Sunday, June 30, 2013

City Calendar July 1 - July 7


 "Our favorite holiday"
Busy week for City PB&R, and ants
City Calendar, 7/1/13 - 7/5/13.  Any meetings or events you may wish to add, please advise.

Monday, July 1.  Planing Commission cancelled,  Cancellation Notice

Tuesday, July 2.  No meetings.

Wednesday, July 3.  No meetings.

Thursday, July 4.  Rocket run 5-mile run, starts and ends at the Pacifica Community Center, 8:45 AM- 10:00 AM.   The fee to participate is $20, "Check-in and late entries 8—8:45 AM, race starts at 9 AM," application.

Thursday, July 4.  4th of July Celebration.  Frontierland Park, 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM, information.

Friday, July 5.  No meetings. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Should I stay in Pacifica?



http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g32842-i2206-k6629387-Pacifica_stay_and_commuting_to_SF-Pacifica_California.html

Posted by Steve Sinai

4th of July festivities in Pacifica


Rope pull, our team vs. yours
ChatterBlock Newsletter, "4th of July 2013 Celebration."

Where:  Frontierland Park. 900 Yosemite Drive, Pacifica.
When:  Thursday, July 4th, 2013, 11 AM to 4 PM.
Who:  All ages.

 "Come and celebrate the 38th Annual 4th of July 2013 Celebration.  Join the Pacifica's Parks, Beaches and Recreation Dept. for a fun, Live Music, Face Painting, Hair Coloring, Temporary Tattoos, Puppets and Balloons, Dance & Martial Arts Demos, Really Tasty Food, Cotton Candy, Craft Booths, and more! at Frontierland Park. Free Games led by PB&R Staff Water-Balloon Toss, Rope Pull, Parachute Games, Crazy Relays, Sack Races, Watermelon-eating Contest."  Photograph from this article.
--------

Reference - City of Pacifica, Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department. Join us for lots of fun on July 4 from 11 am to 4 pm at Frontierland Park in Pacifica (Yosemite Dr. @ Humboldt Ct.)Craft or Information Booth application here. Food and/or Beverage Booth application here.  Rocket Run - 5-Mile Run on July 4, 2013 Register online at available starting April 17th at http://activenet.active.com/pacifica or send in form.You can also register at the race starting 8 am at the Community Center.  Race begins at 9am.  For more info, call 650-738-7381.  Registration for 2013 Rocket Run is available.  For Application click here.  Route Map.

Related Frontierland Park music promo, 7/4/13, You Tube, 2:21 minutes.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

What to do next Thursday, July 4th, 2013


The Daily Journal (San Mateo County), Heather Murtagh, 6/29/13. "Lots of fun planned for the Fourth of July."

San Bruno and Pacifica
fireworks booths every year
 "Take a break midweek to celebrate the Fourth of July locally with music, food, games and even fireworks.

....  Remember, safe and sane fireworks are only allowed in two cities — San Bruno and Pacifica. Booths selling fireworks are up and open for business. Items purchased from the booths benefiting local nonprofits need to be used in one of those two cities only.

In Pacifica, the City Council recently accepted recommendations from the Fireworks Task Force Committee to limit the use of fireworks on Linda Mar Beach to an area extending about 10 feet east of the tideline and north of the Taco Bell to the north end of the Linda Mar Beach parking lot. There are two alternative sites being provided for setting off fireworks — the asphalt areas of the south Linda Mar Beach parking lot and the south Rockaway Beach parking lot. Fireworks are not allowed on any other beach areas in Pacifica.

Both cities increase enforcement for the holiday. Possession of fireworks other than those deemed as “safe and sane” is illegal. There is a zero tolerance policy toward those possessing illegal fireworks. Those individuals are subject to arrest and a $1,000 administrative fine."  Read article.

