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Fat Clogging City Pipes, Reduce Palm Ave. to One Lane at City Council Meeting

Councilmembers will vote whether to adopt amendments to its program to collect fats, oils and grease produced by local businesses. A proposed Eco Bikeway would reduce part of Palm Avenue from two to one lane of traffic.

The Imperial Beach City Council, meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, will discuss issues including reducing part of Palm Avenue from two lanes of traffic to one for the Eco Bikeway and the creation of a special project manager position for former Finance Department Director Michael McGrane.

The council will vote on whether to adopt additional ordinances that regulate the city's Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Control Program. The law will require that particular businesses follow best practice strategies to prevent fat from clogging city pipes. New or remodeled commercial kitchens will be required to purchase grease traps.


When the city began to explore changes to its FOG program last year, city staff found that among 43 businesses that would need to comply with grease control laws, about half already grease traps in place.

This is agenda item 4.1.

If agenda item 6.4 is approved, the city will advertise request for bids for a $2.1 million portion of the Eco Bikeway. The proposed portion of the Eco Bikeway project will install Class 2 bike lanes on Palm Avenue from 3rd to 7th streets and a Class 3 bikeway for shared bike-car use from the Bayshore Bikeway, down 7th Street to Palm Avenue.

As a result of the project, Palm Avenue from 3rd to 7th streets will be reduced from two lanes to one in both directions to install a dedicated Class II bikeway as well as beautification and traffic calming measures.

If the project goes ahead at its current pace, it will be completed by June 4, but city staff warn that the project may stretch into the summer and once again bring construction near the waterfront during the busiest time of year for the local tourism industry.

Once complete, the Eco Bikeway will bring bicyclists from 7th Street, down Palm Avenue, along the beach to Imperial Beach Boulevard and back to the Bayshore Bikeway.

As part of Senate Bill 1186, all business licenses applicants will be charged a $1 annual fee until 2018. Along with changes to how disability access laws function in California, SB 1186 is designed to provide cities and businesses with more services to confront lawsuits filed due to a lack of disability access.

This is agenda item 5.1.

Design Review Board terms end Dec. 31. Mayor Jim Janney recommends that Janet Bowman, Shirley Nakawatase and Harold Phelps be re-appointed. The three board members were appointed in 2008. New members will remain on the board until Dec. 31, 2016.

This is agenda item 6.1.

Agenda item 6.2 would allow for Capital Improvement Program funds from the Port of San Diego to be used for street improvements near the new Pier South hotel instead of being spent on other projects the city requested the money for like a shower and restroom for beachgoers south of Seacoast Drive or an expanded playground in Pier Plaza.

With agenda item 6.3., City Council will consider a resolution to allow the city to create the temporary position of Special Projects Manager and hire former Finance Department Director Michael McGrane.

In this role, McGrane would oversee implementation of projects, conduct audits and continue to assist the city in transition following the dissolution of the Imperial Beach Redevelopment Agency.

City Council, which is also the Imperial Beach Redevelopment Agency Successor Agency, will pay debt services on a 2003 bond if agenda item 7.1. is approved.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the city and the city employees' union SEIU, Local 221 will be considered with agenda item 2.4. If approved, city employees will be allowed to use sick leave days to spend time with a new born or newly adopted child.

City Council will vote whether to approve a letter of commitment to the 2012 Recovery Strategy for the Tijuana River Valley. The city is one of more than 30 local, state, and federal agencies partnering to try and reduce trash and sediment entering the Tijuana River Valley. See the attached PDF to view the strategy.

This is agenda item 2.5.

Including payroll, the city spent $1.7 million from Oct. 29 to Nov. 9.

Expenses above $100,000 include payments to the City of San Diego for sewage treatment and PAL Gen. Engineering for street improvements.

This is agenda item 2.2.

