1. Art and Diseño

DEL MAR’S COMMUNITY JOURNAL
N E W S
•
F E A T U R E S
Volume 20, Number 1
•
O P I N I O N
February 2015
Drinking Responsibly
The Underground
Shirley King | Avenida Primavera
T
wo previous columns in November and December illustrated how
Del Mar Garden Club members conserve outdoor water use by
forcing lawns into an abstinence program or removing turf altogether.
Another active conservationist, resident Jim Kennedy, explains his
storage system to collect rainwater - an in-ground catchment.
What was your primary reason for installing an in-ground rainwater/
water catchment system?
I had noticed for years that when it rains there are torrents going
unused down our gutters and into the sea. I enjoy some water
features and (with my irrigation turned off half the year ) I sometimes
need to water plants before turning the City-water irrigation back on.
It seemed like a good idea to capture the rainwater that was already
falling on my property rather than use more of our City’s limited water
resources..
What is the greatest benefit that you achieve with your catchment system
that otherwise you would not receive?
Ever since I participated in designing my home I have enjoyed
making better use of my home and garden’s potential. Of course it
is also gratifying to make better use of a limited resource and lower
one’s water bill. Finally I get to enjoy my water features more and
hope not to need my City-water irrigation as much going forward.
Describe the basic design of your system? How long did it take to install?
Did you have to sacrifice any use of your yard?
Time to install: Aside from locating and addressing the various pipes
Jim Kennedy and Teddy on the patio stones made by Jim
that cover the containment system. To the right is the
access pipe. Photo by Shirley King
and conduits underground, digging the hole and
arranging the materials delivery and electricity
availability, it took about three days to install the
containment system.
Basic Design: My Landscaper used a concept
similar to his “pondless” waterfall systems. A
continued on page 3
Also in This Issue:
Befuddled then Cuddled
page 4
The postman cometh LATE
page 9
My kingdom for a space
page 3
Editorial
editorial: Grass Roots Routes
well, are familiar with some of our challenges, and have
ideas about where we ought to be going and how to get
there.
el Mar has long been known as a strong citizen
participation city. Much of what we have achieved
has been initiated by grass roots citizen groups. Many
ideas such as condos in Crest Canyon and a “restaurant
row” instead of Powerhouse Park, have been defeated by
the watchful eyes of active citizen groups. Much of what
we value today about Del Mar’s character, especially our
vast open green spaces and open beach front, has citizen
fingerprints all over it.
The agendas of these committees and non-profits are
already full and they are diligently addressing issues that
come to them. This is important work but often they
operate in a reactive mode in the “now.” We would like to
urge each of these groups to set aside quality time on a
regular basis to move beyond the “now” to the “future,” to
proactively think about ways we can move the community
in fruitful directions for the medium and long term future,
to organize these visions and ideas and bubble them up to
the Council to put on the public agenda.
This strong citizen influence has yielded a distinctive
community that we enjoy and take pride in, yielding
incredibly high property values that we also benefit from.
Our rich history of citizen vigilance is a great base but not
enough to shape our future. We need to keep mining our
citizenry for good ideas now lest we back into a future that
is unintended.
Every year the Council meets to set priorities with the idea
that the top of the list should be reflected in the budget
wrestling period that follows. Usually Council Members
try to divine these priorities on their own. This year the
Council has formally requested input from our many nonprofit, committee and board members to help them reflect
community ideas in City priorities.
Of course anyone can decide to speak up, especially on the
city’s new website and surveys, but we think a logical place
to light a fire is in the many committees ,boards, and nonprofit organizations that have already attracted high energy
citizens. Collectively these groups know the community
We urge all city groups to stand down from business as
usual and spend some quality time crafting their strategies
for shaping our future. The Council then should stand down
from its business as usual and seriously consider what the
community tells them. Using history as our guide let’s put
citizens in charge of our future.
D
del mar
The Sandpiper is published by the Del Mar Community Alliance,
a not-for-profit corporation. Its purpose is to advocate the Del
Mar Community Plan, to foster informed public and government
decision-making regarding issues affecting the community of the
City of Del Mar, and to encourage a social and political climate
favorable to the protection of the community character of the City
of Del Mar and its environs.
• 2,200 Del Mar residents are in the labor force.
This figure was used to calculate how much
mass transit ridership will increase. Source:
SANDAG
• The median household income of Del Mar
in 2005 was $169,348 (not adjusted for
inflation). When adjusted for inflation (1999
dollars; comparable to Census data), the
median household income was $100,982.
Source: SANDAG
Chuck Newton Circle:
Rosanne & Joel Holliday, Carol Kerridge, Beth Levine & Henry
Abarbanel, Diana Marquardt & Rod Franklin
Publishers’ Circle:
Jeff Barnouw, Darrese & Sam Borgese, Mary Ann & Bud
Emerson, Nancy Fisher & Mike Salt, Chuck Freebern, Lynn &
Charlie Gaylord, Maryka & George Hoover, Pat JaCoby, Louise
Keeling in memory of Dave Keeling,
Larry Schneiderman, Jane & Steve Voss,
Nancy and John Weare
Editors’ Circle:
Penny and Buck Abell, Vava Anderson, Anthony Corso, Sandy &
Bram Dijkstra, Mary & Jeffrey Friestedt, Susan & Judd Halenza,
Lee Haydu, Linda & Jerry Hirshberg, Shirley King & Art Olson,
Vernie & John McGowan, Bill Michalsky, Suzi Resnick & Stan
Marks, Gloria Sandvic & Harold Feder, Rose Ann & Ira Sharp,
Chic & Joe Sullivan, Sarah Dubin-Vaughn,
Molli & Arthur Wagner
Editors: Jeff Barnouw, Tony Corso, Dave Druker,
Bud Emerson, Ann Gardner, Shirley King, Art Olson,
Shelby Weaver, Betty Wheeler.
Webmaster: Virginia Lawrence. Editor Emeritus: John Kerridge.
All staff members and writers are unpaid volunteers. This
publication depends upon the contributions of readers like you.
Make checks payable to Sandpiper, Box 2177,
Del Mar, CA 92014
• Del Mar became an incorporated city of
California on July 15, 1959.
Letters to the Editor
•
•
•
The Sandpiper welcomes readers’ letters and articles.
Material submitted must include the writer’s name,
street address, and phone number, and should not
exceed 500 words.
Material selected to be published may be edited or
shortened.
Send to: The Sandpiper, Box 2177, Del Mar, CA
92014; or [email protected]
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 2
City hall:
A Three Way
Bud Emerson | Klish Way
Option A
Option B
Option C
City Hall
Yes
Yes
Yes
Town Hall
Yes
Yes
Yes
Outdoor Plaza
Yes
Yes
Yes
Parking
60 outdoor
60 outdoor
100 underground
160 underground
community consensus is
clearly in sight for a badlyExpansion Area
None
11,000 square feet
20,000 square feet
needed new civic center. The
Cost
7-9 million
9-14 million
12-18 million
City Council has signed off on a
“poll” for the voters of Del Mar
to weigh in on three options
outlined below. The poll will
be conducted mostly on line but there will be convenient
appointed a citizens committee to evaluate proposals from
paper/pencil opportunities for those who prefer to vote off
design professionals in that phase.
line. The poll will be open from February 2-13.
The good news is that all three options include city hall
The results of the poll will tell the Council how to proceed
offices and plaza space that will readily accommodate our
during the next phase this Spring and Summer when we
Farmers’ Market as well as other community gatherings,
will begin to see design alternatives. The Council has
and parking. The first option is the simplest and cheapest,
only meeting our current needs. The second option adds
more underground parking spaces and a platform which
provides flexibility for additional public uses to be decided
Drinking Responsibly: The Underground
sometime in the future. The third option also adds more
continued from page 1
underground parking spaces and a platform which could
hole in the earth was lined with a fabric and rubber liner,
accommodate private uses should we decide in the future.
with the “cavity” (with all of my surface drainpipes feeding
Council Members seemed to be leaning toward the middle
into it) filled with very strong commercial (corrugated
option because it provides flexibility for future needs but
plastic) horizontal storm water pipes with one additional
they all have agreed to be guided by the results of the
vertical pipe to the surface containing an underwater
citizen poll.
