two City Council members
have rolled up their sleeves to join in. What’s your take
on all this? – j.m.
I
believe our leaders are to be commended for their
foresight in this matter. If current trends continue, it is
entirely possible that we may have a parking problem here
sometime in the future. So the time to begin planning is
NOW. However, it is also not unreasonable to project that
we may eventually have a traffic problem here in Del Mar.
Maybe a committee should be set up. It could be called
Take a Turn
City Advisory Committee Vacancies
T
he City is currently soliciting for interested persons
to fill the following committee vacancies:
• Design Review Board
One (1) Vacancy
• Traffic and Parking Advisory Committee
One (1) Vacancy
• Business Support Advisory Committee
Two (2) Vacancies –
(1) Retail Establishment Representative and
(1) Hotel Owner/Operator Representative
• Traffic and Parking Advisory Committee
One (1) Vacancy - Commercial Retail Member
• Sea-Level Rise Stakeholder-Technical
Advisory Committee(STAC)
Nine (9) Vacancies
• Planning Commission
One (1) Vacancy
Additionally, the City has the following upcoming
opportunities in the next 60 days:
• Parks and Recreation Committee (two
opportunities)
• Planning Commission (two opportunities)
If you wish to volunteer, please contact City Hall:
(858) 755-9313
GRRRRidlock! Photo illustration Art Olson
“Parking and Traffic.” (Or maybe “Traffic and Parking?”)
As we all know, Citizen Committees are the “Del Mar Way.”
Who can forget the valiant effort of our volunteer citizens
just a few years back to stem the tide of through traffic on
Camino Del Mar. Long-time readers of this column will
remember the many innovative solutions considered: for
instance the elegant “Fleur de Lis,” in which traffic can
come into town only on Del Mar Heights Road, and must
leave going north or south on Camino Del Mar. Or the
draconian “Blow the Bridges,” which pretty much speaks
for itself. Our intrepid citizens committee wrestled long and
hard with this problem, then took the bold step of painting
new stripes along various sections of Camino Del Mar.
I am told that most of our regular commuters were very
appreciative.
And for as long as I can recall, we have always had a
Parking Committee in Del Mar. Who can forget their
struggles with the question: should parking be parallel or
diagonal? If diagonal, should cars back in or go straight in?
Should there be different rules for different parts of town?
I think they finally realized there was no point in worrying
about all that if in fact there were no places to park.
In any case our current city leaders are to be commended
for their foresight and originality.
Q – In last month’s column you predicted that the San
Diego City Council would (in your words) “kick the El
Paseo can down the road.” My understanding is that
they approved the project. Does that mean an end to
all this wrangling? – t.q.
Not at all. Fortunately, KTC (Kick the Can) is a highly
nuanced game, with rules that you may not be aware
of. For instance, if a player controlling the can at some
point declines to advance it, any bystander who wishes
may launch the can anew, and may propel it in whatever
direction they desire, thus keeping the object in play. In
other words, the game is not over until there is no one left
who wants to play.
Even as I write there is a citizens’ group preparing to
whack the can all the way into another court (a legal court,
that is). So I think you can look forward to many happy
PASEOs to pass.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 4
Civic Consensus
Bud Emerson | Klish Way
A
fter analyzing poll results from 980 citizen responses
regarding three City Hall options, the City Council
decided to move forward with a Civic Center plan favored
by most. The complex will include about 9,000 square
feet of administrative space, and about 3,000 square feet
for council chambers, a TV studio and an emergency
operations center. The plaza will be about 15,000 square
feet. The plan will also allow for 160 parking spaces and
flexible space for future decisions about possible expansion
for public or private uses.
The Council allocated $546,000 for the next steps: design
studies and environmental impact studies. City Council
will be choosing an architect for the project at its April
6 meeting. Ultimately, the project is estimated to cost
between $12 and $16 million, to be paid for partly from
reserves and partly from bond financing.
The Council also approved an ambitious schedule of public
workshops and public hearings for the rest of the year.
APRIL 2015
Pat JaCoby | Del Mar Community Connections
Now that spring is here…
“Oh to be in England,
now that April’s there.”
With apologies to Robert
Browning, we’d like
to murmer, “ah to be
in Del Mar, now that
DMCC’s special spring
luncheon’s there.” And
this year “there” will be
the Del Mar Community
Building, where the
Social Services and
Good Times Committee
has planned a 12 noon
to 1:30 p.m. buffet on
Wednesday, April 22.
In charge of arranging
and preparing the lunch
are Mary Ann Emerson,
chair, Fran Baker,
Carolyn Butterfield-Wicke, Nancy Fisher, Regina
Horner, Lori Ritman and Nancy Weare.
Bud Emerson | Klish Way
For reservations and further information call 858 7927565
Jimmy Durante Streetscape
The Jimmy Durante sidewalk/infrastructure work
continues. To subscribe for updates on road closures and
traffic, visit the “Stay Informed” tab on the City’s home page
at www.delmar.ca.us
Budget-Setting Process for Fiscal Years 2016 and
2017 in Progress
Work is in progress to develop the City’s work plan and
budget for the next two years starting July 1, 2015. The
process begins with goal-setting by the City Council, which
this year incorporated goals and priorities identified by the
City’s citizen advisory committees and findings from the
recently completed Citizen Satisfaction Survey. Budget
workshops with the City Council are planned for May 11th
and 12th.
Watermark
The new Watermark neighborhood on Jimmy Durante
is expected to have seven affordable housing units.
Opponents of this project are reported to have
characterized housing candidates as “undesirables.” The
income range for affordable units is about $45,000 to
65,000. Based upon the demographics of the participants
enrolled in Del Mar’s existing Rental Subsidy program,
these new units may be attractive to those seeking to
be close to employment or schools such as teachers,
lifeguards, single parents, fire fighters, post-grad students
and seniors, hardly undesirables.
How will you stay in control?
Estate planning has more to do with life than with
death, notes Clay Spiegel, CPA, who will discuss
estate planning at a meeting to be sponsored by Del
Mar Community Connections at 2 p.m. April 24 at the
Del Mar Library.
Whether you have estate planning documents in
place, are in the process, or haven’t done it yet, the
talk is geared to answer such questions as: “if I can
no longer manage my life, who will be in charge?” or
“how do I make sure my plans will be carried out?”
and “what does my estate plan control during my life
and after death?”
For further information call 858 792-7565.
Other monthly activities you should know about…
•Grocery shopping vans on Wednesdays to area
locations
•Bridge on Wednesdays from 10 to 1 p.m.
•Mah Jong on Wednesdays, from 10 to 1 p.m.
•Computer tutoring Mondays from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
And there’s a Travel Club…Knit ‘n Stitch…Yoga…so
many choices, and open to all.
Call 858 792-7565 if you’d like to join a club or
activity. Or if you have an idea for starting a new
club.….
