City Seeks Community Input on New Park Site

Local resident Tom Gaian at future park site

Santee wants to hear from local residents regarding the city’s opportunity to buy a half-acre parcel at the 9200 block of Via de Cristina from the state and develop it as a neighborhood pocket park.

A public meeting to gather feedback and ideas from residents has been scheduled for 7p.m. on May 2 at Building 8 at the Santee City Hall Complex, 10601 Magnolia Avenue.

“Before we proceed any farther on this project,  which is still in the conceptual phase, we want to listen to local residents,” said Community Services Director Bill Maertz.

“Input from this meeting will be invaluable to the design of the park,” he said. “We are committed to a process that involves all stakeholders.”

The parcel being considered for the park is surplus property acquired by Caltrans for the construction of State Route 52.

The city recently rezoned the property from residential to open space.

Questions about the meeting or the park can be directed to Special Projects Coordinator Terry Rodgers at trodgers@ci.santee.ca.us or (619) 258-4100 ext. 127.

SDG&E Work to Impact Local Traffic

Motorists should watch for traffic cones along Magnolia and Woodside avenues as a result of trenching and other work being performed by SDG&E and its contractors.

Affected areas will be:

·         Magnolia Avenue from Mast Blvd. to Mission Gorge Road

·         Woodside Avenue from Magnolia to State Route 67.

Some of the work will occur in the evening and early morning hours.  SDG&E officials say they will notify adjacent residents and businesses of the potential impact.

SDG&E is doing the work to accommodate the expansion of the Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility and  “ to provide more electric capacity to the area in an effort to insure that current and future customers continue to have reliable electric service,” the company said.

Work will start in May and is expected to be complete by mid-September

Questions or feedback can be directed to SDG&E’s Public Affairs Manager Don Parent at

 DParent@semprautilities.com

 

 

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Now is the time to dispose of old or unwanted prescription drugs cluttering your medicine cabinet.

In collaboration with National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department will be accepting prescription medications for safe disposal at various locations on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The drop-off site in Santee will be the Walgreen’s parking lot at 10512 Mission Gorge Road.

This service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked. Unwanted or expired prescription drugs can be disposed of, but sharps or needles cannot be accepted.

Disposing of old prescriptions this way prevents them from falling into the wrong hands or damaging the environment through improper disposal.

For a complete list of drop-off locations, click here. If you are unable to make this event, unwanted prescriptions can be dropped off at any sheriff’s station Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

Caution: Street Work on Mission Gorge Road

Motorists should watch for traffic cones beginning Thursday night (April 25) along the westbound lanes of Mission Gorge Road between Town Center Parkway and Carlton Hills Boulevard. 

Workers will be completing a street paving and trench restoration project between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. both Thursday and Friday in front of the shopping center that features a Lowe’s and Chick-fil-a

The work is occurring in the evening and early morning because of high traffic volume during daylight hours.

Caution is advised because of the construction zone and the weather forecast, which is calling for rain Thursday.

Give Us Your Opinion of Santee

Santee's iconic boulders

Help us with our survey and enter to win one of five $10 gift certificates to a Santee restaurant. The survey is anonymous, but if you want to be included in the drawing please provide your name and phone number.

Purpose of the Survey: The city of Santee is collaborating with the Santee Chamber of Commerce on the development of a branding strategy for the city. This is a complex process involving several steps, the first of which is to collect information regarding existing opinions of Santee.

Your completion of the following survey will be extremely helpful to the development of a city brand. The survey is short, and should only take a few minutes to complete.

Click here to take the survey.

Thank you very much for your input and participation.

Eighth Annual SanTree Fest This Saturday

Santee’s homegrown celebration of Arbor Day and Earth Day is back for an eighth year in a new daylong format with more booths, free activities, and entertainment.

SanTree Fest is a day for volunteers to help beautify a riverfront park, as well as an opportunity for families to enjoy a day of free entertainment while learning how to preserve the environment.

The event will be held  Saturday, April 27th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Town Center Community Park East, 550 Park Center Drive.

At 9 a.m., early arrivals will be rewarded with a chance to experience the spectacle of a recycled fire truck blasting streams of Dr. Bronner’s organic soap foam into the crowd.

A mobile water-conservation science lab sponsored by Padre Dam Municipal Water District will also be at the park, along with more than 40 other vendor booths.  All activities are free and food will be available for purchase.

There will also be interactive dance routines in conjunction with National Dance Week and continuous live musical entertainment, including performances by Box Canyon, Sarah Black, and Ben Owens.

A free Kids Zone will offer crafts, a lady bug release, and games and activities including inflatables.

Volunteers at the event will have the opportunity to clean up the shoreline along the San Diego River or help plant trees following a 10 a.m. ceremony led by Mayor Randy Voepel, who will honor the US. Marine units the city has adopted.

Those interested in volunteering need to fill out a waiver, which is available at the link below.

SanTree Fest is sponsored by the city of Santee, Waste Management Inc., and  McWire Electric.

Waste Management will also be hosting a booth to accept household batteries for proper disposal and teach participants about recycling in Santee.

For more information, click here.

 

Help Us Stop Park Vandalism



An oak tree  cut down by vandals on the path south of the park

The city is asking for the public’s help in identifying perpetrators who have repeatedly vandalized and left graffiti at Shadow Hill Park in recent months.

City officials estimate between $3,000 and $7,000 worth of damage has been done at the park in three separate incidents since January. The most recent and damaging foray by vandals occurred overnight on April 16, when at least two oak trees were cut down , several others damaged, and an estimated 20 sprinkler heads were smashed.

