Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Help divert green waste from the landfill by recycling your Christmas tree.  Trees will be picked up for recycling for two weeks following Christmas, from Dec. 26th through Jan. 6th.

Residents with curbside trash collection can recycle their trees by placing them in their green yard waste bins on the regular pick-up day. Trees should be cut into 4-foot sections and must fit within the yard waste container. Please remove any ornaments, tinsel, or tree stands before placing the tree in the container.

Flocked trees cannot be recycled, but will be collected if they are cut into 3-foot sections and placed into the regular trash bin.

Santee residents without curbside collection, such as apartment dwellers, can drop off their trees at the Waste Management Recycle Center in El Cajon at 925 O'Connor Street, one block south of the West Bradley Avenue and Johnson Avenue intersection.

The recyle center will be open 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information contact Ed Ruiz at (619) 258-4100 ext. 128.

Change in Household Hazardous Waste Disposal

Disposing of household hazardous waste, such as old paint or used motor oil can be done at no cost for Santee residents by calling (619) 596-5100 for an appointment at the Waste Management facility in El Cajon.

Santee’s hazardous waste program has been so successful that city funds set aside to subsidize disposal costs for residents taking their waste to a regional disposal facility in Poway have been exhausted.  Santee residents may still dispose of hazardous waste at the Poway collection center at 12325 Crosthwaite Circle, but they will now be charged a disposal fee.

By calling ahead to make an appointment with Waste Management, Santee residents can still dispose of household hazardous wastes for free. Residents may transfer up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds of waste per visit. Proof of residency is required.

It is unlawful to dispose of household hazardous waste in regular trash bins or down storm drains. Please protect the environment and your fellow citizens by following proper disposal methods.

City Wide Paving Project Update

Carlton Hills Drive

Concrete work has started and will continue for approximately 6 more weeks.  Pedestrian ramps will be installed at each street intersection.   Isolated areas of concrete repairs will also be made.  No parking signs will be placed at the construction locations 48 hours in advance of the work.

The next phase of work after the concrete work will be the replacement of storm drains along Carlton Hills Blvd.

After the storm drain replacement work is completed, asphalt patching and a final asphalt overlay will be completed on the entire length of Carlton Hills Blvd. 

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager, at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

Eye in the Sky Protects Holiday Shoppers

This odd-looking contraption that looks like a guard tower mounted on a cherry picker is designed to intimidate would-be thieves at shopping centers and malls throughout the county.

The device, known as Skywatch, is being deployed intermittently in Santee by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department to protect shoppers during the holiday season.

The tower is equipped with a special camera that features a high-resolution lens that can focus on suspects who are prowling cars and record their activities. The camera can zoom in on vehicle license plates and, using night-vision technology, can also detect weapons and other suspicious items hidden in bags or pockets.

The Sheriff's Department, which has used Skywatch the past four years, plans to move it around to various shopping centers and malls through January 1.

Sign Up for Winter/Spring Classes

Families got a chance to see their children perform dance and music routines at the city of Santee’s first Dancing in the Park event on Saturday, Dec. 10 at Town Center Community Park. Mother Nature cooperated with perfect weather for those performing at the outdoor stage, including this acrobatic hip-hop dancer.

Registration is now open for the winter/spring class schedule, which features an enhanced variety of class offerings in dance and music, plus enrichment courses in everything from art to cooking. 

The new Recreation Activity Guide is available online here.

Trash: Keep A Lid On It

During the ho-ho-holidays, don’t forget to keep a lid on the extra amounts of trash.

If you remember to cover or close the lids on trash and recycling bins, you’ll prevent trash from littering our streets. Much of that litter ends up in storm drains, where it gets carried into local waterways such as the San Diego River.

On average, each person in the United States generates more than four pounds of trash per day. We can make the world a better place if we remember these words: reduce, reuse, recycle.

This message is brought to you by the clean water folks at Santee City Hall.

Sponsors Needed for Dog Bag Dispensers

Businesses or civic-minded groups can combine community service with grassroots marketing by sponsoring one or more of Santee’s 35 dog waste bag dispensers.