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 5
Hosting History
Jeff Barnouw | Amphitheatre Drive
M
APRIL/may 2015
To receive email updates and registration information
for our events, such as those listed below, we
encourage you to join our email list. Visit www.
delmarfoundation.org and use the easy sign up box
or call 858.750.5883; Karen or Jan will gladly assist
you. The Del Mar Foundation never sells or shares its
email list.
Coming Events
For more information about these events and to
register, visit www.delmarfoundation.org.
Thursday, April 2
First Thursdays: Beth Ross Buckley & Fred Benedetti
(for subscribers only; to become a First Thursdays
subscriber, visit the Cultural Arts page of our
website.)
Saturday, April 4
Young Del Mar: Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Seagrove
Park. Check-in at 10:30 am. Registration required.
Sunday, April 19
Beach Cleanup with Del Mar Rotary Club, 2:30 pm –
4:00 pm, Powerhouse Community Center
Tuesday, May 5
Young Del Mar Speaker’s Series “Parenting in a World
of iTechnology,” 6 pm at Del Mar Hills Academy.
Registration required.
Thursday, May 7
First Thursdays: The North Coast Repertory Theater
(for subscribers only)
May is the month for our Spring Fundraising
Campaign. Stay tuned for more information.
Recent Happenings
arch 19-21 Del Mar and the Del Mar Historical Society
welcomed close to 100 members of the Southwest
Oral History Association for their annual meeting. The
idea for the visit went back to last year’s meeting in Tempe
where three oral historians from the DMHS (Tensia Trejo,
Annie Duval, and Suzi Resnik, with technical support from
Rob Healey) gave an enthusiastically received updating
on their ongoing work. (See “History Speaks!” Sandpiper
June 2014 for an account of that meeting and review of the
history of DMHS oral history [OH] projects.)
The first day was devoted to a Community OH Workshop
at the Library. An idea promoted by the DMHS is that
OHs and particularly collective projects like the “Beach
Stories Project” initiated by Lynn Gaylord and developed
into roundtable sessions by Susie Good Stevenson, who
grew up on the beach, or the recently inaugurated OHs
of various Del Mar non-profits, can promote a sense of
community and a critical awareness of how we came to be
where (and maybe how) we are.
An Opening Reception Thursday afternoon at the
Powerhouse included remarks by Mayor Al Corti and DMHS
President Larry Brooks (on some of the vicissitudes of the
Powerhouse) as well as a very entertaining presentation by
new Councilman Dwight Worden. He had been for years
the City’s attorney and drew on his experience for closeup sometimes hilarious glimpses of beach controversies
and the J. David Dominelli ponzi scheme fiasco. One of his
points was that OH often provides the tang that objective
narrative history skates over. And it doesn’t let us ignore or
harmonize conflicting views so readily.
The Powerhouse was also the site of the Friday luncheon
where the keynote address was given by Barbara Harper
of the Friends of the Powerhouse. Joe Harper, President
and CEO of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, added some
colorful remarks about Del Mar and the track.
In addition, TensiaTrejo was awarded a “Special
Achievement” award - a complete surprise - on Friday for
her many years of collaboration with SOHA.
On Friday and Saturday the annual meeting proper
offered an array of panels focusing on community projects
involving Native American, Mexican-American, Chinese
American, and Southeast Asian American communities,
as well as “The Queer Gayborhood,” and operational
OH issues. In line with the conference theme, “It Takes
a Village: Building Community Through Oral History,”
many sessions emphasized the connection with current
concerns.
See photos at www.delmarfoundation.org/photos.
html
Young Del Mar: Trip to the Tropics
First Thursdays and Bluegrass and Beyond featuring
The Claire Lynch Band
One home-grown session featured Mai-Lon Gittelsohn
(“Chop-Suey and Apple Pie”); another had Suzi Resnik and
Rob Healey discussing with Jan McMillan their interviews of
her for a forthcoming OH, titled “Getting It Right: Honoring
the Narrator’s Wishes in the Digital Age.” Venues included
the Library, the Powerhouse, the Winston School, St. Peter’s
Church, and Hotel Indigo and the Clarion Inn, the meeting
headquarters. L’Auberge hosted Saturday breakfast and
the Plenary Session following, where Dr. Paul
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 6
Fair Lee
Shirley King | Avenida Primavera
A
t its monthly meeting on March 10th, Fred Schenk,
President of the Board of Directors of the 22nd
Agricultural District (DAA) welcomed two new Directors,
Lee Hadyu and Pierre Sleiman, Jr. President Schenk praised
Lee Haydu for her generous commitment to the community
as Del Mar’s former mayor in addition to a succession
of her many public advisory roles. Recommended by
Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins who represents the 78th
District, four new DAA Directors were added by Governor
Brown within this past year. At long last the State’s
Governor has made a place for a Del Mar representative
- especially one who comes with a keen understanding
of the community’s values and the civic structures that
preserve those values.
Director Haydu enters her new role having the insights
from her experiences as one of two liaisons from the Del
Mar City Council with the City Manager to the Fair Board’s
Community Relations Committee. The membership of this
Committee is shared with two Council members from the
City of Solana Beach, the Solana Beach City Manager, a
staff rep from the office of the 78th District and the General
Manager of the Fairgrounds. Part of her three-year term
on this Committee came after Del Mar’s attempt, though
failed, to purchase the Fairgrounds, which led to severely
fractured relationships amongst the participating entities.
Going forward, then Council member Haydu’s priorities
were building trust, a common sense of purpose and
effective communication with the Committee’s Chair, David
Watson. She sees the importance for Del Mar to have
not only perfect attendance at the Community Relations
Committee meetings but also an earnest, proactive
exchange about the District’s ever-evolving calendar of
large group events.
As a result of the Settlement Agreement of 2013 between
the Cities of Del Mar and Solana Beach, the 22nd
Hosting History
continued from page 6
Ortiz, President of the national Oral History Association
and Director of the Samuel Proctor OH Program at the
University of Florida gave the plenary address, and annual
scholarships and mini-grants were presented.
The meeting concluded Saturday afternoon with a silent
auction and a performance “Showcasing Fringe Narratives:
Grassroots Latina Activists in Southern California.”
I was surprised by how young many of the participants
were, graduate students or even undergraduate, for whom
OH is an important tool for the study of all sorts of subjects.
A young woman from Alaska studying the ups-anddowns of commercial fishing there, for an eventual Ph.D.
Others from different parts of Texas with whom I shared
experiences and acquaintances. All seemed to relish being
in Del Mar and to appreciate the welcome – the weather
(after the recent heat) cooperated – and the sunset.
Lee Haydu next to Richard Valdez at her first 22nd DAA meeting on
March 10, 2015. Photo Shirley King.
