Subject: General Plan Update (March 28, 2008)

After years of work the General Plan has at last been updated!

The comprehensive update to the City of San Diego’s General Plan was adopted by unanimous vote of the City Council on March 10, 2008! The City Council action was to adopt the September 2007 Public Hearing Draft with amendments, along with additional actions related to the environmental document and companion code amendments. A compilation of the City Council-approved edits to the September 2007 Draft can be viewed at http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/genplan/pdf/generalplan/ccapprovededits.pdf.

City Staff is currently incorporating the City Council amendments into the General Plan and preparing the final document for web posting and publication. For further information click on to : http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/genplan/index.shtml

Thanks to all the City Staff and Rancho Bernardo Residents that have worked so hard on this major project for so long. Job well done!

Ellen Willis
Chair, Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board

Chair Remarks - TERM LIMITS (February, 2008)

For the record I want to make it very clear that the Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board (RBCPB) has always, and continues to respect the concept of term limits.

Contrary to some of the information being circulated through out the community, The planning Board did NOT amend our bylaws to over ride term limits in October 2007.

Our bylaws are very clear................a termed out member can only be on the ballot and be elected beyond the eight year term limit if both of the following conditions are met:
--there are not enough qualified candidates to fill the open seats
AND
--the termed out member receives 2/3 of the total vote

In line with State and local government entities-all recognized community groups are required to have term limits. Our goal is to be inclusive-not exclusive.

The RBCPB makes every effort possible to recruit new members to serve the community.

We can all attest to the fact that our board has had some wonderful members that truly provided a service to the community. However, it has always been the policy of this board, and to their credit, previous board members, to welcome the opportunity to afford others in the community the same honor-and encourage them to serve.

Ellen Willis
Chair, Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board

Announcing RB United

Dear Fellow Community Members,

In our continuing efforts to serve the residents of Rancho Bernardo, the RB Community Planning Board is pleased to be a participating member of the RB United Coalition.

RB United is a coalition of San Diego organizations that will provide services to all community members impacted by the fires, not just those homeowners whose houses burned.

The website established by the coalition is the community resource to help meet long term recover and rebuilding needs.

For more information, visit www.RBUnited.com, e-mail projectcoordinator@rbunited.com or call RB United Project Coordinator Valerie Brown at 858/485-1292.

The RB Planning Board is pleased to work with all current Coalition members including but not limited to:

City Councilman Brian Maienscheim
The San Diego Foundation
County Supervisor Pam Slater-Price
Interfaith Community Services
Neighborhood Watch, RSVP
Pomerado Newspaper Group
Rancho Bernardo Community Council
Rancho Bernardo Kiwanis
Rancho Bernardo Rotary
San Diego North Chamber of Commerce

The Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board has committed to working with all local organizations and individuals to help meet the recovery needs for all RB residents and community neighbors.

Please check our monthly agendas for specific actions.

Ellen Willis
Chair, Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board

Click here for the Community Needs Assessment Report
(After-The-Fires-Fund, The San Diego Foundation)

Response to the Fire Storm

As the community gets organized and moves forward with efforts for recovery and rebuilding after the fire storm, the Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board has defined its role through the following action that was taken at its meeting on Novewmber 15, 2007.

Resolved:

A. The Regional Issues Committee will continue to provide liaison with the Cedar Fire/Scripps Ranch people who have so generously stepped up to provide Support. Committee meets the first Tuesday of every month at the Swim &Tennis Club

B. We will be alert for opportunities to contribute to City and region efforts to improve land use and related matters designed to help prevent and minimize effects of future fires. The General Plan, currently in final stages of review, is an example of this

C. Ramp up activities of the Code Compliance Committee in areas to include removal of solicitous signs posted in violation of Municipal Code, grading issues, etc. The RB Neighborhood Code Compliance Committee will be in touch with all community members that have completed the required training from the City and carry valid badge identification. We encourage all residents to call 485-1555 and/or email ebwetc@aol.com with suspected violations.

D. The Development Review Committee will make themselves available for any assistance they can offer to residents involved in the rebuilding process. The Chair of the Committee is also a licensed architect and in addition to addressing any questions voiced at the regularly scheduled DRC meetings will make himself available on an as needed basis. The DRC meets the first Tuesday of every month at the SW&TClub at 5:30 pm

E. Designated members of the Planning Board will work with the Development Services Department and the City Planning & Community Investment Dept. as it relates to building permits, construction issues, etc...At this writing we have been advised that the City Staff has the manpower and procedures in place to expedite these processes. The Planning Board has committed to be available on an as needed basis to assist in the months to come.

F. The control and monitoring of truck and work vehicles in the affected areas of RB will be referred to the Traffic Committee. This committee is a joint group with the Community Council and all recommendations forwarded to the Planning Board will be expedited to the City Staff.

G. The RB Planning Board commits to offering any and all assistance to our in the San Pasqual Valley and will work with the San Pasqual/Lake Planning Group on an as needed basis in the months to come.

H. Confirm the Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board as a participating member of the RB Rebuilding Coalition

We encourage members of the community to participate by attending our meetings and offering feedback. You can keep informed by regularly visiting our website at RBPlanningBoard.com for agendas of the board meetings and various committees.

Ellen Willis, Chair
Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board

Chair Remarks-RB Alive! June 3, 2007

A message of thanks and appreciation:

This year marks the first time that The Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board participated in the annual RB Alive Street Fair Event with our very own community information booth.

And what a success it was!

We passed out hundreds of information pamphlets spoke to hundreds of residents and also gave away more pencils engraved with our web site information than we can count.

The theme of our booth, in addition to general information about what our board does, was to educate residents about our community elections and let them know how they can get involved in the Planning Board.

Winning prizes and collecting free information is what everyone loves about this annual event.

With the visual aid of the wonderful aerial photos supplied by George Cooke residents where encouraged to locate their homes and then guess their voting district for the March Community Elections. Everyone was a winner at our booth!

In addition to thanking the entire membership of our board for their support and enthusiasm about our booth I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to some very special people, without whose participation this would not have been possible:

Thank you to the board members that donated their personal ‘off duty’ time to spend hours at our booth –George Leitner, Sheryl Schane, Bill Renstrom and his wonderful wife MaryAnne, Lee Okeson, Richard House, Teri Denliger, Irv Sherman and Myrna Reese.

Thank you to my family.

There are two community residents that stand out and deserve special recognition.

Mr. Gary Powers, President of the North County Chamber of Commerce. When Mr. Powers heard that we were not going to be represented at this year’s event-without hesitation- he took immediate action to remedy this situation. Without the donation of a booth designated just for the RB Planning Board we would have surely missed a wonderful opportunity for community outreach. Thank you Gary!

The number one point of interest in our booth were the aerial photo’s of the different communities taken by our very own web master, Mr. George Cooke. They were absolutely fantastic! The computer generated photo of the RB Transit Center supplied by George and our very own Commercial Representative Marc Posthumus were an educational experience for us all!

I cannot forget the most important people of all. The residents of Rancho Bernardo. This is a community of wonderful people that are truly interested in their community as demonstrated by the interest shown at our booth.

What a great event this was! Thanks to everyone!

I think it is safe to say..................see you next year at the fair!

Ellen Willis
Chair, Rancho Bernardo Community Planning Board