The dispensers, which offer free bags to dog owners using city parks and trails, are vital for proper disposal of pet waste and for reducing bacteria carried by runoff into local waterways.

Santee’s Community Services Department has partnered with Encinitas-based C.A. Advertisers, which today completed installing new bag dispensers citywide. The firm is also soliciting sponsorships to pay for the bags. Sponsors are acknowledged for their contribution with a small sign fixed to the bag dispenser.

The new sponsorship program is intended to offset the city’s $8,000 to $10,000 cost to supply 250,000 dog waste bags annually to the public.

Businesses interested in sponsoring a bag dispenser should contact Meghan Kudera at C.A. Advertisers at 858-703-7167 or via email at Meghan@CaliforniaAdvertisers.com.

 

Santee Memorial Program

Honor a friend, relative or favorite organization during this season of giving by donating a park bench, picnic table or tree in their name at one of Santee’s city parks.

Although benches and tables are a standardized design selected by the Community Services Department, contributors can choose from a variety of tree species that are suitable to donate.

Park benches can be donated for $1,400. Picnic tables are $1,000.  For each bench or picnic table donated, the city will install a 5-by-10-inch memorial plaque carrying the name of the person or organization being commemorated. Trees are $100 for a 15-gallon size, $200 for a 24-inch box and $700 for a 36-inch box. Each donated tree is recognized with a brass leaf etched with the honoree’s name that is placed on a commemorative tree plaque at City Hall.

The donation covers the cost of acquisition and installation.

All donated trees, tables and benches will be maintained by the city of Santee for the duration of their useful life.

In addition to acknowledging someone you wish to remember, your contribution will support recreational opportunities and enhance Santee’s parks.

Applications can be obtained at the Community Services Department at City Hall, 10601 Magnolia Avenue, Santee, CA  92071.

The application is also available to download on the park page of the City's website.

A Festive Kickoff for the Holidays

More than 4,000 people turned out last Friday for the city’s annual Holiday Lighting Celebration at Santee Trolley Square.

The event, which celebrates the start of the holiday season, featured live music from the  Bayou Brothers,  roving carolers in period costumes, a variety of crafts for kids, and a chance to go ice skating or tour the shopping center in a horse-drawn carriage.

“The whole place was just a bustle of activity,” said Special Events Supervisor Cherie Meek.

Santa Claus posed for photos with children, who were given free chocolate-chip cookies made by Mrs. Claus.

A craft booth set up by Lowe’s home improvement store helped kids put together more than 1,000 craft projects. Children decorated (and presumably ate) more than 2,000 cookies donated by Souplantation and Eccentric International Chefs Bakery and Deli.

With the wave of a magic wand and a flash from sparklers, a 20-foot-tall holiday tree was lighted. At the same moment, decorative lights on entry monuments at four major intersections in Santee were turned on.

The event was sponsored by Waste Management, Santee Trolley Square, Welk Resorts, Daphne's California Greek, Fireworks America and MTS.

The Holiday Season Just got Brighter and Smarter for SDG&E Customers

SDG&E’s annual LED Holiday Light Exchange is back for the 6^th year

This holiday season, SDG&E is continuing their very own holiday tradition by giving their customers the opportunity to exchange up to three strands of holiday lights for energy-efficient, multi-colored LED holiday lights. SDG&E’s LED Holiday Light Exchange is one of the county’s most popular and well-attended events, as last year’s exchanges saw more than 4,300 customers exchange over 12,635 strands of lights.  To date, SDG&E has exchanged 40,885 LED holiday light strands with over 14,000 customers throughout the SDG&E service territory.

For customers to receive their three complimentary light strands, they must bring in old lights and present a copy of their current SDG&E bill or their California ID to one of the 6 exchanges.  The LED lights shine brighter, look great and last up to 100 times longer than the normal incandescent holiday lights. Moreover, the lights save households money on their energy bills, are cool to the touch, reduce fire risk, and safer for use both inside and outside the home. 