“Someone out there knows something about these acts of vandalism and we need them to come forward,” said Community Services Director Bill Maertz. “There are much better uses of taxpayers’ money than having to repair senseless damage like this.”

Anyone with information should notify authorities via the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department non-emergency disptach number at (858) 565-5200 or by contacting San Diego County Crimestoppers at 888-580-8477.

Facelift Planned for Buena Vista and Railroad Avenues

Project Engineer John Keane surveys the neighborhood

Streets shouldn’t turn into duck ponds every time it rains, but that’s been the unfortunate situation for an older Santee neighborhood north of State Route 52.

Today, most of the streets in the neighborhood, which is a mixture of residential and industrial land uses, show signs of “alligator cracking,” caused by age and inundation.

But thanks to an accelerated financing plan that combines developer fees with federal Community Development Block Grant funding, the flood-prone neighborhood surrounding Buena Vista and Railroad avenues will soon be transformed.

The city is planning to spend more than $3 million to eliminate chronic street flooding, improve traffic flow and enhance public safety. This will be accomplished by installing new storm drain pipes, resurfacing pavement, and, in some sections of the project, widening the street.  New curbs, gutters and sidewalks are also planned for parts of the neighborhood.

 “These much needed public improvements will not only increase traffic and pedestrian safety, but also will make the entire neighborhood more attractive and enhance property values,” said Deputy City Manager and Development Services Director Pedro Orso Delgado.

During construction, the project will cause some short-term inconvenience to residents, who may have to find alternative parking.  Residents may also have concerns about so-called encroachments, places where lawns, fences or other improvements were constructed within the city’s street right-of-way.
The project footprint includes Railroad Avenue, Buena Vista Avenue, and four adjacent streets:  Summercrest Lane, Summertree Lane, Lind Vern Court, and  Buena Valley Drive.

The city recently sent letters to about 250 residents within the project area advising them of the future improvements and inviting them to attend an informational meeting on Thursday, May 2.  That meeting, which is open to the public, will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Building 8P at the Santee City Hall complex, 10601 Magnolia Avenue.

The city anticipates awarding a construction bid by late 2013 or early 2014.

News and information on the project will also be posted on the city’s website at www.ci.santee.ca.us under the tab for “News & Information.”

 

 

 

 

Mosquito Time: Bring On the Chopper

There’s a buzz in the air, which means it’s mosquito season again in Santee.

The San Diego County Vector Control Program will be conducting its first aerial drop of mosquito larvicide for the 2013 mosquito season on Thursday, April 18th  at various sites along the San Diego River. The larvicide used in these aerial drops is specific to mosquito larvae, and will not affect other wildlife or people.

These drops will occur in area wetlands to reduce the mosquito population and the risk of West Nile virus. Mosquitos are monitored and tested for West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases throughout the season.

Cases of West Nile virus peak during warm summer months, and human symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, fatigue, skin rash, or swollen glands. If you believe you have these symptoms, contact your health-care provider.

Big Savings Possible for Residential Pool Owners

Four Santee homeowners who recently participated in a pilot program are now saving an average of $64 on their monthly electric bill -- a yearly savings of more than $750 -- just by switching to a more energy efficient swimming pool filter pump.

“This is an upgrade every residential pool owner should pursue before summer arrives,” said Kathy Valverde, manager of the City of Santee Sustainability Project. “These variable speed pumps are not only more energy efficient, they are much quieter, which is a nice benefit for both the homeowner and their neighbors.”   

As an incentive, San Diego Gas & Electric is offering a $200 rebate for homeowners who replace their obsolete single-speed filter pumps with the newer variable-speed models.

The more efficient pool pumps cost about $1,500 to install, but the savings in electricity will offset that in just two years. State law requires the retrofit work to be performed by a certified pool contractor.

Santee’s pilot project was spearheaded by CleanTECH San Diego and funded by San Diego Gas & Electric’s local government partnership program.

To take advantage of the rebate program, contact a local certified pool contractor of your choice.

More information is available on the city’s website.

Dealing with Panhandlers

So you’re on your way to the grocery store and you’re approached by a panhandler who asks for some spare change.

You’re not about to give away your money, but you also wish to avoid being rude to someone who may be down on his luck.

A solution to this dilemma has been provided by 2-1-1 San Diego, which has printed informational cards that offer a way for the needy to access everything from housing to food to counseling.

2-1-1 San Diego is a non-profit organization that has assisted many people by connecting them to helpful agencies in times of crisis, financial or otherwise.

The 2-1-1 information cards can be picked up at the Santee Community Services Department,  Building 6 at City Hall, or you can make your own card by printing the accompanying JPG image.  Giving these cards to panhandlers is better than giving them your spare change, which in most cases will be used to buy drugs or alcohol.

In an effort to discourage panhandling, the Sheriff’s Department urges residents who are solicited for money to call the agency’s non-emergency number (858-565-5200) to report it.

Santee has an ordinance that prohibits “aggressive” panhandling, as well as panhandling next to an ATM machine or within 50 feet of a signalized intersection.

To ensure your money is actually helping poor and homeless people, you should donate to nonprofit charities such as United Way, Project Alpha, St. Vincent de Paul Village, Veteran’s Village of San Diego, the Santee Food Bank or Feeding America.

Santee's Bird of the Month for April

With its black tuxedo and white cummerbund, the black phoebe is a handsome species of flycatcher commonly found near the San Diego River in Santee.

We snapped a pic of this one on just beyond the lodge pole fence at the south side of Town Center Community Park.

Black phoebes always live near a water source, which provides them with ample flying insects to eat and the mud they need to construct their nests. A typical specimen is about 6.3 inches in length. The phoebe is often seen wagging and fanning  its tail.