July 2021 Edition – Pacifica Voice

Edition 5 July 2021

Welcome to the July 2021 edition of Pacifica Voice.

In this edition → link to articles:

FOR CONSIDERATION
1. → Safe Parking: the solution to the oversize vehicle parking problem. Peter Loeb
2. → The Oversize Vehicle Ordinance update. Suzanne Moore
3. The → list of legal oversize vehicle parking streets. City of Pacifica
HOUSING
1. AB 832: → Extended eviction moratorium and expanded rent relief. Faith in Action, Bay Area
2. → Create a city: An invitation. Housing Leadership Council
3. → HIP housing update. Omar Alvarez-Espinosa
BOARD OF SUPERVISOR CANDIDATES
SOCIAL JUSTICE
1. → Spreading peace. Delia McGrath
2. → La Honda Indivisible. Sue Henkin-Haas
3. Support immigrants, → stop ICE, save DACA: An invitation. Pacifica Social Justice
CLIMATE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT
1. → Trees and watering during our drought. Paul Totah
2. → A message about unsustainable development from CPUP. Summer Lee
THE COMMUNITY SHARES
1. On → community engagement and next steps. Sue Digre
2. The → Sanchez Art Gallery lists events.
3. → Defund Fox: An opinion by Mark Hubbell

CALENDAR Month Events

SAT 7/31 9 am – 12 noon Create a City (in the sand) at Sharp Park. See the post from Housing Leadership Council and register.
MON 8/2 (confirm 7 pm start) Planning Commission and the Talbot Street Project.
MON 8/9 (confirm 7 pm start) City Council with hearing on the Harmony 1 Project. A chance for the public to communicate concerns about Hillside Preservation District protection.
SAT 8/14 11 am HWY 1 sign waving to support immigrants, stop ICE, save DACA. See the invitation from Pacifica Social Justice.
MON 8/16 Planning Commission. Look for their agenda
WED 8/18 6pm Open Space and Parkland Advisory Committee with possible chance to comment on the Hillside Preservation District.
MON 8/23 City Council. Look for their agenda.

Please refer to event calendars for the Pacifica Library, Pacific Beach Coalition, and the Sanchez Art Gallery.

Photos have been contributed by Leo Leon and Mark Hubbell

Pacifica Voice is eager to receive articles on issues important to our community. Please send them to editors@pacificavoice.us for consideration.

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FOR CONSIDERATION

Safe Parking: the solution to the oversize vehicle parking problem
Author Peter Loeb

The City of Pacifica is required to publish a list of streets where it’s legal to park oversize vehicles. This is the result of a lawsuit challenging the city’s Oversized Vehicle (OSV) Ordinance. Many citizens are upset about this. There is a lot of misunderstanding of what happened, how this came about, and who is responsible.

But the solution is clear. It’s what advocates were saying when the OSV ordinance was originally adopted. A Safe Parking program would create a safe place where oversized vehicles can park, where trash, sanitation, and case management can be provided, and where people living in their vehicles can transition to better housing. This alternative could allow the city to limit oversize vehicle parking on all city streets. Now is the time for the City Council to act to implement a Safe Parking program. It is a solution to the parking problem which was created by the OSV ordinance and called out by the lawsuit.

Pacifica’s Oversize Vehicle Ordinance is Amended: An Update
Author Suzanne Moore

On July 15, 2021, the City agreed to a preliminary injunction with attorneys for the plaintiffs, vehicularly-housed Pacificans named on the Oversize Vehicle Ordinance lawsuit. Under the injunction, the City agreed to put the map and list of allowed parking on its website. This list is now available and is provided at the end of this article. We hope that this will help vehicularly-housed people find parking in Pacifica while the Court continues to allow time for a settlement and our unhoused people continue to work towards permanent housing.

It is helpful to see the chronological order of events. These excerpts, identified in quotes, are from the injunction:

“On June 3, 2021, the Court issued its Order for an Evidentiary Hearing to more fully explore certain aspects of Plaintiffs’ claims and required, at minimum, testimony from the Associate Civil Engineer Ryan Marquez and the Chief of Police Daniel Steidle. Plaintiffs requested and were granted the right, over the City’s objection, to also call City Manager Kevin Woodhouse to testify at the hearing.”

At the City Council session,” June 28, 2021, the City amended various provisions of the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance and adopted a resolution approving an updated list of public streets where oversized vehicle parking is prohibited.”

It appears the City took into account some concerns expressed by the Court on implementation of the Ordinance.

“June 29, 2021, Plaintiffs took the depositions of Ryan Marquez, Chief Steidle, and Kevin Woodhouse.” The content of these depositions are not available. The timing for the City’s agreement to the preliminary injunction seems coupled with the review of depositions.

Under the agreement, all court deadlines have been either cancelled or delayed 90 days to give the attorneys for the Plaintiffs and the City’s attorneys time to find a solution that works for everyone. In other words, we have 90 days to consider known, evidence-based solutions to assist Pacifica’s vehicularly housed. It is encouraging that Council, earlier in the year, resolved to work with the County toward a Safe Parking Program and/or transitional housing. City Council and Supervisor Horsley’s office continue to seek solutions that provide a pathway to permanent housing using County monies from the State’s Homekey funds.

In a recent conversation with Anita Rees, Executive Director of the Pacifica Resource Center, Case manager Marina Hernandez, and Homeless Outreach Workers Daniel Gardner and Marlon Morales, the Pacifica Resource Center continues to find housing for Pacifica’s unhoused – recently, four unhoused people in motorhomes were moved to permanent housing, and one person living in a motorhome waits to be moved to the program at Coastside Inn in Half Moon Bay. Other unsheltered people have relocated and currently receive case management at Coastside Inn. The San Francisco RV Park has accepted two people living in motorhomes who are actively working with Marina Hernandez on goals to be permanently housed. The RV Park has been unable to accommodate more Pacifica Resource Center clients at this time.

