Mayor Sanders announced on These Days on KPBS this morning (May 10) that a plan to save the fire pits will be unveiled today. It will continue to involve anonymous donors. A news conference is expected today at 2 PM.
Fire Pit Issue covered on KOGO Radio. Representatives from the OB Rag, the La Jolla Community Foundation, and Savethefirepits.com were interviewed on Community Connections. The show will air several times starting May 1 on Clear Channel stations. 5/1/2010 La Jolla Foundation offers to sponsor fire pits in La Jolla Shores. The La Jolla Light and many other news outlets have reported that the La Jolla Community Foundation is willing to sponsor the seven fire pits in La Jolla Shores. This is contingent on the city receiving funds to keep the fire pit program in place. San Diego city officials have stated that the fire pit program will only kept if all fire pits are funded. 4/21/2010 Coastal Commission told Huntington Beach that a coastal permit is required to remove even a portion of the fire pits. The Orange County Register reports on an email exchange between city offices and the coastal commission. It is interesting to note that Huntington Beach only claims to spend $24,000 (including $11,800 in labor) to maintain 86 fire pits. 3/22/2010 Coastal Commission says: Public Hearings Required for Removal of Fire Pits The Union Tribune reports on 1/15/10 that Deborah Lee, district manager of the Coastal Commission’s San Diego office, said a public hearing will be required due to the tremendous public interest and the large number of fire pits involved. Expect the hearing in 6-8 weeks. Ocean Beach Planning Board unanimously votes to oppose fire pit removal San Diego Reader, 1/9/2010 San Diego Fire Pits make the New York Times! A Debate Smolders Over Plan on Fire Pits, 12/28/2009 Ocean Beach group organizing to adopt the fire pits, thanks to the OB Rag blog. See the interview on 10 News and the article in the OB Rag 12/14/2009 "Eliminating fire pits will cause injuries", Letter to the Editor from retired San Diego Lifeguard Chief, Union Tribune, 12/12/2009 (scroll down to the 4th letter) "the city needs a permit to remove the 186 fire rings in parks and beaches or it could potentially face stiff penalties", says Deborah Lee, district manager for the California Coastal Commission’s San Diego coast area, according to SDNews, 12/10/2009 Union Tribune reports that Coastal Commission permit is likely needed to remove the fire pits!
Fire rings saved at Corona Del Mar in Newport Beach Corona Del Mar Today, 11/30/2009, Residents and Coastal Commission weigh in to stop the removal San Diego Fire pits to be removed in 2010 Mayor Sanders has announced the "final elimination" of the fire pits in the proposed 2010-2011 budget. Here are the links: Union Tribune article Press Release Budget Proposal Union Tribune Columns on the city's Fire Pit fund-raising program Michael Stetz, 11/8/2009 Michael Stetz, 7/12/2009 Fire Pits Saved for 18 Months by an anonymous donor Union Tribune, 12/15/2008 NBC San Diego, 12/15/2008 San Diego uproots fire pits amid salvaging efforts Union Tribune, 12/11/2008 Several groups are trying to locate funds and volunteers, but the city says it wants $259,000 immediately or the pits will continue to be removed. The city will not accept volunteers or partial sponsorship. Chris Cantore on the fire pits "Fire Pits, Really?", San Diego Magazine, 12/2008 Groups volunteer to clean fire pits
This morning, Mayor Sanders was on "These Days" on KPBS. He stated that he supported a caller whose organization wanted to adopt the fire pits. At the same time, the city started removing the fire pits!
Initial Proposal to Remove the Fire Pits Union Tribune, 11/22/2008 NBC San Diego, 11/22/2008, "Dude, Not the Pits" |
 | |
|
|