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Khari Johnson (Editor) May 17, 2013 at 03:36 pm
He's on vacation.Read More http://imperialbeach.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/city-council-oks-30-million-budget-for-20132015
caesarina keri May 17, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Nope..he's a Public Figure...and as such must be accessible to us...and actually should be......asRead More it is he is unable to be found..never holds public hearings to give his assessment on what's happening with this Grand Jury thing or about anything. So I guess now we know where he is. Hey Mr Mayor, mind telling us what your hours at The Plank are so we might approach you about our concerns ....sounds like what we used to call in the Air Force a ROAD (Retired on Active Duty)
frogy May 17, 2013 at 09:38 am
I am not a big fan of our mayor but I think this is a real invasion of the Janney's privacy.
Marcus Boyd May 16, 2013 at 03:55 pm
And comment links no longer work... That's going cause less spam, and negatively effect SEO!
Where in IB is this?
Ed Kravitz May 17, 2013 at 07:42 am
OUTSIDE A BUILDING THAT HAS TWO HOT WATER HEATER OVERFLOW VALVES AND DISCHARGE LINES. PROBABLY ANRead More APARTMENT BUILDING OR OTHER MULTI-UNIT BUILDING?
Khari Johnson (Editor) May 15, 2013 at 04:33 pm
Thanks, Nancy. It's always nice to hear from you. The new site is easier to use but emailRead More khari.johnson@patch.com if you have any questions, need help or want to share a news tip.
Marcus Boyd May 16, 2013 at 02:05 pm
Then, yesterday - throughout the day - one client after another said they were pulled over forRead More everything from fix-it-tickets to scratching their head(accused of talking on a NON-EXISTENT CELL PHONE!!!)
Marcus Boyd May 16, 2013 at 02:03 pm
I agree, except what made me notice the motorcycle cops was one running a stop sign and me having toRead More slam on my brakes to avoid hitting him... Then he proceeded to run a stop light to pull someone over...
Marcus Boyd May 16, 2013 at 02:02 pm
@JohnGalt "Stopping at a Stop sign is usually a good idea."
Frank H. Robles May 15, 2013 at 06:51 pm
No southwest state is looking forward to the Fire Season, were all short of fire funding Funds...!!!
Ed Sorrels May 14, 2013 at 05:55 pm
Forcing the blame back on the court's for the release of these felon's will not solve the problemRead More tho, A workable answer is to de=criminalize all state marijuana laws and release all those convicted of marijuana except thos ewith a conviction for distributing over 10 Lbs. Then take all those with federal convictions and drop them off at a federal court for them to deal; with ! We can not afford to keep minor marijuana prisoners in state jails any longer. These tow actions would make all the room we need in outr state prisons !
Erika Lowery April 11, 2013 at 07:23 pm
Candy, Spriggs and Patton are supposed to be researching a Youth Advisory Committee (including aRead More name with a better acronym). Sign me up for a Youth committee. With 3 kids, from teen to toddler, I have a very vested interest in keeping activities for all ages. Plus Marc wants on. As a teen he can be a leader to younger kids - like he is in Coronado. It is just those of us who want to work for our city's betterment, seem to be shot down.
IB Candy '74 April 11, 2013 at 07:01 pm
I agree!
IB Candy '74 April 11, 2013 at 07:00 pm
Why can't the Sportspark offer the same type of programs that the YMCA does? I think it would beRead More great for the City to have have a Parks and Rec's Advisory Committee. The advisory committee could help the rec center establish some new programs and apply for the 1000's of grants available out there. Lets not forget about the over 800 people in IB who signed a petition and still want a dog park. What about the need for a park in the Oneonta area? A Parks and Rec's Advisory Board could help council with funding and also take some of the work load off of staff. This wouldn't cost the City a dime, sounds like a win-win to me. If the advisory board had some dedicated volunteers, they could establish themselves as a non-profit and apply for grants themselves and help the City pay for these projects. That would free up money in the general fund and allow us to keep our Sportspark, Skatepark and Little Leagues to ourselves. Out sourcing should be our last resort.