December
2008
|
Mark
Whitehead,
former
Mayor
of
Del
Mar
Change
comes slowly
in Del Mar, but
usually for the
better because
of intensive
review of proposals
and the involvement
of dedicated
citizens. Such
was the case
for Measure G,
the extensively
vetted mixed-use
project proposed
for the old gas
station site
on Camino Del
Mar Del Mar at
10th street which
was overwhelmingly
approved on Nov.
4. more>>
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December
2008
|
Bud
Emerson
The
Sandpiper was
conceived in
the ‘90s by
a group of citizens
who felt that
Del Mar’s
Community Plan
was central
to the story
of how the
community developed.
It would be
a forum for all,
but especially
for those newcomers
who were attracted
to this unique
community but
did not know
its history
or core values. more>>
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November
2008
|
By
David
Sherer
Have
you noticed that
a lot of cities
have programs
called Adopt-a-Street
or Adopt-a-Highway? The
City Council
has approved guidelines
for citizens
and businesses
to adopt a public
place within
the City of Del
Mar through a
new program called
Adopt-a-Spot. Del
Mar has several
volunteer and
civic minded
groups enhancing
our City, such
as, the Garden
Club’s
maintenance
of that special “Spot” in
front of the
Post Office. Now
you can donate
your time
and
talents to
enhance
the charm
and
beauty of
your
neighborhood. more>>
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October
2008
|
by
Wayne
Dernetz
In
an effort to avert
opposition to
its proposed hotel-room
tax (TOT) increase
on the November
4 ballot (known
as Proposition
H), the City Council,
on September 22,
unanimously rescinded
an ordinance it
introduced in
August that contained
language referring
to the possibility
of a tourism marketing
district (TMD).
The ordinance
was intended as
the first step
toward implementing
the TOT increase,
if approved by
voters in November. more>>
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October
2008 |
by Bertha
Leone
The
correction in
the San Diego
real estate market continues.
North San Diego
County is no
exception. The
median price
of all homes
sold in North
San Diego County,
in August 2008,
was $390,000,
a decrease of
32.76% from
the same period
last year. But
are North County
statistics representative
of Del Mar? more>>
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October
2008
|
by
Shirley
King
 As
of September
21,
San Diego County
Vector Control
confirms a total
count of 18 human
cases of locally
acquired West
Nile Virus including
a third person
in the Del Mar
area. According
to San Diego
County authorities
there is no human
vaccine to prevent
West Nile Virus
and no specific
treatment for
the virus. Hospitalization
is the frequent
intervention. more>>
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October
2008
| by
Bud Emerson
The
clean water ballots have
been counted,
and voters approved
both measures
overwhelmingly. The
first measure
to confirm
the rates we
have been paying
up to this
time was supported
by 68.8%. That
amounts to
an average household
payment of
less than $11
per month.
The second measure
to approve
rates for the
future was
supported
by 62.4%. That
amounts to
an average household
payment of
less than $14
per month. more>>
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September
2008
|
by
Sam
Borgese
and
Wayne
Dernetz
 Del
Mar residents will
vote this November
on an ordinance
authorizing the
City Council to
raise the hotel
tax (TOT) from
the current rate
of 10.5 percent
up to 13 percent.
But the Council’s
actions to place
the measure on
the ballot raised
a controversy
within the community
over the relationship
of the TOT to
a parallel proposal
from Del Mar hotel
owners to form
a Tourism
Marketing
District (TMD).
The TMD would
authorize
an assessment
similar to the
TOT on hotel room
rentals and be
used to develop
a marketing program
aimed at attracting
more visitors
to Del Mar. more>>
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September
2008
|
by
Wayne
Dernetz
If
you’re
like me, the term “TMD” may
be new to you. Here’s
a quick explanation
of what a TMD is
and why business
owners are so keen
on it.
A
TMD is a Tourism
Marketing District – a
modern, specialized
form of a traditional
assessment district.
An assessment district
is a defined geographic
area in which monetary
assessments are
imposed on owners
of property to pay
for improvements
that benefit the
property. Assessment
districts have long
been used in California
to pay for constructing
improvements such
as streets, sidewalks,
parks, landscaping,
and other improvements
that benefit property
owners. more>>
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September
2008|
by Wayne Dernetz
The
August 13 deadline
to qualify for
the November 4
City Council election
ended with only
three candidates
filing to run for
the three open
seats.
The candidates
are Carl Hilliard,
the lone incumbent
seeking re-election;
Mark E. Filanc,
a 12-year veteran
of the City’s
Planning Commission,
and Donald Mosier,
a five-year veteran
of the Design
Review
Board. This may
be the first city
council election
in Del Mar’s
50 year history
in which there
is no competition. Some
Del Mar residents
thought it “shocking” not
to have a choice
of candidates
to pick from. Other
residents
see
it as an opportunity. (See editorial ) more>>
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September
2008 | by Jon
Edelbrock
 On
August 6, the Friends
of the Powerhouse
hosted 214 community
members at En Fuego
Bar and Grill to
raise funds in
support
of a new City of
Del Mar Beach Safety
Center in the 17th
Street public lot.
Co-chaired
by Jill Coughlin
and Piper Parry,
the event generated
over $58,000 in
donations to complement
the earmarked $550,000
from the Coastal
Conservancy.
