San Diego Council Committee Approves Wal-Mart Restrictions (tags)
The San Diego City Council’s Land Use and Housing Committee approved by a 3-1 vote at its June 23 meeting a request by its chair, Todd Gloria, to ask the city attorney’s office to develop an ordinance requiring economic impact statements for proposals by Wal-Mart and other giant retailers to develop “supercenters” — 90,000 square foot stores that devote more than 10 percent of their floor space to groceries. Even though the proposal was at a very preliminary stage, Wal-Mart mounted a major direct-mail campaign in Gloria’s district to kill it. The committee voted on party lines, but a representative of Mayor Jerry Sanders spoke against the bill and strongly hinted the Mayor would use his veto power under San Diego's new strong-mayor form of government to kill it the way he did a similar ordinance in 2007.
Progressive San Diego Council Candidate Takes On Developer (tags)
Progressive San Diego City Council candidate Stephen Whitburn held a press conference September 7 to protest a new development proposal for the Hillcrest area that would erect two high-rise towers in a small-scale, intimate neighborhood, adding to traffic congestion and destroying the community's atmosphere. Developer Bruce Lightenberger, also interviewed, said he couldn't care less; he claims that as long as it meets existing zoning, he has an absolute right to build his project and neither the city nor the community can stop him.
San Diego Community Leader Accused of Breaking Law (tags)
Popular San Diego community activist Leo Wilson is being accused of practicing law without a license, involving a heated controversy over the balloting on by-laws revisions for the Hillcrest Business Association (HBA).