Related activities - CBS San Francisco Bay Area, channel 5, KPIX, 2013.  "Bay Area Celebrates July 4 with Events, Fireworks."  "...  full list of Independence Day activities, including parades, concerts, barbecues, and official fireworks displays (over 100 events). These are organized alphabetically, by name of community for easy use – followed by date, time and location information."

Related fireworks archive articles -  Contra Costa Times, Contra Costa Times , 6/29/11, "Fireworks legal just 12 Bay Area cities." The fireworks stand photograph is from that article.  Fun Cheap SF.com, "Where to buy fireworks (the legal kind)", Among the 290 communities allowing “safe and sane” fireworks sales in California in 2012, the only Bay Area cities where you can buy fireworks are Gilroy, Hollister, Watsonville, San Bruno, Dublin, Newark, Sebastopol, Union City, Rohnert Park, St. Helena, Pacifica and Petaluma (unless in high risk fire zone)." The second photograph is from this article.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Latest beach water pollution report, we're good


San Mateo County Times/Aaron Kinney, 6/26/13.  "Contra Costa, San Mateo County beaches rife with bacteria, report says."

Thanks Our Children's lawsuit !
"San Mateo County beaches are the second-worst in California when it comes to a key measure of bacterial pollution, according to a report released Wednesday by the Natural Resources Defense Council. 

....  Stormwater runoff and sewage spills are the primary causes of bacterial pollution on beaches, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, which based its annual "Testing the Waters" report on water-quality data from more than 3,000 beach sites across the country. Citing a 2001

analysis by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the council claims as many as 3.5 million Americans -- and possibly more -- become ill every year by coming into contact with pollution from these sources.

....  San Mateo County:  Parkside Aquatic Park (San Mateo) -- 63 percent, Lakeshore Park (San Mateo) -- 46 percent, Pillar Point No. 7 -- 23 percent, Pillar Point No. 8 -- 17 percent, Pillar Point-Capistrano -- 52 percent, Pillar Point-Outer Harbor -- 15 percent,  Source: Natural Resources Defense Council."   Read article.

Related - Fix Pacifica reprint article, Pacifica Beaches report cards, May, 2013 and 2012-13.   Natural Resources Defense Council.   Note:  "Surf's up in Pacifica" photograph from  verophotograph.com

Posted by Kathy Meeh

CHP Closure: SR-1 Lantos Tunnel: Sat 7-7:30 AM


Be advised: - CHP will be closing Tom Lantos Tunnel (SR-1 @ Devil's Slide in Montara) tomorrow, Saturday morning 6/29 between 7:00am and 7:30am for an organized bicycle ride.  The tunnel will be closed to ALL non-bicycle vehicle traffic during this time frame.   
 
Prior to this time, bicycle traffic will be heavy on SR-1 approaching the tunnel from Pacifica.  Riders will disburse via SR-1 thru the communities of Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Tunitas Creek, La Honda, San Gregorio and Skyline Communities. 
 
Please use caution while driving in these coastal areas due to the possible large numbers of bicycles in and around Cabrillo Highway (SR-1).

Sent by Owen Yoch to Miramar, Princeton, San Gregorio, Moss Beach, Coastal Communities, El Granada, Pacifica, Pescadero, Half Moon Bay, Montara (E-mail accounts, Wireless devices) through SMC Alert

Posted by Steve Sinai

Friday, June 28, 2013

Nothing unifies Pacificans more than a whole series of new taxes and fees


Kabuki leadership economics, "Trust me!"


Note:  Photograph from Cultural News.

Submitted by Jim Wagner

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Pacifica Fees and Charges for Permits and Actions


Here are the latest city fees and charges for various permits and actions. 12 pages. Covers a lot of what goes on in this town. If you look carefully you may even notice fees you are supposed to pay that you don't even know you owe. If you have an alarm on your house, did you know you needed a permit and you owed a yearly fee? Want to remodel a bathroom, there's an app for , er, fee for that.

