Highway 1 (1.3 miles in Pacifica) - the Montara perspective

From Pacifica Tribune letters-to-the-editor7/13/10

I have been watching with interest the commiserations going on in Pacifica in regards to fixing Highway 1. If it wasn't so damn serious it would be like watching the Three Stooges. Measure A passed in what, 1988? Highway 1 was high on the priority list. Twenty-two years later you guys are still arguing over how to fix it. For crying out loud, fix the thing. You've wasted too much time in arguing.

This affects a lot more people than those that reside in the southern end of Pacifica. If you haven't noticed, there's a tunnel scheduled to open here soon. What do you think that's going to do to your commute? There are a lot of people south of the slide that are sick and tired of the inane arguments brought forth attempting to justify nothing. We seemed to be able to get our bottleneck at Hwy 92 and Hwy 1 completed.

What's your excuse? Twenty-two years of city governance that can't make a decision is not acceptable. I wish I could vote in Pacifica. There's no way I could support the incumbents. They have been in office too long to have any valid reason as to why nothing has been moved forward. You're elected to provide leadership. So please lead. 

Frank Simmons.


Posted by Kathy Meeh

The new I phone 4 - follow-up

Antenna problem, got duck tape? 
7/13/10 Video from  CNN.                                                 
7/12/10 Consumers Report article and video from SF Gate.
                        
Posted by Kathy Meeh

City Manager Steve Rhodes and Vice Mayor Mary Ann Nihart Discuss Five-Year Plan to Reduce Pacifica's Budget Deficit at Upcoming Pacifica Democrat's July 17th Meeting

It has recently been reported in the local newspapers that Pacifica has been running out of places to look for money. Apparently, the city has been balancing its budget this past year by borrowing heavily from its reserves, which have dwindled to $1.7 million from $7 million two years ago. Pacifica now faces a $15 million structural deficit over the next five years. The proposed TOT (hotel tax) increase (to be voted on in November) would, reportedly, add an additional $640,000 to the city's General Fund in that time. It has also been announced that officials intend to stop the bleeding over the next five years with $8.5 million in salary freezes and negotiated pension contribution freezes, along with a series of strategies they hope will generate an additional $6.6 million in revenues...but, will that be enough in order for the city to erase its structural deficit and once again begin to build a reserve? 
The City's Financial Services Task Force, in an attempt to answer that question over the course of the past one and 1/2 years, has come up with a Five-Year Plan that recommends three options to resolve this financial challenge.
On Saturday morning, July 17th, guest speakers, City Manager Steve Rhodes and Vice Mayor Mary Ann Nihart, will jointly present the City of Pacifica's Five-Year Plan, and the details of its various options, to fix Pacifica's multi-million dollar budget deficit, at the upcoming Pacifica Democrat's monthly breakfast meeting, which is scheduled to be held between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. in the rear banquet room of the Sharp Park Golf Course Restaurant (Sharp Park and Francisco Blvds) in Pacifica.

Also scheduled for the July 17th meeting will be the City Manager officiating at the  installation of the Pacifica Democrat's newly elected Executive Board officers, who were elected at its June 19th meeting. The club officers for the 2010-2011 year are: President- Barbara Arietta; Vice President-Jack Waldbewohner; Treasurer- Suzan Getchell-Wallace and Secretary - Mari Brumm Merrill.
The Pacifica Democrats extend an invitation to the general public to come join them on the 17th of July, as they listen to both City Manager Steve Rhodes and Vice Mayor Mary Ann Nihart discuss these very important municipal issues. All Pacifica Democrat meetings are open to the public. It is neither necessary to be a club member, nor even a Democrat to attend the meeting. Doors open at 9am and seating is between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. A full breakfast is available for $12; continental for $6; coffee only $3. RSVPS, though not mandatory, are appreciated. For further information or to RSVP, please contact Barbara Arietta, President, at 415-246-0775 or email barietta@hotmail.com.


