Cranky old car driver meets earnest young bike advocate on Traffic Commission; hilarity ensues.
Commissioner Dave Hutchinson took issue with [Commissioner Brian] Grover promoting “complete streets” — roads that accommodate car lanes, as well as bike lanes and sidewalks.UPDATE: An anonymous commenter says that the city is investigation whether Grover's communications with a subset of council members is a violation of the Brown Act, and another comment purports to quote one e-mail which might be in violation. What are the consequences to violating the Brown Act? We hear an awful lot about it but never hear any consequences.
“Your agenda, so it’s been revealed in the last couple of weeks, is anti-traffic,” Hutchinson said. “It’s complete streets, which cuts down the flow of traffic.”
Hutchinson also said that the commission’s mission is to ensure the steady flow of car traffic, not bike access.
“When I joined, this was the traffic commission ... biking wasn’t even in the vocabulary,” Hutchinson said. He added that the commission now has “this emphasis on biking, which is opposed to what we’re supposed to be doing in trying to get traffic to flow through this community. I have a real problem with that.”
In response, Grover quoted the city’s website, which states that the seven-member commission makes recommendations to the Encinitas City Council on “matters related to the circulation of motorized vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles and on matters related to public safety.”
UPDATE 2: Hutchinson responds.
"In April, Andreen told the Encinitas Advocate he was exploring New Encinitas seceding and becoming its own city, in part because of the three councilmembers’ support of biking and walking projects, saying those come at the expense of road infrastructure in New Encinitas."
ReplyDeleteHi-larious! Andreen is exploring? Maybe he should "explore" his own city of Oceanside. Laughable.
July 10, 2015 10:46 AM
DeleteRe: Circulation Element
“I want to bring up something that was mentioned last night and I want to make sure I am understanding this correctly.”
“At the end of the Rail Trail Agenda Item (July 9th, 2015) the SanDag rep spoke of her conversations with the Coastal Commission regarding both alignments (Coast Highway and east of the rail road tracks) The question proposed (By Tony Kranz, I believe) was whether or not either alignment would be subject to subsequent review and approval by the Coastal Commission, given that the ‘east of the tracks’ alignment is shown in the SanDag/CalTrans Public Works Plan that was approved by the Coastal Commission.”
“SanDag’s (verbal) response regarding the ‘east of the tracks’ alignment was NOT surprising (since it was in the PWP (Public Works Plan) but their response regarding the Coast Highway alignment (The Lane-Diet and removal of on-street parking in Downtown Encinitas along 101) was surprising to me. She (the SanDag representative testifying before the City Council) said that the Coast Hwy alignment would (only) require an amendment to the PWP (And therefore Coastal Commission Approval), but that Coastal Commission staff had viewed this (The Lane-Diet, removed lanes and parking et al) as a ‘minor change.”
“Why am I bringing this up? I believe at the beginning of the Agenda Item (Rail Trail) both of you (Lisa Shaffer and Catherine Blakespear) posed a question to staff about getting BOTH the Coastal Rail Trail ‘east-of-the-tracks’ as well as roadway IMPROVEMENTS (e.g., Lane-Diet) on Coast Hwy (101). I had previously been under the impression that a road diet on Coast Hwy 101 would be a painstaking process with the Coastal Commission, but here is SANDAG saying that they have (Already) broached the subject with the Coastal Commission staff and that it is NO BIG DEAL to them. So, it was BIG NEWS to me.”
“(Lisa and Catherine) Can WE figure out a schedule for the next slurry (Asphalting/tar-oiling street surfaces) seal along this stretch of Coast Hwy (101) and start planning for a Road Diet so as not to ‘miss the opportunity’ when it comes along?”
“I’d hate to have the slurry (Seal) come along and find OURSELVES not prepared because we haven’t got a road diet (minor change) approved with Coastal (Commission)
nor have we done the necessary traffic studies to PROVE that it works. It might be years away.”
“But I think we should know the schedule (in order to remove 2 driving lanes and on street parking downtown along 101).”
“As Lisa (Councilwoman Shaffer) said last night, “It’s just paint” AND they’d need to restripe it (Hwy 101) anyway, so we might as well GET SOME BIKE-LANES and perhaps some PEDESTRIAN SPACE in lieu of the (1 northbound and 1 southbound lane and east-side parking space removal) vehicular travel lanes. I IMAGINE there is a cost to this, but it would be MINIMAL (and nowhere near what SanDag would spend on it.)”
“Anyway, just wanted to throw this out there as it is fresh in my mind right now…
Thanks,
Brian
2:27 PM
DeleteIt appears the above was copied from a comment to the Seaside Courier article. I don't know if it makes a difference or not but the commenter made a note that:
"Here is a verbatim copy of one of Mr. Grover's letters to council. (Parenthesis for emphasis are mine)".