Marina Hernandez reports that the biggest fear among Pacifica’s unhoused people is harassment. It appears that some members of the community continue to confront and threaten unhoused people. Most of Pacifica’s unhoused people are long-time residents, priced out of their prior housing: they shop and work locally and keep areas near them clean so they won’t be accused of dumping or littering.

Sadly, Pacifica is experiencing an increase of negative messaging on its social media. It is comforting to know most Pacificans want to see services for our unhoused people that result in permanent housing. Those serving unhoused people recognize that, with low-income housing scarcity, intermediate steps like Safe Parking and Transitional Housing are needed. Regional models here in San Mateo County demonstrate the effectiveness of these models. The State is encouraging every community to identify likely sites for unhoused people to shelter.

It is important to tell our City Council that we support a Safe Parking Program to assist our unhoused neighbors to find their way home. Please immediately email our council members at citycouncil@ci.pacifica.ca.us and lend your support.

Roads Designated for Oversized Parking
From City of Pacifica Website on Oversized Vehicle Parking

Map: Click here for a link to the interactive map referenced on the Pacifica City Website.

It should be noted the map does not account for other parking restrictions and 100 foot required buffer for OSV parking near intersections.

Street Name	Beginning Location	Ending Location	Notes
Bradford Way	FAIRWAY DR	SHARP PARK RD	No OSV parking from Fairway until end of signage
Carmel Avenue	BEACH BLVD	PALMETTO AVE
Esplanade Avenue	WEST AVALON DR	WEST MANOR	No OSV parking from just south of Manor until the red zone begins on the west side, denoted by signage.
Esplanade Avenue	WEST MANOR	BILLDRAKE
Francisco Boulevard	LAKESIDE AVE	PACIFIC AVE
Francisco Boulevard	PACIFIC AVE	SALADA AVE
Francisco Boulevard	PALOMA AVE	CUL DE SAC (HWY 1 OFF RAMP)
Linda Mar Boulevard	ADOBE DR	SOLANO DR
Linda Mar Boulevard	SOLANO DR	ALICANTE DR
Linda Mar Boulevard	ALICANTE DR	MADEIRA DR
Linda Mar Boulevard	MADEIRA DR	ODDSTAD BL
Milagra Drive	OCEANA BLVD	EDGEMAR AVE
Oceana Boulevard	MILAGRA DR	AVALON DR.
Paloma Avenue	OCEANA BLVD	MIRADOR TERR
Paloma Avenue	MIRADOR TERR	SIERRA TERR
Paloma Avenue	PALMETTO AVE	FRANCISCO BLVD
Ridgeway Drive	LUNDY WAY	DEAD END (EAST)
Roberts Road	692 ft W/O FASSLER DR	FASSLER DR
Salada Avenue	BEACH BLVD	PALMETTO AVE
Salada Avenue	PALMETTO AVE	FRANCISCO BLVD
San Jose Avenue	PALMETTO AVE	BEACH BLVD
San Jose Avenue	FRANCISCO BLVD	PALMETTO AVE
San Pedro Rd	200 FT. EAST OF GRAND AVE	LOT #560 (90 DEGREE TURN)
Santa Maria Avenue	PALMETTO AVE	BEACH BLVD
Santa Rosa Avenue	BEACH BLVD	PALMETTO AVE
Santa Rosa Avenue	PALMETTO AVE	FRANCISCO BLVD
Sea Bowl Lane	ST HWY 1	FASSLER DR
Solano Drive	LINDA MAR BLVD	SERRA DR
Terra Nova Boulevard	VICTORIA WAY	FASSLER AVE
Westport Drive	BRADFORD WAY	ST HWY 1
Westport Drive	ST HWY 1	LUNDY WAY

HOUSING

Eviction News Faith In Action
Click Here to View full text of Faith in Action EVICTION CLIFF NEWS

Faith in Action Bay Area
Phone: 650-592-9181
Email: fiaba@faithinactionba.org
https://faithinactionba.org/

Sand Mateo County: Build your ideal city!

Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County contact asolis@hlcsmc.org

Have you ever wanted to plan and build your own city? Well, now’s your chance. Join HLC for a socially distanced day at Sharp Park Beach and build your own sand city with us!

We will share our visions for our ideal cities and talk about how we can utilize the housing element to bring those visions to reality in our own backyards. Obviously, we’ll also talk about how best to advocate for affordable homes in your city.

Snacks and water will be provided. We will provide some buckets and shovels, but you are welcome to bring your own. You’ll have 1 hour to build your own city out of sand and share your vision with us!

All ages welcome.

Home Sharing with HIP Housing
Author Omar Alvarez

Housing prices will consistently fluctuate and eventually rebound to prices before the pandemic, but our services and staff’s commitment to serving San Mateo County residents is unwavering. In a recent Home Sharing meeting, we discussed how a housing partnership evolved into a friendship that lasted over 15 years. While not every match will be a decade-long friendship, we use years of match-making experience to facilitate a living agreement to meet the needs of each housing partnership. In addition, we offer follow up support in the case more communication is needed to resolve conflicts that may come as a natural result of living with a new person.

HIP Housing is a non-profit based in San Mateo County that matches households who have a spare room in their home or Accessory Dwelling Unit with individuals seeking housing. HIP Housing is supported by the City of Pacifica, the County of San Mateo, and all 19 other cities in the County. For more information on our cost-free services and to request a virtual appointment visit hiphousing.org or call 650-348 6660.