DAA, and the Joint Powers Authority, an Economic Impact
Study of the Fairgrounds will be presented in November
2015 by the consulting group, Economic and Planning
Systems. Director Haydu believes that this thorough study
of the Fair’s operations and the demands placed upon
the surrounding community infrastructure along with the
local revenues and expenditures will answer many of the
longstanding questions of the fiscal impact - both costs
and benefits - upon the two cities. A new event, the
3-day music festival Kaaboo planned for September will
be evaluated in this study given the prospect of its annual
continuation. She anticipates that the report’s results will
generate more productive discussions with the community
- a role that she can step into with her fellow Directors.
Having been a long-time member of Del Mar’s San Dieguito
Lagoon Committee, Director Haydu is encouraged with
the progress of the South Lot Wetlands Restoration project
under the supervision of the DAA’s Senior Environmental
Planner, Dustin Fuller and a consulting team that includes
a wetlands biologist. Director Haydu starts her term with
another freshman Director, Pierre Sleiman, Jr. who breaks
the mold of the former Board composition - as a 28year-old farmer and owner of Go Green Agriculture - a
national network of small hydroponic farms. Along those
lines, Haydu advocates for more local agriculture to be
showcased at Fairground events - most particularly at the
Fair - perhaps more kale and fewer deep-fried twinkies.
Arguably no other DAA Director has walked in Lee’s
shoes, which have trekked through all of Del Mar’s twisty
streets while she campaigned in its neighborhoods. She
knows the quality of life that Del Mar cherishes. As one
member on a board of nine, Lee is very realistic about
expectations in this new role and trusts that the public
will not have unrealistic expectations of her. Lee’s style of
leadership is consultative. She engages others, encourages
open and frank communication, and builds trust so that
others are willing to work with her in solving problems
constructively. “I take seriously my responsibility to the
mission of the Fair Board and I am equally determined to
see that the ideas and concerns of nearby communities
are factored into decision making. Sometimes there are
legitimate differences that must be worked out but more
often I believe there are ways that we can work respectfully
together to achieve mutual objectives.”
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 7
Paseo project …over the objections of four community
planning boards,” Lisa Ross, Del Mar Mesa Planning Board
said. “A few wonder why they even bother.” “A cold blast
hit the citizens of San Diego when the Council approved
the One Paseo project over the objections of thousands.
The people lost, the process lost, democracy lost,” said
Noel Spaid, chair Torrey Pines Community Planning Board.
“Beware your neighborhood is next.”
San Diego City Council President Sherri Lightner, one of the
two no votes (Vice Chair Marti Emerald was the second),
joined a March 11 press conference with other community
leaders including Supervisor Dave Roberts, San Diego
County Supervisor, District 3, Del Mar Councilmembers
Terry Sinnott and Dwight Worden, San Diego Community
Planners Committee Chair Joe La Cava and Torrey Pines
Community Planning Group Vice Chair Dee Rich, to support
the referendum. As we go to press signature gatherers are
spreading throughout San Diego confident they will meet
the March 25th deadline.
ONE PASEO decision sparks city-wide referendum drive.
Graphic Virginia Lawrence
Ann Gardner | Via Latina
“W
e the undersigned registered voters of the City of
San Diego, California, hereby present this petition
to the City Council of the City of San Diego, California and
ask that the City Council repeal, or submit to the registered
voters of the City for their adoption or rejection that
legislative act adopted by the City Council on the 23rd day
of February, 2015 as Resolution No. R-309505.”
Shocked by the 7 to 2 vote approving the oversized, zoned
out One Paseo development (Resolution R-309505), San
Diego neighborhoods as far flung as Bay Park and City
Heights are joining Carmel Valley residents in a referendum
drive that – with at least 5% of the registered voters or
about 33,000 signatures - would require the San Diego
City Council to either reverse their decision or put it on a
citywide ballot.
“The San Diego City Council made a mockery of the city’s
planning process when it approved the controversial One
City Councilmembers who voted to approve the project
are getting direct feedback. A Del Mar Heights resident,
who received a letter from Councilmember David Alvarez
citing his support of neighborhoods and appealing for reelection support, wrote back: “You have got to be kidding!
We gave you money and support because we believed your
promises about caring for our neighborhoods. We will
never forget the ‘slap in the face’ you gave us in return by
voting for Paseo. Now my entire 2015-16 budget for helping
local Democrats is going to be spent on the referendum to
overturn your decision.” Another resident wrote Francine
Busby, SD County Democratic Chair, after getting an
appeal for funds: “None of the local, regional, state or
national Democratic Party groups became involved (in the
One Paseo controversy)… Our money is important when
you and your party need support, while our lives and our
community are not?”
What’s Next? Signatures on the petition shall be verified
by the City Clerk within 30 days of filing. The City Clerk
will verify the results of the signature verification. After a
referendary petition has been qualified and presented to
the City Council, the Council must reconsider the legislative
act within ten business days. If the City Council refuses to
grant the petition to repeal the act the Council must submit
the matter to the voters. The matter may be considered
at the next city-wide primary or general election or at a
separate special election. Stay tuned.
Planning Leaders Join Community Campaign
to Overturn One Paseo Decision
Left to right: Joe LaCava, Chair of the City of San Diego Community
Planners Committee; Bob Fuchs, Founder of What Price Main Street
(WPMS); Robert Freund, WPMS; Diana Scheffler, Mitigate One Paseo
(MOP); Council Member Dwight Worden, City of Del Mar; Janie
Emerson, President East Bluffs Community Association; Council
Member Terry Sinnott, City of Del Mar; Pam Slater Price, former San
Diego County Supervisor, District 3; Supervisor Dave Roberts, San
Diego County Supervisor, District 3; San Diego City Council President
Sherri Lightner; former San Diego City Councilmember Ed Harris;
Dee Rich, Vice Chair Torrey Pines Community Planning Board &
MOP; Lisa Ross, Del Mar Mesa Community Planning Board; Eileen
Huffman, MOP; Kathryn Burton, Chair of the Torrey Hills Community
Planning Board. Courtesy of Protect San Diego’s Neighborhoods.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 8
Park Preferences
Boardwalk Blues
Jacqueline Winterer | Ocean View Avenue
I
n a tie vote on March 11 the California Coastal
Commission recommended that the San Dieguito Lagoon
Boardwalk be removed and relocated at the northern
edge of the lot along Jimmy Durante Boulevard because it
caused the loss of one acre of wetland and disturbed the
wildlife. Ten days later an estimated 200 walkers showed
up to support keeping the boardwalk in its current location.
Shores Park. Photo Kristen Crane
Plan Your Park Celebration
Shores Park – 215 9th Street
Saturday, May 2
10:00 – 11:30
• Gather with your neighbors
• Activities for kids
• Refreshments will be served
The City of Del Mar is developing a long-term plan for the
future redesign of Shores Park. Come discover the site and
share your vision for the park’s future.