Whoever copied this failed to include the note. And now you have it.
Grover is right, and Hutchinson is wrong about the charter of the commission. I love the fact that instead of engaging in a philosophical debate, Grover simply read the city web site verbatim.
ReplyDeleteCommissioners serve at the pleasure of the City Council. And Council selected Grover with full knowledge of his "agenda," so clearly Council wants that commission to take a broad view of "traffic."
If Hutchinson can't support that charter, then he should consider resigning.
Lisa thinks everyone's going to suddenly decide to give up their cars and that we have to accommodate that supposed eventuality. Blakespear agrees. That's not just an agenda, that's delusional.
DeleteCyclists who show up at our traffic and council meetings who like biking THROUGH our town should not be callng the shots, but they make headway as they support the Shaffer/Blakespear delusion.
BTW, seen a cyclist stop at a red light lately? Stop sign? Didn't think so. When they start showing respect for the road, I might start considering their point of view. But I'll never pretend that we are headed to becoming a cycling society, no matter how hard Shaffer closes her eyes and clicks her heels.
I'll give you a challenge:
DeleteCount the number of cyclists you observe drifting through signals and stop signs (I'll not deny that it happens, and it shouldn't).
Then keep count of the number of cars you see in the bike lane. Cars waiting for a parking spot to open up on the 101; delivery and parcel trucks parked in the bike lane; realtors stopped in the bike lane to put up or take down open house signs; cars cheating to the edge of the roadway before a right turn lane; cars stopped in the bike lane while the driver talks to a friend on the sidewalk, or asking for directions; cars stopped in the bike lane while the driver responds to a text message or enters a destination into the GPS.
These are all violations that represent a real safety hazard.
Keep score.
You might be surprised.
Methinks you mean the sharrow lane.
DeleteNope. Dedicated bike lanes.
DeleteI love the conversation on bikes. It's a simple one to me. The same rules apply on a bike as they do in car. Here's the difference, though. If you run a stop sign on a bike and someone hits you, there's a lot less protection.
DeleteAs to the number of violations, I've seen it on both sides. The one major difference is you can't blow through a stop sign or red light in a car, and that happens far too often with the big bike pelotons out on 101.
As for people violating the bike lane in cars, it happens all the time, and is equally as bad. Personally, I don't want to be involved in a car on bike accident, so I always stay back.
The key problem remains on 101, there are two lanes of traffic, but that's not enough room for bikes and cars on the right with all the parked cars and deliveries, and we're not getting more roadway width..
-MGJ
The newspaper article in the Advocate left out the catalyst for Hutchinson's private contact to Brian Grover: a series of documented e-mail correspondence between Grover, Catherine and Lisa conniving to implement a lane-diet both on downtown Hwy 101 and El Camino Real that downtown would remove all on street-parking from E Street to J Street on the East side, along with removing one northbound car travel lane and one southbound travel lane essentially guaranteeing bumper-to-bumper gridlock from 7:00 AM until 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM 5 days a week.
DeleteIn addition, Hutchinson also discovered that Grover was bullying the City Staff accusing them of underfunding bicycle lanes under his 'Vice-Chair' color-of-authority only to be 'schooled' by the staff who proved his ranting was unjustified.
Somehow, none of this documented correspondence made it into the Encinitas Advocate story even though it was provided; along with the fact that Hutchinson voted approval for a half-dozen bike items in the last 6 months.
Plus, last Thursday, Lisa Shaffer threatened to remove all the members of the Traffic Commission that didn't agree with Grover's zealotry. The simple fact is, Grover, Shaffer and Blakespear got caught, in writing, plotting to radically reduce the travel lanes downtown and on ECR to accommodate bikes over cars. And, rather than admit it, they went to the city council house-organ, the Advocate and got their writer to knowingly mislead the public about 'what' the conflict really is over.
To top it off, the staff knows that Shaffer, Kranz and Barth increased the Traffic Commission to 7 seats to accommodate Grover's move from another commission and only Grover's lack of political skills resulted in him detailing the conspiracy against downtown's business district into a 'public' series of correspondence.
Listen to the last Traffic meeting, More than half of the Commission sided with Hutchinson and Glenn Pruim told Grover to quit bullying the staff and contacting people using his Vice-Chair title to promote a personal agenda that he hadn't previously discussed with his peers.
Finally, Asha Bleier, the CEO of Dudek and Associates employs Grover, and is listed as the primary consultant of Complete Streets San Diego. Connect the .......
8:00,
DeleteIf you can get the e-mails by public records request, I'll post them.
