San Diego CA - Mayor Jerry Sanders angered environmentalists yesterday by vetoing a pilot program to turn waste water into drinking water (yuck!) for San Diego City residents.  The Mayor said HE opposes the program because the costs were too high and would require another water rate hike (San Diego City has already had two rate hikes this year).  He also said that San Diegans have shown an unwillingness to embrace a controversial concept that critics dismiss as a “toilet to tap” program…  Of Course!!!

According to Water Director Jim Barrett the programs cost would include running about 17 miles of pipe form the North City Water “Sewage” Reclamation Plant to the San Vicente Reservoir and could cost between $10 million to $15 million.

News Flash - Even my dog won’t drink out of the toilet so who the hell would want to?

Encinitas Bans Smoking at Beaches

Encinitas CA - The Encinitas City Council voted unanimously last night to join a growing number of Cities that Ban Beach Smoking. 

Back in August 2006, I wrote an article about the City of San Diego’s Ban on Beach Smoking and was surprised to note in my research that the city of Encinitas was the only North San Diego County City that allowed Beach Smoking.  In fact, Encinitas was one of only a few of the Southern California Cities that had NOT banned Beach Smoking.

Even more surprsing is that the State of California still allows smoking on all state beaches, especially since California has been very progressive on the implimention of Smoking bans in other public places. 

Do I sound like I hate cigarette smokers?  Actually, I don’t hate the Smokers.  In fact, if they could find a way to keep the stench all to themselves, AND they didn’t throw their butts everywhere, I wouldn’t have a problem with it.  As Mayor James Bond of Encinitas stated last night, “An overwhelming percentage of laws are created for an underwhelming percentage of people who choose NOT to do the right thing.”

According to the Surf Rider foundation, one in five pieces of trash removed from our beaches every day is a cigarette butt.  

My niece was a first had witness to this just last year when she participated in a “Clean up our beaches day” at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas.  On that one beach she and the crew of volunteers picked up over 6,000 cigarette butts in a couple of hours!!!  Sounds disgusting doesn’t it?  But let’s be real here…  Have you ever seen someone smoking on the beach that had an ashtray?  Would you even consider letting your kids play in a public ashtray? 

If your answer is no to either of these questions then give the Encinitas City Government a call or drop them a note.  Tell them you support their efforts in Banning Smoking on the Encinitas Beaches!

The City of Encinitas phone number is 760-633-2600 and their address is: City of Encinitas, 505 Vulcan Avenue, Encinitas, CA 92024.

Counsel Proposes Partial Ban on Mini Dorms

San Marcos CA - Tonight, Tuesday 13th, the San Marcos City Council will be discussing a proposed ordinance that is intended to limit the conversion of single-family residences into mini-dorms. The ordinance would define a “Rooming House” as a structure that has three or more bedrooms that are rented to at least three people, all with seperate leases.

Under the proposed ordinance, these Rooming Houses (or Boarding Houses as they are called in most parts of the U.S.) will be only allowed in specifically zoned areas and only once the owner has applied for and been granted a Major use permit.

Under the proposed law Rooming houses, Boarding Houses, Sororities, and Fraternities would be allowed in R-3(6) residential zones only with a major-use permit. They would also be allowed in R-3(10) residential zones (which includes areas zoned for Residential Hotels and Residential Apartments) ONLY if there is an onsite Professional Apartment Manager to oversee the property.

The City Council Meeting starts at 6 p.m. at San Marcos City Hall, 1 Civic Center Drive San Marcos CA 92069 so if you are interested in attending please stop by.

Rancho Santa Fe School Bond

Rancho Santa Fe - The only public school in Rancho Santa Fe is due for a renovation.  The school currently enrolls 775 students in its elementary and middle school campus which still is using buildings constructed in 1955.  Its NEWER buildings were built in 1961, 1970, and 1992…

So, after searching for a new location for several years, and getting shot down on several bond measures to purchase great sites, the Rancho Santa Fe School district is proposing a $34 million renovation bond on the Feb 5th ballot.  The bond would include construction of two and three story state of the art classroom buildings which would eliminate the need for 17 portable classrooms.  It would also relieve overcrowding on the existing 9.6 acre campus on La Granada in the village.

The modernized school would have new science labs, music rooms and performance space, much needed expanded play areas, new nursing facilities, administrative offices, as well as more parking.  This renovation would also allow the enrollment to increase to 850 students.  This renovation will allow the district to utilize its space much more efficiently and also bring this aging school into the 21st century.

For years the school district has been shot down in its attempts to improve the educational facilities in the Rancho Santa Fe community.  In November 2002, voters shot down a proposed $46 Million bond measure that primarily would have been spent on buying land and building a new elementary school on Del Dios Highway.  In June 2006, Voters again torpedoed a $44.5 million bond measure to buy land and build at Aliso Canyon Road and Via Del Charro.

El Cajon City Government seeking applicants for Boards & Commissions

The El Cajon CA city govenment is currently accepting applications for several advisory boards and commissions.  The city currently has vacancies on its Commion on Aging and Disabilities, Parks and Recreation Commission, Personnel Commission, Planning Commission, Public Savety Facitliy Financing Oversite Committee, and the Gillespie Field Development Counsil.

Applications are available at City Hall in the City Clerk’s office at 200 E. Main St.  All applications are do by November 15th 2007.  Applicaticants will be interviewed by the town council at its 7 p.m. meeting on November 27th.  For more information please call the city at 619-441-1764.

30 Year Mortgage Rates Fall to five year low

Rates on San Diego Mortgages dropped to their lowest level in five month, Freddie Mac reported in it’s weekly survey.  Thirty-year, fixed rate mortgages fell to 6.25 perent from 6.33 percent last week.  The lowest level since the week of May 17th. 

Rates on 15-year, fixed rate mortgages fell to 5.91 percent from 5.99 percent.  Rates on five-year, adjustable-rate mortgage fell to 5.98 percent from 6.03 percent.  Rates on one-year ARM’s dropped to 5.57 percent from 5.66 percent.

Fannie Mac reported that these rates did not include add-on fees known as points.  30 year and 15 year, fixed rate mortgages carried a nationwide average fee of 0.4 point, as did the 5-year ARM.  The one-year ARM carried an average fee of 0.6 point.