“sump” pump, power wire, and a lockable metal access
• Option A - Civic Facilities Only: This option includes
grate).The top of the storage cavity (except for the grated
a City Hall, Town Hall, and an outdoor civic plaza,
access pipe) was covered with another liner, and earth
with a surface parking lot (approximately 60 parking
and stepping- stones were put on top of that. The border
stalls). This option would meet the City’s current and
to the walkways and adjacent beds were reconfigured so
projected needs to house City facilities. There would
that the access pipe is well within the bed - barely noticed,
not be space or parking available for expansion
and out of the way of pedestrians. The remainder of the
or future public, cultural, or private uses without
underground storage is unnoticeable to those walking
substantial redevelopment.
by. The pump (separate from to my City-water irrigation
system) is connected to a booster pump and a separate
Estimated Cost: $7 million to $9 million.
pipe which runs the water uphill to the various waterfall
• Option B - Civic Facilities with Additional Parking
reservoirs and to some hose bibs to permit hand-watering.
and 11,000 Square Foot (SF) Expansion Area:
Sacrifice: None aside from the cost, I reconfigured my
This option includes a City Hall, Town Hall, and an
walkway’s borders and my adjacent beds so that the whole
outdoor civic plaza, with approximately 160 parking
system will go unnoticed. I am still looking for the perfect
stalls (60 stalls in a surface parking lot and 100
“fake rock” to cover the access pipe’s grate, but I have a big
stalls in a parking structure). The parking structure
flagstone that does the job for now.
would be under the buildings and plaza and cover
In what kinds of yards is your system most usable?
part of the site. This option would meet the City’s
current and projected needs to house City facilities.
A flat area is best, although a sloped area like mine can
It would provide approximately 11,000 square
be made to work with a stronger pump. If a walkway is
feet (SF) of future development area that would
involved, the system should be configured so that the
be available for additional public, civic, or cultural
access pipe is located in an adjacent bed of plants well
uses. With a Measure B vote, the additional space
away from pedestrian traffic. It helps to have an area that
could be considered for private revenue producing
is free of underground lines of any kind with electricity
development. The facilities and uses in the expansion
nearby, and of course, a use for the water.
area would be decided at a future time. One hundred
(100) of the parking stalls could support the future
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
expansion or public parking.
The Del Mar Garden Club will host a talk “Reusing,
Capturing and Conserving Water with Candace Vanderhoff,
Estimated Cost: $9 million to $14 million.
Monday February 23rd at 9:30 am at the Powerhouse.
continued on page 4
Light refreshments will be served.
A
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 3
Ask Doctor Rich
ASK Dr. RICH!
Rich Simons | Upper East 11th Street
Every month, Rich Simons answers readers’ most perplexing
questions.
It was onlh a few hrzs befr severeturbulence set In and
bodis were richocheing anout the cabin. An annuncwment
ws mad in a lanvuag hat I ouldn’t possibly understand syin
tha e werd going to havwe to land. On only the third try
one of the stewardeses managed to bring it down. Anothr
announcement in a language I couldn’ understand said no
to worry there was a resort nearby wherewe could say.
It turned out we should have worried becausethere had
been a rsunami tnrght there recently and the windows f the
main lobbly and most f the rooms a been blasted ut and the
place was about a foot deep in wet sand crawling with liitle
black and green crearures. Fortunately the proprietors had
not abandode the premises – they wee campedup on the
roof and hey offeed to put me up in a local B&B. That urnd
out to be a cotin the corner of a local hut but the eple wee
real nice – they didn’t even chhage for the latrine ut back.
Photo illustration Virginia Lawrence
Q – In last month’s Sandpiper, it was mentioned that
you were on special assgnment. Are you ready now to
file a “report?”
T
hanks to an incredn\bly ge erus grant from the
ediors of the Sand;iper, I was scheduled to travel to
western Africa to reviewthe availa bility of luxury vacation
accomodations there.
Not too many aines fly there nowadays , biut I was able
to bok a flight ot of Leningrad on a VLAD0703 to Lkberia.
Takeoff seemed to ot well b ut shortly after liftoff three
mechanics emerged from somewhere, bearing the usual
tools. You know – hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches,
ropes, pikes, halberds, crampons. They unscewed sme
knd ofplate in the middle of the asle and descended int the
bowels of the pla e to begin punding away. They might
have been building a furnace dwn here; eventually the
temperature in the cabin was above freezing.
Abit further alo g one of the steweresses (this plane was
too old to have “flightattendents”) noted that wheeas we
were over land we should have been out to sea. She went
forward to wake up one of the fellows napping in the
cockpit. Heawoke and made som sortof corection to the
computer and thenndosed offagain.
City Hall: A Three Way
continued from page 3
• Option C - Civic Facilities with Additional Parking
& 20,000 Square Foot (SF) Expansion Area: This
option includes a City Hall, Town Hall, and an outdoor
civic plaza, with approximately 160 parking stalls in a
subterranean parking structure. The parking structure
would be under the buildings and plaza and would
cover the entire site. This option would meet the
City’s current and projected needs to house City
The next day we were packed on to abus eaded sluth. It
ws classic – th old lady nxt to me had a cag on her lap
bearing three roosgers and the gy in front hed a pig that
woudn’t stop squeaing. Overall thingswee gingwell intil
we crossed a largish bridge and were soon apprehende
by omd “officials,” who let us know that we had just co e
across the Brooklyn Bay Bridge and woud theefore have to
be qaanteened. We were herded into amassive circus tent
and abpit all that I remember is that twice or so a day a
nativefelow in a loin cloth wth face ponts and a headdress
made ogf vulture feathers woud co e I and dance aru nd
chanting a srt of Reggae tune. I woud swear the lyrics wer
a closematch to “Hey Jude.”
My next recollection is of brightwhitewalls and light
pouring n from slmewhere a window, perhaps. A sylph in
white appearat Is on the left. It seaks. I tjhink itp says “vital
signs.” I tell it that I jst had the damnedest dream. “yeah,”
she says, all the ptients say that. “it’s thosedrugsthey use
djring surgery. I decide to try to be boyh contem[orary
and cute. I say: “Yo, bch – can I score some of that sht on
the street?” She says: “My name is Consuela. I am from
Guatemala.” I say: “Yo gal – can I score some of that ganja
on the street?”
And that, Dear Reader, is my story. The farthest sout I got
on my Odyssey was Scripps Gree n Hos[ital, You can see
that the effects of the vyage are still with me. A d I hope
that you do not feel that I have somehow deceived you.
Hell, when I first mentioned a “Generous grant from the
edtors of the Sandiper,” you should have known where this
was headed.
(Ed note: Dr. Rich’s delicate surgery was successful. We expect
to have him back with a full array of consonants and vowels
in the next issue.)
facilities. It would also provide approximately 20,000
square feet (SF) of future development area that would
be available for additional public, civic, or cultural
uses. With a Measure B vote, the additional space
could be considered for private revenue-producing
development. The facilities and uses in the expansion
area would be decided at a future time. One hundred
(100) of the parking stalls parking stalls could support
the future expansion or public parking.
Estimated Cost: $12 million to $18 million.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 4
Fuzz Buzz
Jim Benedict | Christy Lane
T
he city council approved, at their 1/20 meeting,
to move forward with the finance committee’s
recommendation, to investigate costs and opportunities
to develop our cities own small police department This
department would be an overlay to the existing Sheriff
contract.
We would continue to contract with the Sheriff for serious
crimes and issues and use our own police department to
have much quicker responses
to issues like prowlers, loud
beach parties, indecent
exposure, petty theft,
etc. Our goal is to
reduce these
response
times from,
on average,
40 minutes
to under 10
minutes. “We
want to keep
the best of the
sheriff services, and
provide continuity of service
from our local police department,” stated Bud Emerson,
member of the finance committee.
The recommendation, as presented by Finance Committee
member, Barry Entous, is to have a police chief, one or
two certified police officers, and two or more community
service officers (CSOs). The Ranger program would be
folded into this new venture. It was also recommended
that the new police department
assume the duties of traffic
patrol from our Sheriff for
our city.
How much
will this
cost
us?
