In the end, neither side got exactly what it wanted in a plan that will help shape the future of Solana Beach’s coastline.

In seeking to strike a compromise between bluff top homeowners and the Surfrider Foundation, the Solana Beach City Council approved a series of amendments to a land-use plan that regulates coastal development at its meeting on Wednesday, May 22.

“It’s not a make everybody happy-type situation,” observed Mayor Mike Nichols, just before the council voted 4-1 to approve the amended plan.  Councilman Tom Campbell cast the lone dissenting vote.

The next step for the amended plan will be a hearing in front of the California Coastal Commission in October, when the panel will decide whether to approve the new regulations.  Once the plan is in place, Solana Beach will have greater autonomy in approving development plans within its boundaries, which also fall under Coastal Commission jurisdiction because of the city’s coastal location.

The city began working on its local coastal development plan in 2000, and has so far submitted seven versions of the document to the commission.  As it refines the plan, the city also faces a lawsuit filed by coastal homeowners who don’t like some of the plan’s key provisions.

Among the most contentious issues in the plan are its treatment of seawalls, private beach stairways and setbacks, or the distance that homes must be built from the edge of the bluff top.

Speakers on both sides of the issue lined up at the podium Wednesday night to make their case.  In addition to their testimony, both sides submitted letters containing suggested revisions to the amendments.

Homeowners don’t like a provision in the plan that requires them to reapply for a permit for their seawalls — built to shore up deteriorating bluffs — after 20 years.  City officials said the review determines if the seawall is still needed to protect a home from potential bluff collapse.

Homeowners also said provisions that could require private beach stairways to be converted to public use, and establish setbacks for bluff-top development, amount to a government “taking” of their property.

“Homeowners are forced under these regulations to stand by while their property deteriorates and crashes perilously on the beaches below’” said Pam Richardson, president of the homeowners association for the Seascape Shores condominiums.

Jon Corn, an attorney representing homeowners, who filed a lawsuit in April challenging the policies, urged the council to postpone a decision on the amendments, and to take out the offending provisions regarding seawalls, private stairways and setbacks.

“We’d like to send this back to drawing board for further analysis and consideration, and the three key things need to be deleted.  The city cannot afford them and they are bad policy,” Corn said.

However, speakers from the Surfrider Foundation urged the council to move forward, and continue refining the regulations.

“Seawalls impede access to the shoreline,” said Jim Jaffee.  “The whole shoreline is on the verge of being seawalled off.”

Jaffee said the city should not allow private property owners to build seawalls on publicly owned bluffs.

“It’s just not right,” he said.

Applications to build seawalls should be weighed against their impacts on beach access, Jaffee said.

Even council members disagreed on the best course of action.  Campbell, who also voted against the plan in February, said the Coastal Commission staff dictated the provisions it wanted in the plan and its amendments.  He suggested the council send the amendments back to staff, and have them meet with homeowners in an effort to reach agreement on the seawall and staircase issues.

However, other council members said progress is being made, and further changes can occur as the process moves forward.

Once the land-use plan and amendments are approved, the city will work on a local implementation plan, which includes zoning ordinances and maps to put the land-use plan into effect.

“We have made progress and we are headed in the right direction,” said Councilwoman Lesa Heebner.

For example, language has been added to ensure that private stairways will remain so, Heebner said.  “It’s not reasonable and feasible to have the public marching through private property to get to the beach, especially when there are public stairways nearby.”

The setback requirement has also been modified from the original 70 to 75 feet, to 40 feet, which allows homeowners to remodel, repair and maintain their property as they choose, Heebner said.

Council members bristled about being named individually in the homeowners’ lawsuit.  Even Campbell, who voted against the plan, and City Manager David Ott, who doesn’t have a vote on the council, were named.

In an interview after the meeting, Heebner said, ““In my opinion it’s harassment and brings a personal level to it that is unnecessary.”