I would love to see that exchange, if true, but it would have to be via official city email to be subject to a records request, right?
Delete-MGJ
MGJ -- That's right. But both Shaffer and Blakespear often use private email addresses that aren't subject to public record requests.
DeleteAlready there have been unintended consequences of the changes on 101. The sharrows, the additional stoplight at "F" Street, and the stop signs at Swami's have increased the cut through traffic on Vulcan/ San Elijo. What was a residential street is now carrying a much higher volume of traffic. It doesn't help that delivery trunks unload in the left-turn lanes or sharrows lanes on 101 and that most of the cyclists are recreational riders and not really reducing car trips.
"most of the cyclists are recreational riders and not really reducing car trips."
DeletePlease explain how you know this.
I ask because I used to ride to work two days a week. We had showers and lockers at work. I would bring in two sets of clothes on Monday and ride to work Tuesdays and Thursdays. If I was riding to work the following morning, I'd lock my laptop and briefcase in a desk drawer.
While out on the road, you wouldn't be able to tell if I was riding for exercise or commuting, so I'm curious how you know this.
Where is there a dedicated bike lane on 101 where there is also a sidewalk, buildings where UPS delivers, and whatever else you mentioned?
Delete3:39,
DeleteThis thread is about the Encinitas Traffic Commission. All of Encinitas (which is bigger than just the 101). I referred to the 101 in one of the many examples from my personal experience, but cars in the bike lane is more a more pervasive problem than one road.
I'll add another common example. Cars double parked in the bike lane across from Las Olas to load and unload people and gear for the beach when the parallel parking is full. Happens all the time. Riders are forced out into the southbound lane where cars are accelerating to warp speed.
5:07
DeleteYou specified the 101 and only the 101. All your examples followed your specifying the 101, so, naturally, any reader would think your examples applied to the 101.
Okay, now that the content is clarified, do you want to keep talking about writing style, or address the substance?
DeleteThe point is, motor vehicles stopping in dedicated bike lanes is a frequent violation, maybe even more frequent than cyclists blowing through traffic signals.
I actually saw a police officer pull a bicyclist over and gave him a ticket for riding through a red light. First time I have seen this.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of dumping our cars to ride bikes, that will never ever happen. I wish these council people would spend more time on the important things.
Let's address a myth.
ReplyDeleteNo one believes that we will abandon cars in favor of bicycles. This is a binary straw man argument that's just silly. In fact, nearly every person you see on a bike today, will also be a driver at some point today.
Complete streets is not about switching wholesale from one form of transport to another, it's about making it easier and safer to shift SOME trips. If streets were safer and easier for biking, we might choose to bike to the beach instead of dealing with parking--even though we will continue to commute by car. We may walk to lunch instead of putting another car on the road--even though we may use the car to haul groceries.
By making it easier and safer to walk and ride, we may encourage some trips to shift, and thereby reduce some car traffic.
The straw man argument sets up complete streets for failure by playing an old (and lazy) rhetorical game: setting the bar for success at an unrealistic level.
"Lisa thinks everyone is going to suddenly decide to give up their cars. . ."
No. No she doesn't. Nobody does.
Well, Ms. Lisa has us all fooled then because between her and Blakespear bicycling, walking, running or whatever without your car is what they have been peddling.
DeleteA street is a street is a street. The early engineers of the roads meant them for cars and I intend to keep driving my car wherever I go. It would take me half a day to get to where I want to go for lunch if I left my options up to these two yahoos.
Let's get on to the bigger things our city needs and stop wasting time with this silly stuff.
Are you sure about that?
DeleteI'm no engineer, nor much of a historian, but I'm pretty sure I went for a run recently through the woods outside Stuttgart Germany on an amazing stone road. That road was built by the Romans. What kind of cars did they drive? Perhaps they built it in anticipation of the invention of cars a few thousand years later.
8:55 is Shaffer or one of her few remaining devotees.
DeleteAsk her why she didn't live all those years near where she worked so she could walk or bike. Where was her "shift" that she now wants us all to make?
As a retired person she has all the time in the world to get from A to B. Bully for her.
Leave the rest of us alone to make our own choices. Do not "complete" my street to satisfy a "Lisa knows best" assumption.
Shaffer does not walk the talk, which makes her a hypocrite at best and her opinion irrelevant.
11:22 AM
Delete"Leave the rest of us alone to make our own choices." Exactly, but not as you intended. We need the infrastructure so we can have choices. Complete Streets is in response to the years when pedestrians and bicyclists were an afterthought in street design if not an outright annoyance.
To me Complete Streets is about rebalancing the equation. I like to drive, walk and cycle. It's nice to be able to choose which one as I see fit.