Under
the
leadership
of Mayor Corti and
councilman Terry Sinnott,
our city will present our plan to Sheriff Gore’s office
and ask to have the current sheriff contract amended to
remove the cost of the traffic patrol at a cost savings of
over $300,000 to our city. This annual savings will cover
most of the new costs that will be incurred.
We look at this opportunity as a win, win, win for our city,
our citizens, and the sheriff’s office. The city gets more
control and consistency of our police protection, our
citizens get better response times to key issues, and the
sheriff benefits from not having to do traffic patrol and a
more satisfied customer.
FEBRUARY 2015
Pat JaCoby | Del Mar Community Connections
Popular lecture on jewelry sparkles anew
Back by popular demand, local antique and estate
jewelry dealer Judy Schuckit will discuss “Antique
Jewelry—the History and the Passion” at a 1 p.m.
meeting Feb. 11 at the Del Mar Library sponsored by
Del Mar Community Connections.
In addition to addressing the history of jewelry,
Schuckit said she will add pointers about practical
issues such as life insurance, upkeep and repair of
jewelry.
Schuckit said the talk will cover the social history
of jewelry and how styles have changed, and the
difference between appraisals and evaluations.
She will take several pieces of jewelry brought by
attendees and discuss their historic significance and
current value for the group.
The lecture is free and open to the public.
Reservations may be made by calling 858 792-7565.
Speaker to explore concept of quality of life
The second in a series of six monthly lectures
sponsored by Del Mar Community Connections on
varying topics of aging—physical, medical, housing
and financial--is scheduled at 2 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Del
Mar Library and will explore the concept of “quality of
life.”
Guest speaker Amy Abrams, a certified Care Manager
and co-founder of Elder Care Guides, says “quality of
life” means different things to different people—and
like so many things in life, you best know what it
means when you don’t have it. “We’re all striving
to achieve it,” she says, “but how do we really plan
for it. Now is the time for a thoughtful evaluation
of what ‘quality of life’ means to you and what it
will mean as you age. Will you have the resources
you need to maintain the lifestyle you prefer? If you
become disabled and unable to communicate your
wishes, would your representatives know what to do
to ensure that you continue to live life on your own
terms?”
Abrams said she will cover key issues such as the
array of care options that are available, the costs of
long term care, and methods of documenting and
communicating your wishes “Whether you’re thinking
ahead about your future plans, or are in a caregiving
situation, take some time for thoughtful planning and
understand what quality of life of life means to you,”
she adds.
Reservations may be made by calling 858 792-7565.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 5
Getting to Know You
Penny Abell
Harold Feder, Cub Reporter | Crest Road
P
enny Abell is, among other things, a long time Dodgers
baseball fan. For me, as a Giants’ fan, the words
“Dodgers fan” connotes only the negative characteristics
that one would associate with the uneducated, the
uninformed or the irrational. I know Penny is the polar
opposite of such terms. So what drives her to this fandom?
I tried to find out.
Q: Let’s get the preliminary questions out of the way.
When did you first come to Del Mar and why?
A: 1978. I was hired as the Head Librarian at UCSD. I
was the 2nd Head Librarian in the history of UCSD. At that
time, of the 65 Head Librarians in the country, only two,
including myself, were woman.
Q: I don’t picture you as a librarian.
A: You mean the little old lady wearing tennis shoes?
Actually, librarians mainly teach and demonstrate how
to find information. In becoming a librarian, I recognized
that you could pursue any interest you wanted. One could
specialize in history, reference work, etc And I loved
solving puzzles. Also, there are answers to almost any
question and librarians help solve these mysteries.
Q: How long were you at UCSD?
A: Until 1984. I left to become Head Librarian at Yale.
Q: That sounds like a big job?
A: At Yale, we had 500 employees at 25 locations on and
off campus. At both schools, it was the beginning of the
tremendous use of technology. It was exciting. I even get
excited now talking about it. I stayed at Yale for 10 years
and then returned to Del Mar.
Q: How would you describe Del Mar then?
A: The income levels were much lower. Also, there was
more homogeneity in terms of income levels. It was a
UCSD faculty town. More people knew each other because
there were more long time residents and from a shared
sense of activism. I don’t get that sense of this activism
anymore.
Q: Is that a good or bad development?
A: Bad. Because of citizen engagement, Crest Canyon was
saved, the Powerhouse was established, the library was
refurbished...I could go on and on.
Q: Who was your favorite council person?
A: Jerry Finnell. He was a grown up. He listened well, was
fair and pushed for and established a clear financial base.
Q: Your favorite place in the world?
A: I think Botswana. I love birds and animals and love the
feel and smell of Africa. Botswana is a wonderful place to
experience that.
Q: Your favorite book and why?
A: Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie. It is a long,
Penny Abell. From the Sandpiper archives.
Hat courtesy Virginia Lawrence.
complex book. I think I got 5% of the meaning. But it was
so skillfully written that I could not stop reading. Also,
there is the wonderful surprise of his sense of humor.
Q: Ever read a book twice?
A: The 1st Volume of Remembrance of Things Past by
Proust and Dick Francis mysteries. Dick Francis mysteries
because they are so mindless I forget about the story after a
couple of years and can read them again.
Q: The best piece of advice?
A: I was new at the job at UCSD and for reasons I cannot
remember, I was visited by a guy who had been a professor
at the school and had gone into business. He told me of
the best book he had read regarding management was
“How to Win a Meeting.” He didn’t know the author or
anything else about the book other than the key to an
effective meeting was to know exactly what you wanted to
come out of the meeting from the beginning. The guy was
Irv Jacobs now known as Irwin Jacobs. This was before
Qualcomm.
Q: Seriously, the Dodgers?
A: It began when I was a child at my grandma’s house
and I would spend days listening to the radio and keeping
score. My romance with the Dodgers started when we
lived in Wichita and my brother and everyone else were St
Louis Cardinal fans. For some reason, I don’t know why,
I fell in love with the Brooklyn Dodgers. This was around
1942. I could only listen to them on the radio when they
played the Cardinals.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 6
Spaced Out
Parking Puzzle Pieces
Tom McGreal | Stratford Court
Tom McGreal | Stratford Court
D
I
el Mar is at a critical stage in defining the parking
requirements for the City Hall project. The ballot
alternatives are now being drafted for the community vote
on the type of City Hall / Town Hall and how much parking
should be included.
t may be hard to find a convenient parking spot in Del
Mar, but it’s even harder to find a parking management
plan that everyone can agree upon.
At the January 5th City Council meeting the staff issued a
ninety-two page report on parking management for the
downtown area. Additional reports will be required
later this year for four other neighborhoods before we
get a comprehensive citywide plan.
After a lengthy discussion the Council reconfirmed the
importance of completing a comprehensive citywide
parking management plan. They concluded that the
plan must:
1) Define the problem for residents, business patrons,
employees and beach visitors
2) Describe what a parking solution should
accomplish for each of these groups
3) Decide upon solutions (with implementation
timeframes and costs)
This is a good start, but if you listen to almost any
debate about parking in Del Mar, there are always
three arguments that get raised that cloud the real
issues and never seem to get answered. The City
should take the time to definitively address these
arguments so that we can understand the facts:
Parking in Del Mar. Cartoon John Dempsey.
The discussion at the recent Council meeting was a clear
reminder that there is a significant parking requirement for
the downtown employees and a large commitment by the
City to provide parking spaces for the in-lieu parking fee
program (paying fees instead of providing parking).
Hopefully Del Mar will not miss the opportunity to build
parking on the City Hall site that meets the needs of
the City staff, accommodates the events on our new
plaza, provides a designated parking area for downtown
employees and meets the City’s commitment to provide
parking for the in-lieu program.
Del Mar ‘s parking problem is really a “parking
distribution” problem. There may be a lot of
underutilized private parking in Del Mar, but the City
has been unsuccessful thus far in convincing the owners
to share the parking with other businesses or make it
available to the public. If these private parking spaces are
not going to be made available to the public, then let’s stop
including them as potential public parking. The City should
talk to the owners and make a final determination.
continued from page 6
The staff report to city Council indicates that “management
strategies” will generate 100 parking spaces (or 50% of the
spaces the report indicates we need downtown). The City
should focus on creating “actual parking spaces” while the
development of City Hall project and the Shores property
are up for discussion. This is where we have a real chance
to build a reservoir of parking for the downtown area.