Beginning November 20, SDG&E’s six lighting exchanges take place throughout the county. This year’s exchange locations are El Cajon (Nov. 20), Seaport Village (Nov. 26), Balboa Park (Dec. 2 & 3), Chula Vista (Dec. 3) and Escondido (Dec. 4).

As a special incentive, SDG&E representatives are presenting the first 25 people in line to exchange lights with a free Smart power Strip, an energy saving device designed to detect when the electronic item is in standby power mode and stop power-flow to the outlet.

To see the complete list of locations and program details, visit sdge.com/LEDs.

City Wide Paving Project Update

Mission Gorge Road

Due to the recent rains and extremely low overnight temperatures, the final asphalt overlay on Mission Gorge Road has been postponed until favorable nighttime weather will allow the overlay to be completed.  A minimum temperature of 50 degrees is required in order to properly place the asphalt.  The asphalt overlay must be performed during the night hours due to the volume of traffic on Mission Gorge Road.  The City will monitor the weather reports, but it is likely the overlay will be completed after the holidays.

Carlton Hills Drive

Video detection cameras have been installed and placed in service at all signalized intersections of Carlton Hills Blvd.  The installation of the cameras will improve the traffic flow along Carlton Hills Blvd.

Concrete work will begin in the next 2 weeks according to the contractors schedule.  Every street intersection along Carlton Hills Blvd. will will receive pedestrian ramps.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager, at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

Emergency Alert System Nationwide Test

Don't be alarmed, just be aware.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will conduct its first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at 11 a.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday Nov. 9.

The test, expected to last about 3 minutes, will be broadcast on radio and TV, briefly interrupting normal programming.

The event may catch people’s attention because it will be presented as an actual emergency rather than a test.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are also participating.

The EAS is a national alert and warning system established to enable the U.S. president to address the public during emergencies. NOAA's National Weather Service, governors and state and local emergency authorities also use parts of the system to issue more localized emergency alerts.

The goal of the nationwide test is to help the government determine the reliability of the system and its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential dangers nationally and regionally.

Santee Fire Chief Robert Leigh said the event should serve as a reminder that everyone should put together an emergency preparedness kit and establish an emergency plan for their families.

More information on the test is available online at: http://www.fema.gov/eastest/

City Wide Paving Project Update

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood

The asphalt overlay has been completed with final striping to be scheduled.

Rumson Drive
The asphalt overlay has been completed with final striping to be scheduled.

Mission Gorge Road
All concrete replacement work and asphalt patchig has been completed.  The final asphalt overlay is scheduled for Monday night, November 14 through November 17.  Night work hours will be from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

Halloween Treats at City Hall

Children enrolled in Santee’s Tiny Tyke and Playtime Pals early education classes stopped by City Hall Monday to gather treats and perform a song for about two dozen seniors during the annual Santee Senior Club luncheon.  A senior dressed as Superman managed to rescue a damsel in distress before sitting down to a hearty lunch.

For information on early education classes for tots, the Santee Senior Club or other recreation programs offered by the city visit the Recreation Services page on the city website. 

Santee Gets Bright for the Holidays

If you're looking for a family event that's guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit, mark your calendar for the City of Santee Holiday Lighting Celebration.

The event, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18 at Santee Trolley Square, offers upbeat activities for people of all ages.

As an event that celebrates the start of the holiday season, don't be surprised to see folks being spontaneously cheerful and wearing reindeer antlers.

Live music from the Bayou Brothers, who play a mix of zydeco with a holiday twist, will help you get into the mood.  If that doesn't close the deal, then the roving carolers dressed in period costumes will.

There will be booths to browse, samples from local eateries, and plenty of fun activities for kids.  Craft stations will be set up where children can decorate cookies, construct a paper chain, or make their own ornaments and holiday gift bags.

The Holiday Lighting Celebration is focused around the lighting of a 20-foot artificial tree.  With the wave of a faux magic wand, the tree's holiday lights will flash on.  At the same instant the tree is lighted, entry monuments at four major intersections will come aglow with decorative lights.