Peruse on, quite enlightening. Oh, and when a business complains about all the fees they are subject to, go check your list. I think you'll agree, business gets dipped into first. At the city, county, state, and federal level. It's starting to hurt.

www.fixpacifica.com/docs/pacificafees.pdf

Submitted by Jim Wagner

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Latest news from Pacifica Five-O



Fireworks only Allowed on Portion of Linda Mar Beach

Vehicle Vandalisms


Daniel Steidle
Captain
Administrative/Investigative Services Division
2075  Coast Highway
Pacifica, CA 94044
650-738-7320 (Desk)
650-355-1172 (Fax)
steidled@pacificapolice.org

Fireworks will be allowed in some beach areas

The good 'ol days, 2011

San Mateo County Times/Joshua Melvin, 6/25/13.  "Pacifica beach fireworks ban will include nearly all waterfront areas on Fourth of July."

....  "Safe and sane" fireworks, which generally don't fly or explode, will only be allowed on a several-hundred-foot-section of the roughly mile-long Linda Mar Beach. They will also be OK in the south parking lots at Linda Mar and Rockaway beaches as well as at residents' homes. 

....  Pacifica was one of just 14 cities in the greater Bay Area that last year permitted "safe and sane" fireworks, though the tradition has remained controversial through the years. Despite complaints, Pacifica residents have twice voted, most recently in 1996, to keep fireworks.  Read article



 
Related article - Pacifica Patch/Gideon Rubin, 7/24/12. "Pacifica environmentalist group petitions for beach fireworks ban."  "The Pacifica Beach Coalition is gathering signatures in support of initiative that would ban all fireworks on the city's beaches."   Note:  Photograph from Ski-epic.com 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Is the long awaited economic plan for Pacifica more taxes and fees, really?


Updated Pacifica Tribune/Letters to the Editor, 6/25/13.  "Pacifica Poll" by Bob Hutchinson

Happy King County residents.
More taxes are not good for the city's future, we're voting NO!
"Editor:  Regarding the recent sketchy telephone poll asking people if they are in favor of paying more taxes. Wow amazing but not surprising. The level of manipulation used in this poll is abominable. And they spent $20,000 on it to boot. Imagine if they placed it on the ballot using those words? At least there will be pros and cons and analysis if it does go on the ballot.

I would also be interested to see how they framed all the questions and what times of day they called, and any other data. Were most calls during the day? If so they would be reaching more seniors who can be exempted. That would explain a lot.

Tax breaks for seniors: Can counties afford them? photo
Sure I'm exempt, but this city needs
economic development, NOT more taxes
I will not vote for any new taxes so that top employees can continue to make $6,000-$12,000 a month and more, This city still needs to seriously reduce senior staff costs of the people making $100K to $200K first so we're more in line with other cities in the county. Tiny little Pacifica pays much higher wages on average than a dozen or more larger cities like South San Francisco, Menlo Park, San Carlos and others. Before you come trying to take Pacificans money you need to work on your own expenditures first.

On another subject, I was very disappointed Rich Campbell was re-appointed to the planning commission. I thought we were on a new course? Trying to increase our tax base? The last person we needed to keep was an environmental lawyer for the EPA who was supported by the Sierra Club. The same Sierra Club that tried to shut down Sharp Park Golf Course. Rich Campbell stated before his landslide council loss last year that he didn't believe building more residential housing was good because it costs more in services than it generates in revenues. Really? This is an unproven theory that doesn't hold up in the Bay Area. This man should not be on the PC. The voters spoke loud and clear last year when Rich lost his council bid by around 25% to Mike O'Neill even though there were four candidates watering down the vote. Very disappointing that Campbell was kept on."

Note:  Permission to reprint the above full Pacifica Tribune Letter to the Editor without Mercury News copyright restriction is extended to Fix Pacifica courtesy of  Bob Hutchinson.  Update from Bob: 2nd paragraph, 2nd sentence added.   Photographs:  Couple from King County Department of Assessments, woman from The Atlantic Journal Constitution.