At the regular Board of Education meeting on Thursday, May 23, district staff and the Board of Education will publicly recognize the following students for “unique or exemplary achievements” in their nominated category:

Solana Pacific School:

Grade 5: William (Wills) Cole (Effort); Grade 5: Matthew Camet (Academic Improvement); Grade 6: Stella Chung (Effort); Grade 6: Mimi Cleary (Community Service)

Solana Vista School:

Grade K: Joe Roberts (Self Improvement); Grade 1: Edric Saphire (Academic Improvement); Grade 2: Josue Arroyo (Effort); Grade 3: Charlotte Sears (Effort)

Skyline School

Grade K: Andres Sotelo (Academic Improvement)

Grade 3: Nicolas Bourdette (Fellowship)

Grade 4: Christina Martinez (Leadership)

Grade 5: Carlos Arroyo Sotelo (Academic Improvement)

Grade 6: Samantha Ramirez (Effort)

Solana Highlands School

Grade K: Jordan Katzke (Courage); Grade 1: Vicky Xu (Effort); Grade 2: Baylee Brosnan (Academic Improvement); Grade 3: Natalya Antoniades (Effort); Grade 4: Nathan Yan (Courage)

Carmel Creek School

Grade K: Audrey Kormylo (Courage); Grade 1: Vivian Ye (Effort); Grade 2: Bella Dekoker (Fellowship); Grade 3: Da Zhuo (Alejandro) Zheng (Effort); Grade 4: Merilyn Navarro (Effort)

The Board of Education will also publicly recognize the following volunteers for their “hard work, dedication, and tireless enthusiasm” in enhancing the educational experience of all district students:

Solana Pacific School

Foundation: Beverly Steele and Cathy Pucher; PTA Stephanie Kowack; Site Council: Jackie Teague

Skyline School

Foundation: Jane Coffin and Holly Lewry; PTA Ray Spencer; Site Council: Holly Lewry and Julie Luther

Solana Vista School

Foundation: Jen Blackwell and Cecelia Puopolo; PTA: Laura Fleming; Site Council: Michelle Becker

Solana Highlands School

Foundation: Robin Wittenberg and Kaya Young; PTA: Mary Beth Sicari; Site council: Renee DiToro

Carmel Creek School

Foundation: Jenny Wang and Atousa Golpayegani; PTA: Dawn Rosenblum

Look for photos of the recognition event in next week’s paper.)

As North County coastal residents patiently wait for the summer months to fill weekends with beach time and barbeques, for the last 34 years Solana Beach jump-starts the cherished summertime season with the Fiesta Del Sol – a free, music-filled celebration inviting families, friends and visitors to our city during the first weekend in June.

Thanks to a strong collaborative effort between the Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce, city of Solana Beach and the Belly Up, more than 50,000 festival goers will again experience one of the most unique and anticipated events of the year in the San Diego region.

The Fiesta Del Sol is a two-day festival that truly lives up to the billing as an event with something for everyone.

Families can stroll the music-filled streets surrounding Fletcher’s Cove visiting with more than 200 vendors offering an eclectic array of exhibits, arts and crafts, children’s activities and an international-themed food court.

The world famous Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach lends its talents and musical connections to create an awesome ensemble of musicians taking turns on the stage for two straight days. This year’s headliners, The Grey Boy All-Stars on Saturday and Tristan Prettyman on Sunday, are both locally grown talent that have parlayed their hard work into international success. Throughout the day the stage will be filled with a sweeping variety of genres, some traditional and some taking a “mashup” approach, keeping the creative juices flowing by breaking the mold of traditional music and fusing styles of sound. For example, taking the stage at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday is Anuhea — Hawaii’s number one female artist. Anuhea blends engaging lyrics, acoustic soul, pop, R&B, rap and reggae into a style that has helped create her a reputation as a rising star in the music industry. Her signature guitar rhythms, sultry vocals and honest song writing display unique talents that continue capturing new audiences each time she performs.

Adults can enjoy a beverage or two while taking in the music at the adults-only beer and wine gardens. The Del Sol Lions Club will be volunteering at the Fiesta Del Sol’s wine garden, working for tips with the goal of raising $1,000 for backpacks and schools supplies for students at Casa de Amistad – a local non-profit which manages a K-12 tutoring and mentoring program for children in need in Solana Beach. We encourage you to stop in, grab a glass of wine while listening to some tunes and pitch in a few dollars on this community effort.

