ON THE AGENDA: LA MESA CITY COUNCIL

Rooftop solar rules and objections to SANDAG “San Diego Forward” EIR are among key topics

East County News Service

July 11, 2015 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa City Council will meet Tuesday, July 14 at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers.

Items of interest on the agenda include an ordinance to streamline rooftop solar applications, traffic calming measures proposed for Harbinson Avenue,  and a letter to SANDAG regarding the regional draft Environmental Impact Report San Diego Forward. Appointments to City commissions will also be made.

The City’s letter to SANDAG lists 20 objections to the draft EIR which, while politely stated, listed together imply a perception of bureaucratic overreach. The letter begins by stating that the City does not object to the DEIR’s broad objectives and then lays out its concerns regarding implementation.

The City’s objections deal with scenic resources and public view shed mandates without funding for monitoring diesel particulate emissions, as well as strengthening mitigations already required under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) regarding wetlands, watershed, habitats, solid waste facilities and storm drains.

The letter also lists concerns about a measure to reduce GHG emissions that it believes would transfer funding responsibility for transit stops to the City, and mandate increased density. In addition, the City also objects to measures that go beyond the State’s green building codes.

One point raised appears to contain a factual error; the city asked that La Mesa be excluded from view shed requirements pertaining to Mt. Helix and State Route 125 on the basis that Mt. Helix is in unincorporated San Diego, however some portions of Mt. Helix such as Alto Drive are located within the city of La Mesa.

The full agenda with informational packet can be viewed online here.