Submitted by Bob Hutchinson

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Shark bites kayak at Pacifica - man safe

06-25) 20:06 PDT PACIFICA -- A shark accosted a kayaker off a Pacifica beach on Tuesday, but the man escaped unharmed, police said.

The incident happened off Pacifica State Beach at 4:55 p.m. as the man was fishing from a kayak, Pacifica police Capt. Joe Spanheimer.
said

A shark swam up to the fisherman, "bit the kayak, then briefly circled around the craft before swimming away," Spanheimer said.

The kayaker was not harmed and returned to shore.

The type of shark involved wasn't known.

The area where the kayaker reported seeing the shark Tuesday occurred outside of an area that surfers and swimmers frequent, Spanheimer said.

Read more...

Posted by Steve Sinai

Full Godbe UUT survey


Here is the full survey. Your poll will reflect what the entity funding it wants. If you're paying someone twenty five thousand dollars, you'll get the results you want. They did a similar poll before they floated the half cent sales tax 3 years ago. Positive numbers came back. 60% approval. If you remember, that lost by 2/3. This ballot that hasn't been written yet but has been talked about a lot will reach deep into your pockets.

www.fixpacifica.com/docs/GODBE_Survey.pdf

Blogmaster's note: This is a big file (over 21.6 MB, so it may take awhile to download.)

Submitted by Jim Wagner

Parking fees may be coming to you soon


  The City parking meter revenue source will partially fund Linda Mar State Beach expenses.

Look, buy, but don't park in our parking lot
Usually you get your money's worth
Pacifica Tribune, author unknown, 6/18/13.  "Pacifica State Beach parking program begins July 12."

"Pacifica State Beach parking program begins July 12.  A parking receipt or pass is required to park in both the north and south Pacifica State Beach Parking lots on Highway 1 and the Crespi Parking Lot located on the corner of Crespi Dr. and Highway 1 adjacent to the Pacifica Community Center.

Daily Parking Fees. The daily fee to park one vehicle in the Parking Lots is $3 for a period of less than four hours and $6 for a period of more than four hours (or all day). This fee is for one motor vehicle and is non-transferable. This fee authorizes vehicle parking during paid parking hours on the calendar day (or the remaining portion thereof) that the fee is paid. Once purchased, the daily permit must be placed face up on the dashboard of the vehicle so that it is viewable at all times by an enforcement officials.

....  Passes may be purchased at the Pacifica Parks, Beaches and Recreation Office, 1810 Francisco Blvd., or online at http://www.cityofpacifica.org/depts/rec_department. Please bring the license plate number of the vehicle for which you wish to purchase the pass. The cost is $50 for the Annual Parking Pass."  Read article.

Note - photographs. Shark warning fom Pacifica Riptide/KBO News photo, Taco Bell from Travels with Lucy.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Pacifica City Council to Consider Measure to Protect Fire, Police, Senior and Street Repair Services at Its Next Meeting



www.fixpacifica.com/docs/UUTMeasure.pdf

Kathy O’Connell
City Clerk
City of Pacifica
170 Santa Maria Ave.
Pacifica, CA  94044
(650) 738-7307

Monday, June 24, 2013

Pacifica Employee Salaries


Select "Pacifica" in the Entity drop-down.

http://www.mercurynews.com/salaries/bay-area/2012

Posted by Steve Sinai

Pacifica City council to Address Potential Update of Funding Structure for Services



www.fixpacifica.com/docs/CityUUTPressRelease.pdf

Kathy O’Connell
City Clerk
City of Pacifica
170 Santa Maria Ave.
Pacifica, CA  94044
(650) 738-7307

UTT Questions


Pollsters ask lots of questions. Not all of them see the light of day but many reveal interesting tidbits about the way people really are thinking. Take a look at these negative leaning probes. These sound a lot more like what i hear people asking. Look at the results. Eye-opening to say the least. All is not as rosy as some would like to paint it.

www.fixpacifica.com/docs/UTTNegativeQuestions.pdf

Submitted by
Jim Wagner

Homeless numbers way up in Pacifica


June 24, 2013, 05:00 AM By Brendan Bartholomew Daily Journal

Pacifica’s homeless count has increased by a staggering 900 percent. According to a new report from the Pacifica Resource Center, the number of homeless people counted in Pacifica has risen from just seven individuals in 2007, to 150 in 2013. However, the report’s authors have not dropped this bombshell without offering solutions.

