Hey Rolandos,

Just got my spankin’ new smart meter installed yesterday. Just in time to meet SDG&E’s scheduled rollout for Rolando Village.

In about three months we’ll be able to link our SDG&E accounts to Google’s PowerMeter to get a play-by-play dashboard of our hourly/daily/monthly energy consumtion. Lord Kelvin said “If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.” Well now Google says you CAN measure it so you CAN improve it. Real people are reporting real savings without even adjusting their lifestyles. They’re able to easily see where and when they’re throwing away energy and money.

Here’s what mine looks like.

Questions, answers, comments? Post them below!

According to SDG&E’s interactive map Smart Meters are coming to most of Rolando Village and Rolando Park by June 2010.

What does this mean?

It means, among other things, you’ll be able to use Google’s Power Meter software to help you monitor and manage your home energy use.

Controlling Mini-dorms – A History (in progress)

Ann B. Cottrell, Chair CACC Committee on Nuisance Rental Properties

Mini-dorms, defined by the city on its mini-dorm web page as “single dwelling units occupied by multiple adults, which through unconventional development patterns and a variety of disturbance issues are adversely affecting local single dwelling unit neighborhoods” have concerned College Area residents for over two decades. The pattern of commercialized rental properties in RS zones is increasingly a threat throughout the city. Here is a summary of efforts to control “mini-dorms.” These efforts are not intended to eliminate all rental properties in RS zones.

1980 Adamson v. Santa Barbara California Supreme Court Decision.

This decision states that “family” cannot be defined as individuals related by blood, marriage or adoption. Thus we cannot prohibit renting single “family” homes to 3 or more unrelated individuals, as is the practice in many other states.

1987 Single Family Rental Overlay Zone (SFRPOZ)

This College Area zone limited the number of individuals in a rental house by establishing size and other physical requirements per tenant.

1991 College Area Rental Landlords Association (CARLA) challenged SFROZ.

CARLA argued SFROZ violated principles of equal protection by illegally discriminating between tenants and resident owners when similarly situated. The California Superior court supported the case and a city appeal was not upheld. The significance of this ruling is that there can be no distinction between users of similar properties. SFROZ was repealed in 1997.

1989 College Area Party Plan

College Area Party Plan

This permits police to “CAPP” chronic party houses. This program, now city wide as the Community Assisted Party Plan, allows the police to raise the response when called to a CAPP house, including confiscating equipment and even making arrests.

2000 Addressing Parking impact in College areas.

• Land Development Code creates Campus Parking Impact Overlay Zone which requires off-street parking for single dwelling units with 5+ bedrooms. (city requirement is 2 off street parking spaces for a single dwelling unit)
• Parking Districtes B & E established for SDSU and Mesa College Areas. These prohibit street parking to anyone who does not have a B or E permit (4 maximum per house)

September 2006 Community Forum on mini-dorms.

District 7 Councilmember Jim Madaffer convened a public forum on mini-dorms. Over 300 angry College Area residents made an impression. Madaffer followed up with a list of possible responses to the problem, addressed by an ad-hoc College Area Community Council committee.

October 2006. Bedroom redefined in municipal code.

Municipal Code was amended to define a bedroom as any room with a permanent door which can be used for sleeping. This was to stop the practice of calling converted/new rooms dens or family rooms thus getting around the 5 bedroom parking requirement

May 2007 Administrative citations for violations of existing loud noise codes.

SDPD can be issue $1,000 fines to all residents and homeowners when Police Officers judge the noise level sufficiently extreme. The program’s six month trial was so successful in the College Area it is being expanded city-wide.

August 2007 New codes related to mini-dorms take effect.

(overview)

Based on recommendations from the CACC ad hoc committee the city council adopted amendments to the municipal code to address inconsistent physical development related to mini-dorms. Briefly, these are:

• Small lots in RS zones (less than 10,000 square feet):
  • Houses limited to 6 bedrooms (using new definition)
  • Hardscape for vehicular use limited to 4 surface parking spaces.
• RS zone properties-no more than 60 % of front yard hardscape or paving.
• RS zone properties – new parking standards ensure parking spaces will be functional
• Campus impact area (only single dwelling units with 5 or more bedrooms):
  • New development must provide 1legal off-street parking space for each bedroom
  • At least 2 parking spaces must be in an enclosed garage.
• In the parking impact overlay zones, all lots must have a 12-foot driveway at the front property line.