Additionally,
the Del Mar Foundation
has approved a
$35,000 challenge
grant, matching
new community donations
for the Beach Safety
Center, and $15,000
has been secured
by local community
groups including
the Del Mar Thoroughbred
Club and others. more>>
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August
2008
|
by
Carol
Kerridge
and
Shirley
King
The
Garden Del Mar
Project took
an unexpected
turn after the
July 21 City
Council
discussion considering
approval of
the
project's Specific
Plan. In a widely
distributed
e-mail
sent early the
next morning,
developer Bryn
Stroyke announced
that he had
decided
not to move
forward
with the application,
stating that, “the
project can
no longer proceed
as envisioned
and that the
incredibly tight
schedule has
been dealt a
fatal blow”,
attributing
this decision
to comments
made by Site
Steering
Committee members
at the meeting. more>> City
Council
Takes
Key Action
to Approve
Garden
Del Mar
Project
for the
BallotWeb
Exclusive
Update
more>>
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August
2008
|
by
Bud
Emerson
 |
 |
 |
| Carl
Hilliard |
Mark
Filanc |
Don
Mosier |
Voters
will elect three
members
on the
Del Mar
City Council
in November.
The window
for pulling
papers
for candidacy
opened
in July. more>>
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August
2008 | Editorial
This
week the City
of
Del Mar is distributing
a ballot package
by mail to all
Del Mar property
owners and water
customers. On this
ballot are two
important questions. more>>
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August
2008
The
table below summarizes
the city's budget
for the next fiscal
year, recently
adopted by the City
Council. Some interesting
items to note are:
The budget is balanced
with a healthy
contingency reserve
of over $1million;
Transient occupancy
tax is money paid
by those who rent
hotel rooms here; “Race
track” is
our share of
the "handle",
i.e., money that
is bet at races;
The clean water
fund represents
the amount we
pay to comply
with state and
federal unfunded
mandates; The
capital improvement fund
is the amount
we accumulate
for large long-term
needs; Much
of the money
under “lifeguard” and “beaches
and parks” is
to provide
services
to
visitors. more>>
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August
2008
|
by
Harold
Feder
 After
three years, the City Council
has approved
the permanent
use of chicanes
as one of the
Crest Road traffic
calming measures.
Supporters believe
that these traffic-calming
measures have
been and will
be effective
and aesthetically
consistent with
our beautiful
neighborhood. more>>
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July
2008
|
by
Carol
Mason
 We
lost a treasure this
month when Al
JaCoby, 81,
died in his sleep.
He was an original:
A bon vivant;
a crusty-heart-of-gold
newspaper man;
a wine maker;
a theater buff;
an enthusiastic
world traveler;
and an admirer
of Mark Twain
and H.L. Mencken. more>>
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July
2008
|
by
the
Schneiderman
family
 Barbara
Schneiderman,
pianist, and
nationally acclaimed
author, lecturer
and teacher
who
brought music
into the lives
of hundreds
of
grateful young
students and
their families
died June 14
at her home
in Del Mar. She
was 73. The
cause
of death
was pancreatic
cancer. more>>
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July
2008
|
by
Art
Olson
After
four years of
intensive work,
careful restoration,
and architecturally
sensitive additions,
the renovation
of the house on
Avenida Primavera
originally built
by Charles A.
Canfield in 1910
has finally been completed.
Known alternately
as the Canfield-Wright
House, Wrightland,
and The Pink
Lady, this Spanish
Revival house
is listed on the National
Register of Historic
Places, and reflects
the rich history of
Del Mar over the
past 100 years. more>>
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July
2008 |
by Sam
Borgese
From
the tone of
the recent Planning
Commission meeting,
it sounds as
though, despite
40 to 70 (depending
on how one counts)
community hearings
on the project,
there are issues
remaining around
the project's
traffic impact
on its adjacent
residential
neighborhoods. more>>
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June
2008
|
by
Henry
Abarbanel
The
good news? Our
regional water
quality is improving.
The bad news?
Progress in
this area is
not cheap. Continuing
improvement will
be costly, but
at least we
can ensure that
the financial
burden is fairly
distributed.
Over
the past seven
years the State
of California through
its regional water-quality
boards has begun
implementing the
Federal Clean Water
Act. Few citizens
disapprove of clean
water, but equally
rare are the citizens
who are aware how
they are paying
for it. more>>
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April 2008 | by Mark Whitehead
 |
|
A
community-serving
retail district
located south
on Camino del
Mar near 9th
street, more
continuity of
lively store-fronts,
streamlined
development
processes, and
improving “perceptions” about
parking were
among the recommendations
of Ms. Kennedy
Smith whose
long-awaited
revitalization
plan for Del
Mar's business
core was presented
to the city
council on March
17. more>> |
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Posted Feb. 7, 2008 at 1:19 am
by Betty Wheeler | photos by Virginia Lawrence
A
marathon session
of the California
Coastal Commission on
Feb. 6 before
an overflow
crowd of more
than 2,100 people
at the Del Mar
Fairgrounds
ended in an 8-2
vote at 11:20
pm to reject
a federal consistency
certification
necessary for
the construction
of a 16-mile
toll road in
south Orange
County and northern
San Diego County,
running through
San Onofre State
Beach. more>>
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© 2007-08 Del Mar Community Alliance, Inc. All rights reserved.
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