The report was co-written by Anita Rees, Pacifica Resource Center executive director, and Sheila Katz, Sonoma State University sociology professor. They believe it’s possible to find housing for all 150 homeless individuals over the next few years. In the short term, they advocate the creation of rotating “warming centers” which would be hosted by local churches to keep homeless people warm and dry this winter. They’re also calling for the creation of the Pacifica Homeless Response Team, a task force of citizens and public servants, which would work to find new solutions to the problem.

The most common myth about homeless Pacificans is that there aren’t any, Rees said, because the town’s hidden homeless work hard to stay hidden.

“In general, folks who are homeless try to stay under the radar as much as possible,” she said.

Pacifica’s most visible homeless person is a man named Danny, who declined to give his last name. He’s a fixture next to the Quik Stop on Crespi Drive, where passing motorists are accustomed to seeing him every day. When asked how he wound up on the streets, he said, “I just started walking.”

“When people think of the homeless in town, they think of Danny,” said Rees, “They say, ‘Oh yeah, we have two homeless people in Pacifica.’ They’re thinking of Danny and another gentleman who stays in the back of the valley.”

Danny is atypical, Rees said. Many homeless are the working poor, who use a variety of strategies to keep up appearances, she said, adding that some maintain local gym memberships to use the showers.

Another myth about Pacifica’s homeless is that they’re just passing through. Most homeless Pacificans actually have deep ties to the community, she said.

In that respect, Danny is not atypical. He graduated from Terra Nova High School in 1970 and played in a local rock band. Those who remember him from the old days describe him as a brilliant guitarist. He disagrees, however, and said he’s “just a regular one.”

Read more...

Submitted by Brendan Bartholomew


City calendar this week, June 24 - 28, 2013


City of Pacifica Calendar, week of June 24-28, 2013.  Any meetings or events you may wish to add, please advise. 

Monday, 6/.24 -  City Council, City Council Chambers, 2212 Beach Boulevard, 2nd floor, 7 p.m. Direct agenda, and Fix Pacifica agenda article.

Tuesday, 6/25 - No meetings.

Wednesday, 6/26 -   Parks, Beaches & Recreation Commission, City Council Chambers, 2212 Beach Boulevard, 2nd floor, 7 p.m.  No agenda posted.

Thursday, 6/27 -  No meetings.

Friday, 6/28 - No meetings.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Saturday, June 22, 2013

City game plan to sell you several new, additional, permanent city UUT taxes


Take a look at this. Classic Orwellian Doublespeak.  Without raising"  Nah, they're just expanding the base 500%.  And all we're doing is "amending" the existing tax. The kicker is "other essential City services". Define essential please.

There is a $500 dollar cap on the existing tax. Add your PG&E bill, telephone, cell phones, and heaven knows what else, and how close will you get? There is no talk about caps, amount, duration, sunset, nothing. What exactly do they want?  (Jim Wagner)

From Goodbe Research, Topline Report, 6/10/13, page 4 of 17, item 2.
City of Pacifica - 2013 Revenue Measure Feasibility Survey

Uniformed Ballot TestNovember, 2013June, 2014November, 2014
Definitely Yes27.1%31.2%30.5%
Probably Yes31.6%29.4%32.2%
Probably No10.5%12.5%10.5%
Definitely No16.5%14.5%15.3%
Don't Know or No Answer14.3%12.4%11.5%
Total Yes58.7%60.6%62.6%
Total No27.0%27.0%25.8%






Ballot question wording
Without raising the current 6.5% rate, and to fund:
* fire protection and emergency services, 
* neighborhood police patrols, 
* senior services,
* maintenance of parks beaches and recreation programs
* street repair, and
* other essential City Services, 

Shall an ordinance be adopted to amend the City of Pacifica's Utility Users Tax adding telecommunications
services, requiring equal treatment regardless of technology used, maintaining senior exemptions and adding
independent citizens oversight, with all funds to stay in Pacifica and no funds for Sacramento?