Barbara Arietta
President - Pacifica Democrats
415-246-0775
email: barietta@hotmail.com 

 

Legal mess over Pacifica cliff work grows

By Joshua Melvin
San Mateo County Times

Posted: 07/10/2010 06:22:50 PM PDT

Updated: 07/10/2010 10:21:31 PM PDT

A second lawsuit seeking compensation for unpaid construction bills has been filed over the effort to shore up a crumbling cliff that forced the evacuation of two coastside apartment buildings.

Drill Tech Drilling & Shoring alleges that Engineered Soil Repairs owes it $373,100 for work it did to build a retaining wall, according to a lawsuit filed in San Mateo County Superior Court on July 2. That wall was designed to keep any more of the bluff behind the apartments at 330 Esplanade Ave. from tumbling into the Pacific Ocean.

The owner of the vacant 12-unit building, Farshid Samsami, is also named in the lawsuit.

Samsami's apartment house was evacuated in December when officials decided there wasn't enough bluff left to guarantee the safety of the renters. That kicked off an effort led by Engineered Soil Repairs to stabilize the cliff, which included dropping tons of boulders to protect the bluff from ocean waves and the building of the wall.

It also generated intense media coverage as people wondered whether the buildings would fall into the ocean. But Drill Tech's work on the wall stopped in February, for reasons not explained in the lawsuit, leaving Engineered Soil Repairs with the bill.

Steve O'Connor, head of Engineered Soil Repairs, didn't respond to a phone message seeking comment, and Samsami declined to speak about the matter when reached Friday. But there was a public round of finger-pointing several weeks ago when representatives of the Esplanade Avenue owners accused the wall's builder of shoddy workmanship after it fell apart. Engineered Soil Repairs said the wall failed because the building owners prematurely stopped construction. 

Read more...

Posted by Steve Sinai

USC (South Carolina?) apologizes to Florida, Alabama, Washington

Southern California has apologized to Florida, Alabama, Washington, Oregon and Fresno State for accusing those schools of breaking NCAA rules by contacting one of the Trojans’ players without permission.

In a letter dated July 1 and addressed to Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, USC AD Mike Garrett said freshman running back Dillon Baxter confirmed to Garrett that the player “did not receive a call from your institution.”

“I apologize for any inconvenience or embarrassment this matter has caused to you and your institution,” Garrett wrote in a hand-signed letter.

The letter to Foley was obtained by The Associated Press. Alabama, Washington, Oregon, and Fresno State also confirmed Wednesday that their athletic directors received apology letters from USC.

ESPN.com reported USC filed a complaint with the Pac-10 in June about several schools tampering with Baxter after the Trojans were hit with NCAA sanctions.

Pac-10 spokeswoman Danette Leighton told the AP in an e-mail that it was the conference’s policy not to comment on enforcement matters.

USC received a two-year postseason ban, a loss of scholarships and was forced to vacate victories from the 2004 and ’05 seasons for NCAA violations involving former star tailback Reggie Bush.

Read more...

Submitted by long-suffering Cal alum Jim  Alex

Bay area unemployment update may be good news

Unemployment is a lagging indicator of the economy, maybe the worst is over. 

Beacon Economics is forecasting labor markets in the San Francisco metropolitan district, which combines Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties, to be on the verge of a revival. Following almost two years of continuous decline, total nonfarm employment in the San Francisco MD will begin a steady return to growth in the 2nd quarter of this year. In the short-term, job expansion will be led by growth in the finance, professional services, and hospitality industries. In the longer run, strong growth in the information sector will also contribute.  As a result of jobs coming online, San Francisco's unemployment rate will continue declining from the 9.6% peak it reached in the 4th quarter of 2009. Over the course of 2010, the unemployment rate is projected to drop 1.3 points to 8.3% on a quarterly basis. But bear in mind, when federal stimulus programs end next year as scheduled, these trends will slow as the public/private consumption balance reverts to more traditional levels. While this will not inspire an uptick in the unemployment rate, or declines in total nonfarm employment, the rate of recovery will be temporarily slowed.  Full article and source.

Posted by Kathy Meeh
 

City growth in Pacifica - conversation on Riptide, what a crock!

A response to a Pacifica Riptide post by Bruce Hotchkiss "Opinion give up and go county". 