Horse-drawn carriage rides will be available for $2 per person, except for children 3 years or younger, who may ride for free on a lap of an adult.  For a $3 fee, children 5 years and older, as well as adults, can glide on ice skates across a 2,400-square-foot synthetic rink.  Children will be able to confide their wish lists to Santa.  Professional photos with the jolly guy will be available for $10.

Title sponsor for the event is Waste Management.  Other sponsors include Santee Trolley Square, Welk Resorts, Daphne's California Greek, Fireworks America and MTS.

Information about the event is available by calling the Santee Special Events Hotline at (619) 258-4100 ext. 201 or visit the city's website.

City Wide Paving Project Update

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood

The asphalt overlay has been completed with final striping to be scheduled.

Rumson Drive
Due to the asphalt plant being repaired, the asphalt overlay has been scheduled for October 21 and 24.  Speed humps will be replaced on Rumson Drive once the asphalt overlay has been completed.

Mission Gorge Road
All concrete replacement work has been completed with asphalt patching to begin on Sunday, October 30.  Night work hours will be from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

Santee Salutes World BMX Champion Sean Gaian

The city of Santee last week honored Sean Gaian, a 15-year-old BMX rider and local resident who in July won the UCI World Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark.

To acknowledge Gaian's athletic achievements and offer the city's support for his future endeavors, Mayor Randy Voepel issued a proclamation declaring Oct. 13 as Sean Gaian Day in Santee.

Competitive BMX or bicycle motocross racers typically range in age from 3 to 60.  Although it's a family oriented activity driven by participants, BMX racing was elevated to a medal sport at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Gaian has been a competitive BMX rider since the age of 4.  He has already won 11 California state titles, and is currently the top-seeded rider in his age group.

He earned his first world championship in BMX racing through hard work and practice.  He trains five days a week, alternating his workouts between the gym and three BMX tracks in the area.

He was recently selected by USA Cycling to participate in the BMX Junior Development Program Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, where he trained on motocross track similar to that used in the previous Olympics.

Later this year, he plans to compete in the Grand Nationals in Tulsa, OK.  His goal is to qualify and compete for the USA in the 2016 Olympic Games.

Preferred Alternative Set for Mast Park Plan

A design proposal that would serve as a blueprint for redeveloping Mast Park is ready to be reviewed by the Santee Parks and Recreation Committee and ultimately the City Council.

Award-winning landscape architect Glen Schmidt, who earlier this summer drafted three design options, presented the preferred alternative at a public workshop held Oct. 6 at City Hall.

Highlights of the refined design proposal include:

• Intalling a new restroom that is water and energy efficient
• Paving a nine-tenths-of-a-mile-long concrete loop trail
• Creating 45 new parking spaces along the park's northern border
• Adding two boardwalks that would offer close-up views of the river
• Erecting a new entry sign and orientation signs
• Creating dry creek beds that would serve as natural play areas for kids and also divert runoff into a bioswale that would reduce pollution reaching the river
• Adding three new shaded picnic pavilions, including a large gazebo suitable for weddings or family reunions
• Cluster new exercise apparatuses at a fitness station

In keeping with the community's wishes to retain the park's natural, rustic appearance, the design calls for keeping the park's mature trees and adding low-growing native plants.  The basketball court would remain, as would the off-leash dog park, which would be divided into separate areas for small and large dogs.

Schmidt has also proposed some unique features, such as so-called "discovery nodes" where visitors would learn about wildlife along the river, Kumeyaay Indian culture or Santee's pioneer history.

The proposed master plan will be presented to the Santee Park and Recreation Committee and the City Council in November.

Funding for the $117,000 project has been assisted by a Healthy Communities Planning Grant from the San Diego Association of Governments.  The grant is a component of Health Works, a countywide initiative promoting wellness and addressing the nationwide obesity epidemic.

A short video explaining key aspects of the master plan can be viewed on YouTube.