Learn more at www.delmar.ca.us/ShoresPark
The Boardwalk southeast of the Fairgrounds, along the
San Dieguito River, was built with various grants worth
$500,000 and
through the efforts
of members of the
Del Mar Rotary Club
who helped build
it. The Boardwalk
has become very
popular with
members of the
public who enjoy
walking along the
river watching
birds, ducks drifting
along the river and
occasional fish
jumping out of the
water. Earlier action
from the Coastal
Commission had
determined that the
Boardwalk was an
interim use.
The San Dieguito
Boardwalk Brigade, March 21
River Valley Joint
walking to support the Boardwalk.
Powers authority
Photo Art Olson
sought to modify the
permit for wetland restoration and retain the 1,200-ft long
Boardwalk in its present location. Twelve people spoke
and twelve hundred people signed a petition urging the
Commission to keep the Boardwalk.
Del Mar
• Del Mar’s annual waste per person per day (PPD) in
2013 12.6; in 2014 11.4 PPD.
(Del Mar’s trash volume includes the 22nd Agricultural
District and the the trash from the beaches and parks.)
Source: Equinox Center
• In 2014 the Fairgrounds achieved a 92% diversion from
the landfill, with 1888 tons of trash and 24,037 tons
of recycled materials, either composted or recycled.
Source: 22nd DAA Minutes February 10, 2015
• The median household income of Del Mar in 2005 was
$169,348 (not adjusted for inflation). When adjusted for
inflation (1999 dollars; comparable to Census data), the
median household income was $100,982. Source: San
Diego Association of Governments.
• Del Mar became an incorporated city of California on
July 15, 1959.
San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox was a passionate
advocate of the preservation of the Boardwalk and
gave greater value to the educational and recreational
value of the experience of being in the middle of the
wetland. Commissioner Dayna Bochco, San Francisco
environmentalist, gave greater value to the preservation
of the maximum of wetland at the cost of losing the
Boardwalk.
As only 10 members of the Commission were present
the Commission was evenly divided between those two
positions. The 5/5 vote failed to grant the JPA’s request.
An attempt was made by some commissioners to offer a
compromise which would compensate the loss of the 1
acre of wetland with the acquisition of 4 acres of wetland
elsewhere. That motion failed as well.
Late word is that the Coastal Commission will reconsider!
Hope springs eternal.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 9
Hawk Watch
Art Olson | Avenida Primavera
photos by David Arnold and Art Olson
I
n December of this past year Del Mar
resident and retired graphic designer,
David Arnold saw a diseased Torrey
Pine being cut down on City property
just across highway 101 from his home
on Ocean View Avenue. The location
of that tree was very special to Arnold,
as it is to the thousands of others that
look to the Pacific as they descend
along the 101 toward the Torrey Pines
State Beach driving south from Del Mar.
Arnold saw not only the tragedy of an
iconic tree dying from beetle infestation,
but the possibility to repurpose what
was left of it as art that will retain the
aesthetics of the view that it occupied.
Since workmen were busily cutting the
tree to the ground, Arnold swept in and
convinced their supervisor to halt the
chain sawing, in order to let him mark
out with masking tape what he saw as the potential shape of the art piece he was
envisioning. He then promptly went to City Hall, and got a reprieve for what then
remained of the tree. At home he fashioned a miniature model of his planned
sculpture and subsequently presented it to the City Council, which approved his
project. With the help of experienced woodcarver, Tim Richards and arborist
Andy McCracken, the sculpture was completed in March. The piece, which
features a red-tailed hawk and a seat to view the surrounding panorama, has
drawn both the eyes and the feet of those who pass by.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 10
Know yOUR nEIGHBOR
Paul Thomas
Harold Feder | Crest Road
I
n full disclosure, I am a huge fan of the Public Works
Department. I strongly believe that we Del Martians are
lucky to have this crew help us navigate through some of
the travails of our everyday life. One of the veterans of this
group is Paul Thomas.
Q: What is your background regarding Public Works?
A: I was hired in 1987 and initially worked half time on
Beach Maintenance and halftime at Public Works. I have
worked for 5 City Managers and 4 Department Heads.
Q: How did you learn of the job?
A: My neighbor, Sam Nocosia, was working there.
Q: What were your qualifications?
A: I had worked in many aspects of construction for a
number of years including concrete work, plumbing and
framing. I was thirty-one years old at the time of my hiring.
Also, I learned people skills from working at my family’s
restaurant in Burbank.
Q: Do you have a family?
A: I have been married for 31 years and have three
grown children, two daughters and a son. I also have five
grandchildren.
Q: Has the department changed in size or otherwise?
A: The department is about the same size. However,
you now need additional qualifications including a class B
license and certification from the California Water Board
and certification regarding work on sewers. Also, our work
is different.
Q: How?
Paul Thomas (arrow) behind Mary Friestedt (far left), Mary
organized a work party on August 3, 2012 to rake, de-weed,
and prepare the grounds in front of the new Community Building
on 9th Street for beautification. The Public Works team with Paul
hauled away the yard waste and brought in some dirt for a
low-water display that Mary created with succulents and rock.
Photo Betty Wheeler
Q: What is your favorite part of the job?
A: Probably landscaping. I really like working with the
Garden Club and helping to solve problems. I also like the
variety of work. It is like a challenge-each day is different.
That is also different from other cities as workers in San
Diego typically do only one type of job day in and day out.
Q: What is your least favorite part of the job?
A: Getting up at 5:30.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I enjoy fixing up old trucks. I just sold a 1953 Ford pick
up and am looking for a new vehicle to work on. I also like
to go boating on the Colorado River.
Q: Who gave you the best piece of advice?
A: My dad who said “to look to the future and save for
later in life.”
A: When I was first hired, we worked mainly on water
leaks and sewer stopages. Now, we are much more
proactive. Our infrastructure is much better. We have
upgraded the water meters and the sewer system. We
constructed a new pump station. We do a lot more
landscaping than before and have new construction
projects like the sidewalks on Jimmy Durante.
Q: Who and/or what makes you laugh?
Q: Is your relationship with the residents different?
Q: You guys seem to be a close group. Are you?
A: The residents haven’t changed much. Obviously, some
older residents have left and some younger residents have
moved in. The difference is that we now have much more
interaction with the residents. We are more “hands on.”
A: We are…they are a bunch of nice guys. We try and get
together socially, but it is hard because we live in different
parts of the county and we have families. But we work
together well. It’s a good crew.
Q: Is our department different from other cities?
Q: What can we do to help make your job easier?
A: Very different. First, we are located within minutes of
the residents. Second, when we get a call, our response
is immediate and most of the time we are there within five
minutes. We come as fast as we can. We also know a lot
of the residents so they see somebody familiar. Third, we
are on call 24 hours a day. At all times, two of us are on
call during off hours and are required to live within thirty
minutes of Del Mar. In other towns, you might wait days
for a worker who you don’t even know to show up.
A: I can’t think of anything. It is fun. We receive many nice
letters and people thank us. That makes all of us feel good.