And I have no idea where each council member stands on the issue.
Wow, someone else who makes sense on the blog? What is the world coming to?
DeleteI think all of us in Leucadia would like a safe way to get to the Beach, Currently both Leucadia Blvd. and La Costa are more dangerous than crossing the tracks. I drive instead of walking now, because that option is so dangerous..
Even the thought of an underpass in 10 years sends me into a joyous frenzy....
Wouldn't it be nice to have biking and walking paths everywhere, thereby giving us clean transportation options? Lahdeedah. Same as it would be nice to have train service so the ecologically minded among us could ride public transportation to spots of interest. More lahdeedah.
DeleteThe reality check is that trying to wedge what are often square pegs into round holes is both a recipe for failure and an enormous investment wasted to get us there. Complete streets work only where street infrastructure allows, unless your one of those socialist types when it comes to some other guy's property to be appropriated for the public good of your complete street vision, and train service only works if existing lines are available because its slightly challenging to push a train quietly on new tracks laid through developed urban or suburban areas.
8:55 makes the rational point. Some people will substitute bikes or walking for what would otherwise be short car trips.
DeleteAnd it won't make a hair's breadth of difference in any respect. That's why putting so much money behind making it happen is such a waste.
8:55 AM
ReplyDeleteComplete streets is part of the smart growth push. With complete streets developers can remove car parking spaces from projects. Look at Oregon and Seattle with their smart growth apartments with only bike parking. It's ride bikes or take transit.
"Transit?" What's that? Ah yes, it's the missing link between abandoning our cars in and biking/walking. Come back when we actually have it and not just planning for it with nonexistent funding.
DeleteSmart growth... now there's a concept. Here's hoping Mr. Anon will clue us in when a big development comes across the planning department that doesn't include complete streets. Great, so you can ride your bike in your new neighborhood, but how the h@!! does that do any good when the 80 year old neighborhoods all around you were planned and built for an anachronistic reality? Seattle was a smudge until 40 years ago, when biking and walking were already considered exercise.
DeleteTraffic Commission Brian Grover should resign.
ReplyDeleteMembers of the City of Encinitas Traffic Commission have just asked the city clerk to forward all of Brian Grover's e-mails to staff and the council to have the City Attorney evaluate if any Brown Act or other state laws have been violated.
ReplyDeleteGrover might soon wish he hadn't contacted the press with Hutchinson's private e-mail to him. And Lisa's using her newsletter threatening the rest of the commission for not supporting Grover is... ?
Typical and completely unrealistic government/academic/bureaucratic action.
ReplyDeleteThey'll spend millions of taxpayer dollars to accomplish their pie-in-the-sky agenda. It will inconvenience and aggravate tens of thousands of people, and a few people will switch from driving to biking or walking for a few short trips.
The reduction in car traffic will be so small as to be not measurable. The reduction in emissions will be so small as to be not measurable. The health benefit will be so small as to be not measurable.
The cost-benefit gap is so huge it staggers the imagination.
that is what some shallow minded dutch thought back in the 60s and 70s before their transformation. Same as Sweden, same as Germany, same as Australia, same as New Zealand.
DeleteSome people are so shallow and have no vision. You, 3:53, are one of those people.
"Most Europeans pay a much higher price for gasoline than Americans do, anywhere between $6 and $10 more per gallon."
DeleteIs the picture getting clearer for you now, 5:52?
Here in America, people get around in cars. A very few ride bikes or walk short distances. The numbers are so small they don't matter. That's not going to change regardless of how much is spent trying to force it.
3:32 untwist your self-righteous padded panties and look at how many cyclist are on the road during normal commute hours. Even if 100% of the cyclists we see are commuting, they'd still comprise a % of a % of a %.
ReplyDeleteUse your own eyes. Don't be so lazy.
that is what some shallow minded dutch thought back in the 60s and 70s before their transformation. Same as Sweden, same as Germany, same as Australia, same as New Zealand.
DeleteSome people are so shallow and have no vision. You, 3:53, are one of those people.
Has Barth been spotted yet with Toto in that bicycle basket ?
ReplyDeleteFunny and oh so true.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4kiXh8YOzk
ReplyDeleteU.S. Census 2013 on Transportation.
ReplyDeleteDrive cars to work 86%, ride bikes to work, .08%.
Lisa has been told all this by staff and still says, "We don't care. We are doing it anyway." An epiphany, twins separated at birth, Nurse Ratchett from 'One Flew Over' and Councilwoman Shaffer.
If Shaffer wants to save face at all, she might want to end this charade and get into something that is workable for most. There are and will be more cars on the road. Period. That will never change.
