LA MESA: In its 28-year history, La Mesa Beautiful has planted about 2,000 trees, including memorial trees that honor people who have died, board member Bob Bradshaw said.
Members of the nonprofit group believe that by recognizing individuals and businesses that make La Mesa a prettier place to live, they can continue to improve the city.
“We try to award the people who keep La Mesa beautiful,” said Cindy Knox, the group's president.
In 2004, the group considered disbanding. Knox, a member of the city's Community Services Commission, attended a meeting and encouraged members to continue. Knox spoke so eloquently and passionately that the members asked her to become their president.
“Most of our board members have lived in La Mesa 50-plus years and want to keep it looking nice,” said Knox, who was born and raised in La Mesa.
The group has about 95 members. It holds an annual recognition lunch in October and conducts a smaller awards ceremony in the spring to acknowledge 20 single-family homes for their landscapes.
ThThe nonprofit provides scholarships to schools and celebrates Arbor Day by donating plants and trees to elementary and middle schools in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District. The group teaches the students about Arbor Day and the importance of trees. At their Arbor Day assemblies, students sing, display artwork and read poems about trees to city officials and guests.
“We are delighted with what they've done,” said Murray Manor Elementary School Principal Jim Parker. “They provide us with incentive, and it motivates us to appreciate trees.”
Bayfront transformation rolls through early stages
CHULA VISTA: Within the next couple of years, Chula Vista is poised to begin transforming its mostly vacant bayfront into a world-class destination with upscale hotels, a convention center, restaurants, offices and luxury condominiums.
City officials have spent years refining plans for two “anchor” projects: a $1 billion Gaylord Entertainment hotel and convention center and a $700 million Pacifica Cos. condominium and commercial complex with another small hotel. The developers, along with the Port of San Diego and Chula Vista, have invested time and money in planning the projects but still have not finalized public-participation deals.
There have also been informal discussions about a Chargers football stadium where the South Bay Power Plant now sits on the southern boundary of the bayfront.
The bayfront is governed by a master plan developed by Chula Vista, the port and Pacifica Cos. to create an economic engine that provides jobs and housing. Public access is a priority, so the plan includes parks, open space and a protected salt marsh habitat.
Recently, the port analyzed how the planned bayfront development will affect traffic, marine life, wild animals and plants, noise levels, city views, air pollution and water quality.
After numerous technical studies, the port recently released a revised version of an environmental impact report for the 550-acre bayfront area. An earlier draft was released in September. Neither report addresses a potential Chargers stadium because there has been no official proposal for such a project.
Under California law, the report must address the steps that will be taken to lessen environmental effects of future projects before redevelopment can begin. About 100 people attended the port's public workshop on the report June 16.
Coastal development is a long and complex process, which kicks off when the Port Commission votes later this year to approve the final environmental impact report. There is no schedule yet for when that vote will take place; port officials say it depends on how many public comments are received.
Then, the bayfront master plan will go to the Chula Vista City Council and the California Coastal Commission. Pacifica's project also will have to be approved by the Chula Vista Redevelopment Corp. and the State Lands Commission.
Construction is still years away. Gaylord's project, at the earliest, could receive its major permits by the end of next year. Pacifica's project would probably need at least until the end of 2010 to get all of its permits.
Palomar irons out issues for proposed campus
FALLBROOK: Palomar College's plans to build a satellite education campus in Fallbrook are heading for approval again after being stalled for more than six months.
The community college district has ironed out most of the lingering traffic issues in the proposed project's environmental report and is preparing to move forward with the report next month.
The 83-acre parcel is north of state Route 76 and east of Interstate 15. The satellite campus is needed to serve a growing student population in Palomar College's northern attendance boundaries.
The district's board of trustees must certify an environmental report before Palomar can seek permits from governmental agencies or do any construction. Trustees are scheduled to vote on the environmental documents July 8.
<
In December, they were ready to certify the report but postponed their vote after receiving some last-minute comments from the county and Caltrans. Both had questions about Palomar's traffic analysis and how many car trips the campus would generate.
Palomar is hoping to open a few buildings, sports fields and parking spaces on its Fallbrook campus in 2011.
Online: To read any of these stories in greater depth, go to uniontrib.com/more/region