Management strategies (reallocating existing parking
spaces) may be a source of incremental parking, but they’re
not the primary solution.
Q: Your favorite Dodger?
We should fully understand the seasonal nature of the
parking problem.
Getting to know you: Penny Abell
A: That is a very difficult question, but it would have to be
Sandy Koufax because of his grit and brilliance.
Q: How did you feel when the Dodgers moved to Los
Angeles?
A: Deeply disappointed and still am. They are still the
Brooklyn Dodgers, but they now play in Los Angeles.
Q: Ok, a Dodger fan can be intelligent, interesting and
sophisticated.
But still! A Dodger fan?
We all know that the worst parking problem exists in the
summer, so parking policies should be targeted to the
seasonal influx. The City staff report however, addresses
the year round parking shortage based upon an assessment
of supply and demand. Let’s not fool ourselves into
thinking it’s just a summer problem. We should rely upon
the statistics and data developed by the staff to define the
overall problem.
Hopefully, the City can address these issues once and for
all so that the citywide parking management plan can be
constructed based upon real facts.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 7
Mum’s NOT the Word
dmtv Presents
Brown Act Opening up in DM
Meet Market | Hitting It Off in San Diego
Dwight Worden | Seaview Avenue
Luana Karr | DMTV
O
ne-on-one interactions and dating, especially in
the San Diego area seem to take determination and
ingenuity. Well, two of Del Mar TV’s producers took
different approaches to the problem with two shows that
may give some insight to those who are looking for closer
relationships.
T
Google Images
he Brown Act is what is called a “sunshine act,”
meaning it opens government business to sunshine
and the public eye. It is the Brown Act that requires
Del Mar City Council meetings to be open to the public,
calling for agendas to be posted in advance, and ensuring
that citizens have the right to speak and be heard even
on “items not on the posted agenda.” To protect against
government decision-making by surprise, the Brown Act
also prohibits City Council discussion or action on items
not on a posted agenda. And, there we encounter a bit of
a rub.
If the council cannot discuss or act on an item “not on the
agenda,” what can they do when a citizen appears to raise
an issue “not on the agenda”? Historically, our Del Mar
Council practice has been not to discuss the item at all,
to simply say “thank you,” and move to the next item. A
standard statement printed on every City Council agenda
institutionalized this strict approach:
“State law generally precludes the City Council from
discussing or acting upon any topic presented during
oral communications that is not described on the posted
agenda.”
One of my first actions as a new councilmember was to
point out that the Brown Act does not require that we
be that strict. The Act will allow: (1) questions from the
council to any speakers or staff; (2) council discussion to
decide if the item should be placed on a future agenda; (3)
reports by councilmembers as to any work they have done
on the item; and (4) a brief statement by councilmembers
about the topic. No action may be taken other than to put
the item on a future agenda, but mum does NOT need to be
the word!
The council’s standard agenda statement has now been
revised accordingly. So, if you plan to come to council to
speak on an item “not on the agenda,” my hope is that,
where appropriate and when needed, you will NOW get
more than a poker face and “thank you!”
The second item I am recommending to improve how
Hitting It Off in San Diego. Courtesy DMTV.
Paul Tomberello, one of our “Reel Focus” videographers
produced the show ‘ Meet Market’. In the past Paul has
taped Del Mar events such as the Ugly Dog Contest, the
Farmers Market and Art Stroll. Combining his field shooting
skills with his production skills, the show features special
guest Corey Anderson, Marriage and Family Therapist.
Corey developed a questionnaire to check compatibility for
guests Stacey Josey, Mark Dice and Brendon Benson. Host
Jennifer Cooper guides them through the maze of questions
arriving at a conclusion that is unexpected. Crew for “Meet
Market” includes new members Lisa Liguori and Theresa
Mosakowski.
Paul acknowledged that he learned a lot about producing
and working with Del Mar Television veteran producers
and he is now working locally on his own feature film.
Producer Jillian Risberg hosts “Hitting if Off in San Diego.”
Jillian’s special guest is Deanna Lorraine, a Relationship/
Dating coach. Jillian and Deanna discuss some of the
pitfalls of relationships and how to navigate them. Jillian
came to the Del Mar Television Foundation to develop her
TV hosting/reporting skills. She and Paul worked together
on the short event program ‘Del Mar Art Stroll’. Jillian has
moved forward with her career and is now reporting at a
local TV station in New Jersey.
Both shows can be seen on Thursdays in February at 8 p.m.
and 8:30 p.m., respectively. For more information visit our
website at www.delmartv.com.
continued on page 10
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 8
THE NOT-SO-HAPPY HOUR
YOU FIRST, NO YOU!
Louise Keeling | Cuchara Drive
Polite Park Planning
Ann Gardner | Via Latina
T
here was a time when my elderly good neighbors
down the street looked forward to the five o’clock
hour (pm). They’d kick off their shoes, pour the
chardonnay, and enjoy looking at what was left of their
ocean view.
Now it’s more complicated. The U.S. Post Office
delivers the daily mail and it’s just come......so time for
the man of the house to bend over slowly to put on
his sturdy walking shoes, stretch his stiff arms into his
sweater (because it’s chilly outside by now) and search
for the necessary items: the basket to carry the mail,
the head-lamp given to him by his son...so he doesn’t
have to use a flash-light, and his sturdy walking stick
that helps him get out his door, down the driveway,
and approach the dome-shaped box. It’s pitch dark
by now, and with luck he opens the box, gathers the
day’s contents and slowly makes his way back up the
driveway to the house. Hopefully he doesn’t drop any
of the many mailings because bending over to pick it
up is not so easy, and the head-lamp might slip. Back in
the house, he doffs the sweater and shoes, and realizes
it’s too late for cocktails.....time for dinner.
T
he Shores
Advisory
Committee has
agreed to delay
their survey until
the City Hall poll is
conducted but is still
taking input at their
monthly meetings,
and their consultant
is currently
interviewing
community interest
groups. Del Mar
resident Joe Curtis
www.toonopedia.com.
took advantage of
the monthly meeting
to ask that his group – parents with young children – be added
to the list of groups helping to identify what uses to include
in the Shores Park Master Plan. The Committee and the
consultant agreed and the group was added to the JanuaryFebruary interview schedule.
The Committee meets monthly at 8 a.m. on the second
Wednesday in the City Hall Annex and Committee members
welcome visitors and input. The eight are responsible for
overseeing a process to make sure as many residents as
possible are included in developing a Park Master Plan for
the city property at Ninth and Stratford. The 5.3 acre site
currently includes the Winston School and the Community
Building with offices for the Del Mar Foundation and Del Mar
Community Connections. The School has a long term lease
with the City and works collaboratively with the Committee in
the Master Plan process.
Photo illustration Virginia Lawrence
Hope springs eternal when one goes for the mail....
maybe, just maybe, there’s a personal note amongst
the many ads for after-Christmas bargains or
announcements of the million dollar houses for sale in
the neighborhood.
My Hope is that this coming year our street will not be
the last one on our faithful mailman’s route, as we have
learned it is now. It’s our turn to be getting mail before
our afternoon naps and chardonnay.
Consultant Schmidt Design Group, well known in the San
Diego area for its park designs – think Solana Beach Coastal
Rail Trail – also met with the Committee to go over the survey
questionnaire that will now be launched in March. According
to staffer Kristen Crane, invitations to take the survey online
will be mailed to all registered voters with an access code,
followed by a phone call survey to voters who do not respond
within the first week. But you don’t have to wait for the survey
to get in the mood; go to www.engagedelmar.com, the City’s
new online community “engagement tool,” developed by
MindMixer, to begin communicating with the City and other
residents on the future of Del Mar. And coincidentally the
second question is “What Is Your Favorite Park in Del Mar or
elsewhere?” Pictured as “listening” along with Administrative
Services Manager Andrew Potter is Kristen Crane, confirming
the eight members of the Advisory Committee are also
listening along with Committee Council liaisons Sherryl Parks
and Terry Sinnott. Go to www.delmar.ca.us/shorespark to get
more information and sign up for ongoing Shores Advisory
Committee notices.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 9
Book Corner
The Great Ringtail Garbage Caper
by Timothy Foote with illustrations by Normand Chartier
Virginia Lawrence | Caminito Del Rocio
A group of desperate and daring raccoons
organizes a bold hijacking scheme when their lush
food supply is threatened by a pair of efficient
young garbage collectors.