City Wide Paving Project Update

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood
Due to the recent rains, the asphalt overlay was cancelled and is rescheduled for October 19.

Rumson Drive
Due to the recent rains, the asphalt overlay was cancelled and is recheduled for October 20 and 21.

Wethersfield Road will be the location for the split in the 2-day schedule of asphalt overlay.  The first day of the overlay will be from the western limit of Rumson Drive to Wethersfield Road and the second day will be from Wethersfield Road to Pebble Beach Drive.  Detour signs will be placed to route traffic around Rumson Drive.  Carlton Oaks School, West Hills High School and the Health Occupation Center will be notified of the schedule for the construction work.

Mission Gorge Road
All concrete replacement work has been completed with asphalt patching to begin on Sunday, October 17.  Night work hours will be from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

City Wide Paving Project Update

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood
Due to the recent rains, the asphalt overlay has been cancelled and will be rescheduled to allow the street subgrade to dry out prior to the overlay.  The City and contractor will be updating the schedule in the upcoming days.  Once a date has been rescheduled, residents will receive a notice five days in advance.

Rumson Drive
Due to the recent rains, the asphalt overlay has been cancelled and will be rescheduled to allow the street subgrade to dry out prior to the overlay.  The City and contractor will be updating the schedule in the upcoming days.  Once a date has been rescheduled, residents will receive a notice five days in advance.

Wethersfield Road will be the location for the split in the two-day schedule of asphalt overlay.  The first day of the overlay will be from the western limit of Rumson Drive to Wethersfield Road and the second day will be from Wethersfield Road to Pebble Beach Drive.  Detour signs will be placed to route traffic around Rumson Drive.  Carlton Oaks School, West Hills High School and the Health Occupation Center will be notified of the schedule for the construction work.

Mission Gorge Road
All concrete replacement work has been completed with asphalt patching to begin on Sunday, October 17.  Night work hours will be from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Please check the City of Santee website for construction updates with rescheduled asphalt overlay dates.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager at (619) 258-4100 x174.

City Wide Paving Project Update

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood

All concrete replacement work and asphalt patching has been completed.  The asphalt overlay is scheduled during the week of October 10.  Residents will receive a flyer with the exact date 5 days in advance of the overlay.

The entire neighborhood will be completed in 1 day.  Limited vehicle access will be available during the day due to the time required for the asphalt to cure prior to vehicles driving on.  Construction hours will be from 8:00am to 5:00pm.  Parking will be available on Magnolia Avenue and El Nopal Drive.  Residents who require their vehicles during the construction hours are advised to move their vehicles to Magnolia Avenue or El Nopal Drive prior to the start of construction.  If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola at (619) 572-6996.

Rumson Drive

All concrete replacement work and asphalt patching has been completed.  Asphalt overlay is scheduled during the week of October 10.  Residents will receive a flyer with the exact date 5 days in advance.  Residents who require their vehicles during the construction hours are advised to park on adjacent side streets prior to the overlay construction.  Limited vehicle access will be available during the day due to the time required for the asphalt to vehicles driving on.  Construction hours will be from 8:00am to 5:00pm.

Wethersfield Road will be the location for the split in the 2-day schedule of asphalt overlay.  The first day of the overlay will be from the western limit of Rumson Drive to Wethersfield Road and the second day will be from Wethersfield Road to Pebble Beach Drive. Detour signs will be placed to route traffic around Rumson Drive.  Carlton Oaks School, West Hills High School and the Health Occupation Center will be notified of the schedule for the construction work.

Mission Gorge Road

All concrete replacement work has been completed with asphalt patching to begin on Sunday, October 17.  Night work hours will be from 9:00pm to 5:00am.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager, at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

Community Meeting to Advance Mast Park Master Plan Effort

The city of Santee is seeking public comment on a preferred alternative design that would serve as a blueprint for future improvements at Mast Park.

A public workshop to discuss the recommended design plan from Schmidt Design Group has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct 6 at the Santee City Hall complex, Building 7, 10601 Magnolia Avenue, Santee, CA  92071.