Some of you may know and remember Pacifica used to have the largest land mass of any city in San Mateo County, before our city leadership gave it away.  And yes there are valleys and hills in Pacifica. Many successful cities have valleys and hills, locally such cities include San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, Belmont, San Mateo, San Carlos, Daly City and San Francisco. Pacifica is a "Bedroom community", isn't that a structural issues from the past, which would also include Millbrae and Belmont? Any city needs to pay its bills and provide adequate services for its community, in that regard Pacifica is "dead last" (below East Palo Alto) in San Mateo county.       

Arguments in favor of Pacifica economic failure include: 1) we're still figuring-it-out, 2) the quarry card club "was" our ticket to success, 3) housing tax revenue is not real money, 4) our location is geographically difficult.  Its early, there may be more salient failure arguments forthcoming. And, so far no response to 1) provide civilized services, jobs and tax revenue in the quarry and Palmetto/Beach areas, and no mention of 2) city council accountability. 

Summary of comments to date: 1)  Pacifica should "go county" to solve its economic woes and avoid paying the looming bills of its collapsing infrastructure, but 2) County is not looking for a "free lunch" city, and Pacifica would have to pay its outstanding bills and compounded debt anyway.  Therefore, 3) Pacifica must remain a city in order to fight "the freeway" (highway 1 improvement) and any other kind of city improvement.  Pacifica logic 101?  Bruce has a point, those who control this city are clueless. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh 
 

New Dog Park in Fremont

 The new Fremont "dog park" city infrastructure, provided by a city or developer/city, with city maintenance is the way adding a dog park within a city community is supposed to happen.  City infrastructure, not citizen volunteer effort.  We all live here in Pacifica, we all pay taxes, dogs exist, and about 18%+ of our families include dog family members. Beyond food, water, shelter, and love, dogs need  exercise, and socialization.  City council has had 8 years to fix this irregularity, and other financial/economic/civic infrastructure inadequacies of this city-- it didn't happen.  Vote them out this year!

From the article...The new park, jointly sponsored by BART and the City of Fremont, is larger than the previous one and includes separate areas for large and small dogs. It also has perimeter walkways, benches, water fountains with pet bowls and lighting for evening use. It is a 15-minute walk from the park to the existing Fremont BART Station.

The Warm Springs project is a 5.4-mile BART extension south from the Fremont BART Station into the Warm Springs District of Fremont. There may also be an optional station in the Irvington District, depending on future funding through the City of Fremont. Full article Full article 7/1/10.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

July 12, 2010 Pacifica City Council Meeting Agenda

http://www.cityofpacifica.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=3898

Submitted by Jim Alex

City Manager Steve Rhodes and Vice Mayor Mary Anne Nihart Discuss Five-Year Plan to Reduce Pacifica's Budget Deficit at Pacifica Democrat's Upcoming July 17th Meeting

Guest speakers, City Manager Steve Rhodes and Vice Mayor Mary Anne Nihart, will jointly discuss the City of Pacifica's Five-Year Plan to fix Pacifica's multi-million dollar budget deficit at the upcoming Pacifica Democrat's monthly breakfast meeting, which is scheduled to be held on Saturday morning, July 17, between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. in the rear banquet room of the Sharp Park Golf Course Restaurant (Sharp Park and Francisco Blvds) in Pacifica.

Also scheduled for the July 17th meeting will be the City Manager officiating at the  installation of the Pacifica Democrat's newly elected Executive Board officers, who were elected at its June 19th meeting. The club officers for the 2010-2011 year are: President- Barbara Arietta; Vice President-Jack Waldbewohner; Treasurer- Suzan Getchell-Wallace and Secretary - Mari Brumm Merrill.

It has been estimated that Pacifica has an approximate $14-15 million structural deficit over the course of the next several years. Earlier this spring, on April 12, 2010, the City Council unanimously approved the recommendations from the Financing City Services Task Force to move forward on a plan to try to reduce Pacifica's multi-million structural deficit over a five-year period. After meeting over the last year and a half, to figure out just what needed to be done, the Task Force presented its final report to the Council last April in three options.

