LACAVA'S COLUMN
JULY 2023 Edition
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DISTRICT 1 BUDGET PRIORITIZES EFFICIENCY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
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The San Diego City Council amended and unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget on June 12, and the Mayor signed it without modification on June 23, 2023. Since we started the budget process last September, my goal was to get “Back to Basics,” focusing on efficient, on-time services, safe and reliable infrastructure, and supporting our public employees.
The approved budget takes a measured approach to available post-pandemic funding and emphasizes essential City-services that include road repair, sustainable water supply, public safety, and long-overdue investment in our City employees. We can now retain our talented workforce, bring back those who left the City, and continue to recruit new talent. We are once again competitive in the marketplace, with vacancies filled, we will deliver City services to San Diegans.
This budget also mitigates some of our greatest challenges. On homelessness and housing, it doubles down on investing in outreach, prevention, and shelter. With a fully staffed Development Services Department, we can accelerated the permitting process and the delivery of deed-restricted affordable housing. Climate action and resiliency are integrated within each City department’s work plan.
This budget builds on infrastructure, public safety, housing, and homelessness, including:
- $140M for road repair
- Small Business Enhancement Program to assist storefront businesses
- $1.5M to fix our most dangerous intersections
- $81.7M for homelessness services and shelters
- 10 new Police Service Investigative Officers (PISOs) to put more officers on the ground
This budget includes key funding for District 1, including:
- Repaving Del Mar Heights Road (Carmel Valley)
- Repaving Mission Boulevard from Loring to Chalcedony (Pacific Beach)
- Repaving Soledad Road (La Jolla & Pacific Beach)
- Two Full-Time Lifeguard positions for La Jolla Shores
- Advanced Lifeguard Academy
- Replace apparatus doors at Carmel Valley’s Fire Station 47
- Full repair of Marine III, All-Hazards Response Marine Vessel with marine firefighting, heavy towing, and search and rescue capabilities
The adoption of a balanced budget is not the time for a victory lap. The General Fund does not and cannot adequately cover all our City’s needs. Difficult decisions were made. We now measure, monitor, and improve. In three short months, we begin again the budget process again. To learn more, click here.
Residents wanting to submit their infrastructure priorities and ideas before next year's budget have until August 15, 2023. To participate in the Infrastructure Priorities Survey, click here.
We value everyone’s input. If you have any questions or need help filling in the survey, please email: PublicSpaces@sandiego.gov.
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ORGANIC WASTE RECYCLING BEGINS IN DISTRICT 1 |
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Last month, the City of San Diego rolled out a new Organic Waste Recycling program in D1. Every resident in D1 with waste hauling services from the City of San Diego can now easily recycle organic waste – including food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings – by discarding them in the green bins.
Please visit OrganicWasteRecycleSD.org to learn more about the program, what organic waste can be recycled, and how to care for your green bin and kitchen pail.
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VOLUNTEER DAY IN PACIFIC HIGHLANDS RANCH |
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Restoring Pacific Highlands Ranch community park is one of my priorities. It is also a priority of our Parks and Recreation Department. I spent a portion of Father’s Day weekend with the Pacific Highlands Ranch (PHR) community, PHR Recreation Council, and City Parks & Recreation Department staff cleaning and landscaping. City Parks & Rec is working on a more comprehensive response to ensure the park is user-friendly and well-maintained. The reseeding of the grassy field is almost complete, the temporary fence will be removed in August. |
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UTILITY UNDERGROUNDING IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETE ON THE EAST SIDE OF LA JOLLA SHORES
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We celebrated the removal of the last utility pole along the east side of Avenida de la Playa last month. Just like the long-awaited repaving of La Jolla Parkway, the ceremonial removal of the "last pole" marks the successful conclusion of a highly visible and appreciated improvement in La Jolla Shores.