DeleteYou are supposedly a smart gal Shaffer, but you are so far off on this issue. Blakespear is stupid enough to follow your lead. Shame on her.
that is what some shallow minded dutch thought back in the 60s and 70s before their transformation. Same as Sweden, same as Germany, same as Australia, same as New Zealand.
DeleteSome people are so shallow and have no vision. You, 3:53, are one of those people.
On May 20, 2015, the Encinitas City Council, led by Shaffer, Blakespear and Kranz, voted 3-2 to pass the Coastal Rail Trail measure on the West side of San Elijo and Vulcan Avenues. This is part and parcel of the mirage these three desperately seek, wherein all good citizens ride bikes to work and the grocery store. It might be late, but a fight is on the horizon over this measure. More soon.
ReplyDeleteommissioner Dave Hutchinson should resign or be removed by City Council for listening to a fat shallow motor head living in Oceanside and wishing anyone in Encinitas gave a shit about his thoughts.
ReplyDeleteOh - that is besides a fat drunk motor head who raised pensions 35% and got booted from City Council while he was Mayor and Chair of SANDAG.
ommissioner Dave Hutchinson needs to GO NOW!!!
I respect Dave Hutchinson's opinions. Brian Grover has a conflict of interest with his employer, and with his business association connections. Grover is not objective and has already taken sides on many issues that will come before Council and the Traffic and Safety Commission.
Deletehttp://www.encinitasadvocate.com/news/2015/sep/22/letter-editor-hutchinson-traffic-commission/
ReplyDeleteApparently Mr. Grover is the one who took Hutchinson's confidential e-mail to Lisa Shaffer and they then also apparently decided to forward it to Jared Whitlock who also apparently got caught with his political pants down.
ReplyDeleteHutchinson believes that Whitlock was in possession of the documented quotes from Grover's e-mails to Lisa and Catherine and made a choice to ignore them to produce an incomplete and misleading story for the readers. That's WHY he wrote the Advocate.
Wonder what Sabine says about Lisa's published threats?
When you add the fact that the Seaside Courier story finished with a link to Lisa Shaffer's latest newsletter where she openly threatens any and all Traffic Commissioners that didn't agree with Grover and the Council shenanigans over a road-diet along Coast Highway: perhaps Grover would have been better off leaving things 'confidential' as Hutchinson wished, eh?
Jared Whitlock here.
DeleteTo be clear, Commissioner Grover nor anyone forwarded me emails from Commissioner Hutchinson. The story states that Commissioner Grover said Commissioner Hutchinson asked him to step down.
As stated in the story: When asked after the meeting whether he requested that Grover step down, Hutchinson declined to comment, saying, “I’m not going to discuss anything I exchanged with him privately.”
The only email on this topic I was in possession of was Mike Andreen's regarding complete streets, which is noted in the story.
Lastly, during the Traffic and Public Safety Commission meeting, Commissioner Hutchinson did not bring up or discuss correspondences he refers to in his letter, nor did he do so during a follow-up interview with the Encinitas Advocate.
Whoo, that's a lot of ass-covering, Jared.
DeleteSo you did have Andreen's documented quotes of Grover's e-mails to Lisa and Cathy, that apparently resulted in one commissioner asking another to step down, but you didn't believe those quotes were relevant to the story? And if you didn't receive the 'private' e-mail from Hutchinson to Grover, then who gave you the story? No doubt a council person? Whose side are you on? Never mind, that's already quite clear. Your story about writing a story is contorted. Like writing about Jack Ruby shooting Oswald without mentioning the Presidential assassination a day earlier. A mail-order journalism degree, perhaps?
8:39 AM
Delete"Whose side are you on?" ... "A mail-order journalism degree, perhaps?"
Yeah, not like the journalistic standards this blog upholds. Never take sides. Only report the facts.
Is the rumor true that Shaffer is off to Washington to be canonized? Maybe she can just settle for the Pope hat instead.....
ReplyDeletePaint is cheap.
ReplyDeleteWhy not put in sensors for a month, then reconfigure with the road diet measures, and run the sensors for another month.
After the trial period, and with actual data, Commissioners and Council can decide to keep the changes or erase the lines and go back to business as usual.
Bike lanes need to be dedicated for bikes only - put them in the general roadways and you have problems. The shared lanes thru Leucadia are an invitation to disaster.
ReplyDeleteActually, the sharrow paint symbols and signage changed nothing. They are simply a reminder of state vehicle code that has existed since forever, giving rights to cyclists to ride in the lane if other safe options don't exist.
DeleteThe rules have not changed, but your perception that they have suggests that the reminder was sorely needed.
Sharrows allow cyclists to ride anywhere in the designated lane, not just in the implied bike lane of 3 feet at the right. In fact, a large group of cyclists could pack the lane 4 abreast and not be required to ride in single file.