As reported in an April Pacifica Tribune article by Jane Northrup, the three options are as follows:

Option One: (preferred option) It does not cut the budgets of any city department, nor does it cut personnel positions. It calls for the city to revisit labor agreements in order to try to negotiate a wage freeze and a freeze to the city's contribution rate to retirement benefits. By doing this, the Task Force expects to  save $8.5 million over a five-year period. Under this option, voters will be asked to approve three revenue-generating measures: an increase in the Temporary Occupancy Tax (TOT) that hotel guests pay, a public safety assessment and a revised utility user's tax. The TOT would increase from 10 percent to 12 percent over five years, if voters approve the measure in November. After the November election, voters will then be asked, in the spring of 2011, to pass a public safety assessment to raise $4 million over four years. The third step, a revised utility user's tax, which is expected to provide $2 million in additional revenue over three years, will come before voters in November 2012.

Option Two:  This approach would call for proportional cuts to be made to each department in order to raise the multi-millions necessary to eliminate the structural deficit over the course of a five-year period.

Option Three: (least preferred option) This is a service reduction option. It would cut 17 city positions to save $1.9 million. The positions to be cut include the following: an administrative clerk, a clerk in the Human Resources Dept., a recreation supervisor and food services worker in the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department, a police captain, evidence supervisor and police records supervisor in the Police Department, one firefighter in the Fire Dept., a management analyst and assistant planner in the Planning Department , and three tree trimmers and an equipment operator in the Public Works Department. However, because the positions to be eliminated include those who do street sweeping and tree trimming, the city would have to contract out those services at a cost of $690,000, which would reduce the total savings to $1.274 million.

According to projections coming out of the City Manager's office by year four of the five-year plan, the structural deficit should be eliminated and the city will once again begin building a reserve.
 As reported in a recent article written by Julia Scott in the San Mateo Times on June 29, "Pacifica has been running out of places to look for money...The cash-strapped city has been balancing its budget this past year by borrowing heavily from its reserves, which have dwindled to $1.7 million from $7 million two years ago...Pacifica faces a $15 million structural deficit over the next five years. The TOT (hotel tax) increase (to be voted on in November)would add an extra $640,000 to the city's General Fund in that time...Officials intend to stop the bleeding over the next five years with $8.5 million in salary freezes and negotiated pension contribution freezes, along with a series of strategies they hope will generate an additional $6.6 million in revenues..."

In the same Scott article Mayor Sue Digre commented that, "If concessions aren't made by employees in the next year, the city will be forced to look at layoffs and furloughs..."

After the November election and potential budget reductions, the Financing City Service's Task Force will meet again in January 2011 to see what progress is being made. If progress is not being made, what next steps to be made will be determined at that time.

The Pacifica Democrats extend an invitation to the general public to come join them on the 17th of July, as they listen to both City Manager Steve Rhodes and Vice Mayor Mary Anne Nihart discuss these very important municipal issues. All Pacifica Democrat meetings are open to the public. It is neither necessary to be a club member, nor even a Democrat to attend the meeting. Doors open at 9am and seating is between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. A full breakfast is available for $12; continental for $6; coffee only $3. RSVPS, though not mandatory, are appreciated. For further information or to RSVP, please contact Barbara Arietta, President, at 415-246-0775 or email barietta@hotmail.com.  


Barbara Arietta
President - Pacifica Democrats
415-246-0775

Please Send Your Comments On The Highway 1 Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) To The SMCTA by 7/22/10

Dear Pacifica residents,

As you may or may not know, the Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) concerning Highway 1 is currently in the process of being developed. The San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) is continuing to accept comments on the scope of this environmental document through July 22, 2010. It is very important that all comments, from Pacifica residents be submitted to the SMCTA no later than that date.

Please submit your comments to the specific email address (smcta_feedback@smcta.com) that has officially been set up by the SMCTA to receive comments from the general public on the scope of this report ...and, as recently announced at the general informational meeting held on June 22nd, the SMCTA wants to hear from the entire Pacifica community, as best as possible, on this very important subject. This has been a long process and there have been no final decisions made as yet.