650-348-6660
hiphousing.org
mailbox@hiphousing.org
Staff and Board

BOARD OF SUPERVISOR CANDIDATES for District 3 in 2022

Virginia Chang Kiraly

Dear Pacifica Friends:

Thank you for allowing me to introduce myself as a candidate for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, District 3! As the only candidate currently serving in countywide office, I’m honored to have received your support and serve you. Please learn more about my campaign for Supervisor at www.VirginiaChangKiraly.com.

As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, I was taught to work hard and make a difference – and my family and I are grateful for the opportunities we received to do so. Even in the face of tragedies, such as the early death of my father from colon cancer and the killing of my 8th grade English teacher during a school shooting, perseverance, hard work, and problem-solving continued to guide me to make a difference. I immersed myself in music and became a concert pianist, an art that I rely on for mental health and creative expression. As an artist, I search for creative solutions. With my professional background in finance and business, I work towards pragmatic solutions so that our hard-earned tax dollars are spent wisely.

I believe that communities are like symphonies and work best when they are in harmony. Over the last 15 years, I worked to solve problems at the state level, as a Commissioner on the California Commission for Economic Development, and local levels, addressing some of our toughest challenges our community faces today. From climate change and sea level rise to helping struggling small businesses bounce back after being locked down; from fires to a severe drought, an epidemic of homelessness and a lack of affordable housing, the issues we face are serious. By putting our differences aside and finding creative solutions, we will begin the real work of solving our problems together.

Serving the Community

I serve on the San Mateo County Harbor District Board and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District Board. Serving as a harbor commissioner since 2015, I’ve helped protect our environment and kept our coastline safe by working with the Coastal Commission to approve the West Trail Living Shoreline Project, which will repair the coastal trail leading to Mavericks Beach. As harbor board president, I supported the Bay-Delta Plan to protect wild salmon’s delicate ecosystem and support San Mateo County’s commercial fishing industry. I’m leading the effort on Coastside safety by supporting installation of life buoys in the harbor to prevent deaths from sneaker waves and riptides. I’m proud to have collaborated with the Half Moon Bay Seafood Marketing Association and the county’s agriculture department to create a mobile vaccine clinic and vaccinate our commercial fishing industry workers in early 2021.

Serving on the Menlo Fire Board since 2011, I always put safety first. During the pandemic and wildfires, such as the CZU Lightning Fire, I supported our firefighters by providing resources to effectively fight fires on the frontlines. During the pandemic, I supported Menlo Fire becoming the first emergency-response agency in the U.S. to create a Pandemic Response Unit when uncertainties and unanswered questions about COVID-19 dominated headlines. Since 2014, I have supported and worked with the Fire District as it deployed innovative technologies, like drones and augmented-reality, so that emergency response is deployed efficiently, effectively, and safely.

I’m the proud mother of two mixed-race sons and our 18.5-year-old adopted family dog. My husband is an innovator and works in high tech. I earned my BA in Government, minoring in Economics, from the University of Texas at Austin and my Master of Public Administration (MPA), with honors, from the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy.

I served on the Civil Grand Jury from 2007-2009, one year as Foreperson. I’m a Trustee on the California State Parks Foundation Board, a board member of the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) San Mateo, a member of Everytown Gun Survivor Network, a founding board member of the San Mateo County Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, and a disaster-response volunteer for the Red Cross.

We must work together to find commonsense solutions and common ground. I’m proud to be a problem solver and someone who “gets things done” collaboratively, courageously, and creatively – which means putting aside politics and doing the best job for all of us.

www.VirginiaChangKiraly.com
info@VirginiaChangKiraly.com

Ray Mueller

Dear readers of the Pacifica Voice, I am grateful for the opportunity once again to share with you what I have been working on, as well as highlights from my campaign for District 3 San Mateo County Supervisor. If you ever have any questions about the campaign, or suggestion, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. You can call me directly, at (650) 776-8995. I look forward to meeting you.

Every Child Deserves Educational Equity and a Bright and Healthy Future.

In June, it was my great pleasure to meet with different groups of kids participating in the summer camp at ALAS in Half Moon Bay. We talked about how these future leaders would like to change the world. Even the youngest child talked about issues as important as protecting the environment and caring for the homeless.

As I talked with these kids I was so excited about their future and all they will accomplish. But at the same time I was frustrated at the inequities in our education system. These kids deserve and have a right to the same educational opportunities as children in more economically advantaged neighborhoods. As a City Councilmember, I brought forward a proposal to create an Equity in Education Joint Powers Agency to address these issues. I also created and taught leadership programs at local Boys and Girls clubs. As Supervisor, bringing equity to education will be a focus of my office. I am humbled in this race to have the endorsement of San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee, former County Superintendent of Schools Anne Campbell, and over two dozen current and former elected education leaders in San Mateo County.

Protecting Our Coastal Environment

On June 29th, I had an awesome time volunteering with the San Mateo County Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation at the Kahuna Kapuna Surf Contest at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica. We handed out literature on subjects such as Preserving Beach Access, Ocean Friendly Restaurants, Plastic Pollution, and Ocean Protection. We also met with the new Executive Director of the Pacific Beach Coalition.

There is so much work to be done on the Coast. For example, I know from my work on the Blue Water Task Force testing the water run off from San Pedro Creek at Linda Mar Beach, the area badly needs new signage warning of the often high levels of bacteria in the stream there. Every time I am testing the water I see young families with children playing in the water unaware of the risks, and I have to warn them.

As Supervisor, I will work with stakeholders to understand all the details of concern at each beach, and will absolutely be committed to protecting the health of our Coastal Environment.

No On The Recall.

On June 29, it was my great honor to introduce Governor Gavin Newsom, and moderate his question and answer session, at the No on Recall Campaign Rally co-sponsored by numerous Democratic organizations on the Peninsula.