The workshop is the third public meeting held this year to gather ideas and feedback on the new master plan, which is intended to ensure the park meets the community's long-term needs.

One focus of the plan is to incorporate a health and wellness element into future improvements and to consider new amenities that promote physical activity and improved public health.

Residents at two previous public workshops held in June and July provided valuable feedback that helped to shape the preferred alternative, which calls for:

• Retaining the park's natural, rustic character;
• Installing additional picnic shelters to accommodate larger gatherings;
• Replacing the restroom with one that is water and energy efficient;
• Dividing the 2.4-acre off-leash dog park into two zones, one for small dogs and another for big dogs;
• Constructing new picnic pavilions, creating an area for fitness equipment, installing a 1-mile-long loop trail; and
• Adding 60 new parking spaces.

The Santee City Council is expected to review and adopt a final master plan design later this year or early 2012.

Funding for this project has been assisted by a Healthy Communities Planning Grant from the San Diego Association of Governments.  The grant is a component of Healthy Works, a countywide initiative promoting wellness and addressing the nationwide obesity epidemic.

Healthy Works is administered by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency and is funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

September 28 Agenda Change

Due to the press of business, the City Council will be continuing Agenda Item 5A "Report On Urban Agriculture and Regulatory Options Regarding the Keeping of Fowl" to October 12, 2011.

Community Workshop on Landscape Maintenance Zones

The city of Santee has scheduled a community meeting to explain the long-term financial outlook of landscape maintenance zones currently administered by the city.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 5 in Building 7 at the City Hall complex, 10601 Magnolia Ave., Santee, CA 92071.

Collectively, 14 landscape maintenance zones encompass 22 acres of ornamental landscaping along major arterial, residential and commercial zones in the city. However, 11 of the city’s 14 active landscape maintenance district zones have reached the cap on their allowable annual tax assessments. Several reached their cap more than ten years ago.

“The city’s landscape maintenance zones are at a financial turning point,” said Community Services Director Bill Maertz. “Current assessments in most of our zones are not sufficient to cover increasing costs for water, fuel, electricity and labor.”

The city cannot subsidize the underfunded landscape maintenance districts with its General Fund, which, since 2008, has been stifled by declining property and sales taxes. The city’s priority for General Fund revenue continues to be public safety, such as police and fire services.

“The purpose of this meeting is to explain the financial outlook to those paying assessments to support landscape maintenance and outline some options,” said Maertz, who will host the meeting along with Finance Director Tim McDermott. “The city is not advocating for any particular solution. It’s up to the community to decide what course to take.”

In anticipation of rising costs, the city in 2009 hired a consultant to study ways to put the districts on a path to fiscal solvency without sacrificing the quality of landscaping. The consultant, Schmidt Design Group Inc., produced a report in August 2010 that identifies ways to reduce water usage while maintaining attractive landscaping along major streets and in neighborhoods.

The report includes such suggestions as:

• Installing more efficient irrigation devices;
• Replacing non-native ornamental plants with attractive varieties that are more drought tolerant; and
• Replacing wood-based mulch with more durable materials, such as river cobbles.

The report says that, if the recommended improvements are put into place, the districts may be able to reduce annual costs by up to 30 percent.

Estimated capital costs to install the improvements, which would be amortized up to 10 years, would range from $557,314 for basic upgrades to $1.6 million for those that would have the greatest visual impact.

The report concludes that, even if no improvements are made to the landscaping, the annual costs for water will increase by as much as 94 percent ($128,000 annually) by the year 2018.

Santee Wins Urban Forestry Award

The California Urban Forests Council has awarded its 2011 “Community Building with Trees” Award to the city of Santee.

The city garnered the honor for its annual SanTree Fest, an event created in 2007 to celebrate both Earth Day and Arbor Day.

No one is prouder of Santee’s tree-planting honors
than Annette Saul, the city’s park and
landscape supervisor and a certified arborist
who helps organize SanTree Fest.