What happens next appears to be as follows:

As soon as the Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) is completed, it will be circulated to the public and at that time the Pacifica City Council will have the opportunity to review the draft and associated technical studies, provide comments and may even take a position on the proposed project, if they so desire. The Pacifica City Council will also have an opportunity to hold a hearing to take input from the public. After the completion of the EIR, the City will have to approve the necessary permits for this project prior to the start of construction.

As mentioned above, the SMCTA will continue to receive comments on the scope of the environmental document through July 22, 2010. A public hearing will also be scheduled during the public circulation period. Responses to comments received will be included as part of the final environmental document projected to be certified in late 2011 by CALTRANS, which is the environmental lead agency on this project.

Barbara Arietta
Vice Chair, San Mateo County Transportation Authority, CAC
415-246-0775
email: barietta@hotmail.coom

Ex-employee of Pacifica trash hauler sues for wrongful termination

By Julia Scott
San Mateo County Times

Posted: 07/06/2010 10:12:43 PM PDT

Updated: 07/06/2010 11:23:28 PM PDT

 The lawsuit names San Francisco-based Recology as a defendant. Recology bought the troubled trash hauler in January because it took on financial responsibilities for Pacifica-based Coastside Scavenger. Castellanos wants compensation for unpaid retirement pension contributions. The lawsuit also names Coastside Scavenger general manager Chris Porter, owner Louie Picardo and Coastside's sister company, Seacoast Disposal.

In the lawsuit, Castellanos says the company started to criticize his job performance and suggested he resign in the wake of his sons' decision to file a grievance over alleged wage and hour violations and unsafe working conditions. He was also demoted from operations manager to lead mechanic. After he was fired, Castellanos says Porter, who is now general manager of Recology of the Coast, called him a "crook" and a "thief" and went out of her way to malign his reputation to prospective employers. 

"It was wrong what they did to me. They shouldn't have terminated me just because my sons had a lawsuit against them ... They did a lot of bad things to me. They bounced checks on me, they harassed me — I had to file a lawsuit as a matter of principle," Castellanos said this week, on his way to a job interview.

Read more...

Submitted by Jim Alex

5 reasons why the San Francisco Peninsula real estate market is HOT

Abbreviated article from www.examiner.com San Jose. "With all the negativity about the economy and real estate market in the media, it is understandable that most people in the country believe that the current real estate market is terrible. Despite what the media says, the fact is that the San Francisco Peninsula is one of the best and strongest real estate markets in the country.

Reason #1: The latest statistics published by the San Mateo County Board of Realtors report that during the month of May,
Reason #2: The average sale price for a home on the San Francisco Peninsula during May 2010 was $969,435.
Reason #3: Of the San Mateo homes that sold in May, the average time it took to sell those homes was 47 days.
Reason #4: With approximately 25% of the inventory selling in May, its clear that despite the tightening of lending restrictions, buyers are still buying.
Reason #5: These May 2010 figures follow a 2010 first quarter that averaged a 64 day sale time and increasing sales numbers.

With the summer months now here and the natural summer increase in market activity it's very possible that the Peninsula market could go from good to great by September. The adage "numbers don't lie" is rarely wrong. From where I'm sitting, the future looks incredible." From Full article, SF Real Estate Market Examiner 7/5/10.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

April Vargas endorsed by 3rd place finisher, Jack Hickey

From the Mercury News 7/10/10:

Jack Hickey, who placed third in the June primary election for an open San Mateo County supervisor seat, announced Wednesday he is endorsing second-place April Vargas for a November runoff.

Hickey, a frequent candidate for elected offices and a member of the Sequoia Healthcare District, said Vargas will "bring a fresh new voice to the Board of Supervisors" and she "understands the value of dedicated workers, yet is not beholden to union power brokers courted by her opponent."

By "her opponent," Hickey referred to former sheriff Don Horsley, who captured 39.1 percent of the vote in his bid to succeed termed-out Supervisor Rich Gordon. Vargas, an environmental activist, won 23.6 percent of the vote and Hickey 16.1 percent, followed by San Carlos City Council Member Matt Grocott with 14.7 percent and Michael Stogner with 6.5 percent.

While supervisor is a nonpartisan office, Hickey is a longtime Libertarian activist and Vargas has long been active in the Democratic Party.