Y
ear after year the raccoons on Martha’s Vineyard had
“lived off the fat leavings of summer folk … savory
cheese rinds, lamb chop bones and greasy bacon wrappers,
sardine cans with tasty bits left in the corners.” But then
Nip Jordan and Tuck Taylor were hired for the garbage
job. “Bound for Yale, and bristling with ambition, they felt
that a garbage truck was as good a vehicle as any to put
them on the road to success.” They tried hard not to “clang
the cans around in the dark, and they never left behind a
trail of eggshells, orange peels, or goldy bits of margarine
wrappers.” At the dump, they promptly “burned or buried
all the garbage.”
The islanders were delighted. But for the raccoons,
the “garbage crisis” became critical, so critical that an
emergency meeting of the “Benevolent Protective Society
of Raccoons was called at the BPSR Community Center.”
The Oldest Coon was stern. He told the assembly they
would have to tighten their belts and return to their old
ways. “Raccoons lived on the island long before men
came. It is full of natural foods - frogs, toads, tadpoles,
newts, salamanders, hermit crabs, crawfish, snails.”
The kits were aghast, and their groans rose as the list
proceeded. “In the back, someone was holding up a sign
that read: NATURAL FOODS FAUGH! A second placard
read: NO NEWTS IS GOOD NEWTS.”
But the Oldest Coon had a plan. All he needed was a
Daring Dozen, and a hero.
THINK GREEN with
Esmeralda
When Nip and
Tuck accepted the
garbage job, they
immediately named
the old
truck Esmeralda,
a Spanish name
meaning “emerald”
- a green gemstone.
As the author
explained, “on the
Vineyard garbage
was proverbially
collected sloppily.
We humans are the
guys who screw up
the environment
with immediate
effect on local
animals.” Because
so many people
came to the island,
“there was much
less room for
wetlands where
toads, tadpoles,
frogs, newts, and
grasshoppers
are found.” The
raccoons soon
developed a taste
for and then
became dependent
on “our leavings.”
Big Ben at the wheel weariing an
old-fashioned boater hat and a mask
as a disguise.
In the story, the raccoons come across as heroes. In reality,
however, they are usually viewed as pests. The story
shows that when trash collection is meticulous, raccoons
cease to thrive. Or do they? Expect surprises at the end!
Ringtail came to life in the ‘70s on Martha’s Vineyard in the
town of Menemsha as an oral improvisation for Timothy
Foote’s son Andrew. The story was published in 1980
by Houghton Mifflin and later picked up by Scholastic
Paperbacks. This past week, one of the Sandpiper editors
read the book to two little girls (3 and 4) whose immediate
desire was to go find a raccoon. The editor herself, of
another generation entirely, also loved the book.
Sadly, in spite of its broad appeal, Ringtail is today available
in second-hand editions only. The good news is that the
Del Mar Library has half a dozen used copies on its
shelves.
Timothy Foote spent his career employed variously as a Senior
Editor of LIFE, and then of TIME and finally at the SMITHSONIAN.
Mum’s NOT the Word
continued from page 8
council works under the Brown Act is to create a location on the City website
where councilmembers can share information between noticed meetings.
These informational postings would be visible to all councilmembers and to
the public. This would enable all five councilmembers, and the public, to be
better informed, while encouraging information sharing in an open, transparent
manner. This proposal is still under review. I hope to be able to advise you of its
implementation soon.
Both of these modest changes are, in my view, entirely consistent with the Brown
Act. They will promote citizen participation, and keep us all better informed.
That’s a good thing that the Brown Act was never intended to impede.
The Brown Act is great law.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 10
RUSTY’S Ride
Take a Turn
Anthony Corso | Stratford Court
City Advisory Committee Vacancies
I
nterested in volunteering in your City?
The City of Del Mar invites its residents to
volunteer on a board or commission to provide
input in a variety of areas. The City is currently
soliciting for interested persons to fill the
following committee vacancies:
Business Support Advisory Committee
Two (2) Vacancies – (1) Retail Establishment
Representative and (1) Hotel Owner/
Operator Representative
I
nhabitants of Del Mar frequently allude to living “adjacent
to the ocean.” Interestingly, there are a number of other
residents, perhaps as high as 300, who envision “living in
the ocean.” These ocean dwellers are known as “surfers.”
And as “surfers” they have a culture, language and lifestyle unique to one another. Briefly, consider: “snaking,”
“aggro,” “ gnarly,” “da bomb,” “blown out,” “ face,” “tube,”
“snap,” etc. Definitions of such surfing terminology can
be found in the Riptionary, an on-line lexicon of surfing
terminology. But that’s another story!
Traffic and Parking Advisory Committee
One (1) Vacancy - Commercial Retail
Member
Interested citizens should complete a Citizen
Interest Form and submit it to the City of Del
Mar’s Administrative Services Department.
Visit http://www.delmar.ca.us/volunteer
to complete the form and see the deadlines.
Forms should be submitted to the City of Del
Mar, Administrative Services Department,
1050 Camino del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014.
Additionally, the City has the following
upcoming opportunities in the next 60 days:
Design Review Board
Traffic and Parking Advisory Committee
Subscribe online at http://www.delmar.ca.us/
volunteer to receive email notifications to find
out when new openings are posted.
Rusty’s team. Left to right: Diggy Valois, Zach Groban,
Weston Yocom, Paul Danger. Courtesy Zach Groban.
Most of the surfers “hang-out” at Rusty’s - a local surf shop
across from the Post Office on 15th Street. As a young man
and surfer Rusty Preisendirfer traveled along the Del Mar
Coast in search of the “ideal wave.” On one such trip, more
than 25 years ago, he discovered a small store overlooking
the ocean and underutilized as a retail shop. Given its
location, he felt it would make an ideal surf-shop.
He and his wife re-opened it as Rusty Del Mar, Surf Shop.
Since then he and his business partner, Zach Groban,
have developed a thriving surf business, carrying a brand
name recognized world-wide and defining Del Mar a “Surf
Capital.”
City Council Appoints Advisory
Committee Members
back: Terry Sinnott, Dwight Worden, Don Mosier,
Mayor Al Corti. front: Deputy Mayor Sherryl Parks.
Courtesy Sherryl Parks.
The business succeeds in making numerous major
contributions to the Community. There are regular surfing
events, such as “The Del Mar Classic,” which they sponsor,
and manage to draw celebrities, professional athletes and
thousands of dedicated surfers. Zach Groban recently
noted, “We contribute to countless local events with
raffles, donations, and great causes; we like to support the
Community that has given so much to us.”
Since its creation more than 25 years ago, a long line of
young people have worked in the Shop, before finishing
school, some of whom now hold key positions in the surf
industry.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 11
Roving Teen Reporter
Feathered Census
Selfies of Substance
Ed Mirsky | Hoska Drive
Leah Gans | La Jolla Country Day Junior
A
selfie is a photo of oneself, with or without others,
taken by a person that is also in the photo. Contrary
to the common misconception, a selfie is not simply a
photo of someone alone. “I can’t count the number of
#selfiesundays I see
on Instagram that
are not actually
selfies,” complained
Sarah from TPHS.
Many people argue
that selfies are just
another example
of the younger
generation’s selfindulgence and selfimposed isolation
from the outside
world. “I think these
Google Images.
beliefs just show
resistance to advances in new technology,” shared CCHS
student Zoe. Selfies can be a fun way to share a picture,
but they also have been used to start and support important
social campaigns, including feminism, anti-bullying,
and preventing self-harm. For example; Emma Watson’s
“#HeForShe” campaign used selfies and social media to
promote gender equality. Another example would be Demi
Lovato’s “No H8” campaign where she raised awareness
for self-harm by writing No H8 on her face and hands and
shared selfies of this on social media and others followed,
posting their own selfies. Although there are people who
support these campaigns to be trendy, the information is
still being communicated and reaching a wide audience. As
CCA student Abby said, “Using selfies to spread awareness
is just one way our society uses social media to impact our
society in a positive way.”