At the most recent SanTree Fest held in March, an estimated 500 community volunteers turned out to plant approximately 75 ornamental trees at Town Center Community Park.



Santee was nominated by the San Diego Regional Urban Forest Council, which heralded SanTree Fest as the “best overall tree planting event in San Diego County.”

Since 2002, the city has recruited community volunteers to help plant more than 1,500 trees citywide. These efforts to engage the community in tree planting have earned Santee the designation as a Tree City USA by the national Arbor Day Foundation for nine consecutive years.

Division Chief Brett Eldridge Retires

After 28 years with the Santee Fire Department, Division Chief Brett Eldridge is hanging up his helmet.

For the past four years, he’s done a variety of crucial tasks, including serving as the city’s fire marshal and grooming the department’s top talent to become the next generation of fire captains.

‘It’s been very gratifying to work on the organization’s future leaders and to mentor employees as they move up the ranks,” he said. “It’s been very rewarding because every time you teach you also learn.”

As fire marshal, Eldridge was responsible for reviewing development permits to ensure they complied with fire codes. He also reviewed special event permits to make sure the public was protected.

His last day on the job is Friday, Sept. 16.

Co-workers describe him as an easy-going manager with a dry sense of humor, and a strategic thinker with a knack for analyzing ways to reduce the city’s liability exposure.

“I will miss his sense of humor, big smile and calm demeanor,” said Fire Chief Robert Leigh.  “Additionally, he always provided input that demonstrated an organizational perspective.”

Eldridge entered the fire service in 1983 under a four-year apprentice program. Six years into the job, he was promoted and selected to attend paramedic school at the University of California at San Diego. During his 12 years as a firefighter/paramedic, he handled every type of emergency from traffic accidents to heart attacks.

Over the years, he earned an associate’s degree in fire technology from Miramar College and a bachelor’s degree in vocational arts and occupational studies from Long Beach State University.

He was promoted to captain in August 2001, and devoted much of his talents to maintaining and elevating the city’s paramedic services. During his tenure as captain, he developed the department’s first confined space and trench rescue program in conjunction with the Padre Dam Municipal Water District.

In 2006, he was elevated to division chief for emergency medical services and was named the city’s fire marshal.

His plans for the future are open-ended: a brief vacation followed by contemplation.

“My wife and I are going to Hawaii for 10 days,” he said. “After that, I have no plans. I want to evaluate where I’m at and see what I want to do next.”

Eldridge, who likes to hike and fish, said he would like to spend at least part of his retirement traveling to historic sites in the United States.

Off-duty, he’s reportedly a highly skilled poker player who has competed in tournaments. So obviously, he knows when it’s time to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.

City Wide Paving Project Update

Fanita Parkway

Fanita Parkway

One coat of paint has been applied for striping with the second coat to be applied during the week of September 19.

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood
Isolated areas of patching will occur the week of September 19.  No parking signs will be placed near the patching areas.

The final asphalt overlay is scheduled for Wednesday, October 12.  No vehicle access will be available during the day.  Construction hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Parking will be available on Magnolia Avenue and El Nopal Drive.  Residents who require their vehicles during the construction hours are advised to move their vehicles to Magnolia Avenue or El Nopal Drive prior to the start of construction.  Unforeseen emergencies can be accommodated or assistance to and from residences will be available.  If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola at (619) 572-6996.

Lake Canyon Road

Lake Canyon Road

Lake Canyon Road has been completed with speed humps scheduled to be installed during the week of September 19.  One set of speed humps will be relocated near Lake Canyon Court.  These two locations of speed humps will have no parking signs installed 48 hours in advance.  Striping will be completed shortly after the speed humps have been constructed.

Rumson Drive
Concrete construction work will be completed by September 19.  Asphalt patching will begin on Rumson Drive starting on September 19.  Areas of patching will have no parking signs placed 48 hours in advance.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager, at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

Going Green on Mast Blvd.

Want to know the secret to driving through Santee on Mast Boulevard?

If you maintain the posted speed limit of 40 miles per hour, you'll greatly increase your chances of getting green lights at most of the intersections.