"I would say the fact that the budget and the county's financial future is so much on people's minds shows that these issues really go beyond partisanship," said Vargas, a Coastside resident.

Horsley said he has supported school parcel taxes and community health programs, which Hickey opposes, and added that Hickey is "a 19th-century man. He believes in no government, I believe in good government."

The former sheriff, who sits on the same health care board as Hickey, pointed out he opposed Hickey's bid for a Redwood City School District board seat last year.

"I didn't seek his endorsement," Horsley said. "I wouldn't want it because of the fact I just don't think he represents the best interests of our children or of our community."

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_15415686?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Submitted by Ian Butler

Forest Fairies run this town

Nihart is out with City Manager Rhodes on a road show of sorts addressing local groups to garner support for fund raising via the taxpayers pockets. Yea, Pacifica is broke. Most of us realize that sad reality. It's time for the other council members to get out in our community to make their pitches.

I would love to see Mayor Sue Digre defend her mantra "The Ecology is our Economy" to the workers getting laid off. Or Julie expound on how we should all get along. Oh, and Waldo, oops I mean Pete, attempting to address a group and explain away the mysteriously invisible 7 million in reserves he campaigned on in 2008. Or the Teflon Councilman, Jim Vreeland, explaining why he fails to show at so many important council meetings. These 4, long term council members, have collectively destroyed the economic viability of Pacifica by pandering to the forest fairies who seem to run this town behind the scenes. I challenge them to show me one economically viable project they are responsible for. On the other hand, I can name many failed expensive, money wasting, pet projects these 4 Horseman of the Apocalypse have been responsible for.

Submitted by Jim Wagner

Semi-interesting Pacifica discussion on Trip Advisor website

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g32842-i2206-k3742009-HI_Express_Pacifica-Pacifica_California.html

Posted by Steve Sinai

Did we make it though another July 4th celebration yet?

This morning the birds are still chirping, no deer or raccoons around, not looking for skunks.  This year so far no unusual sightings of a fox or coyote on the back hill.  Frogs, snakes and insects, well? There's an  unusual fly buzzing through my office, he doesn't belong here so maybe he flew-in for protection, good luck.

Last night Linda Mar valley was host to several illegal firework bombs, and I suppose there's nothing to prevent that from happening.  "The police can't be everywhere" to paraphrase Sandra Varga in her 6/30 Pacifica Tribune "order to chaos" letter-to-the-editor, (listed 4th).  

Why continue this barbaric practice of lightening-up neighborhood fireworks in the first place?  Okay, "barbaric" is too wimpy, too severe, you have your legal rights, and after all "its for the children". Is it?  What might be the results of an unofficial poll "for or against" these neighborhood fireworks?  Probably something like 45% for, 45% against, 10% don't know, don't care, can't figure-it-out. Just a guess from city council audience participation in the past.    

Once again we seem to have skated through another year with no apparent injuries, or burn-downs, and the hills look okay so far. Our domestic pets are a little more neurotic as is wild life, but expected to recover.  The clubs made a few dollars the city cannot provide.  Guess that's a good thing.  

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Highway 1 public info meeting slides from June 22

These are the slides that were presented at the June 22 Highway 1 meeting held at City Council chambers.

http://www.smcta.com/pdf/route1-calera_pkwy/Hwy-1-Calera_Public_Info_Mtg_6-22-10_v15_web.pdf

Posted by Steve Sinai

Time for a second rail car

Gorilla BBQ - picture taken July 4, 2010 @ 1 p.m.

Posted by Steve Sinai

Highway widening plan aired at public meeting

By Jane Northrop

Pacifica Tribune Staff Writer

Posted: 07/01/2010 06:00:00 AM PDT

Pacificans aired their views last Tuesday about two conceptual plans to widen Highway 1.

Both plans are still under consideration. Both would widen the highway from four lanes to six lanes for 1.3 miles from 1,500 feet south of Fassler Avenue to 2,300 feet north of Reina del Mar Avenue, but one variation calls for a landscaped median between San Marlo Way and Reina del Mar Avenue.