Selfies are not an example of our generation’s desire to
live life at home through a computer. If anything, selfies
influence teens to get outside, accomplish something
significant and share it on social media. Of course, this
leads to the question that I have heard countless times
from my mom, grandma, aunts and uncles: “Why would
you want everyone to know what you are doing all the
time?” The answer to this is simple: I don’t. As TPHS
student Kyle explained, “I don’t share on social media when
I’m laying in bed binging on ice cream and potato chips
watching “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.” Social media
is meant to share ideas, feelings, and photos of our best
selves. It is actually a pretty cool tool for teens to learn
how to present themselves properly on any platform.
Selfies may seem like a complete waste of time to our
parents and grandparents, and that probably can be true.
However, there really is no harm in them and they provide
another way to communicate and connect with people and
even occasionally inspire social reform movements.
T
he San Dieguito Lagoon Area Monthly Bird Survey
began in January 2010 as the inspiration of two local
birders, Jayne Lesley and Mona Baumgartel. The final count
for 2014 was conducted on Sunday, 7 December. It marked
the end of five years of data collection at the lagoon.
Over the five-year period the eighty-eight volunteers who
participated in the survey observed a total of 223 bird
species. Fourteen of those species were observed on or
flying over the ocean at the mouth of the lagoon. The
remaining 209 species were seen on the beach, in the
lagoon, and on the San Dieguito River and adjacent upland
habitats as it meanders east to Helen Woodward Way in
Fairbanks Ranch, CA.
The Horned Lark was photographed close to the San Dieguito River
Park’s Birdwing Open Air Classroom where the species may breed.
Photographed by Leonard Sander, Univ. Michigan
The monthly bird survey is not directly part of Southern
California Edison’s (SCE) mitigation settlement for the
environmental damage done by the San Onofre Nuclear
Generating Station. The California Coastal Commission,
which is responsible for overseeing the mitigation,
contracted with UC Santa Barbara to design and implement
a study to show that SCE has indeed created “successful”
new wetlands. Steve Schroeter, a UC Santa Barbara
biologist was hired to head the study to evaluate the
restoration of the lagoon.
Steve was instrumental in getting approval for the
monthly bird survey within those parts of the lagoon
restricted to the public, arguing that a monthly census
would provide supplemental data on bird distribution and
abundance throughout the year. And it has been valuable.
To paraphrase Steve Schroeter, the lagoon survey is
an independent source of data that is valuable for two
reasons: It has been conducted over a longer period of
time and at a higher frequency than the bird data we are
collecting for the mitigation monitoring; and it has provided
an important cross check on our bird data, which samples
in the winter, fall, and spring, only.
A list of the species seen at San Dieguito Lagoon over the
five year period of the survey is found on the Friends of
the San Dieguito River Valley website: (www.fsdrv.org/
RVBirdCount.html).
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 12
Satisfaction summary soon
Reaching Out for Feedback and Input
Jeffrey Barnouw | Amphitheatre Drive
Down To the Wire
Stop THIS Paseo!
Ann Gardner | Via Latina
T
he City Council and Staff have
launched two programs to
find out what Del Mar citizens are
thinking. In December an online
Citizen Satisfaction Survey asked
the public to assess the performance
and relative importance of a wide
variety of services the City provides.
Then, to open the New Year (in fact in
mid-January) an “online community
engagement tool” called Engage Del Mar made its debut,
an open-ended project to develop more and better lines
of communication between citizens and with the City
Council, committees and staff.
The online Satisfaction Survey was complemented by
a hard-copy version. Thirty paper copies were among
the 442 responses received from a pool of 2900 names
gleaned from Voter Registration. Probolsky Research of
Newport Beach, which ran the survey, found the number of
responses gratifying, above what one could have expected
judging from comparable surveys elsewhere in California.
W
e are down to the wire in the battle between the
proposed One Paseo project and the Carmel Valley
community; the San Diego City Council is scheduled to
make a decision on February 23 at a hearing downtown.
The downtown location was a disappointment to many
in North County but What Price Main Street, a coalition of
over 5,000 community residents opposing the project size,
has set the tone: “While we are disappointed that the City
Council meeting is being held downtown, we sincerely
appreciate the efforts of Council President Lightner and
her staff to locate it in Carmel Valley. At this point, we
are focused on turning out as many WPMS members as
possible.”
For shuttle to 2/23 meeting, call 855 385 9767
The survey asked not only for judgments and comments
on the performance of a wide variety of services the
city provides but also a ranking of priorities among
some of them. (I found ranking them by relative
importance difficult.) The third question presented a
very heterogeneous list of services and issues “the City is
evaluating,”
“repairing streets, adding/improving sidewalks,
encouraging a more vibrant Downtown business area,
reducing the impact of business parking on adjacent
neighborhoods, adding new recreational opportunities,
generating revenue from visitors to provide services
that off-set their impact, traffic enforcement, and crime
prevention.”
Results are not yet in but will be presented at the City
Council meeting February 2. One possible gain from taking
the survey is that we were again made aware of how many
things the City does for us.
Kristin Crane, Assistant to the City Manager, oversaw
the survey and is joined by Andrew Potter, Director of
Administrative Services, in monitoring the online activity
of Engage Del Mar. This “tool” is provided by MindMixer,
a software program currently used by 90 communities in
California and 900 nationwide. In Del Mar it should serve a
number of different purposes, not only on already defined
projects but the shaping of concerns and issues. To begin
with two sample questions have been posed about the
different ways in which we enjoy the beach and about
our favorite park, whether in Del Mar or not. I opt for the
English Garden in Munich, which won’t shed much light on
what we can do with the Shores lot.
I, of course, signed up for my Engage Del Mar Account
immediately and was promptly acknowledged by the
Mindmixer Team. “Welcome, Jeffrey, Thanks
Carmel Valley Planning Board rejects proposed 1.4 million sq foot
One Paseo project, suggests applicant come back with a smaller
mixed-use project in keeping with Community Plan.
Del Mar City Council members will also be there. On
January 5, the Council voted unanimously to voice their
concerns with the project and urged San Diego “to continue
working with the applicants and the local planning groups
to achieve a viable main-street concept that achieves
project goals with significantly reduced community
continued on page 14
for verifying. Now you can start contributing to our
community.” The social media aspect includes a
competitive angle. The program says I will earn points
every time I contribute to the site, points that “can
be redeemed toward unique rewards,” ranging “from
baseball caps to a key to the city.” “You can also see how
you measure up against the other participants in your
community by checking out the Top Contributors.”
I would already have 50 points just for creating my Account
and would get 25 more for each of you I could persuade to
join. But Kristin Crane assured me the City will not make
use of this feature. Let’s hope this whole amusing but
pointless section is removed from the site. The possibilities
for generating civic dialogue and engagement, which
was the Council’s main intent, should be enticement and
reward enough.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 13
Over the Fence
Anthony Corso | Stratford Court
T
he Art of Neighboring is at the forefront of a national
movement to renew local communities through
“neighboring.” The book reminds us of the value of
pursuing relationships with people who are neighbors and
suggests that citizen participation as practiced in many
communities seems ineffectual beyond reacting to a single
issue that unites some neighbors at a point in time.
The Art of Neighboring offers a new approach based upon
the following observations: Lofty fences, some real—some
imaginary, act as impairments separating and isolating
individuals and families from one another. Such isolation
impedes “neighboring” or ongoing communications and
the evolution of a community environment. In many cases
the situation persists despite persons living next door to
one another for 10 or 20 years!
Proponents of “neighboring” regret the situation and offer
examples of creative solutions and recommendations
generated by “neighboring” programs. The programs
frequently originate as a joint effort of spiritual leadership
and a governmental jurisdiction. The “spirituality” context
seems to originate from a redefinition of conversation
as one that arises from a profound relationship among
individuals--a recognized need for trusting, open
conversations and an intense respect for the thoughts
and suggestions of others. If conducted in this context
“neighboring” has proven to nurture solutions to many
community problems, generate ideas, policies and
programs for improving community life and has led to
significant physical and social improvements.