Beginning in 2019, the project has delivered 1.8 miles of new, safe, and reliable underground electrical, telephone, and broadband service utilities that serve 81 homes. City staff collaborated with the community on design options, ensuring a result that satisfies both aesthetic, operational, and safety considerations.
This completion also brings other benefits to the neighborhood, including five new streetlights, 14 ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps, and the planting of approximately 24 street trees in the neighborhood.
For more information about Utility Underground Projects in your neighborhood, click here.
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CLEAN STREETS IN TORREY PINES NEIGHBORHOOD |
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Winter rains deposited sand on Via Latina, making navigation challenging and dangerous. Team LaCava initiated a request for street sweeping in the affected area. Acknowledging the unique circumstances of Via Latina, which is a narrow road without curb ramps or sidewalks, the City sent a special street sweeper to tackle the sand buildup. Should you come across a sandy or dirt-filled street that needs to be addressed, report it through our Get it Done app. We want every D1 street to remain safe and accessible for everyone.
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COMMUNITY CLEANUPS AID RESIDENTS IN PROPERLY DISPOSING OF BULKY ITEMS
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Many bulky items cannot be accommodated by the City's regular refuse collection or curbside recycling containers, so we offer “Community Cleanups” to assist.
Last month, Team LaCava took to the streets and circulated flyers throughout neighborhoods to inform residents about the convenient curbside pick-up service. Environmental Services Department removed over 39 tons of 'bulky items' from various neighborhoods within District 1. This cycle included streets in Carmel Valley, Crown Point, La Jolla, and Del Mar Heights.
Stay tuned for updates on the next round of Community Cleanups. In the meantime, if you happen to come across piles of trash or encounter instances of illegal dumping, please report them through our user-friendly Get it Done app.
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IMPROVING TRAFFIC SAFETY IN PACIFIC BEACH |
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acutely aware of the need for traffic calming and pedestrian safety. The project will also resolve nuisance flooding in the intersection and make pedestrian crossings safer.
This project was developed in collaboration with the community and completion is anticipated by Spring 2024.
For more information about the Foothill Boulevard & Loring Street Roundabout, click here.
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As part of an effort to improve safety and encourage people to use less-polluting modes of transportation, the City of San Diego is implementing the next phase of PB Pathways on two Diamond Street intersections between Ingraham Street and Mission Boulevard in Pacific Beach.
I met with both supporters and opponents on this initial project. I received the data and reporting to support these measures and verified with Police and Fire-Rescue that these measures will not affect public safety response times. PB Pathways, a community-approved initiative, supports Vision Zero goals by improving safety for people of all ages and abilities, especially at critical intersections, and advances our Climate Action Plan goals to increase biking, walking, and rolling for local trips.
Another traffic-calming project that broke ground is the long-awaited roundabout at Foothill Boulevard & Loring Street. As an area resident who frequently drives Foothill Boulevard, I am
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COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES |
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Constituent services are 'Job One' in my council office. My reps attend your community’s monthly meetings and are your gateway to work with City staff to resolve your issues. You are always welcome and encouraged to reach out to us from anywhere in the District or the City.
Venessa Jackson will direct your call to the staff best suited to respond to your issue.
Vicky Joes, Chief of Staff
VCJoes@sandiego.gov and 619-236-6611
Steve Hadley, Community Outreach Director
La Jolla
Emily Lynch, Community Representative
Carmel Valley, Del Mar Mesa, Torrey Hills, and Pacific Highlands Ranch
Karla Tirado, Community Representative
Pacific Beach
Joaquin Quintero, Community Representative
Del Mar Heights, Torrey Pines, University City
To stay up-to-date on all District 1 news and updates, please follow me on Twitter @JoeLaCavaD1, Facebook @JoeLaCavaD1, and Instagram @joelacava_d1. To ensure you receive our occasional updates, sign up here.
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Councilmember LaCava honors Sanitation Workers and thanks them for rolling out the city's new organic waste recycling program in District 1. Visit OrganicWasteRecycleSD.org to find out more.
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