We discussed the state economy, wildfire response and preparedness, the climate crisis, pandemic aid, income inequity, the state budget, and the future of California, during the event.

2020 brought the State it’s worst ever wildfire season. It brought another year of drought. It brought a once in a century Pandemic that ravaged our cities and targeted our state’s seniors and underserved populations.

Under Governor Newsom the state made historic efforts to increase hospital capacity to increase our ventilator stockpile, to source personal protective equipment, to bring experts together to conduct multistate vaccine evaluation, and to provide unprecedented financial assistance while simultaneously having to fix a state infrastructure system he inherited that was never meant to deliver resources to such a large population. And through it all the Governor conducted daily briefings countering a dangerous narrative from a reckless president. Today over 70 percent of Californians over the age of 12 have received one shot of the vaccination. California businesses are open again. And Governor Newsom has delivered and passed a budget that will bring unprecedented aid to Californians, will protect our environment, and will renew California for generations to come. I hope you will join me in voting no on the recall.

Laura Parmer-Lohan

Reopening, Recovering & Remaining Resilient
By Laura Parmer-Lohan, local Mayor and candidate for San Mateo County Supervisor, District 3

As we continue to recover and re-open, I have been meeting with community members across our diverse district to learn more about your priorities. Here is some information which I hope you – my Pacifica friends – will find helpful.

Wildfires – Know your Zone!

With most of the state suffering though extreme drought conditions, we must take every precaution in case of wildfire. Last year’s CZU Lightning Complex fire crawled up the coast into our backyards. With fires already ablaze again in Santa Cruz, it is more important than ever to be vigilant and prepared.

To help do so, emergency managers have carved the Peninsula into 300 “zones,” each with a unique code. If our first responders invoke evacuation, emergency or shelter-in-place orders, they will be implemented by zone. Your zone may not conform to traditional neighborhood or city borders, so it is important that you visit community.zonehaven.com and enter your address to Know Your Zone.

Sea Level Rise

We know that sea level rise is a critical issue for San Mateo County in general and Pacifica in particular. Have you heard of “OneShoreline”? It is the county’s Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency district, and its members are working to address sea level rise and mitigate coastal erosion. I encourage you to find out more about their work by reading their newsletter and visiting their website: oneshoreline.org.

Support for Pacifica’s Local Businesses

The reward for shopping and dining locally is that we sustain a vibrant community that offers one-of-a-kind choices and great service. When staying local, we see old friends and make new ones. We form personal relationships with the business owners who know what we like and cater to our needs.

Let’s re-commit to supporting our local businesspeople. Many of them have had, and continue to have, extraordinarily difficult days navigating the uncharted waters of Covid 19 and are still suffering its effects.

So, next time you need a new swimsuit, stop in and see Julie or Rel at Traveler Surf Club. When you need a cup of coffee, pop over to Intertwine Café where Josh serves his special Kizler blends. If you like to knit or want to learn to crochet, see Kelley at The Royal Bee Yarn Company. While you catch up with a friend, Beth at A Grape in the Fog will ply you with yummy apps and wine.

Select a hostess gift from You Name It where Toni and her sister Naomi will set you up or grab a bottle of wine from Table Wine—Katie’s Selects are delicious and reasonably priced. Then wrap up your busy day at one of Pacifica’s many fine dining establishments like Lidia’s Rockin’ Rob’s Burgers. You will be glad you did!

To find more local businesses, visit the Pacifica business directory at http://business.pacificachamber.com/list. I look forward to seeing you around town!

I want to hear from YOU!

You may already know that I am running for San Mateo County Board of Supervisors District 3 – which includes Pacifica. I am honored to have my campaign endorsed by local firefighters, businesses and leaders throughout the County.

But the most important feedback for representing our unique communities is hearing from YOU. Please take a moment to provide your priorities and feedback by filling out the Community Survey on my website at www.lauraforsupervisor.com/survey-a.

Thank you to those who have already taken the time to give your input and I look forward to staying in touch!

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Spreading Peace in this Coastal Town
Author Delia McGrath

Pacifica – its very name means peace! Pacifica Peace People [PPP], promoting peace since 2003, invites you to review activities we’ve done and are doing to create a culture of peace in this beautiful town on the Pacific Ocean. Join us!

September 15-22 is Peace Week. Join us at Sanchez Art Center Saturday morning, September 19 for the installation ceremony of a peace pole. Then at 2:00 pm, come to the pier where CodePink and PPP will hang a banner “Hate Has No Home Here.” We’ll distribute leaflets about war and peace in our world. On International Peace Day [Sept 21], join peacemakers and wave signs on west side Hwy 1 near Moose Lodge at 5:00 pm — make visible our deepest desires for peace in our communities, our town, our world. Our 2021 peace ad [Pacifica Tribune 9/15/21] underscores our commitment to act locally for peace globally. To include your name with hundreds, email: deliaforpeace39@gmail.com by 9/1/21.

David and Linda Peebles stand with the Peace Pole planted at St. Edmund’s January 2020

PPP held peace events outdoors — candlelight vigils, sign-waving and walks for peace along coastal trails. Our impressive “Boots on the Beach,” in 2004, exhibited pairs of boots with dog tags on Linda Mar Beach. The boots represented California members of the Armed Services killed in action in the Iraq War.

We continue to draw attention to global conflicts, not covered in mainstream media. The US is currently involved, directly and/or indirectly, in armed conflicts in Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria. Were you aware of US endless wars? The Pentagon budget dwarfs the military budgets of every country and is larger than the military budgets of the next seven countries combined. We call for divestment of funds from weapons manufacturers worldwide — No War Toys.