A: All the guys I work with. They are all clowns in a
certain way. Every day I come to work they make me
laugh. My granddaughter makes me laugh. I laugh at
myself. That’s what makes this place so interesting. You
never know what is going to happen. Each day is like a
chapter in a book. It’s a great place to work.
Having never lived in a small town before, I have to
admit that it can be an adjustment. Without question, one
positive adjustment is to be walking down the street with
your dog and one of the guys from Public Works comes by
and acknowledges both of you by name. So, on behalf of
myself and Mo, a wave of the hand and a wag of the tail.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 11
book corner
Blue bin recycling
Adam’s College Capers
magazines and catalogs
phone books
To the editor:
aluminum cans
I
thoroughly enjoyed the review of “The Great Ringtail
Garbage Caper” in the Book Corner segment of your
February edition. I knew of the book because before
embarking on a number of other careers, including that
as a planner, I was of one of the duo of garbage men for
Menemsha and the rest of “Up-Island” Martha’s Vineyard at
the time Timothy Foote wrote The Caper.
all glass and plastic bottles and jars
My college housemate, Gary Kalkut, and I (see picture
below) worked for Seward’s Garbage Disposal Service.
Garbage may not be glamourous, but Martha’s Vineyard
during the summer and fall was a wonderful place to be.
We drove our truck down rutted dirt roads to empty the
trash bins at clapboard cottages set in the woods and atop
coastal bluffs. The clients were mostly summer renters,
many of them celebrities from the academic, political and
entertainment world (John Updike, Robert McNamara and
John Belushi were on our weekly pick-up list). I worked
the route for four years and proudly kept my Seward’s shirt
(also pictured).
wrapping paper
After reading the review, I called Mr. Foote and we
reminisced about the Vineyard. He explained that while
the story and the human characters Nip and Tuck were
fictional, they were based on the two young men who did
the route. But for the record, we weren’t Yale students,
we attended Vassar; and the-now Dr. Kalkut would have
represented the smarter character, Tuck.
newspapers
mail
paper or frozen food boxes
cartons and drink boxes
clean plastic food containers and cups
paper bags
shredded paper (bagged and tied/taped)
cardboard
metal cans
clean aluminum foil an foil trays
Styrofoam packaging
EMPTY aerosol cans
plastic buckets, tubs, pots, trays and toys
Black bin trash
plastic utensils, plastic wrap, compostable projects,
Styrofoam food and drink containers, glassware,
ceramics, pillows, diapers, pet poop
City of San Diego Recycling Works
Adam Birnbaum, Planning Manager, Del Mar
Adam Birnbaum and his college
housemate on the running board of
Seward’s garbage truck, the inspiration
for Foote’s Esmeralda.
Courtesy Adam Birnbaum.
Illustration from The Great Ringtail
Garbage Caper by Timothy Foote. The
garbage truck was named Esmeralda.
(Title available in Del Mar Library.)
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 12
Planning Manager Adam Birnbaum
in front of Del Mar City Hall,
February 2015.
Courtesy Adam Birnbaum.
Roving Teen Reporter
vaccinations forget how terrible the diseases were.”
CCA freshman Tommy expressed frustration at how
many innocent kids are being caught in the middle of this
dispute: “There was recently a story in the news about a
Leah Gans | La Jolla Country Day Junior
girl in northern California whose mom would not let her
n increasing number of parents in recent years have
get vaccinated. She was in high school and when measles
been withholding permission for their children to be
broke out she had to stay home because it would be too
vaccinated out of fear that vaccines cause autism. While
dangerous for her to attend school. She was worried about
autism diagnoses have become more common, there is
how much school she was missing and asked her mom
no knowing for certain whether
if she could get vaccinated,
the actual number of incidents of
but her mom told her no.
autism has increased, or if, with the
I think it’s really sad how
increasing advances in technology
misinformed and paranoid
and science, autism has become
parents are today.” CCHS
more easily detected and therefore
Senior Julia shared these
more frequently diagnosed.
views, but also understood
why some parents were
The very recent Measles outbreak
concerned: “There is a
in the U.S has made this debate
“problem” without a known
even more relevant. While specific
cause of autism, and that
laws vary from state to state, all,
makes parents anxious that
generally require children to receive
it will affect their children.
vaccinations against mumps,
Because there is so much
measles, rubella, diphtheria,
misinformation out there,
pertussis, tetanus, and polio prior
and so many people really
to entering public or private school.
Google Images
believe in this anti-vaccine
Nevertheless, many states, like
phenomenon, it is an easy
California, give parents the right to
trap to fall into.” Julia’s statement is a good description of
withhold vaccinations from their children based on their
what is happening in America today.
personal beliefs. As the number of people preventing
their children from being vaccinated has increased, the
All parents want is for their children to be healthy, and
likelihood of dangerous outbreaks, like the current measles because they forget how dangerous childhood diseases
outbreak, has also grown.
were, they feel as though they are being safe by avoiding
To Vax or Not to Vax
A
Every local student I spoke to supported vaccinations, and
was frustrated by those who did not receive them. TPHS
sophomore, Jill commented that “all of these are terrible
childhood diseases that used to cause death or suffering
for many children. Since the invention of vaccines, the U.S
has been able to eradicate most of these diseases among
our population. I believe the people opposed to the
Read Me If you Can!
Photos Bill Morris
The newly-named shopping Center on Mango has erected two
monuments. BEACHSIDE DEL MAR stands out from a background field
of stones. Unfortunately, as you drive south on Mango, the letter
B is lost against the trees. You see only EACHSIDE DEL MAR.
vaccinations. The recent measles outbreak shows the
danger of this approach: If enough people opt out of
vaccinations, these diseases can and will return. It is easy
to understand why the parents of an autistic child might
be likely to accept the vaccine theory as the cause of a
disability in their child that does not seem to have another
explanation, especially considering that autism is often
detected based on the same milestones that are typically
used for vaccinations (birthdays, grade levels, etc.). Before
jumping to conclusions, however, parents need to educate
themselves and pay attention to the scientific research.
This way, their child won’t be exposed to the much more
significant risk of catching a deadly childhood disease.
Driving north, although all the letters are visible, reading the text in
broad sunlight is tricky because of the shadows BEACHSIDE casts
against the patterned background of stones.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 13
Wising Up to Water Waste
Shannon Hogan Cohen | Luneta Drive
A
s part of the Del Mar Garden Club’s water
conservation series, a workshop was held on
Monday, February 23rd with Candace Vanderhoff
of RainThanks. It was a well-attended gathering
of water-minded residents from Del Mar and
surrounding cities.
