Minutes of the Palomar Mountain Planning Organization Meeting
August 23, 2008
Heather Beer, Glenn Borland, Cecelia Borland (alternate), Bruce Graves, Rob Hawk, Bonnie Phelps, Michael Pique, Alan Serry, Earl Walls.
Terri Bailey, Robert Carlyle (undergoing CERT training today), Donna Dose, Elizabeth Getzoff, Susan Humason, Scott Kardel, Bob O'Neill, John Tainer.
The PMPO Board Meeting was convened 10:03 AM March 22, 2008, at the Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department. The minutes of the March 22, 2008, Board meeting were distributed and approved with a correction to the assessor's map number. Treasurer Alan Serry said that at the last board meeting, May 24, 2008, the balance carried forward was $43,848.29. income was $2,521.63 ($365.50 from pancake breakfast, $55.00 from newsletter advertisements, $76.13 interest, and $2,025.00 donations). Expenses were $440.76 for pancake breakfast food. The balance as of August 23, 2008, is $43,848.29. The treasurer's report was approved. The board approved raising the breakfast price to $3 for adults, remaining $1 for children (12 and under).
For many years, attorney Robert Haase has been helping the PMPO on the dual survey, at no charge. We have received a letter from his law office (Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi) asking the PMPO to write and confirm that their file can be closed and that the PMPO does not expect that they have any further responsibility regarding the matter. The board approved writing such a letter, to include a request that the office's files be transferred to the PMPO. Glenn Borland will write and send a letter.
Cecelia Borland and Bonnie Phelps said the far northeast corner of Birch Hill, in section 14, is moving along, though slowly. Currently are waiting for Washington Mutual to subordinate certain loans to the easement; in general, lenders have taken months, not days, to do the paperwork. Bonnie said next will be the roads north of the Lodge, starting with the road on the west side.
Rob Hawk has received monitoring permission from Donald Grant and Burt Hulbert, on Conifer Road and the South Grade. He will bring monitoring permission forms to the barbecue.
Earl Walls says renovation of the PMVFD house is proceeding, with the county giving problems with kitchen building codes, and difficulties with obtaining funds from the already-awarded $50,000 block grant. He desperately needs volunteer help for the construction work.
The Borlands have attended a San Diego County 2020 workshop, and say that the county says they want more specifics on what residents want to see addressed in the plan, however, much of the plan was really settled long ago. Glenn has talked to Eric Lardy from the San Diego County Department of Planning and Land Use (DPLU), trying to get the commercial areas we've requested retaining. Glenn was told that ``FCI areas are yet to be worked out'' and after three hours' discussion, there was no resolution; noting that Palomar Mountain is too small for Eric to have much concern about us.
Glenn says we need volunteers to help fill out new forms, and Tom Burton suggests asking for help from Supervisor Horn after we get the forms completed and submitted. Glenn will invite Mr. Horn to the barbecue and ask the PMVFD to invite him to Friday's pre-barbecue awards ceremony.
Alan Serry called the CHP and talked to Lieutenant Golonsky, who does not see an any solution to the unsafe motorcyclists problem. The CHP is working on a grant application for more enforcement. He reminded us the CHP Oceanside office's phone number is (760) 757-1675
Alan noted that the military has seen an increase in motorcycle-related deaths in 2008, and has a new policy of safety classes and requiring red vests be worn off-base. Bonnie Phelps suggests we ask Camp Pendleton to do motorcycle sound level checks on their riders' bikes, on the base.
Alan met with the Department of Public Works (DPW), who came up to the mountain to look at recent accident sites. Rumble strips are funded for installation in summer 2009 on the South Grade.
The PMVFD board recently voted to withdraw their two participants from the Community Center of Palomar Mountain Action Committee. On Tom Burton's suggestion, the PMPO board approved adopting the Action Committee as a PMPO committee, adding other PMPO community issues to their domain of responsibility. The Action Committee meets about every two weeks and consists of Heather Beer, Bruce Graves, Earl Walls, and Bonnie Phelps.
Bonnie Phelps said that Allied Services, the owners of the East Grade Road Bin Transfer Station, known as ``the dump'', have notified her that the station will be closing, perhaps by the end of the year. Valley Center Roadrunner newspaper editor David Ross will write an article, asking for a letter from the PMPO to guide him. Bruce Graves says residents can group together to rent a shared dumpster for about $145 per month for weekly pickup. Bruce asks whether the county has any responsibility for rural trash pickup; Rob Hawk will call the county Environmental Services department to ask.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:45 PM.
Michael Pique