For the littler Fiesta-goers, the Fiesta Del Sol also has a kids center filled with rides, games and hands-on activities. Favorite destinations include the hair salon and face painter. The climbing wall and bounce houses are always a big hit too.

Our Solana Beach community is proud to open its doors during this great weekend to give the surrounding communities a taste of our businesses, quality of life and the city we are lucky enough to enjoy year-round. Our Highway 101 redevelopment is underway and many of the pedestrian friendly features – like newly paved, wider sidewalks – are already complete. We encourage you to take stroll down 101 and visit some of the unique shops dotting the Highway 101 landscape – before, during or after your Fiesta experience.

Summer officially starts on June 21, but the Solana Beach community likes to stay ahead of the game to ensure the best season of the year is kick-started with the best party of the season.  For more information about Fiesta Del Sol, including performance times for the bands, please visit the website at FiestaDelSol.net.

Carolyn Cohen is the president of the Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce; Linette Page is the president of the Del Sol Lions Club

When assessing the One Paseo concept, a fundamental question I ask is, “How much is too much?”  On the flip side, “at what point will scaling the project back make it functionally incapable of desired Main Street objectives?”  Establishing appropriate objective parameters for the use mix, densities, floor area ratio (or FAR), building heights, and number of stories will help achieve a project of appropriate size and scale for a true community town center while complementing an established community character.

Let’s face it; the retail, restaurant, entertainment, and cultural uses are the drivers to create a vibrant town center core for Carmel Valley.  For this project to work, we will need enough density and “critical mass” to create the vitality and energy to achieve the One Paseo “Main Street” vision.  In this context, “critical mass” is a term I use to describe the amount of commercial square-footage devoted to retail, restaurant, and entertainment uses needed to achieve the vitality of a village center commercial core.

My research suggests that the One Paseo project will need to provide 200,000-250,000 s.f. of retail, restaurant, entertainment, and cultural use space in order to reach the critical mass necessary to realize a community hub and centerpiece.  The office and residential components are complementary uses that help support the commercial retail uses but do provide direct benefit to the larger community.

The office and residential components of this project could be scaled back to be more in keeping with surrounding community character.  The 8-story buildings as currently proposed are incongruent with the established character of office development in the area.  I have walked El Camino Real, High Bluff Drive, and Kilroy’s campus along SR56 to survey the building heights and number of stories of all commercial office buildings.  Except for the Marriott and US Bank buildings, the “typical” Carmel Valley office building averages 4-6 stories in size.

By allowing the size and densities of the commercial retail component, and scaling back the office and residential components to match surrounding office building development, I believe the project can be “right-sized.”  I have heard project opponents suggest scaling back the retail commercial component to 70,000 square-feet.  At that point, the project will likely appear more like an extension of Del Mar Highlands where there are more shops but no real zest, no town center core.  Just more traffic without the vitality.

I support the concept of a mixed-use One Paseo project as an opportunity to fulfill our Community Plan’s vision for a true town center and provide exceptional benefits for our community.  I also believe the project should be revised and scaled back to find a better balance point.  Using objective criteria to regulate the project size and scale would help keep the project within acceptable community thresholds while achieving the vitality of a true town center for our community.

Robert Scott, AICP, LEED AP is a land use planner, LEED for Homes Green Rater, and 10-year Carmel Valley resident.   Scott has written several letters to the editor pertaining to the One Paseo project.  He can be reached at (858) 480-1098 or by visiting: www.rjsplanning.com

•I’m not retired, I have a young family, I want my future Torrey Pines students to have more than one place to explore locally.

•I’m not retired. I’d like to be able to go to Trader Joe’s to pick things up on my way home from work, because there is no place to park at Ralphs.

•I’m not retired. I have a young family. I’d like a place my family can walk to go see a flick that I don’t have to take a second mortgage on my home to go see.