The landscape that morning was dewy from
the rain shower we received the night before;
Mother Nature’s timing was apropos. We were
reminded that 90% of our water is imported
from Northern California and the Colorado River
Candace Vanderoff presenting at Del Mar Garden Club’s Water Conservation
workshop. Photo Shannon Hogan Cohen.
and an important source of water for us here in
California. The increasing demands coupled with
have alarmed us many times and it is our responsibility
our severe drought status, are leading us to find new ways
to protect the environments in front of us and present
to manage our reliance on the Colorado.
the future generations with stability through our own
In Southern California, half of the water goes towards
practices of water conservation. The following are a few
landscape irrigation. Drought and managing reliance are
recommendations that are useful for our community water
ongoing concerns. We must acknowledge that our own
conundrums:
individual contributions to sustainability are key. This can
Water Wise Tip #1 – Change your landscape watering
only happen if we start in our own backyards.
strategies immediately. Pay attention to irrigation
Topics discussed ranged from integrated landscape
overspray and lower your water use by planting native
using free broken concrete for terracing and walkways
plants, succulents and edibles. Assess your property to
to preferred chemical-free detergent for greywater use.
understand where water is flowing and familiarize yourself
(For those who are not familiar with the term greywater,
with the terms “bioswales” “curb cut” and “rain gardens.”
it is unprocessed waste water from your shower,
All represent different methods to capture rainfall runoff.
bathroom sinks and washing machine. The objective
Water Wise Tip #2 –Begin capturing rainwater by utilizing
is to redirect greywater to our landscape and use it
rain barrels. They come in various shapes and sizes. The
as irrigation.) The realities of our water issues
capacities range from 50 gallons to a 200 gallon rain tank.
Begin harvesting rain fall immediately. Consider this piece
of data - one inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of surface
equates to 623 gallons of water.
Water Wise Tip #3 – Purchase a rhythmic rain chain
to initiate water saving practices. This is an alternative
to a downspout. Their purpose is mostly decorative.
However, they make a unique water feature by transporting
rainwater from the gutter downwards to either a drain or
to your new rain barrel. How delightful would it be to see
more homes in our community equipped with this simple
water harvesting technique?
Water Wise Tip #4 - Call a company like Rain Thanks
that offers building, design and consulting services. These
project based firms work with individuals to create a
regenerative water culture in home environments.
Water Wise Tip #5 - Report water waste to the City of
Del Mar either through the online report register or calling
directly. A few examples may be excessive runoff along the
streets, malfunctioning irrigation components or watering
during a rainstorm.
Cartoon Steve Crothers
The most important task - be part of the solution, not part
of the problem. As a community we can make an impact.
Experiment with new practices in capturing water and
influence your neighbors to do the same. Instead of oohing
and ahhing over our neighbors’ holiday decorations, we
should commend them for the way they safeguard their
water.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 14
Sea Change
Shot in Del Mar
Rare Rain
Shirley King | Avenida Primavera
Photos Bill Morris
S
oon we will confront just how impermanent our
beaches are when the City pursues its Sea-Level Rise
studies. Our coastal education will expand to include the
most precise understanding of the Mean High Tide Levels
expected through this century. And going forward many of
the City’s standard operating procedures will adjust forever
to the specific considerations for these sea-level changes.
The City of Del Mar was awarded on December 2, 2014
a $100,000 California Ocean Protection Council Grant to
update its Local Coastal Program (LCP), specifically to
address sea-level rise, including sea-level rise modeling,
vulnerability assessments, and adaptation planning and
policy development. In total $200,000 will be required for
this work spanning two years - in addition to the grant,
$77,794 will be contributed from the City’s General Fund
and $22,206 from City In-Kind Services, in the form of staff
time of 3 to 5 hours per week.
Wet weather on the Bluffs.
On March 2nd the Council authorized the City Manager
to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit consultant
firms that provide professional services in the specialized
area of climate change science and sea level rise studies
focused on identifying vulnerabilities and appropriate
adaptation strategies. The City’s LCP would be amended
to include long-range planning for protecting the City’s
shoreline and low-lying areas and the final product,
the Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA), would
Mango Drive right next to Beachside Del Mar.
Fairgrounds flooded in 2010. Photo Art Olson.
be submitted to the California Coastal Commission for
certification in May, 2017. The Council also authorized the
formation of the Sea-Level Stakeholder-Technical Advisory
Committee (STAC) and appointed Don Mosier and Dwight
Worden to be the Council Liaisons to the committee.
Our two-miles of coastline will undergo an intense
technical study - having the advantage of the models
developed in The Sea-Level Adaptation Strategy of
San Diego Bay from January 2012. A committee of our
stakeholders consisting of residents, commercial owners,
the North County Transit District and the 22nd Agricultural
District will be assembled with the assistance of technical
experts most likely available within the pool of our local
residents with backgrounds in oceanic and atmospheric
science, physics, wetlands biology, environmental health
and architecture. Applications are due to the City by
Monday, April 20, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. Citizen Interest
Mango Drive right next to Beachside Del Mar.
Forms are available on the City website at www.delmar.
ca.us/347/Committee-Vacancies.
What Del Mar has long relied upon as our coastal
armaments will be questioned by the new realities of future
expected sea-level rise. Our armor going forward will
become the carefully crafted adaptation strategies from this
essential study report.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 15
DMTV Presents
Neighborly development
Property Rights vs Community Rights
A Walk in the Park
Luana Karr | DMTV
To the Editor:
Y
our recent Sandpiper indicated there was a “grass
roots” group with ideas for altering the Design Review
Ordinance (DRO), specifically: valuing privacy, protecting
neighborhood character, following the community
plan, protecting property values, expanding neighbor’s
“rights” and concern with the Design Review Board (DRB)
confirming projects because there were no objections.
Much of this is unnecessary.
The DRB has a tradition of valuing privacy, both visual and
with respect to noise, and even smell.
Neighborhood character is a part of the DRO already. It
is particularly difficult to “evaluate,” but sometimes the
change is clear enough and identifiable. Of course, to
object to a project, the DRB member must specifically
identify that change, just as he or she must specifically
identify the pertinent facts and DRO section for objecting to
any other aspect of a project.
A
pril is a month filled with days recognizing a variety of
endeavors. One most of us are aware of is Earth Day,
but it’s also National Walking Day.
The Del Mar Television Foundation is airing two shows
throughout the month recognizing these days. “Save It
for Me! “ is a program that takes three local families and
highlights how they chose to make efforts in conservation
to help preserve Mother Earth for future generations. This
show was produced and directed by Tracy Phillips and
produced by Ingrid Hoffmeister.
Another great program is “A Walk in the Park.” This show
takes us through the San Dieguito River Park, highlights
some of the beautiful habitat, and shows you where the
trails are that can lead to wonderful flora and fauna with
a little archeology thrown in. That’s right here in our
backyard courtesy of a lot of volunteers who realize the
importance of preserving such an area.
11th and Luneta. The excavation covers almost the entire lot right up
to the street. Photo Bill Morris
Acting in accord with the community plan is also part of
the DRO. There may be disagreement about what that
means; a genuine discussion of it might be appropriate for
the Sandpiper. We should all realize that the community
undergoes change all the time. It always has and that can
be expected going forward. Managing that change is what
the zoning ordinances and the DRO do. There are always
people who object to change and others who embrace it.