Peacemakers Carolyn Jaramillo, Delia McGrath, Adrienne Zanini and Betsy Giovannoni table at Terra Nova Career Day, 2019

Our peace projects in the schools through mini grants to teachers include peace, quilts, a peace garden, peace art and a dialogue/teach-in by Muslim students who shared that the religion of Islam teaches us that peace begins in our hearts.

In 2021, we are seeking peaceful means to heal the divide in our country and, more importantly, in our Pacifica community. “Begin with Ourselves” conversations about race are promising in anti-racism work. We are also sponsoring a “Peace Poetry” project and invite you to send us your poems — special challenge — use only 6 words — to be published in a future issue of Pacifica Voice. Contact us to learn more about these projects at deliaforpeace39@gmail.com.

“A Piece of Peace” by 10 y/o Grace Mooney: “Piece of Peace, Let’s get more!”

La Honda Indivisible
Author Sue Henkin-Haas

The Indivisible movement arose in 2016 after Trump got elected to office. Thousands of local Indivisible groups formed with the mission “to elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda.” www.indivisible.org

I joined the La Honda Indivisible group shortly after Trump got elected. When Trump was elected people woke up. It began a wave of activism. No longer could we be complacent.

The Indivisible movement is a grass-roots movement. It is the place where each of us, as individuals, can have a voice. We are not told what we can or cannot say by a higher-up. We are the People. As Bernie Sanders says “We must always remember that change almost never happens from the top down, it happens from the bottom up.”

There are so many issues! First and foremost was to defeat Trump. There remain many other challenges. White supremacy, immigrant rights, police reform, climate change, voter protection – and our democratic way of life. Our Indivisible group has focused on them all.

When George Floyd was murdered, La Honda Indivisible started sponsoring weekly Black Lives Matter protests. Each Saturday at noon we gather for an hour – greet the tourists with signs and a handwave – and remember George Floyd. We meet at different locations in the Southcoast area. We TAKE THE KNEE for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, and then increased it to 9 minutes and 29 seconds as more information came out in the trial. Each and every week it would shake us up to realize how long 9 minutes and 29 seconds were. My friend joined us one week and cried the whole time – overwhelmed by the suffering that this poor man endured. We continued this practice until Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

George Floyd was a call to action for many of us. John Lewis said, “Emmett Till was my George Floyd”. Sometimes something happens that wakes millions of people. We saw for ourselves this brutal killing, and the image is forever sketched in our brains.

Why protest every week? It is as Michael Moore says, “We need protests out there every single day. We need to be out in the streets.” To be physically out there and in solidarity with other like-minded people, we keep motivated – we keep focused. It is a time for collaboration and connection. It is a place to define who we are as a community.

The world is in trouble. Our democracy is at stake. Our basic civil rights are at risk. This is the moment to stand up, to be present.

As John Lewis said, “Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime.”

SUPPORT IMMIGRANTS – STOP ICE – SAVE DACA

Saturday August 14, 11 a.m Highway 1 (near Moose Lodge)

Please repost and circulate widely

On July 16, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is unconstitutional and blocked new applicants. The program has allowed 600,000 people who were brought to this country as minors to attend school and to work.

Despite promises to improve conditions for asylum seekers and other immigrants, in July, 2021 federal officials reported that there has been a surge of COVID-19 infections at ICE detention centers across the country, with 1,182 people currently identified as infected and under isolation or monitoring. According to a new report from ICE 27,000 migrants are currently detained, nearly double the in April. Detention centers fail to maintain clean facilities, prevent overcrowding, or provide adequate medical care. ICE has still not established a consistent program to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to detainees, and its failure to test people prior to transfer has fueled the outbreaks.

In California the attorney general’s office reports the number of ICE transfers from local law enforcement agencies. The most recent data shows that sheriff Bolanos transferred 26 people to ICE in 2020. These numbers have decreased from the previous years but San Mateo County is still at the top of the list in the Bay Area. Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties did not transfer anyone to ICE in 2020

Bay Area County transfers to ICE in 2020

San Mateo = 26
Alamada = 8
Solano = 1

Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sonoma = 0

Bolanos needs to stop collaborating with ICE. Let our community, local, county, state and federal officials know that any collaboration with ICE is unacceptable. ICE is still a rogue agency that carries out inhumane acts against immigrants with impunity. STOP ICE NOW.

Join us for sign waving on Saturday August 14th at 11 AM on Highway 1 near the Moose Lodge. Bring signs, wear your masks and show your support for our immigrant communities.

https://pacificasocialjustice.org/
Follow PSJ on Facebook
EMail pacificasocialjustice@gmail.com for inquiries

CLIMATE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT

Thoughts on the drought and water conservation
Author Paul Totah, Communications Director for Tree City Pacifica

We all have been reading stories and seeing the news concerning the current drought. Most of us in Pacifica, however, wake up to driveways slick with mist from the night’s fog. Regardless, we should remember that we still need to think about caring for the trees on our property just as we should be cognizant of saving water.

Below are a few links to websites for you to peruse as you wonder how often you need to water your trees and precisely where to water:

UC Cooperative Extension

California ReLeaf

Save Our Water

Also, here are some handy websites that suggest ways to conserve water:

Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency

From sfgate.com, June 7, 2021

From the San Francisco Public Utilities Commision (PUC)

In our next message, I hope to have information about a public meeting that will help shape city ordinances surrounding heritage trees and tree permits.

The Coalition of Pacificans for an Updated Plan and Responsible Planning
Author Summer Lee

The Coalition of Pacificans for an Updated Plan and Responsible Planning (CPUP) is a grassroots group of Pacificans who organized in response to a pattern of environmentally devastating and unsustainable development in the City of Pacifica. A broad coalition of neighbors across the City, CPUP seeks to propel the City forward by compelling sound planning decisions backed by thorough and unbiased environmental and safety reviews, in compliance with environmental law.