January 2008 Residential High Occupancy Permit (RHOP)

In an effort to assure that high density single dwelling units in RS zones provide adequate parking, the City Council has passed a RHOP. RHOP is required for a single dwelling unit housing 6 or more persons 18 and older. To obtain a permit, legal off-street parking must be provided on the property for the number of adult occupants minus one. The RHOP establishes an annual permit, with an annual fee ($1000) and inspections that can be revoked for code violations. This will take go into effect October 1, 2008. No existing violations will be “grandfathered” in.

Spring 2008?? Rooming House Ordinance (RHO)

The above changes, while of some help, do little to address the systemic over commercialization of RS zones with mini-dorms. Any existing mini-dorm remains legal until a structural change is made. Houses can have as many bedrooms as they want on lots over 10,000 square feet and unlimited parking in large back yards. A way of addressing the commercialization of RS neighborhoods with large mini-dorms is sought.

The proposed Rooming House Ordinance is designed to “preserve community character” in RS zones, and “promote neighborhood quality, character and livability” by prohibiting rooming houses in RS and low density RM zones. A version defining the RHO as a single dwelling unit in which three or more rooms are rented under three or more separate leases has been approved by: Land Use and Housing Committee, San Diego Planning Commission, Community Planners Committee, CACC, PBPG. However, while the majority of City Council members claim to support the RHO in principle, the RHO did not receive majority support at the November 19, 2007 Council meeting. A revision is being drafted presently and, hopefully will go to Council this spring.

February 19, 2008 – Document in progress – Ann B. Cottrell, Chair CACC Committee on Nuisance Rental Properties

The El Cajon Median improvement project is nearing completion.

When completed the median will sport two community area signs within the medians.

Click on the map pins for a preview of the signs.

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• Residents Fight 1,000-Student ‘Dorm’ Plan
• For now, council race focused on a real issue

When I arrived at tonights Rolando Community Council meeting this evening the hall was already packed. Wow, how cool to see such a turnout! I wish we could get this much participation in future RCC meetings. A representative from JPI, pictured below, presented a slide show of their preliminary proposal for the Centrepoint project. I asked a JPI representative for a digital copy of the slide show but she said it was too big to send via email. When I pressed and asked if I could have a copy of it on CD she indicated in so many words that she didn’t think she could give it to me. I don’t see the harm in giving our community the information we need to make informed decisions. JPI was kind enough to provide a printed FAQ, and a contact number. Contact the JPI team at (619) 540-0427.

The following text was taken directly from that FAQ. I am posting it here in the interest of informing our community and fostering civil dialog. I extracted the text using OCR and tried to fix any errors the process may have introduced. To see it in its original format download this PDF of the JPI at Centrepoint FAQ. If you are a concerned community member please register at RolandoVillage.com and add your comments and questions to this post. Any comments deemed inappropriate will not be published.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are you building student housing at this particular location?

The need for off-campus student housing in this area will grow as San Diego State University (SDSU) is planning an increase of 10,000 students over the next 20 years. Currently there are at least 2,100 students living off campus within the Community College and Eastern Area planning areas, with the vast majority of these students living in single family homes. Centrepoint is a prime location for student housing, its location within 1 mile of SDSU therefore providing partial alleviation to the “mini dorm” problem.

Are there other student apartments nearby?

Yes, professionally managed student apartment properties near Centrepoint include Aztec Corners, The Plaza, Penthouse, Dorchester and Diplomat.

How many residents will live at Centrepoint?

JPI is proposing to provide fully furnished apartment homes for 1,130 residents.

What will the rooms be like?

Each apartment home will contain a full kitchen, full-size washer and dryer, cable and phone services, and high-speed Internet connections in every bedroom and living room. In addition, Centrepoint will have 7,765 square feet of residential amenities including a swimming pool, clubhouse, and fitness center, along with management and leasing offices.

What type of retail will be provided?

The 16,000 square feet of new retail space will consist of neighborhood-serving commercial uses.

How will traffic be affected by this use?

The project fronts onto EI Cajon Blvd. – a transportation corridor with bus transit – and is in close proximity to SDSU, allowing students to bike and walk to the university.

Why does your website say you “lease by the bed”?

Unlike many other student-oriented housing facilities, JPI leases by the person and not by the unit. All leases must have a guarantor, usually a parent and there is an enforced code of conduct policy attached to each lease. Additionally, all apartment homes are professionally managed with approximately 10 full-time, onsite employees.

What are the economic benefits to the community?

Along with providing a significant redevelopment opportunity for EI Cajon Blvd., JPI will contribute $2 million to the city during development. JPI will not be taking redevelopment funds, meaning the $5.2 million subSidy available from the redevelopment district will stay in the community and can be used for infrastructure improvements. In addition, the project will contribute over $1 million in annual property taxes to remain in the neighborhood and facilitate a projected $3.5 million annual operating budget requiring over 80 local vendors.