Both designs will accomplish the same traffic goals, to improve traffic operations over existing conditions out to year 2035. Although aesthetically pleasing, the addition of the landscaped median will create more of a footprint and will be more expensive. Calera Creek wetlands will not be affected by either variation.

A pedestrian overcrossing at Reina del Mar has been dropped, citing potential pedestrian safety problems since some people will still try to cross but without a crosswalk and signal delay to protect them, the report generated from Caltrans, the San Mateo County Transportation Authority and the city of Pacifica reads.

The need to improve the highway was first identified in the 1980s by those agencies.

As a first step to address issues, a safety barrier was built in 1991. The first scoping meeting for this current project was held in 2004. Environmental review proceeded over the years. In March, another scoping meeting was held. The Pacificans who were present then asked for more time to make comments on the draft environmental impact report. They also asked for more information about other plans that had been scraped.

At the meeting on Tuesday, the walls of the City Council Chambers were adorned with plans that had been scraped in favor of the two variations still under consideration.

A traffic study conducted in 2007 concluded the bottleneck on the highway is caused by the signals at Fassler and Reina del Mar, plus a lot of commute traffic from Fassler. For the morning northbound commute, one third of the traffic enters from Fassler, one third from Crespi Drive and Linda Mar Boulevard and one third from south of Linda Mar. Traffic backs up for one-third to one-half mile. By year 2035, the back-up was expected to increase between one mile and 1.7 miles south of Fassler. Southbound traffic backs up at Reina del Mar between one half and l.5 miles. In 2035, that is expected to extend an average of 1.3 miles to 2.2 miles. The improvements are expected to shave seven to eighth minutes off travel time. 

Members of the audience, which numbered about 60, asked numerous questions about what was considered in the study, including fuel costs and mid-coast traffic, wetlands and archeological finds. A couple audience members questioned the wisdom of not building a pedestrian overcrossing in Vallemar. The designers do not yet know if any trees will have to be removed to accommodate the highway widening.

Read more...

Posted by Steve Sinai

Why I love America

 

http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/opinion/ci_15428159

This is an editorial that I agree with. Simply put.

Let's see if Kathy can make something cynical and hateful about it.

Lois Rogan

Here's how San Mateo tries to attract business

Chamber broadens scope to draw and keep startups

July 03, 2010, 01:38 AM By Bill Silverfarb, Daily Journal Staff

San Mateo’s business community had an “aha moment” a few years ago when little-known startup YouTube moved its offices above a downtown pizzeria to new digs in San Bruno.

YouTube flew under the city’s and chamber’s radar before Google gobbled it up in late 2006 for $1.65 billion in stock.

The San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce is determined to not let another startup like YouTube slip through the city’s fingers.

Another company located in downtown, AdMob, was also recently purchased by Google for $750 million and has moved the bulk of its operations to Mountain View.

In the poor economy and with San Mateo closing down its Business Resource Center at the end of this month, the city has partnered with the chamber to launch a new initiative aimed at attracting and keeping business in the city.

The Economic Development Growth Enterprise initiative was started by the chamber earlier this year and just received $75,000 in seed money from the city to help foster better relationships between the business, government, social and academic communities.

Outreach to larger businesses that would not typically become chamber members is a key component of the initiative in an effort to show they are appreciated, said Steve Parker, Edges’ director.

“A lot of large tech companies don’t see the traditional chamber as being relevant to their business,” Parker said.

With cities cutting back on economic development, the chamber is looking to pick up the slack.
“The poor economy helps people focus,” said Linda Asbury, the chamber’s president and chief executive officer.

Companies such as Salesforce.com and Digital Chocolate, located at the crossroads of Highway 101 and State Route 92, have taken interest in The Edge and Parker and Asbury hope to expand that interest to other large companies.

“We don’t want to become the stepchild of Silicon Valley or San Francisco. We want to show the opportunities that exist here,” Asbury said.

Mountain View-based Collaborative Economics has announced it will relocate to San Mateo, something the chamber hopes other companies will consider.

The Edge is also working closely with commercial real estate brokers to identify vacant office space and plan for future developments, such as Station Park Green and the Hines project, to attract corporate tenants.