Submitted by Jim Wagner

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Too old to paraglide, man seriously hurt


Paragliding Muscle Rock park, 4:01 minute video
Contra Costa Times/Eric Kurhi, 6/21/13. "Paraglider, 79, seriously hurt in crash near Daly City beach."

"DALY CITY -- A 79-year-old man was in serious condition after being rescued from a hillside following a paragliding accident at Mussel Rock Beach about 3:15 p.m. Thursday.  According to the North County Fire Authority, crews responded on a cliff rescue assignment about a quarter mile north of the beach, at a popular paragliding area.

The man was placed on a backboard and taken via ambulance to the trauma unit at San Francisco General Hospital. No further information about his condition, identity or the accident was immediately available.

Paragliding is  similar to hang-gliding but uses a parachute-like wing with a harness suspended below it instead of a rigid frame.  According to a website for Zephyr Paragliding, which offers information on paragliding in the Bay Area, Mussel Rock Beach -- known as "The Dump" -- can be treacherous for gliders, with dangers from power lines, drowning and crashes. It states that four paraglider pilots have had fatal accidents in the area." 

Related  - What's the difference between hang gliding and paragliding?  Fly tandem: describes and illustrates, "... The paraglider is essentially a "parachute" wing, has no frame and is fairly elliptical..."  Videos: Dave Turner XT, Pacifica, CA- Speed flying and paragliding the 'Dumps' aka- Mussel Rock, You Tube, 5:39 minutes.  Pacifica Paragliding/Trevor Meeks, 8/12, Vimeo, 4:22 minutes."...paragliding montage from flying at Mussel Rock Park (aka "The Dumps") in Pacifica, California." Beginners, Gone with the Wynns.com, The paraglider is essentially a "parachute" wing, has no frame and is fairly elliptical, Vimeo, 2:39 minutes, hang gliding, Pacifica, CA.".... Hang Gliding is the closest thing to flying like a bird and there is no better place to try than in Pacifica, CA. ... Join Nikki in her first flight to see the whole experience. .,." 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Friday, June 21, 2013

Appointment of the new Planning Commission, Councilmember votes


City of Pacifica, Minutes, regular meeting of June 10, 2013,  see pages 33 through 37.  Who voted for which planning commissioner candidates. As I understand it, under the new system, Planning Commissioner tenure is reviewed annually. From the following City Councilmember votes, appointed candidates include:  1) Mike Brown, 2) Rich Campbell, 3) Jeffrey cooper, 4) Chuck Evans, 5)  Josh Gordon, 6) John Nibbelin, 7) Sue Vaterlaus.



Councilmembers:



Candidates Len Stone Mary Ann Nihart Sue Digre Karen Ervin Mike O'Neill Total
1 Mike Bell X 1
2 Mary Brown X 1
3 Mike Brown X X X X 4
4 Rich Campbell X X X X 4
5 Tom Clifford X X 2
6 Jeffrey Cooper X X X 3
7 Chuck Evans X X X X 4
8 Allan Federman X 1
9 Josh Gordon X X X X 4
10 William Keaney X 1
11 Celeste Langille X 1
12 Connie Menefee X 1
13 John Nibbelin X X X 3
14 Victor Spano 0
15 Sue Vaterlaus X X X X 4
16 Lisa Villasenor X 1

Total possible votes:  7 7 7 7 7 7 35

Posted by Kathy Meeh