PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92025 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
INLAND EDITION
.com VOL. 28, N0. 31
AUG. 15, 2014
Feeling the heat
City upholds zone changes, ACLU upset By EllenWright
Backyard grillers to professional chefs bring best burger to battle By Tony Cagala
SAN MARCOS — Just after mid-day the temperatures were hitting 86 degrees, but out front of Carddine Home Resort, electric skillets, grills — both coal and gas — were firing at much hotter temps. About 15 backyard grillers and professional chefs from Vista to Los Angeles brought their best burger recipes to the second annual Burger Battle in the hopes of qualifying for a chance to compete in what’s being called the “Super Bowl” of food competitions in Las Vegas later this year. And after the smoke had cleared, it was Kelly Shippey of Orange, Calif., who walked away with a new Bull gas grill and an all expense paid trip to Vegas for the World Burger Championships. Don Richie, who helped to organize the event, said last year they had a good mix of “Average Joes” and professional chefs. This year, he added, they saw less of the backyard grillers but more teams and restaurant chefs. Vista’s Rick McDonald, one of the self-described “Average Joes,” brought his sweet Thai chili burger recipe to the competition this year. The full-time home inspector competed in last year’s event, which he said was a great experience. “I’m just here representing the Average Joe. Most
Vista resident Rick McDonald prepares a sweet Thai chili burger for the Burger Battle on Saturday. Photos by Tony Cagala
of these guys are professional chefs.” McDonald said. “I’ve always cooked. I love to grill.” Though he said it would be nice to win the competition, he wanted to try and beat what he did last year. He placed seventh or eighth, he said, after presenting a California Buffalo burger to the judges. Mike McCloud, president and co-founder of the World Food Championships said that because of the amount of food competitions popping up around the world and the U.S. that it was time the food sport be legitimized. “And like any great sport, it needed a Super Bowl moment,” he said. That event will culminate over a weekend beginning Nov. 13 when teams Kelly Shippey of Orange, Calif. competes in the Burger Battle in San compete for a series of food Marcos on Aug. 9. Shippey would win the competition and will be going TURN TO BURGERS ON 17
to Las Vegas to compete in the World Burger Championships later this year.
Reports show city’s water conservation efforts By Aaron Burgin
SAN MARCOS — Water was front-and-center at the San Marcos Council meeting this week, as the city received reports on the bleak drought condition at the state and county level, and a report from staff on the city’s water conservation efforts. The reports come at a time when the county’s water agencies have enacted a number of mandatory water conservation measures as part of an elevated drought response plans. “The situation has really intensified,” Dana Friehauf, a water resources manager San Diego County Water, told the Council on Tuesday night. Friehauf’s report,
the first of the night, included images that showed stark images of depleted water reservoirs across the state and
The (drought) situation has really intensified.” Dana Friehauf Water Resources Manager, San Diego
aerial images of contrasting the snowpack of the Sierra Nevada mountain range from 2011 to today. In Southern California, the Metropolitan
Water District, which is the Water Authority’s largest wholesaler, is expected to use nearly half of its dry-year storage to satisfy demands this year. If the drought does not let up, Friehauf said, Southern California could see water rationing and allocations as early as next year. “That is why it is so important for us to be conserving now because the more water we can save the less we will have to take out of storage,” Friehauf said. Friehauf’s report was not all negative, though. She pointed out that Southern California is better off than other regions statewide because of its investment in water
storage projects, diversification of water supply and conservation efforts — San Diego residents are using 20 percent less water than in 2007, just before the recession. The attention then turned locally, as City Public Works Director Mike Edwards discussed the various city efforts to conserve water, which included more efficient irrigation systems, regular irrigation audits and requiring drought-tolerant landscape on new and retrofitted projects, both by the city and private developers. Two residents who spoke during the presentation also urged the city to do more in terms of TURN TO DROUGHT ON 17
ESCONDIDO — City Council voted on Wednesday to uphold a commercial zoning change which they voted for earlier in the month. According to Barbara Redlitz, director of community development, the code amendment would allow government agencies to apply for a Conditional Use Permit in commercial zones. “Currently the type of government services allowed in commercial zones are very narrow,” said Redlitz. Recently, the federal government applied for a permit through Southwest Key to operate a 96-bed residential care facility for unaccompanied youth who cross the border illegally. David Loy, legal director for the American Civil Liberty Union of San Diego, which filed an appeal against the city’s denial of the facility, said the difference between a shelter and a residential care facility is the children served by Southwest Key are not homeless. They are traveling from one home to another. The proposed facility, which was located in a residential zone, was denied after a long public hearing in front of the Planning Commission for a variety of reasons, including safety and noise concerns, and because some commissioners felt the location was too small for children. The code amendment that was upheld at the meeting on Aug. 13 would allow the federal or state government to apply for a permit in a commercial zone. TURN TO ZONE CHANGES ON 17
Proposed shelter for unaccompanied migrant children sparks debate By Ellen Wright
ESCONDIDO — The Escondido Planning Commission denied a proposal on June 24 by Southwest Key to turn a vacant nursing home, located on Avenida del Diablo, into a shelter with 96 beds for unaccompanied children who illegally crossed the border. The San Diego branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed an appeal August 1. The issue has gained national attention and sparked debate in the community. On June 24, the commission unanimously denied the request by Southwest Key, which would have ran the facility for the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Commissioner Gregory Johns denied the facility because he said the purpose of the shelter would be to correct the children’s legal status, and the zoning doesn’t allow for correctional institutions. Other commissioners denied the shelter because they felt the vacant senior home was
too small for children, or because they felt it would negatively affect the neighbors through increased activity, more noise and possible safety issues. Dave Ferguson from Southwest Key told the commission at the June 24 meeting that their role was to reunite the unaccompanied children with their families. He said in 90 percent of cases, children are reunited with their families within 30 days. Ismael Avilez from Southwest Key told the commission that since the children wouldn’t have any visitors, there would be no increase in traffic. Hundreds of Escondido residents attended the meeting mostly to voice their dissent. The ACLU has appealed the commission’s decision. “We are appealing its ill-informed decision because when you do consider the specifics, the impact of the proposed facility would be virtually indistinguishable from that of the nursing home which operated on the same site TURN TO DEBATE ON 17