DeletePlease show me an "implied bike lane" in state or local law. You are blatantly pulling stuff out of your ass.
DeleteHere's what the DMV actually tells cyclists, based on the law:
"When to Take the Traffic Lane"
"Many roads do not have designated bicycle traffic lanes, so bicyclists share the traffic lane to the left of the white line. If there is no shoulder or bicycle lane and the traffic lane is narrow, ride closer to the center of the lane. This will prevent motorists from passing you when there is not enough room. Bicyclists can travel at speeds of 20 mph, or faster. You should also use the traffic lane when you are traveling at the same speed as the traffic around you. This will keep you out of motorists’ blind spots and reduce conflicts with right-turning traffic."
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffdl37
Again, the sharrows in Leucadia changed NOTHING. The rules are the same as they ever were. They are just a reminder to ill-informed drivers (like you).
10:53, After 2 years, no problem.
DeleteThere have been near misses, and a bicycle did collide with a rack on a parked car. So there have been issues. As the Sheriff has informed Council, and the public, through the media, bicyclists are legally supposed to ride single file, except when passing, including within Sharrows or what has been increased to an eight foot wide bicycle lane on North 101. It's more dangerous when bicyclists imagine they can ride several abreast, and have false confidence due to the overly wide bicycle lane.
DeleteMore poor planning and poor design, without proper review through the Traffic Commission, which only recommended the Sharrows, not deleting a lane on a major arterial, primary circulation element, for motor vehicles.
"There have been near misses, and a bicycle did collide with a rack on a parked car."
DeleteThat's the kind of line that makes Judge Judy laugh hysterically.
Bullying is a real thing, and it's diminished when used in inappropriately in this context.
ReplyDeleteShaffer's newsletter "threats" are fine too. She's simply pointing out that Council sets the policy agenda and appoints commissioners. If a majority of council believes that a specific commissioner is actively working at cross-purposes with council policies, they have every right to not reappoint.
That's not a threat, it's a fact of life. And saying so publicly violates neither the letter not the spirit of any law I know of.
Blakespear has stated that she believes the commissions should be independent from Council whims. That's another fact of life.
DeleteYes, I heard Blakespear say in a council meeting that she wanted commissioners to give the council independent opinions. This was in reference to the Planning Commissioners speaking about the new Density Bonus Ordinance that they passed it in order to "please the council."
DeleteShaffer's comments in her newsletter were an implicit threat that heads will roll next year. She didn't say anything about not reappointing, only that she will strive for individuals that follow her party line. Which terms expire next year? Is she plotting to clean house? We used to call Christie Guerin "Bossy Pants" because of her dictatorial tendencies. It seems a fitting nickname for Shaffer.
Shaffer persists in her "vision" despite reality that she refuses to even discuss - others have, no luck: http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/sep/21/census-data-shows-no-change-percentage-san-diegans/?utm_campaign%3Dtodays-news-analysis%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dnewsletter%26utm_term=headline
ReplyDelete"In 2014, 83.1 percent of San Diegans commuted to work by car. San Diego's Climate Action Plan, which will be considered by the city council this fall, calls for that number to drop to 50 percent by 2035."
DeleteYet by 2040, SANDAG plans to spend $5.68 billion on the I-5 freeway in North County alone. How does that contribute to reducing commuting by car?
Indeed. Talk about talking out of both sides of your mouth.
DeleteWould love to hear Shaffer actually explain that one. She won't, and instead turns to thug-like intimidation.
61,000 cars on 5, and 949 people on the Coaster commuting to work. I'd add 819 more for the bus, but they're going to the VA, Scripps, a mall, Jr. College or the beach. Oh yeah, and 432 people on bikes going to work if you count Teresa.
DeleteWho's survey arrived at that number, 2:51? SANDAG's? I find it hard to believe 17% of San Diegans do not commute to work by car. Bet its closer to 5%.
ReplyDeleteMore and more people work from home and engage colleagues via voice and video conferences, instant message systems like MS Lync, collaboration software, and virtual meeting services to share screens.
ReplyDeleteMany high paying jobs now don't care where you physically reside.
Brian Grover has a conflict of interest. If he is a member of the Leucadia 101 Mainstreet Association, on the Board of Directors, or the head of the Bike and Ped Committee, which L101MA created, as a lobbying tool, then he should not be on the traffic and safety commission, just as the new director of E101MA was not selected as a member of another commission.
ReplyDeleteWhen the city attorney was before asked about possible conflicts of interest with a publicly subsidized private association (in this case, which is lobbying for elimination of car lanes on a major arterial, without a true public needs assessment) Glenn Sabine said there could be a conflict, (re the Mainstreet Associations connection) and any potential conflict would have to be considered on a "case by case basis."