The chamber requested $750,000 from San Mateo to fund the initiative for the next three years but the city could not support that request considering its $4 million deficit and state takeaways from the Redevelopment Agency.

Read more...

Posted by Steve Sinai

Declining property values mean $20 million less for local cities and schools

By Bonnie Eslinger

Daily News Staff Writer

Posted: 07/01/2010 10:12:59 PM PDT

Updated: 07/01/2010 11:14:04 PM PDT

San Mateo County cities, schools and special districts will receive about $20 million less in 2010-11 because property values have decreased a second straight year, according to data released Thursday by the county assessor's office.

Assessor Warren Slocum blamed "depressed housing and commercial markets and a lagging local economy," and noted that in his 24-year tenure he has never seen a year-to-year decline in assessed property values.

The 2010-11 annual assessment roll reflects the assessed value of all properties in the county as of Jan. 1 after accounting for changes in property values from the previous year. 

The county's annual assessment roll decreased by 1.39 percent, or $2 billion, from the previous year, according to the data. A sizable portion of that loss came from businesses associated with San Francisco International Airport. 

About $1.3 billion of the $2 billion decrease stemmed from assessments of unsecured property, which includes commercial airline property and SFO's aviation and concession interests. Though unsecured property assessments make up only 5.5 percent of the net combined roll, they dropped in value by 14.28 percent.


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Submitted by Jim Alex

July 4th weekend Pacifica, 2010!

Happy holiday weekend with whatever activities you're planning, or not. The following events are city sponsored activities in Pacifica on Sunday, plus other bay area city celebrations this weekend. You may also want to advise of other community events of interest.

Picture from Conquest Chronicles

Pacifica Parks, Beaches and Recreation events.
5-mile race "Rocket Run 2010" . Check-in and late entries 8-8:45 am, cost is $20. Race starts at 9am sharp. Location beginning and end: Pacifica Community Center, 540 Crespi Drive.  Registration application.
Celebration at Frontierland Park. 11am to 4pm, Yosemite Drive at Humboldt Court. Time of events agenda.
Activities include: live music, face painting, hair coloring, temporary tattoos, puppets and balloons, Rotary Club Dog Show, dance and martial arts demos, tasty food, cotton candy, craft booths.  Games include: water-balloon toss, rope pull, parachute games, crazy relays, sack races, watermelon-eating contest.

Around Bay Area city parades, fireworks events, other celebrations.
Cities Map of events
Per city events
Note: once again Pacifica is not on the map.   

National reference.
History (video) http://www.history.com/videos/fourth-of-july-history#fourth-of-july-history
National Independence Day Parade (slide show) http://www.july4thparade.com/

Posted by Kathy Meeh

San Bruno, Pacifica fireworks sales and use keep police, firefighters busy

By Joshua Melvin
San Mateo County Times

Posted: 07/01/2010 06:00:00 AM PDT

Updated: 07/01/2010 11:20:20 PM PDT

 

Police and firefighters in the only two San Mateo County cities that allow people to buy and set off "safe and sane" fireworks are gearing up for one of their busiest times of the year — the Fourth of July.

"On the Fourth, people tend to drink a lot and blow things up," said Pacifica police Capt. Dave Bertini, whose department will have all 30 of its officers on duty over the course of the weekend, plus 20 San Mateo County sheriff's deputies for backup.

San Bruno will have about the same number of police on duty along with five sheriff's deputies for backup to deal with the flood of calls expected to come in as revelers celebrate America's birthday, said San Bruno police Cmdr. Matt Campi. Most Peninsula cities plan to have beefed-up crews of officers and firefighters as the party kicks into high gear.

"There's a lot going on in the street," Campi said, adding that the city typically sees a 50 percent jump in calls for service on July Fourth compared to an average day.

Both cities permit the sale and use of safe and sane fireworks, which are pyrotechnics that don't fly or explode, said Battalion Chief Julie Hutchinson of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Nonprofit groups run many of the sales booths, raising thousands of dollars for things such as school uniforms and supplies.

Under state rules, all other fireworks are deemed dangerous and illegal, and both cities levy a $1,000 fine for people caught with them. 

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Posted by Steve Sinai