•I’m not retired. I’m really well educated. I understand that when a traffic engineer, who does nothing but study and design infrastructure for a living puts his or her name behind a study or a design, it means something.

•I’m not retired. I understand that the definition of “Quality of Life” isn’t determined by any one specific person (retired or not) or interest group funded by a competing property.

•I’m not retired. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to have lived in a number of places, including very congested urban areas where ambulances, fire and police did just fine, despite extreme traffic congestion.

•I’m not retired and I’d like for my kids to have at least the option of finding a great job right down the street so that when I am retired I can have a fighting chance of keeping my family together. If that’s the price of progress, I’m all in.

•I’m not retired and I’d like to see San Diego have a fighting chance of developing a mass transit solution and provide an alternative to cars. Developments like these that look to the future can give us a chance a getting there. If that’s the price of progress, I’m all in.

Brooks Roffey

Carmel Valley

The scrimmage will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on May 25. The Opening Ceremony will be held at 9:45 a.m.

The event will be held at AAA Field, Solana Vista Elementary School, 780 Santa Victoria Solana Beach, 92075.

Among the local veterans are:

WWII:

Chiles, Joseph-KIA

Covarrubias, Jesus-KIA

Dawson, Frank-KIA

Dose, Richard-KIA

Hunt, Alexander-KIA

Lynde, Simon-KIA

Mettan, Joseph-KIA 22 Mar 1944

Osorio, Pedro-KIA 8 May 1945

Vietnam:

Aiau, Harvey-KIA 16 Mar 1970

Cruz, Raphael-KIA 2 Sep 1963

Hendricks, Charles-KIA 23 Mar 1969

Lopez, Victor-KIA 17 Jan 1969

Mericantante, Thomas-KIA 16 Au 1968

Tworek, Joseph-KIA 29 Oct 1971

Both nationwide and local San Diego senior care organizations face worker shortages in the face of a growing elderly population. Photo Credit: Lisa F. Young, Photos.com.

By Colleen Van Horn, RN, B.S.N., PHN, CCM

Both across the nation and right here in San Diego, senior care demands are set to soar in the coming years. This prediction poses trouble for some assisted living facilities according to a recent report for the Wall Street Journal.

Worker turnover and roadblocks to wage increases

As the senior population grows, high turnover rates and low pay are simultaneously thinning the ranks of nursing aides employed to care for the elderly. The WSJ report indicates that between 43% and 75% of nursing aides leave their jobs each year – a trend that experts associate with increased industry costs and decreased quality of care. And while increased pay for senior care workers would seem like an effective solution (current wages come in at only $11.74 per hour according to the U.S. Labor Department), reductions in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements have made it impossible for many employers to follow through with such a plan.

Employee risk and working conditions

In addition to wage issues, on-the-job injury is another factor contributing to nurse aid turnover. In a response to the WSJ report, Senior Housing News notes that nursing aides have a higher rate of workplace injury than those in ostensibly higher-risk occupations, such as construction workers and manufacturers. Why? A combination of heavy lifting and physical violence from some patients (especially those with certain types of dementia) results in a high frequency of absence due to nonfatal injuries and chronic health problems – yet another cause for senior care workers to leave their jobs.

Alternative solutions: in-home caregivers and geriatric care managers

In the face of these challenges to effective and affordable assisted living for seniors, many families may be seeking alternatives to placing their loved ones in a nursing home. For those who would prefer to arrange in-home care for their aging parents or family members, individualized geriatric care management can be the ideal solution: skilled case managers work with families one-on-one to assess a senior’s needs and goals, then present a range of options including home care, assisted living and community resources to help find a plan that fits each individual’s lifestyle and budget.

At Innovative Healthcare Consultants, we provide expert geriatric care management services in Del Mar, La Jolla, Carlsbad and throughout San Diego and Riverside Counties. Our talented professionals work with clients to determine whether or not assisted living is necessary – and if so, how to balance appropriate care with each family’s unique priorities. To learn more about San Diego senior care with Innovative Healthcare Consultants, contact us online today: visit www.innovativehc.com.