How much parking will be provided?

We are increasing parking over the currently approved project by over 300 parking spaces, with 974 total spaces. In order to accommodate this number of parking spaces, JPI Centrepoint will provide an interior parking structure and surface parking, making parking easily accessible for residents and retail customers alike while being hidden from exterior view.

How tall will the building be?

The retail space will be at street level along EI Cajon Boulevard, with three stories of residential above. The buildings directly fronting on 63rd Street, Stanley Avenue and Seminole Drive will all be three story flats located 10 feet from the property line. All four story elements of the proposed project that face residential streets will be pulled back 40 feet or more, most with a landscaped courtyard.

Will there be a parking spot for every resident to avoid students parking on the street?

We are only required, by city code, to provide 811 parking spaces, but are providing 974 spaces – a 163 parking space surplus. JPI is electing to provide this additional parking because its market studies show this is a more prudent level of parking based upon market demand.

Will existing residents need to purchase street parking permits?

No, parking permits are not a part of our plan. We will work with the community and city if the local residents would like street parking permits.

How will noise be managed?

Twenty-four hour on-site management supervises the premises at all times. All residents and their guarantors sign a code of conduct with their lease. After two noise warnings a lease can be terminated.

Who is JPI and how long have they been in the student housing business?

JPI is headquartered in Irving, Texas with a local office in Carlsbad. Throughout California, JPI has developed or renovated 23 communities. JPI Student Living – a division of JPI – has successfully developed over 35 student housing communities nationwide, serving 24,000 students. They have also acquired and renovated 10 communities serving 7,000 students. In addition, JPI Property Management also manages student housing for other owners in 9 states, manages apartment housing for college campuses’ on-campus housing, as well as manages 20,000 apartment units in 19 states for California-based pension fund advisor.

For over 10 years, they have provided a broad range of services from design, development, renovation and financing to construction, property management and Residence Life programs.

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Our community members had so many good comments and questions I can’t begin remember all of them. Please feel free to repeat them here (if you weren’t heard now is your chance) by registering at RolandoVillage.com and adding your comments to this post.

Rolando Methodist Church
4855 Seminole Drive

7:00 – 8:30 PM Tuesday, September 18, 2007

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Agenda

• Call Meeting to Order
• Treasurer’s Report
• Book Sale
• Membership
• Minutes of Last Meeting(no meeting, annual potluck)

Guests

• JPI (regarding CenterPoint)
  Followed by Public Comment(limited to two minutes per speaker)information only
  • Proposed Housing Worries Neighbors
  • Latest news on JPI Dorms
  • More insight on JPI and student multi-housing

Upcoming Events

• Next Book Sale: October 6, 2007 8:00am-2:30pm
  @ Rite Aid on El Cajon Blvd

For more info, contact Doris Perry @ 619-583-7321.

Bring a friend to the meeting & learn what’s happening in your community.

Curious about the median construction along El Cajon Boulevard (the northern border of Rolando Village) I started searching for answers. I would probably be better informed had I attended recent Rolando Community Council meetings, but I have not had the time. Here’s what I’ve found on the City of San Diego’s site.

This project will reconstruct raised medians and install decorative stamped concrete, irrigation, and landscaping, along El Cajon Boulevard from 54th Street to 73rd Street. The project also includes provisions for the installation of two community area signs within the medians and a new traffic signal at the intersection of El Cajon Boulevard and Dayton Street. The water services and supply conduits were installed as part of a previous project. Maintenance of the new medians will be provided by the College Heights Enhanced Maintenance Assessment District (College Heights EMAD).

The contract for this project received bids on October 31, 2006. The apparent low bid contractor (3-D Enterprises, Inc.) will be authorized to proceed with the base bid in early January 2007 and the pre-construction meeting will be later in January 2007, after the notice to proceed is issued. Work will begin in early February 2007 and completed in late July 2007. If the additional work in the additive alternatives (landscape and irrigation, community signs, sign illumination) is authorized (upon receipt of additional funds), the contract will be extended an additional 64 working days, completing in October of 2007.

I am trying to track down any artist’s renderings of the planned outcome for this median, and the community signs mentioned in the City’s documents. If you have any information please share! I contacted Jim Madaffer’s office with the same questions so I’m optimistic we will soon have some visuals of what to expect. The moment I have any further information I will post it here. Looks like the project will be completed no later than October, 2007!

Update: October 15, 2007