Brian Grover has been a bully. He has staged rallies for many out of city bicyclists, including San Diego bicycle club members, to descend upon the City, monopolizing pubic comments and exaggerating one accident involving a bicyclist, by reapeating it over and over, without full disclosure. Public speakers did not provide their cities of residence. It was all rehearsed; there was a rally/meeting the night before the January 2013 City Council Meeting at Dudek, Grover's employer.
Grover and others have been told, or are telling their cronies to "shoot for the moon," just as Christy Guerin did, in years past, re building the new fire stations. The sky's the limit when it's taxpayer money, apparently.
The Coastal Commission promised the appeal re the premature reduction of lanes on North 101, without an LCP amendment, was promised by spring of 2015, at the latest. That promise was broken.
City staff seems to enjoy, immensely, its secret meetings with Coastal Commission staff, where they try to "smooth out" the process and have avoided the clear constraints of our General and Specific Plans, with respect to reducing a four lane major roadway to one lane in each direction, for cars, and bicyclists, through five unwanted one-lane roundabouts.
The roundabouts would increase traffic and safety concerns, especially for bicyclists, as there will be no alternative railrail corridor for them, as there is in Carlsbad, for that city's single roundabout on 101, off State Street.
12:46,
DeleteThat's nice. Pat-pat.
12:46
DeleteMay God bless you and give you peace.
7:02 & 6:00 pm amuse yourselves with non responses to solid research and justified opinion.
DeleteAll that's missing is you two (or is it one?) busting out with instructions to get outside, breathe the fresh air, similar non answers. Come on, you know you want to...yeah, you can do it....
It's truly amazing how a city of 62,000 people can create such drama out of very little. Can you imagine living in Los Angeles and being faced with the issues reported on this blog, or in our local papers? Who cares about Grover, or what he says or does? The only people that matter are on the City Council. If you aren't willing to run, then complain away. It will make you feel better I guess, but other than that, you have no power. It's that way everywhere.
ReplyDelete3:05-
ReplyDeleteSo true.
The corruption and lying exposed in this town mean something to those of us who live here. Some of the issues admittedly are small, while others have a tremendous negative impact on how we live. We are not LA, but we care about what goes on here.
DeletePerhaps you should take a break from this blog since you appear to advocate for apathy unless running for office.
Shaffer punted in her newsletter.
ReplyDelete"I had intended to comment further on the conflict between two members of the Traffic and Public Safety Commission, but I don't want to ruin the moment, so I'll save it for my next newsletter."
She's right in the middle of it. It appears she needs more time to craft an explanation and to get certain witnesses into line. Very similar to the brouhaha over the Democratic Party endorsement in the last council election.
Personally I would have rather heard about the Traffic Commission stuff than some stupid Fruit Forest named after Barth. If I were her, I would say NO, name it after someone who is perhaps a founder of this community. What did she ever do to get anything named after her? Scott Chatfiled is all a twitter about it, as is Tony Kranz, Mim Michelove, and Kranz's friends from high school. In fact, this seems like a high school move.
ReplyDeleteVery useful post.It was very relevant.I was searching exactly for this.Thank you for your effort.
ReplyDeletefiat exhaust replacement & citroen service
I was sorry that Shaffer seems to be using this isolated case for retaliation since this was written in her newsletter:
ReplyDelete“When we consider appointments next March, I will try to ensure that we appoint people who understand the role of the Commission and the strategic direction of the Council.”
Shaffer used to complain bitterly that she was unable to get on a commission and she also used Muir's appointment to council after Maggie's death to great political advantage since she came across as the injured party.
It is not becoming to have it both ways by playing the victim then later seeking to punish a commissioner who seems to me was just expressing opinions and seeking clarity. I would like to see all commissioners empowered to share their concerns without threat of backlash.
Agree, 6:56. Many agree that Grover could have a conflict of interest with his Mainstreet Association connections and his pre-determined agenda favoring bicyclists over other types of traffic.
DeleteI don't think there was any violation of the Brown Act by Grover, but his communications to all of Council should be publicly disclosed at any meetings dealing with the issues about which he is communicating.
Commissioners are allowed to have opinions and are allowed and encouraged to express them. However, they shouldn't have their minds set in advance. Also, with Grover, there could be some conflicts with his employer, Dudek, which often does various environmental reports for the City, as a consultant/contractor.
I am glad Lisa Shaffer has said she won't run again for any public office. I hope she keeps her word.
I also agree with Commissioner Dave Hutchinson, and I'm glad he is speaking out. Lisa Shaffer doesn't seem to know when to keep quiet.