Hubert Pilloud and his dog, Bohdi Courtesy photo

By Diane Y. Welch

In recognition of Memorial Day, and to honor the brave men and women who have served — and continue to serve — in the U.S. military, the Carmel Valley-based nonprofit organization Hanumanity Foundation will lead a “Yoga In The Park” class at Del Mar Trails Park.

Participation, which is open to all levels, will benefit the “Yoga for the Wounded Warriors” project, and entry is by donation which will help raise funds for the nation’s wounded military. The classes are offered on Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Ongoing classes are offered each Sunday at the park, at the same time.

The yoga session will be guided by Swiss native Hubert Pilloud, an RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) and former F/A18 fighter pilot and instructor. “This is my tribute and a way to thank to these men and women of the past who made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

Hanumanity Foundation is a Karma Yoga organization whose vision is to help individuals, groups, and communities achieve their full potential by promoting and making yoga available in all its forms. Karma Yoga is defined as “selfless, meaningful, conscious action that serves humanity and nature,” noted Pilloud.

The foundation’s name is a fusion of two words: “Hanuman” a Hindu religious icon that represents the brave, strong, compassionate, skillful warriors devoted to serving those in need, and “Humanity” as a demonstration of love, kindness and social intelligence, according to Pilloud. Its mission reflects these dual pillars of emphasis.

“We want to promote and participate in local, national and international humanitarian efforts, through selfless, skillful actions,” Pilloud said. “By reaching and serving people, we are creating more interconnections among them, inspiring more awareness on their personal health and well-being, strengthening their sense of community and encouraging harmony and oneness within our inner and outer natures.”

The foundation raises funds when people attend its yoga events, festivals or music events, and they make a donation for entry/participation.

The “Yoga for the Wounded Warriors” event will aid those wounded servicemen and women who practiced yoga during part of their physiotherapy at The Naval Medical Hospital but then who may need financial aid to continue their yoga in a studio beyond the hospital.

For Pilloud, yoga was a life-changing experience. After retiring from the Swiss Air Force he emigrated to the USA five years ago and began yoga classes to help alleviate back and neck problems caused by the extreme “G” forces he’d endured.

“There’s a lot of compression on the spine for fighter pilots,” Pilloud explained.

After a few years of yoga he discovered that he had “grown” more than an inch as his spine became uncompressed.

Last year he attended yoga classes at the Wunderlust Festival in Lake Tahoe and had a spiritual awakening. “I knew there was something that I had to do but I did not know what,” recalled Pilloud.

During his 10-hour drive back to San Diego, Pilloud gained clarity as the business plan for Hanumanity Foundation played like a movie in his head. The next day he wrote that plan and his organization began to take shape last fall.

Pilloud works with a national team of yoga professionals that includes Steve Hubbard, Shari Zollinger, Kelli Harrington, and Michelle Nayeli.

In contrast to his former supersonic career, Pilloud’s own classes are Vinyasa inspired, with a slow flow, based on simplicity, efficacy and efficiency in both movement and stillness, seeking proper alignment with the body, mind and spirit.

“Through this flow, the mind is calmed and excess energy is directed into constructive channels for a higher quality of life,” said Pilloud.

Hanumanity Foundation aims to reach an international audience. “We recognize that our global community is interconnected. Through skillful and meaningful action we seek to take an active role in helping the global community achieve higher levels of consciousness,” Pilloud explained.

For the local “Yoga In The Park” class at Del Mar Trails Park attendees need to bring a yoga mat “along with your smile, a warm heart and your inner playfulness,” said Pilloud. Entry is by a donation which is tax deductible.

Visit http://www.hanumanity.org/ for event location directions, and information about tax-deductible giving. Sponsorships and corporate matching gift programs are welcome, and individual donations may also be made online.

Girls lacrosse:

Canyon Crest Academy defeated Cathedral Catholic 9-8 in the San Diego Section Division I championship game on May 18.

The victory followed a 14-13 win against Bishop’s in a playoff semifinal two days earlier.