In the past six months, CPUP has assisted concerned neighbors all over town with technical review of projects such as Linda Mar Woods, Pacifica Highlands, Harmony@One/Ohlone Point, Fish and Bowl, Vista Mar and Cape Breton. If you want to see how CPUP has been fighting for your neighborhood, visit www.cpup.org.

All of this work has been grounded in the sharing of sound research, local histories, up-to-date studies, ordinances and knowledge of technical specifications and building codes. With facts in hand, we can petition our government and educate the public to encourage sustainable development, the protection of Pacifica’s natural resources, and housing for underserved Pacificans. Together we can mobilize to support community members who are faced with unsustainable development in their neighborhoods, and together we can fight for appropriate sites and strategies for growth, redevelopment, and economic vitality

CPUP is also the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the city of Pacifica for violations of the California Environmental Quality Act in its approval of the Vista Mar development and for its reliance on a 40-year-old legally deficient General Plan. Additional development decisions are being made that are inconsistent with Pacifica’s Municipal Code and General Plan and in conflict with regulatory agencies and environmental law. Though following the city-process to raise community concerns, our formal appeal of decisions made by the Planning Commission have been ignored and litigation is the only avenue. The lawsuit can also provide relief for other projects by requiring updated standards to guide approvals.

CPUP, a fiscally sponsored project of Pacifica’s Environmental Family* is asking you to donate and be a critical part of this important work.

Please consider giving a tax-deductible donation to CPUP. Checks to PEF with CPUP as the subject, can be mailed to:

Pacifica’s Environmental Family/CPUP
PO Box 259
Pacifica, CA 94044

Or at www.cpup.org/donate

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THE COMMUNITY SHARES

Sue Digre: On Community Engagement and Next Steps
Interview by Suzanne Moore

Moore: (1) For those who may not be familiar with your background, can you remind us how many years you served on Pacifica City Council. How many General Plans have you participated in?

Digre: I was elected in 2002 and was re-elected for 3 ensuing four year terms. I served 16 years total including 3 years as mayor. In 2014, we started working on the draft general plan. My last year of service, 2018, the Council and the City continued efforts to update the plan.

Moore: (2) You are very committed to community engagement as a necessary component of local governance. Can you give examples of how Pacificans were successfully engaged?

Digre: In my experience the Public did speak forcefully at significant times:

A. The Milagra Ridge proposed zoning change was stopped. This change would have allowed a very large residential development more than halfway up the ridge while taking away proposed commercial development at its base. The Concerned Manor Residents were sued but won the lawsuit – the court determined the public was within the right of Assembly and Free Speech.

B. Highway 1 widening was avoided. That plan contained bottlenecks and mandatory maintenance and landscaping expenses. It would have taken houses and businesses by eminent domain.

C. The Open Space Committee was saved, in spite of council members in opposition, due to strong community support. Two Open Space Manuals are resource documents for the new committee ,OSPAC, which includes both the Open Space Committee and the Parkland Committee.

D.The Hillside Protection Ordinance was created to support the full scope of the 1980 general plan.

E. The Tunnel, which preceded my time in Council, is also a remarkable tribute to public engagement.

F. Our Pacifica logo – the ocean, the open ridges, the hills – reflect the Public choices of this scenic Community and are consistent with the spirit of the general plan.

G. The Public composed the operative General Plan of 1980. A general plan is a Community’s constitution – its goals, mission, heart, and soul. The Introduction of this general plan is essential, and it states how to interconnect decisions noted throughout this constitution.

H. Harmony 1 was a very engaged public/private planning experience. The time, the effort, the breadth of dialogue and collaboration, and the planning were all exceptional. Harmony 1 and its conditions of approval were powerful statements of the public will.

Moore: (3) You have expressed concerns that Pacifica is not living up to its ideals of protecting its citizens. Can you say more?

Digre: There appears to be a lack of historical knowledge. It could be that staff members, the City Manager, electeds and appointed members are not aware of the historical perspective of the culture which led to the creation of the 1980 General Plan and its protections of our community values.

It feels as if “progress at any price” is prioritized rather than the needed effort to inform and engage the public. Do our legislators assume that the public doesn’t know squat so they must paternalistically lead and determine what’s good for us?

Moore: (4) What next steps would you recommend?

Digre:

A. Complete the general plan update by robust engagement with the public at large (last updated in 1980).

The chain of command in governing a municipality demonstrates that the PUBLIC is the boss. Elected officials, appointees, and staff are all there to serve that PUBLIC and to protect their choices. The General Plan is a community’s constitution and the spirit of the law – which leads to the letter of the law.

Be alert and speak up so that changes are not made to our community that are contrary to the protections embodied in our operative 1980 General Plan. Our general plan and its safety, housing, coastal plans and elements must work as a whole and be internally consistent. Piecemeal “planning” is not transparent, wise, or fair and it compromises the COMMUNITY.

B. Assure that Council Members and Commissioners get the whole story and that prior decisions, conditions of approval, ordinances, are considered when making decisions. Costs and the scope of a project should be clear. The public needs to be told the cost, scope, and details – such as if consultants were given limitations to address specific options, consider only certain geography, address a certain time span. As example, the north end of Palmetto was not included in the scope of a recent housing study.

C. Outreach is way overdue. We have been in emergency sessions with COVID since March of 2020. In spite of restricted public engagement due to COVID and a digital divide, this city has had many meetings and created significant changes.

During the COVID emergency sessions, past public priorities have been challenged:

the Hillside Preservation District was waived several times,
permission was given for deforestation,
recent decisions impacting our ridges does not seem to match the goal of our General Plan
Proposed 5-story high density buildings are being considered in our historic district.

Many of our Community members are not aware of scheduled community meetings and local legislative decisions. Residents in every geographical area of our Community need to receive adequate information to assure timely public dialogue before final decisions are made.

