Neighbors Rally in Mission Hills to Protest SB 10 Implementation

By Stephen Prendergast

A very concerned and vocal group of Mission Hills residents gathered at the intersection of Fort Stockton Drive and Randolph Street on Saturday, May 6, to protest the planned implementation of SB 10. The rally, which ran from 10:00 am to noon, was one of several such protests around the Uptown area attempting to bring attention to what residents say could seriously impact the livability of the affected neighborhoods. Participants spoke about their concerns, waved signs, and chanted to cars and pedestrians passing the Mission Hills Nursery sign at the intersection of Fort Stockton and Randolph Street.

Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Branch Library

June 2023 Summer Reading Programs for Kids

Fridays at 10:00 am

Hosted by Carrie Sanabria, Youth Services Librarian

June 2nd

Zovargo – An animal interaction experience

June 9th

Zany Zoe – Kids comedy magician

June 16th

Wild Wonders – An exotic animal interaction experience

June 23rd

Dance to Evolve – A dance performance party with a Superheroes theme

June 30th

Michael Rayner – Kids comedy juggler

The Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library hosts a variety of activities and programs for children and adults. Monthly offerings can be found at www.sandiego.gov/public-library/locations/mission-hills-library and the Friends of the Library website at library92103.org.

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Senate Bill (SB) 10, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsome in September 2021, provides cities with the ability to zone certain areas for denser developments of up to 10 units on a single parcel. This can be done in designated “transit-rich areas” or “urban infill sites” if the local legislative body passes a resolution to adopt the plan. San Diego is currently considering its Housing Action Package 2.0, which would include the implementation of SB 10. As currently written, the plan would reportedly waive impact and permit fees that normally go towards infrastructure, and doesn’t require any parking for residents.

One of the speakers at the rally was Lisa Mortensen, a long-time resident and a veteran real estate agent with 47 years of experience. Asked what brought her to the rally she answered, “We are out here today because we’re the only city in this state that is voting on [implementing] SB 10, which is irreversible if passed by the City Council.” She went on to explain, “We want all the council members to know that we are watching, and we say ‘no’ to SB 10, which basically lifts any remaining controls at all.”

Marla Harrigan, who has lived in San Diego more than 50 years, praised the diversity of the neighborhood in which she has lived for the last 35 years and the mix of large and small homes. “People get along, and for [the City Council] to want to build five stories on one lot is wrong,” Harrigan told the crowd. “It’s ill-conceived, short-sighted, and mainly it’s irreversible. Once that’s done, our neighborhoods are done.”

Chuck Casavilla, a Mission Hills homeowner for 42 years, was equally effusive about his neighborhood, pointing out how walkable, friendly and livable it is. However, he fears that the implementation of SB 10 could result in more construction of multi-unit buildings that will adversely impact the area. The biggest problem, in his opinion, is the effect on infrastructure. “One of the things we complain about is [the Council is] not taking care of the current infrastructure needs of the city, like our streets,” Casavilla explained. “Meanwhile they allow developers to develop these highrises

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“Sinners and Saints” to Be Released in June 2023

In the picture-perfect town of Scheggino, Italy miracles do happen. Handsome and easy going, Agostino Urbino, has a life most would envy. He spends his days serving up delicious meals, coordinating weddings, and romancing women at his villa-turned-hotel high in the Umbrian hills. When he meets Anna Wilson, the American who has just bought an apartment in her grandfather’s hometown, his comfortable little world turns upside down.

Despite her slew of buried relatives in the local cemetery, Agostino sees a woman who sticks out like a sore thumb and has an annoying habit of stirring up trouble. Though they come from two different worlds— she is an independent city girl, and he comes from a long line of farmers—Agostino decides to help Anna connect with her local relatives. During the journey, startling discoveries about his own past make him question everything. As he and Anna dig deeper into the history of their beloved region and their families, they stumble upon long- hidden secrets, including the story of an abandoned monastery from one of