Down to the Wire: Stop this paseo!
continued from page 13
impacts.” Mayor Al Corti emphasized that the reducedsize mixed-use alternative cited in the Final Environmental
Impact Report (FEIR) would still “give the developer all the
rights allowed by the planning and zoning in place when
the property was purchased, and then some.” A copy of the
letter can be found on www.delmarsandpiper.org .
The identified unmitigated impacts on traffic and
community character and the integrity of San Diego’s
community planning values are at issue in this battle. The
One Paseo FEIR is clear that traffic caused by the project
and the impact of its density, bulk and scale on nearby
neighborhoods cannot be overlooked. Walkers, bicyclists,
even drivers used to one and two story developments,
wide landscaped setbacks and moderate traffic will be
crammed up against as high as 170 foot glistening glass
office buildings and stuck bumper to bumper. The other big
issue: if One Paseo is built what happens to San Diego’s
commitment to the communities it serves, to the elected
Community Planning Boards that have been assured a
voice in their Community Plans and any proposed changes.
“(The General Plan) does not change land use designations
or zoning on individual properties but rather provides
policy direction for future community plan updates,” City of
San Diego Planning Department.
Google Images
Ken Blanchard, the noted author of One Minute Manager,
maintains that neighboring is more than a problem
solving technique. In numerous cases it has proven to be
a contributing factor in the enhancement of an “authentic
community.” Blanchard, states, “Building relationships
with our neighbors leads to better communities, better
cities, and ultimately a better world.”
There are countless reasons why “neighboring” with its
demand for high-quality, effective communications can
be difficult. We are all individuals with different ways
of viewing the world, different biases, objectives and
vulnerabilities. We so often judge what we hear based upon
our own experiences and predispositions.
Effective communication begins with mutual respect, a
give-and take exercise that should ideally conclude with a
better understanding than was present at the beginning.
This requires accepting the transcendent quality of others,
and their innate value and capability to contribute.
Kilroy Realty ignored this policy and proposed, first,
a project four times bigger and denser than allowed
and then reduced the project to three times allowed
zoning, a common game played by developers who
hope communities and cities will get sucked in by the
“reduction.” But as asked by Diana Sheffler, Del Mar
Heights resident and a spokesperson for Mitigate One
Paseo, a group of residents west of I-5: “How much
amendment is too much? Can a community’s desire to
shape the way it evolves be thrown aside for the sake of
developing a more financially lucrative project? Residents
of Carmel Valley have come face-to-face with these
questions and will soon learn what San Diego’s leaders
deem to be most important: supporting the planning
process they put into place and frequently advocate
for, or enacting such sweeping amendments that they
undermine the very purpose of establishing guiding plans
in the first place.” Diana’s full commentary, printed in the
San Diego Transcript January 16 can be read on www.
delmarsandpiper.org .
Learn more and get involved by going to www.
whatpricemainstreet.com .
The Carmel Valley Planning Board voted 11 to 2 to reject
the project in favor of a smaller footprint.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 14
Locavores’ delight
Shot in Del Mar
Penguin Plunge January 1, 2015
Fritto Misto di Mare ‘n More
Di Holker | Coast Boulevard
Ingredients
For the batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup white wine
¼ cup seltzer or club soda
For the dredging:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Fritto Misto ‘n More:
4 cup vegetable oil or a mixture of olive oil and vegetable oil *
Fresko
½ pound medium shrimp, peeled * Dry Dock Fish
1 pound cleaned squid, cut in ½ inch pieces * Dry Dock Fish
½ pound bay scallops * Dry Dock Fish
1 pound John Dory, cut in 1 inch pieces * Dry Dock Fish
1 lemon, sliced very thin *Shaner Farms
1 bunch scallions, trimmed to 4 inch pieces * Shaner Farms
½ medium zucchini, julienned * Valdiva
½ sweet onion, sliced in rounds * Valdiva
Tartar Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chopped capers
10 tablespoons cornichons or pickles
2 tablespoons pickled jalapenos
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley * Blue Heron
½ lemon juiced * Shaner Farms
Dash * Cholula or favorite hot sauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil * Freskos
Photo Di Holker
Preparation:
1. Make the
batter: Put flour
and salt in a
small bowl and
gradually whisk
in wine to obtain
a smooth, lumpfree mixture.
Rest 30 minutes.
Add seltzer/soda
water just before
frying.
2. Near the stove,
put the seasoned
dredging flour in
a shallow bowl.
Place finished
batter next to it
and an empty
plate next to that.
Put fish and
Lunch time! Neptune heading for Poseidon.
Photo Bill Morris.
other ingredients for frying nearby.
3. Put oil in a large wok or skillet and fasten a
candy thermometer to the side. Heat oil to 375
degrees.
4. Working in small batches, dip a few pieces of
seafood and more into seasoned flour to coat
lightly, then into the batter. Put battered pieces
on the empty plate.
5. Slip a few pieces into the hot oil and fry 3 to 4
minutes, until golden. Remove with tongs or
wire spider and drain on a paper-towel lined
baking sheet. Hold friend food in a warm oven
while continuing to fry. Make sure to regulate
heat below wok/skillet to keep oil at correct
temperature. Rid of debris between batches
with a fine meshed skimmer.
6 As soon as you have enough to serve, pile it
into a warmed bowl. Sprinkle with seas salt
and crushed red pepper. Garnish with scallions
and lemon slices. Continue to fry in small
batches.
Tartar Sauce:
In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
Chill before serving to the flavors marry.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 15
Short Takes on Film
Ben Nyce | Via Latina
Bud Emerson | Klish Way
“B
irdman” is a trip. Made
by the Mexican director
Alejandro Inarritu the film
is a roller coaster ride full
of surprises and depths.
Michael Keaton plays Riggan,
a washed-up actor who once
played the birdman (read
Batman) in blockbuster films.
Those roles were larger than
life, heroic fantasies which he
ultimately rejected. Since then
he’s been trying to find roles
with a human scale but with
little success. We find him
putting together a stage adaptation of a story by Raymond
Carver. It’s his final despairing attempt to do “something
decent.” The camera follows him in a series of connected,
flowing shots as he frantically works to direct a key scene
the day before opening night. The rapid continuous shots
capture the pressure he’s under. There’s no let up. He’s full
of doubt, half suicidal – still influenced by fantasies of flying,
of escaping. Everything
seems designed to frustrate
him. He’s confronted
by rebellious actors, his
hypercritical daughter, his
own self-destructiveness.
Only his former wife offers
understanding. In the final
scene of the play he blows
part of his nose off with a
loaded pistol (an accident?)
and the play is a triumph,
a scandal. At the end he
jumps out the dressing
room window. Does he
fall or fly away? The film
is full of angst, anger,
self-laceration and lots
of humor. Riggan’s walk
through Times Square in
his underpants is only one of the highlights. Go see it.
Fans of Mike Leigh (“Vera Drake,” “Happy Go Lucky,”
“High Hopes”) might doubt that he made “Mr. Turner,”
the fine study of the last years of the British painter J. M.
W. Turner. It’s a full length bio-pic, replete with carefully
staged set pieces – very unlike Leigh’s small scale, loosely
structured studies of Britain’s lower classes. Timothy
Spall, a Leigh regular, evokes Turner the artist rebel, the
“sacred monster,” the image breaker. He disdains
San Dieguito River Park
Councilmember Don Mosier is the new Chair of the San
Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority.
SDRP Boardwalk Trail
The fate of the SDRP boardwalk trail at the San Dieguito
Lagoon was scheduled to be considered by the Coastal
Commission at their January meeting in Santa Monica.
The JPA sent a letter requesting that the agenda item be
continued to the March Commission meeting in San Diego.
You can read the Coastal staff report for the boardwalk
trail (staff recommendation is that the boardwalk trail be
removed) at the link to the January Commission meeting
(scroll down to item #30.a): www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.
html
Beachside Del Mar Shopping Center
The remodeled Beachside Del Mar shopping center on
Del Mar Heights Road and Mango Drive will add a Jersey
Mike’s fast-food casual sub sandwich franchise. The
franchise will be owned and operated by Cathy and Mike
Brown of Carmel Valley. They will celebrate the opening
soon with a fundraiser for a local charity.