Alexa Carter scored three goals and Paige Weinstein scored two goals and one assist to lead the Ravens.

Emma Normoyle added two goals.

Ravens goalie Jessie McConville contributed nine saves.

Carter scored five goals to lead the Ravens in the Bishop’s game.

Katie Carlson scored three goals and had one assist and Nicole Hickman scored one goal and had three assists.

McConville had eight saves.

Normoyle (three goals) and Amanda Presar (two goals, one assist) were key contributors too.

The Ravens improved their overall record for the season to 14-6.

Baseball

Torrey Pines had its four-game winning streak snapped as the Falcons lost to Poway 7-6 in Palomar League finale on May 14 that went eight innings.

The Falcons led 6-3 going into the bottom of the sixth, when Poway tied the game with three runs.

Matthew Mullen had three hits including a double and Mark Detrow had two hits including a home run and two RBI to lead the Falcons offensively.

John Remick contributed a double and a triple and two RBI.

The Falcons fell to 8-7 in league and 13-17 overall for the season.

******

Cathedral Catholic was swept in a two-game Eastern League series by St. Augustine.

The Dons lost the first game 6-1 on May 14 and the second game 3-0 two days later.

The Dons were held to just five hits in the series.

Toru Sugiura had two hits including a double and drove in the Dons only run in the first game.

Sugiura’s double in the second game was one of just two Dons hits.

Brady Aiken struck out eight batters and allowed three runs on six hits and four walks in the second game.

The Dons fell to 7-5 in league and 19-10 overall for the season.

*****

Canyon Crest Academy defeated Mt. Carmel 3-1 in a Palomar League finale for both teams on May 14.

The Ravens broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning when they scored all three of their runs in support of starting pitcher Jack Kaloogian.

Kaloogian struck out eight batters and allowed no walks in 6 1/3 shutout innings of three-hit ball to lead the Ravens.

Alex Rejto and Tom Kuznia each had one hit and one RBI to lead the Ravens offensively.

The Ravens improved to 6-9 in league and 11-18 overall for the season.

*****

Santa Fe Christian lost to San Dieguito Academy 7-0 in a nonleague game on May 15.

The loss followed a 4-1 nonleague victory over Mater Dei Catholic the previous day.

Dillon Paulson had three hits including a double to lead the Eagles in the Mater Dei Catholic game.

Brian Blatnick contributed two hits (both doubles) and Gary Saggesse singled and drove in two runs.

The Eagles were held to three hits in the San Dieguito Academy game.

The Eagles improved their overall record for the season to 15-14.

Softball:

Torrey Pines defeated Rancho Buena Vista 3-0 in a San Diego Section Division playoff game on May 18.

The victory followed a 5-1 playoff win against Patrick Henry two days earlier.

Rachel Nasland pitched a one-hit shutout to lead the Falcons in the Rancho Buena Vista game. Nasland struck out 13 batters.

Kelsey Buchanan had two hits including a home run and two RBI to lead the Falcons offensively.

Nasland pitched a four-hitter to lead the Falcons in the Patrick Henry game in which she allowed one unearned run. Nasland struck out 13 batters and allowed one walk.

Emma Wong and Lauren Bower each had two hits to lead the Falcons offensively.

The Falcons improved their overall record for the season to 18-8-2.

*****

Cathedral Catholic lost to Santana 5-4 in a Division III playoff game on May 18.

The loss followed a 2-1 win against San Dieguito Academy two days earlier.

Devyn Magnett pitched a five-hitter to lead the Dons in the San Dieguito Academy game.

Magnett allowed one unearned run. She struck out seven batters and allowed no walks.

Samantha Gonzales had two hits and drove in one run to lead the Dons offensively.

The Dons improved their overall record for the season to 20-10-1.

Boys lacrosse:

Cathedral Catholic defeated Bishop’s 17-7 in a San Diego Section Open Division playoff quarterfinal on May 18.

Keenan Assaraf scored five goals and Nick Sarkisian scored five goals to lead the Dons.

Dons goalie David Fleischman had 12 saves.