Expand outreach.

1) Mail outreach is restricted to those within 300-500 feet of a planned developmental change, even when that change has far greater community impact. Our current general plan states that outreach be extensive and projects be identified that have greater public impact. Mail is a viable communication source especially in a time of digital divide.

2) Digital – online, streaming, youtube – are all important too, but they can’t be the sole means of engagement. PACIFICANS without digital access have rights too. Zoom meetings are an inadequate way to engage the public at large. The public has no idea who is present and if participants are residents.

3) Pacific Coast Television is a community jewel. It is threatened with loss of its place of business. It is not carried on every carrier service – only COMCAST is required to show public meetings. Help PCT to expand its community reach.

4) Encourage increased circulation of our now locally-owned newspaper.

D. Engage the public. We did have robust, admirable public meetings in the past. It is time to regain public engagement with clear communication of issues.

We are a “thinking” people. We have a right to hear each other and to dialogue well. We do not want a benevolent dictatorship of any kind. Home owners, renters, rich and poor – we are in this together. This notion that the “Public does not know squat”, must be refuted.

E. We want to work together, hear differing points of view, and act to achieve the greater good of the community.

I believe I am not alone in these sentiments about outreach and involvement of the Public at Large on matters governed by our local constitution, our General Plan. Our community soul, our culture, our community home is ours to craft. This is OUR HOME, and the City needs to prioritize the rights of the community as a whole.

Exhibitions at Sanchez Art Center

Sanchez Art Center welcomes the community to three new exhibitions that run through August 15, 2021. In the Main Gallery, Gregory Farrar Scott is sharing pieces from his mixed media Urban Mask series, as well as other works. Titled Welcome To My World, Scott’s show is curated by Susan Hillhouse Leask. In the East Gallery, the California Society of Printmakers (CSP) will share work on the theme of Extraction: Response to the Changing World Environment, from their continuing participation in the global art project, Extraction: Art at the Edge of the Abyss. In West Gallery, the Art Guild of Pacifica will present a group show on the theme Restructured. Throughout these exhibitions, community members may read concerns from around the world and share a personal thought on the climate crisis via The Climate Ribbon, a global storytelling ritual for hope and healing.

Sculptor Gregory Farrar Scott has the gift of bringing unrelated things together in new creations. In his artist’s vision, he sees how disparate things could fit together and become something entirely new, and once they have become this new thing, the viewer says, “Oh, of course!” and wouldn’t want to see the component parts separated, but only together, because the fit is so perfect and the new thing is so charming and so entirely its own being. As the artist tells it, he has always done this, combining things in unusual ways. An early example—as a three-year-old, he covered the white exterior of his family’s refrigerator with chocolate sauce. It must have just seemed right.

Later on, in art school he left some used bike helmets hanging on the wall, realized they looked like faces, and the mask project was born. Scott now has a collection of over 100 masks. Some became animal faces, some became odd techie visages, possible sci-fi characters, or sly references to how we live—remember hoarding toilet paper in the first weeks of the pandemic? A junior slinky becomes, of course, a baby elephant’s trunk. Simplicity is key. Scott’s work is undeniably fun, but there is serious inquiry as well, into questions of identity, self-knowledge, and self-presentation. As the artist says: “A mask can be anything and anything can be a mask.”

Curator Susan Hillhouse Leask says she was drawn to Scott’s artwork for several reasons, including “his sophisticated understanding of contemporary art and art history, and his passion for excellence.” Leask also appreciates that he thinks of our fragile environment in considering his materials, so that discarded items that would likely have ended up in a landfill instead become fine art.

Join Gregory Scott Farrar and curator Susan Hillhouse Leask for a free Artist/Curator Talk on Sunday, August 15 at 3:30 pm, to be held in the Main Gallery.

The California Society of Printmakers (CSP) has taken on the task of commenting artistically on the environmental disasters stemming from the way humans have extracted various ores and metals from the earth. CSP hopes to make a difference in how we collectively view this destruction and participate in it. This is difficult, even tricky territory to explore, but then artists have always been at the forefront of necessary change, and CSP’s exhibit in East Gallery, titled Extraction: Response to the Changing World Environment, proves that these artists are up to the challenge of serving as messengers with purpose as they continue to explore new directions in contemporary print methods. Etching, monoprint, monotype, encaustic monotype, photopolymer, reduction woodcut—these are just some of the media used. The content of these works is incredibly moving, often expressing our collective grief at all the losses. Summer Ventis used oil-based ink flocked with ash from the California wildfires. Sylvia Solochek Walters mourns with us the loss of whole species in her woodcut Vince’s Horn. Vince was a white rhino, shot and killed for his horn in a private Parisian game reserve. Donna Day Westerman’s Log Pile, another reduction woodcut, captures layers of loss in a single telling image. A gallery guide with a statement by each artist is available at the front of the gallery to read while attending the exhibition.

This show is part of CSP’s ongoing participation in a global art phenomenon titled Extraction: Art at the Edge of the Abyss, a worldwide endeavor with hopes of “raising a ruckus” and instigating change in humanity’s relationship with the earth. As SAC Executive Director Cindy Abbott stated, “Sanchez Art Center is thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with CSP on this exhibition, which emphasizes the escalating need for the community to address the impacts of our changing climate, stemming from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels, including sea level rise.”

Showing concurrently In West Gallery, the Art Guild of Pacifica’s group show explores the theme of Restructured. The exhibition may include many interpretations of this theme, such as changing the way something is organized, imagining a new structure, or creating an innovative plan.