Also planned at the site of the previous credit union site
across from the Auto Club will be a full-size Starbucks
store including drive-in service.
other artists, rejects his daughter, forces himself upon
his compliant housekeeper. He’s fighting to break away
from the convention of maritime painting into the new
unmoored area of the effect of light in watery air and
smoke. He ties himself to a ship’s mast in a storm in
order to experience the effect of slashing wind and rain.
He then tries to capture the visual effect on canvas. He’s
England’s first Impressionist. He apparently doesn’t know
of his contemporaries working in France. The film shows
the social world he lives in with remarkable clarity and it
also, most important, gives us the images which engross
his eye. “Mr. Turner” ranks with “Lust for Life” “Van Gogh’
“Renoir” and “The Horses Mouth.”
For home viewing by you foodies out there: “Haute
Cuisine,” a very entertaining, tasty depiction of cooking
for the president of France. We see the politics of the
kitchen and the preparation of certain dishes – all done
with a firm, light touch a la Francaise.
Nyce taught literature and film at USD. He wrote “Satyajit Ray”
and “ Scorcese Up Close.”
Extra copies of the Sandpiper
are available at: City Hall, the Library, the Del Mar Community Building, the Powerhouse, and
the Carmel Valley Library; The Gym at Del Mar on Jimmy Durante Blvd; the Solana Beach Library and
the Solana Beach Community Center.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 16
Del Mar Community Calendar
Highlights for February 2015
This month’s calendar was compiled by
Shelby Weaver, a Torrey Pines High School Senior.
Del Mar Farmer’s Market: Every Saturday, 1-4 p.m. in the
City Hall parking lot. Purchase fresh, locally grown produce,
flowers, eggs and many other products.
Del Mar City Council Meetings: Monday, February 2nd, 6:00
p.m. Special City Council Meeting, Tuesday, February 3rd, 6:00
p.m. at 240 Tenth Street
DMVA: Promotion Committee meeting, Tuesday, February 3rd
and 17th, 4:00-5:00 p.m. at 1104 Camino del Mar, Ste 1.
DMVA: Del Mar History Committee monthly meeting, Tuesday,
February 3rd, 5:00- 6:00 p.m., 1104 Camino del Mar Ste. 1
Del Mar Foundation: Young Del Mar, night out at Zel’s,
Tuesday February 3rd, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Zel’s Del Mar, 1247
Camino del Mar. Happy Hour drink prices from 6:30-9:30,
complimentary appetizers from 6:30-8:00. Please register at
www.delmarfoundation.org
First Thursday: Thursday, February 5th, Gustavo Romero Beethoven, Ravel and Chopin by an internationally renowned
pianist. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 14th Street, Del Mar.
7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for wine and cheese. We’re
sorry, but this series is sold out.
Del Mar Library: Sunday Salon, Chronic Disease Reversal and
Optimal Health with Dr. Lindsey McIlvena, Sunday, February
8th, 1:00 p.m., Del Mar Library
DMVA: Design Committee Monthly meeting, Wednesday,
February 18th, 11:00 a.m., 1104 Camino del Mar ste. 1
Del Mar Historical Society: Meeting, Tuesday, February 17th,
5:00 p.m., 225 9th St., all are invited
DMVA: Business Assistance Committee Meeting, Wednesday,
February 18th, 8:30 -9:30 a.m., 1104 Camino del Mar Ste. 1
Del Mar Library: Special Movie Screening, The Curse of the
Quon Gwon ,a 1917 silent film starring local author Mail-Lon
Gittelson’s mother, Wednesday February 18th at 6:00 p.m.
DMVA: Monthly Board of Directors meeting, Thursday,
February 19th, 8:30-10:00 a.m., City Hall Annex
Del Mar Garden Club: DMGC will host a meeting open to the
public on water conservation, Monday, February 23rd, 9:30
a.m. at the Powerhouse
Friends of the San Dieguito River Valley: Monthly meeting,
Monday, February 23rd, 7:00 p.m.at the Annex, 1054 Camino
del Mar
DM Library: Toddler Story Time, Ages 1-2. Stories, songs and
finger plays for toddlers, Tuesday, February 24th, 10:30 a.m.
City of Del Mar: Finance Committee meeting, Tuesday,
February 24th, 5:15, City Hall Annex
Del Mar Community Connections: ROMEO Men’s Lunch,
Tuesday, February 24th, 12 pm, Sbicca, 215 15th Street
DM Business Support Advisory Committee: Tuesday,
February 24th, 9 - 10:30 a.m. City Hall Annex
DM Library: Wednesday, February 25th, 6:30 p.m. PJ Story
time. Wear your PJ’s to the library for story time!
Del Mar Community Connections: Monthly Board meeting,
Saturday, February 14th, 9 a.m.
Del Mar Foundation: Del Mar Foundation Board Meeting,
Thursday, February 26th, 8:00 a.m., 225 9th St.
Del Mar Library: Jigsaw puzzles for kids with Ms. Gretchen,
Saturday, February 14th , 10:00 a.m.
The Del Mar Rose Society: Meeting, Thursday, February 26th,
6:30 p.m., at the Powerhouse in Del Mar, 1658 Coast Blvd.
Cartoon Steve Crothers
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 17
Visit the
Sandpiper
online!
This month’s complete issue
plus web exclusives, colored
pix, photo essays, useful links,
alerts, and much more!
SA N D P I P E R
DEL MAR’S COMMUNITY JOURNAL
Box 2177, Del Mar, CA 92014
Standard Mail
U.S. Postage
PAID
Encinitas, CA
Permit No. 5
DATED MATERIAL
www.delmarsandpiper.org
Owls on the Prowl
Mar Garden Club has taken
the lead once again with a
thoughtful action plan to
accelerate natural gopher
population control - offering
tenancy to a predator.
Shirley King | Avenida Primavera
H
aving teeth that never stop growing
and powerful forearms and paws with
pick-ax claws make the pocket gopher an
Attracting barn owls with a
unstoppable tunnel-borer. Pocket gophers
secure shelter for reproduction
may move earth more reliably than tunneland of course a nocturnal
boring machines such as Bertha that is
source for nourishment
stalled in downtown Seattle’s Highway
is a good environmental
99 Tunnel project. But pocket gophers are
arrangement. The Garden
Pocket gophers are stout-bodied rodents with
sinking their teeth deep into the turf at Del
small ears and eyes and large clawed front paws. Club hosted a meeting in
Mar’s
Google Images
November when Sharon and
public
Bert Kersey spoke about the
parks and many of
use of a barn owl nest box. Soon after, a nesting box
our back yards.
with a camera system was purchased and installed by the
Barn Owl Nest Box at Shores Park.
Photo Shirley King
Our Shores Park is
being excavated by
pocket gophers right
under the noses of
the many dogs who
visit the green space.
Despite the dogs’
inquisitive snouts
thrust into the burrow
entrances, these
gophers stay put
moving a ton of soil
to the surface each
year. If only we could
give them a bus ticket
to Seattle.
At this time we don’t have a job opening for the ecological
services provided by the gophers. Nor are we ready
with our Shores Park Master Plan that may eventually
require some earth moving. We must move on to a
plan to preserve the integrity of our Park’s soil. The Del
Garden Club just to the east of the basketball court. With
luck a barn owl couple will start a family in January, the
eggs hatching after thirty days and flying the coop by April.
If the supply of food is sufficient, - they search within a mile
radius - then they may start another family in the summer.
No doubt our neighborhoods can supply the barn owls with
the 1000 rats, mice and gophers they consume each year.
But it is ever so important that we give up the practice
of using poison to bait the pesky rodents in our yards
and that goes for the neighboring hotels and restaurants.
The Garden Club doesn’t want to lose its foster home
license. And we should let the barn owls become our pest
management services.
If you would like to become a landlord to a barn owl
family, the boxes without cameras cost about $160 and
are available from a local source in San Diego. Ask Becky
Dembitsky for the contact or write The Sandpiper at
[email protected]
Many thanks to the Del Mar Garden Club for coming to the
rescue again.
Sandpiper February 2015 Page 18