DeleteShaffer apparently doesn't understand that "complete streets" can just be another buzzword, marketing tool to allow more development because future traffic impacts supposedly will have been "mitigated" by street calming measures, including lane diets.
The vast majority are not commuting by bicycle. Most bicyclists in our city ride recreationally. They are to ride single file, even in bicycle lanes, except when passing. Eight foot wide bicycle lanes are excessive and encourage bicyclists to ride several abreast, which is contrary to vehicle codes, and goes against the instructions given to bicycle group representatives through the Sheriff's Dept.
2:46 PM
Delete"Shaffer apparently doesn't understand that "complete streets" can just be another buzzword, marketing tool to allow more development ..."
Of course Complete Streets could refer to the California Complete Streets Act of 2008 where:
This bill would require, commencing January 1, 2011, that the legislative body of a city or county, upon any substantive revision of the circulation element of the general plan, modify the circulation element to plan for a balanced, multimodal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways, defined to include motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, seniors, movers of commercial goods, and users of public transportation, in a manner that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context of the general plan."
But that is state law and we only follow state law when it suits our purpose.
Grover keeps stating that Complete Streets is the LAW! Just like the Housing Element law that council has ignored since 1992.
Delete"...in a manner that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context of the general plan."
Meaning, ALL of the above. Lisa's new monthly column in the Coast News is supposed to be free of any election politics?
Thanks, we all needed a good laugh.
8:22 AM
Delete"... to be free of any election politics"
While election laws constrain the council on advocating for a ballot measure once it's submitted, where do you get the idea that they should be neutral? They are going to pass, hopefully, a housing element draft that will require some rezonings/land use changes to make it acceptable to HCD. Just by voting for it, the council indicates its support.
So do you think that the council should stay mum about something they think is in the best interest to the community prior to the ballot submittal?
Also, council has requested staff look into updating the circulation element sooner rather than later in which case Complete Streets becomes a major focus.
Lisa. always acting like a 65 year old adolescent, which means Kranz is what? Post-toddler? So sad, Encinitas once again out-acts Oceanside for the most pitiful city council.
ReplyDeleteShaffer proposed fund raising and private donations as a means of determining how to name public spaces. Did donors contribute money to plant and care for this grove? Will they keep it going into the future?
ReplyDeleteTo 4:51's point, naming something after a living person whose friends make monetary donations sets a bad precedent. Teresa has always taken the role of victim, so in her mind, this may even the score for all that she has suffered!
DeleteI am 100% in favor of honoring Maggie Houlihan with the dog park. She was always about doing things for other people. That was her joy in life!
The fruit grove concept that will require a lot of public money to maintain--not so sure. If they still had the TV show "Queen for a Day," where women used to get on the tube and compete with one another with the saddest victim stories to win a washing machine, then Teresa would be a good contestant.
I think that publicly resources named for people should reflect should be reserved for those who are no longer living and should be based on achievement instead of booby prize status to make an insecure person feel better.
Agree, completely, 10:17. Thanks for your perspective.
DeleteAre you the same people who laud these people when they first run and get elected only to bitterly turn on them, or do you work in shifts? The first group lauds them, becomes disenchanted, and then moves on only to be replaced by a new group who rail against the incumbents, tout a new group of candidates but quickly become disillusioned as well. Rinse and repeat.
ReplyDeleteYet nothing changes.
The people who laud themselves are some of our council members, who once elected, throw all ethics out the window. They continue to laud themselves as they lie and betray their base.
ReplyDeleteIt is they who have created this rift.
So I guess the answer to my question is no, you're the same people. Bitter today, bitter tomorrow.
DeleteBitter? You want to hear bitter, sit down with Shaffer, who (inexplicably) cannot fathom why the hell her supporters "turned on" her. She's truly mystified.
DeleteKranz has a similar reaction to Shaffer's of genuine bewilderment. Weird.
I don't know Hutchinson well at all, but I attended a Traffic Commission meeting where they were told that one of the new jobs of commissioners was fund raising since Council had set up a Fund Raising Committee.
ReplyDeleteHutchinson asked why that was part of the responsibility of commissioners since that seemed to go beyond the description of the job. I thought that this was an important point.
My impression is that commissioners are community members who have an interest in a particular area and hope to make a contribution through their service. I appreciate all commissioners who ask questions since it indicates that they care about what happens in our city.
"...Council had set up a Fund Raising Committee"
DeleteA year ago the council created a subcommittee to recommend fundraising policies and guidelines but not to do actual fundraising. There was a representative from the T&PS Commission (Kohl/Blakespear). That committee concluded its work last December.
Is this the committee you're referring to because that's the only one I know about?