Protecting property values is basic in the DRO. Further, it
is implicit in protecting for properties the privacy, views,
freedom from noise, and all the other considerations in the
DRO.
The last two items in your article deserve special mention.
Neighbors have a right to point out what they think are
factual aspects of an application that violate the DROs.
But it is not the neighbors that merit consideration; it is
their property. That a person has a special place he likes
to sit and look doesn’t matter. That she has lived there 40
years doesn’t matter. The fact that a neighbor objects to a
project doesn’t matter. With respect to the neighbors, the
DRB is charged with determining whether a landowner
has a right to build a project taking into account the
So tune in to Del Mar T.V. www.delmartv.com/. Or call the
station at 858-224-3688 for more information.
effects of that project on the neighboring real estate. The
people involved really aren’t relevant to the determination.
The DRB should never pass a project simply because no
neighbors object. It is charged with evaluating the effect
of the proposed project on all the neighboring properties
with all those considerations of privacy, view, noise,
water runoff, landscaping and every other consideration
in the DRO. To pass a project without consideration of
all of those neighboring properties is an abrogation of
duty. When a project is passed, it should be done with a
recitation that these considerations were given, so that we
are all confident there was due consideration.
It is unfortunate that the DRB meeting has often been a
venue for neighborhood angst. There has long been an
overemphasis on irrelevant opinions distracting members
from a cold evaluation of facts. Neighbors need to realize
it is not about them, it is about their property. The more
objectivity that enters this process, the more predictable
and consistent the decisions will be.
Nate McCay, Carolina Road
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 16
SHORT TAKES ON FILM
Ben Nyce | Via Latina
T
wo films nominated for Academy Awards as best foreign film
have been playing in San Diego. Though not very sophisticated
in technique, they address burning issues (Russian kleptocracy and
Islamic jihad) in passionate ways.
“Leviathan” directed by Andrey Zuyagintsev, dramatizes in small scale
what Putin’s kleptocracy enacts in large. Putin’s rodent-like features
look down from the walls of government offices. The central drama
continued on page 18
LOCAVORES’ DELIGHT
Heron Farms
Spring Frittata
1 cup shredded zucchini - Valdivia Farms/Schaner
Farms
Valerie Fanning | Forest Way
½ cup grated Parmesan - Pasta Design
T
8 ounces fresh ricotta - Pasta Design
(6 to 8 Servings)
½ lemon, juiced - Schaner Farms/Valdivia Farms
ry this lovely frittata filled with spring vegetables this
Easter or for a springtime brunch. You can substitute
any of your favorite vegetables or cheeses.
Directions:
Ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
8 whole eggs – EbenHaezer Egg Ranch
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cream,
hot sauce (to taste), salt and pepper and whisk to
blend.
4 tablespoons heavy
cream
Heat a 10 to 12-inch cast iron (or other heavybottomed, oven proof) skillet and add 2
tablespoons of olive oil. Add the asparagus to the
skillet and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for
1 minute. Add the zucchini and sauté for another
minute
2 dashes hot sauce –
Terra Verde/Semper Fry
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil, divided – Freskos
Add the scallions, spinach, ricotta and parmesan
cheeses into the egg mixture and stir. Pour the
mixture into the skillet over the asparagus and
zucchini.
½ pound thin asparagus,
trimmed, cut in 3 inch
pieces
4 scallions, sliced (white
and green parts) –
Schaner Farms
1 cup spinach, stemmed
- Ray’s Subtropical/Blue
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved – Kawano Farms/
Valdivia Farms/Blue Heron Farms
Photo Valerie Fanning
Put the skillet into the oven on the center rack and
cook for 15 to 20 minutes (should be firm around
the edges). Remove from the oven and let sit for a
few minutes. Toss the halved tomatoes with salt,
pepper, lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Place
on top of the frittata just before serving.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 17
KAABOOM!
Short Takes on Film
continued from page 17
Bud Emerson | Klish Way
involves a small landowner Kolya who attempts to prevent
a corrupt mayor from taking his property. Everyone is
on the take: the courts, the police, the Russian Orthodox
church. Kolya takes to drink; his marriage begins to suffer.
His wife eventually commits suicide, and he is jailed for her
murder. The mayor builds a church where Kolya’s house
had been. Such a bleak story is, however, seasoned with
mordant humor. At a drunken picnic, photos of former
Russian leaders are used for target practice with the jocular
explanation that the most recent will eventually be shot
full of holes. Powerful, wide screen shots show a bleak,
rugged landscape and a surging tumultuous ocean beneath
lowering skies. No wonder the characters drink vodka like
water. The film is banned in Russia.
I
f you want to know why the fairgrounds gets at odds with
its neighbors, get a load of this.
Just about the time we all settle down after the the races
and summer crowds to enjoy some relaxed community
time, KAABOO lands on us. We will get 40,000 drinking
and dancing revelers in our backyard starting Thursday
night September 17 and continuing around the clock
through Sunday, September 20. If you know anything
about festivals like Coachella or Stage Coach, imagine that
scene crammed into our neighborhood. More than one
hundred bands and performances on seven stages.
From their website: www.kaaboodelmar.com:
KAABOO IS EVERYTHING A TYPICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
IS NOT. THAT’S BECAUSE WE’RE NOT A “FESTIVAL.”
WE’RE A NEW KIND OF ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
“MIX-PERIENCE” DESIGNED AROUND COMFORT,
QUALITY AND GOOD TIMES.
“KAABOO was created by music lovers for music lovers.
An adult escape, uniquely curated to appeal to all five of
your senses, with world-class music, dancing, incredible
cuisine, craft libations, inspiring contemporary art, and
personal indulgences”
“late night dance party 10pm-2:30am”
comedy club...spas
zip lines
upscale food plaza
VIP lounges
“pleasant potty time” with premium bathrooms
craft breweries and wineries
“anti-dirt”...places to clean up
bring blankets and beach towels
sandy beach at main stage, premium cabanas,
“Timbuktu” tells of the degradation of that famous
trading city by jihadists enforcing Sharia law. Kidani and
his small family live in a community of tents in the sand
dunes on the edge of the mud-walled city. He’s a sweettempered man who loves to make music and adores his
wife and his young daughter. He talks of moving away
from the jihadists, but before he can he unintentionally
kills a fisherman whose nets have been damaged by his
cattle. The jihadists ban singing, dancing, even football
(soccer). Can football be played without a ball? Well, the
kids do it with spirit and flair.
A wonderful singer is given
ninety lashes. Tribal images and
totems are destroyed by bursts
from automatic weapons. As in
“Leviathan” the sweeping images
of dune landscape show what
endures despite the destruction.
For home viewing “To Live and
Die in L.A.” William Friedkin’s
take on the corruption of two
cops in the overripe setting of
Los Angeles. It’s got the best car
chase in film.
