JAN. 30, 2015
A5
T he C oast News
Solana Beach at top of tobacco control class Blakespear’s mediation plan fails, sort of By Bianca Kaplanek
By Aaron Burgin
ENCINITAS — The City Council rejected a proposal by Deputy Mayor Catherine Blakespear to create a mandatory mediation process for project applicants and opponents of those projects before the city would hear an appeal, but the plan was not dismissed entirely. The council voted to form a subcommittee with Blakespear and Tony Kranz to develop alternative mediation models that the city could potentially imple-
I think there are missed opportunities for use to help people resolve their differences...” Catherine Blakespear Deputy Mayor, Encinitas
ment in the future. Blakespear’s plan stemmed from her own personal experience watching the city’s appeals process, which she said pits neighbors against one another and often leads to long-lasting scars and resentment in the community. Often, she said, the two sides haven’t met to see if they can find a common ground before they reach the appeals stage. Prior to being elected, Blakespear represented the owner of Coral Tree Farm, which was at the center of dueling appeals to a city decision to allow the farm to continue, but prohibit a number of activities that were occurring on the farm. The farm owner, Laurel Mehl, appealed to have the decision fully reversed, while neighbors appealed to have the farm shut down.
The result, Blakespear said, was a messy ordeal that was aired out during an emotional public hearing. “I think there are missed opportunities for use to help people resolve their differences before they become part of a messy, confrontational, win-lose process that an appeal is,” Blakespear said. Blakespear’s proposal would have called for the city council to select a group of volunteers with expertise in planning, legal or mediation fields from the community to create a pool of mediators. Project applicants and opponents would be required to sit down with city staff and one of the mediators before the city would hear an appeal. While the council admired Blakespear’s outsidethe-box thinking and work on the proposal, they said they couldn’t support it in its current form. Kranz expressed concern about untrained volunteers — despite having expertise in the fields — because they would not have expertise in the city codes. Kristin Gaspar and Mark Muir both disagreed with whether the mediation should be mandatory. This is not the first time the council has discussed a mediation process. Earlier in the year, the council added mediation as one of its priorities for staff to explore. But city staff has been inundated with a number of projects, namely the Housing Element, and mediation remains in queue. The council’s ultimate vote on Wednesday will allow for the council to start the process in a forum where the public as well as staff can suggest ideas that will be brought back to the council for discussion and possible adoption. However, outgoing City Manager Gus Vina said that the final steps could be months away.
REGION — When it comes to tobacco control, Solana Beach makes the grade, but Del Mar does not, at least according to the American Lung Association. Solana Beach earned eight out of a possible 12 points and an overall grade of B — one of only two in the county— in the organization’s 13th annual State of Tobacco Control Report, released Jan. 21. “I’m proud of Solana Beach for having been the first city to prohibit smoking on our beaches and that we continue to prioritize health, clean air and protection of our youth from exposure to tobacco,” Mayor Lesa Heebner said. Garnering four points, Del Mar was one of eight San Diego cities that received a D overall. With a population of less than 5,000 people, the city’s low mark can, to some extent, be attributed to its size. For example, Del Mar received no score for failing to license businesses selling tobacco products. “I believe that we have one such business,” Councilman Don Mosier said. “I’m not sure some suggested actions would have much impact in a small city like Del Mar, but I am certainly open to any additional council action that
The American Lung Association gives a good grade to the city of Solana Beach regarding the way it controls tobacco. Courtesy photo
will improve the health of our citizens, and I appreciate the feedback from the American Lung Association,” he said. The yearly report grades all 50 states and the federal government on four key tobacco control policies: tobacco control and prevention spending, smoke-free air, tobacco taxes and cessation coverage. In conjunction with the national report, a local report issues grades for all 482 cities and 58 counties in California on three policies: smoke-free outdoor air, smoke-free housing and reducing sales of tobacco products.
Del Mar and Solana Beach received A’s for their smoke-free outdoor air policies, which prohibit smoking in public areas and facilities, places of employment, city vehicles, outside dining areas and day care facilities, as well as at or near parks and beaches. When it comes to smoke-free housing, all 19 San Diego jurisdictions received an F except El Cajon, which earned a C. The city, located in the southeast portion of the county, was ranked the highest in the report, with 10 points overall and a B. It takes 11 points to earn an A. The biggest differ-
ence in scoring between Del Mar and Solana Beach came in the tobacco retailer licensing category. Del Mar received no points and an F, while Solana Beach’s four pointes earned the county’s second smallest city an A. New to the report this year are bonus points for “emerging issues,” such as regulating the sale and use of electronic cigarettes and vaping devices. “Del Mar earned an extra bonus point for prohibiting e-cigarette use wherever smoking is prohibited,” the Lung Association’s Debra Kelly said. “Solana Beach earned one bonus point for that, plus an extra bonus point requiring e-cigarette vendors to obtain a tobacco retail license.” Bonus points aside, the 2015 scores for Del Mar and Solana Beach are identical to last year’s marks. The report is designed to increase public awareness about policies that protect residents from the deadly effects of tobacco and to encourage local leaders to implement change if needed. “There are many other lung irritants in the air than tobacco smoke, so I would look forward to reports that reflect efforts to improve air quality in the region,” Mosier said.
Oceanside’s financial forecast is ‘static’ By Promise Yee
OCEANSIDE — Jane McPherson, interim financial services director, described the city’s general funds for the next five years as “static,” and stated in the financial forecast delivered on Jan. 21 that there are no extra funds for city pay raises or capital improvement projects. What the City Council is left to look at, at a future budget workshop, is how general funds are allocated, and if changes need to be made. “It’s a great opportunity to review our spending priorities,” Councilwoman Esther Sanchez said.
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Oceanside’s revenues are stable and expected to increase slightly over the next few years. Home prices and sales taxes are up due to the overall economic recovery. The median sales price of a singe-family home is up 11 percent from 2013. Sales tax is expected to increase by more than 1.5 percent a year for the next five years with a 1.9 percent increase in one year and a 1.8 percent increase in two years. Another bright spot in the five-year forecast is an expected gain in transient occupancy tax (TOT). The increase is due to the open-
ing of the Marriot SpringHill Suites in 2013 and the re-branding of two other hotels. The biggest anticipated jumps in TOT are a 10 percent increase in one year, and 7 percent bump in two years. Following the meeting, City Manager Steve Jepsen acknowledged the city’s modest revenue increases. “The city is doing OK,” Jepsen said. “I don’t know what the new ‘well’ is, but we’re certainly doing better than we were doing two or three years ago.” On a low note, spending increases will be seen in pension costs, and main-
tenance and operations. Pensions costs will climb more than 1 percent a year with a 6.4 percent increase over five years. Maintenance and operations costs will see a slower increase with a 1.3 percent rise over five years. In response to the report, Mayor Jim Wood said he would like to trim consultant costs that can hit $1.5 million a pop, and see that money put toward other uses. Overall the city financial forecast is cautious, and does not address future state and federal actions that may affect city funds.