This fuel efficient and time-saving option was made possible by the city's traffic engineers, who recently re-synchronized the traffic signals on Mast Boulevard for the 1.7 miles between Cuyamaca Street and Medina Avenue.

Recent traffic counts show that approximately 20,000 cars travel each day on Mast Boulevard, which has been prone to congestion during peak communter hours.

The traffic lights were synchronized to reward drivers who adhere to the speed limit during peak commuter times from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

While he can't guarantee you'll get every green light, Principal Traffic Engineer Minjie Mei said that the synchronization formula gives a statistical advantage to motorists who adhere to the speed limit.

"Your best chance of getting all the green lights is if you maintain the speed limit," said Mei, adding that he and his staff will fine-tune the traffic signals through the month of September.

In addition to saving on gas and time, the sychronized traffic lights should reduce accidents and hydrocarbon pollution, he said.

Traffic lights along major arterial streets typically are re-sychronized every three to five years to adjust for changing traffic patterns, he said.

The traffic signal along Mast were made a priority because the daily traffic count dropped by 15 percent when the State Route 52 freeway extension opened on March 19.

Construction Update – East Glendon Circle Neighborhood

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood

Concrete replacement work has been completed and asphalt patching has been re-scheduled to start on September 19.  Residents will receive a notice 5 days in advance and isolated areas of no parking signs will be placed near patching areas.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager, at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

Sign Up for Fall Recreation Classes

The change of seasons means its time to sign up for classes offered through the Santee Community Services Department.

Our fall lineup features new dance and cheer classes for youngsters, cool activities at the Teen Center and exciting excursions for seniors.

Parents of toddlers can enroll their kids in early education courses such as Kinder Dance and Kindergarteners in Training. For more developed youngsters, there are new performing arts classes, including Dance and Cheer.  Those enrolled in dance or classes will be eligible to perform at the Dancin' in the Park recital at the outdoor stage at Town Center Community Park on Dec. 10.

Now that the kids are back in school, it’s a perfect time to enroll the family dog in training classes that will improve their manners and help them become better pets.

And if your dream is to improve your golf game, learn digital photography or take karate, we’ve got classes for those, too.

Seniors are being offered outings to such venues as the Lawrence Welk Theater to see “Man of La Mancha” and the Old Town Theater for “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

To sign up, you can go online to the city’s website, fax the registration form to (619) 258-4189, or drop off the form in person at the Community Services Dept. at City Hall, 10601 Magnolia Avenue, Building 6, Santee, CA 92071. Feel free to give us a call at (619) 258-4100 ext. 222 if you have any questions.

City Wide Paving Project Update

Lake Canyon Road

Due to the recent rain, the rubberized asphalt overlay on Lake Canyon Road has been rescheduled for Thursday, September 8.  Lake Canyon Road will be closed to through traffic from Settle Road to Fanita Parkway.  Settle Road will remain open and accessible at Lake Canyon Road.  A temporary closure at the intersection of Lake Canyon Road and Settle Road will occur during the paving operation.  Detour signs will be placed to route traffic around the closures.  Speed bumps will be replaced as part of the project.  One set of speed bumps will be relocated near Lake Canyon Court.

East Glendon Circle Neighborhood

Concrete replacement work has been completed and asphalt patching is scheduled to start on September 7.

Rumson Drive

Concrete replacement work has started and will continue until September 16. 

Carlton Hills Blvd

Potholing will begin this week relating to the replacement of the existing storm drains along Carlton Hills Blvd.  Potholing Potholing will occur during the daytime at off peak traffic periods.

If you have any questions, please contact Toby Espinola, P.E., City Project Manager, at (619) 258-4100 x 174.

Grand Opening for Woodglen Vista Dog Park

The city of Santee will officially dedicate the 1-acre off-leash dog park at Woodglen Vista Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The public is invited to come and celebrate this new park amenity, which was completed in August.  There will be prizes and hot dogs provided by the Friends of the Woodglen Vista Dog Park.