Nyce taught literature and film at USD and authored “Satyajit
Ray” and “Scorcese Up Close.”
exclusive bar, beach volleyball
concierge services
Price packages from $279-$2499 plus fees and service
charges
It seems our Council, staff, and Sheriff’s Office were
completely blindsided by this plan. It is not clear if the
Coastal Commission has any jurisdiction. No one seems to
know anything about noise and light abatement, lagoon
impact, traffic control, waste disposal, water usage....
Technically, the Fair Board is a government agency, the
22nd Agricultural District. Can you imagine any other
government agency behaving this way. Where is the
accountability? This is not an April Fools joke folks, this is
for real.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 18
Del Mar Community Calendar
Highlights for April 2015
This month’s calendar was compiled by
Shelby Weaver, a Torrey Pines High School Senior.
Del Mar Farmer’s Market: Every Saturday, 1-4 p.m. in
the City Hall parking lot. Purchase fresh, locally grown
produce, flowers, eggs and many other products.
First Thursdays: Thursday, April 2nd, Beth Ross Buckley
and Fred Benedetti-Flamenco Journey by flute and
guitar with roots in Indian, Sephardic, Macedonian, and
Andalusian music. We’re sorry, but this series is sold
out.
Del Mar Community Connections: Silver Age Yoga,
Fridays: April 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th at 10:00 a.m., St.
Peter’s Parish Hall.
Del Mar Foundation: Young Del Mar Annual Easter
Egg Hunt at Seagrove Park! Saturday, April 4th,
11:00-12:00. Free event but please register at www.
delmarfoundation.org
DMCC: Monday Lunch Club at Rendezvous on April 6
from 11:30 -1pm
DMCC: Tuesday Lunch Connection at DMCC. At the Del
Mar Community Building, on April 6, from 12-1:30.
Del Mar City Council Meetings: Monday, April 6th
and, Monday, April 20th, 6:00 p.m. -240 10th St.
4/7 Tuesday Lunch Connection at DMCC 12-1:30
DM Library: Toddler Story Time, Ages 1-2. Stories,
songs and finger plays for toddlers, Tuesday, April 7th,
21st and 28th, 10:30 a.m.
DMVA: Del Mar History Committee monthly meeting,
Tuesday, April 7th, 5:00- 6:00 p.m, 1104 Camino del Mar
Ste. 1
Del Mar Library: Tuesday, April 14th, adult yoga at
12:00 noon
DM Planning Commission: Monthly meeting, Tuesday,
April 14th, 6:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. 240 10th St.
DMVA Design Committee: Monthly meeting,
Wednesday, April 15th, 11:00 a.m, 1104 Camino del Mar
ste. 1
DMVA: Business Assistance Committee Meeting,
Wednesday, April 15th, 8:30-9:30 a.m, 1104 Camino del
Mar Ste. 1
Del Mar Foundation: Board Mtg., Thursday, April 16th,
8:00 a.m, 225 9th St.
Del Mar Library: Sunday, April 19th, Craft with Mrs.
Lindsey, 1:30 p.m. and Kid’s Chess, 3:00 p.m.
Del Mar Foundation: Beach Clean-Up with the Rotary
Club, Sunday, April 19th 2:30-4:00 p.m, Powerhouse
Community Center.
DMCC: Tuesday Lunch Connection at DMCC. At the Del
Mar Community Building, on April 21, from 12-1:30.
Del Mar Historical Society: Meeting, Tuesday, April
21st, 5:00 p.m, 225 9th St.
Design Review Board Meeting: Wednesday, April
22nd, 6:00 p.m., 240 10th St.
Del Mar Library: Local author showcase , Wednesday,
April 22nd,6:30 p.m.
DMCC Spring Luncheon: Wednesday, April 22, from 12
noon to 1:30 pm at the Del Mar Community Building
Del Mar Library: Wednesday, April 22nd, 6:30 p.m. PJ
Story time. Wear your PJ’s to the library for story time!
DMVA: Monthly Board of Directors meeting, Thursday,
April 23rd, 8:30-10:00 a.m, City Hall Annex
Friends of the San Dieguito River Valley Board: no
monthly meeting in April
DMF Cultural Arts Committee: Monthly meeting,
Wednesday, April 8th, 8:30 a.m., Powerhouse
Community Center, 1658 Coast Blvd.
DMCC: Romeo Men’s Lunch Club, Tuesday, April 28th,
12:00 noon, Sbicca Bistro, 215 15th st. Reservations
required: #858-792-7565 or [email protected]
DMCC: Board meeting, Saturday April 11th, 9:00 a.m., at
the Del Mar Community Building, 225 9th Street.
DMVA: Vintner dinner at Sbicca, Wednesday,
April 29th. Please purchase tickets online at www.
delmarmainstreet.com or call #858.755.3650
Del Mar Library: Jigsaw puzzles for kids with Ms.
Gretchen, Saturday, April 11th, 10:00 a.m.
Del Mar Library: Tuesday, April 14th 10:30 a.m., Dori
Smith and Pigs Eye Puppets.
The Del Mar Rose Society: Meeting, Thursday, April
30th, 6:30 p.m., at the Powerhouse in Del Mar, 1658
Coast Blvd.
Extra copies of the Sandpiper
are available at: City Hall, the Library, the Del Mar Community Building, the Powerhouse, and
the Carmel Valley Library; The Gym at Del Mar on Jimmy Durante Blvd; the Solana Beach Library and
the Solana Beach Community Center.
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 19
Visit the
Sandpiper
online!
SA N D P I P E R
This month’s complete issue
plus web exclusives, colored
pix, photo essays, useful links,
alerts, and much more!
DEL MAR’S COMMUNITY JOURNAL
Box 2177, Del Mar, CA 92014
DATED MATERIAL
www.sandpiperdelmar.org
Geezer Music Concert
Del Marians Freak Out
These bands are so uncool that attendees on walkers will
clog Bully’s, and Lipitor abuse will run rampant,” says
Beach Colony resident... (continued on page 61)
Number Dump
Bonanza for DMPD
City Council approves naming rights for all numbered
streets in Del Mar. A recommendation from the Finance
Committee estimates that selling naming rights could yield
as much as $1million toward the funding of our new police
department building scheduled to break ground by the first
of this... (continued on page 89)
Free Range Zone
Free Range Zone for Local Chickens Approved by
City Council
There are four chickens living at the corner of Luneta and
Zuni. They roam that area and have been know to hold up
traffic while holding court on... (continued on page 27)
Photo Bill Morris
New Sheriff
To Police Doggie Park
Expecting a steep increase in canine visitors to the
dog park in the near future, the Del Mar City Council...
(continued on page 72)
Roundabout of Dread
“Roundabout of Dread” Removed from Jimmy
Durante Traffic Plans
We’re just too dumb to figure out how to drive in a circle
without running into each other,” said members of a focus
group devoted to... (continued on page 59)
Sandpiper April 2015 Page 20
Photo Shirley King