Sanchez Art Center is located at 1220 Linda Mar Blvd in Pacifica. Visitors are welcome to drop in; appointments are no longer needed. Health protocols follow State and San Mateo County guidelines where masks are encouraged indoors, while also welcoming fully vaccinated guests without masks. Regular Gallery Hours are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 1–5 pm.

The Climate Ribbon

Our Climate Ribbon from Walter Hergt

To help move us from climate grief to climate action, The Climate Ribbon, is paired with the “Extraction, Response to the Changing World Environment” exhibition currently showing in the East Gallery at Sanchez Art Center. The Climate Ribbon asks the question “What do you love and hope to never lose to climate chaos?” The project was inspired by the question, what is the climate justice movement’s equivalent of the AIDS Memorial Quilt? The answer: The Climate Ribbon — a massive public art installation and ritual space to grieve all that we stand to lose to Climate Chaos.

On September 21st, 2014, as the United Nations prepared to meet yet another summit on climate change, over 400,000 people converged in New York City for what was the largest march against Climate Chaos in history. The launch of the Climate Ribbon was the culminating art installation at the People’s Climate March: a Tree of Life sculpture hung with thousands of ribbons telling stories about what we most cherish that Climate Chaos threatens to wipe away: redwood forests, next year’s harvest, the future of our children’s children, the bees, clean air and water…

Where did this idea come from?

The tying of names, blessings, or prayers to a living tree is an ancient ritual that has been practiced across diverse human cultures for thousands of years. From Turkey to Japan to Brazil, communities use similar ribbon rituals to express grief, loss, hope, prayers, and commitment. The Climate Ribbon invites people to share their stories and thread them together. Collectively, these ribbons compose a “people’s treaty,” inspired in part by Northeastern Native American quahog & whelk shell wampum belts that signify the mutual exchange of trust that takes place when commitments are made between peoples.

Where in the world has the Climate Ribbon been?

After launching as the finale of the People’s Climate March, the Climate Ribbon has appeared in communities around the world. Including: K-12 classrooms, college campuses, places of worship, conferences, national parks, tech & finance companies, and at UN climate negotiations. As in years past, ribbons will be collected and presented to delegates at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 26, hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy, in Glasgow Scotland, Nov 1-12.

Ribbons created from individuals in communities around the country and world are included in the display. These sentiments are moving to read and visitors are invited to take a ribbon and become a protector of another person’s concern, along with writing a ribbon that shares one’s own personal grief for others to be the guardian of.

An open source project, information and ideas on how to host your own Climate Ribbon in your neighborhood, school, place of work, etc. is available and encouraged. Fun fact: Some of the ribbons used for The Climate Ribbon were donations from Broadway shows when The Climate Ribbon was first unveiled in New York.

1220 Linda Mar Boulevard, Pacifica
650-355-1894
info@sanchezartcenter.org
sanchezartcenter.org

Defund Fox
Author Mark Hubbell

Comcast Destroys America …

Would you do business with a company that raised rates and cut services during The Pandemic; denied internet access to remote rural and impoverished inner-city populations; proudly oppresses its own labor force? And a company that scrounges up sleazy down-and-out wannabe billionaires, re-legitimizes their failed biz-creds with fourteen seasons of fictional TV stardom, bolsters their coffers with nearly half a billion bucks before running them for US President buoyed by the most gratis TV air-time in world history? How about a company that also uses our hard earned money to pay low-down lying anti-vaccine encouraging racist scumbags like cable television’s number one news talk show host — Tucker Carlson — even if we never watch Fox ‘News’? Yes … I have been duped by Comcast’s confidence scheme for the last time.

I was angry and ashamed to recently learn that every time I pay my monthly Comcast bill, only $0.33 goes to MSNBC, which I watch, but $1.79 goes to Fox ‘News’, which I detest. That means only $3.96 per year of my payments is going toward maintaining and improving the organization that is at least trying to further the democratic values of journalism while $21.48 goes to the cornerstone of Rupert Murdoch’s right wing media network, currently in the process of dismantling America’s democracy. These cleverly disguised misappropriations are called ‘carriage fees’

The way I see it, it is the patriotic duty of people like me, who statistically seldom if ever watch Fox News, stop paying Tucker Carlson’s $6,000,000 annual salary. Carlson’s on-air conduct is so repulsive, that there are zero remaining advertisers willing to expose their hard earned brands to such a toxic association. Last year Fox News netted more in ‘carriage fees’ ($1.6B) than it earned in advertising revenues ($1.2B)* These well-hidden subsidies suggest that this right-wing programming may be maintained for spurious political reasons outside of Comcast’s corporate profitability.

Unfortunately in this case, First Amendment protections may be perpetuating the damage, when the path is curbed by slick attorneys and wrong-minded jurists also bending reality by succeeding in the courts with claims like: “You literally can’t believe the facts Tucker Carlson tells you.” Fox’s officially vaccinated ‘news’ personalities have since launched into a viscous on-air anti-vaccination campaign, which, of course, I am paying for. The conventional strategy of boycotting advertisers to curtail unconscionable behavior on Fox only yields diminishing returns, as they are already having so much success at scaring away legitimate revenue generating opportunities.

Defund Fox! While Comcast approaches a virtual monopoly here in San Mateo County, there is still a way to counter the destructive divisiveness of Rupert Murdoch’s Evil Empire. Although each Comcast customer only pays around $21.48 per year in carriage fees to Fox; an estimated number adjusted for non-Fox watching households in the City of Pacifica would, for example, yield reductions of $147,675; for the greater San Mateo County, $2,830,451; nationwide, $415,745,400. Not that it’s realistic to believe it will go this far, but modeling in such a manner does illustrate the unique vulnerability Comcast has Foxed itself in by surfing on slush funds instead of best practices.

RESIST

Tune in to Pacifica Voice next month for The Angry Author’s Cable Cutting Tips And Tricks