Blog

Safety first – for the children and the community

After months of rigorous debate on the Heights’ new school design and submittal of substantial factual comments on the MND by Sierra Club, Play Outside Del Mar, Save the Field, and many citizens such as yourselves, I believe there's little more that needs to be said about the environmental process. As lawyers are keen to … Continue reading Safety first – for the children and the community

Lies about me and Play Outside Del Mar

I can accept personal abuse in a public forum and usually just let it slide. I believe what Teddy Roosevelt famously said: better to be “the man who is actually in the arena . . . whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood . . who spends himself in a worthy cause … Continue reading Lies about me and Play Outside Del Mar

DMUSD closed session meeting to discuss Play Outside’s CEQA comments on Heights’ school – Sierra Club comments ignored

I hope all of you are safe and healthy and remain that way. Yesterday DMUSD noticed a special closed session Board meeting for today at 5:00 p.m. to privately discuss Play Outside Del Mar's CEQA comments, and those of another organization. Below is the text of a letter I sent this morning regarding the public … Continue reading DMUSD closed session meeting to discuss Play Outside’s CEQA comments on Heights’ school – Sierra Club comments ignored

Coronavirus and youth sports – what the future holds

A crisis and an opportunity.  This past week I participated in a superb webinar on the impact of COVID-19 on youth sports and communities. You’ll find the results interesting and worth knowing. The four person panel was a who’s who of youth sports and the webinar was attended by 3000 sports leaders, club representatives, coaches, and others.The sponsor, Aspen … Continue reading Coronavirus and youth sports – what the future holds

DMUSD grades Heights’ facilities “exemplary” as of January 7, 2020

Recently, I’ve overheard some passionate talk about the conditions at the Heights’ school - that it is unsafe for students and needs an immediate shutdown, now! As a parent who had my own son there for four of the last five years, this caught me off guard. DMUSD's own School Accountability Report Card January 7, 2020, … Continue reading DMUSD grades Heights’ facilities “exemplary” as of January 7, 2020

CEQA – Our comments

Today Play Outside Del Mar submitted its environmental comments on the Del Mar Heights Elementary School Project.Please click here to download our CEQA Comments or skim the table of contents without downloading.Extensive time and research went into these comments, and you may want to review them before submitting your own comments to DMUSD. For those of you not familiar … Continue reading CEQA – Our comments

Under our noses, DMUSD submitted full construction plans weeks ago.

We’re sharing the full construction plans for the Del Mar Heights’ Rebuild - 319 pages.   We recently obtained these plans - dated February 11, 13, and 28 - by public records request to the State of California, Division of the State Architect (DSA), the organization that gives final approval to all plans for public schools … Continue reading Under our noses, DMUSD submitted full construction plans weeks ago.

OPEN GOVERNMENT – GETTING DMUSD TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE

You may have noticed that DMUSD had a quickly scheduled board meeting last night to discuss violations of the Brown Act regarding open meetings. After they emerged from the closed session, they unanimously voted in the public session to make an important and unconditional commitment to the public, in writing, about keeping their future meetings open to … Continue reading OPEN GOVERNMENT – GETTING DMUSD TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE

Rebuttal #3 – DMUSD’s documents refute that a “big wall” is required by Rolf Plan #2

This 2-3 foot existing wall on Mira Montana - moved back a few feet to allow more full use of DMUSD-owned property - is the only additional wall that’s required to implement Rolf Plan #2. WALL - FRONT SIDE WALL - BACK SIDE In Rolf’s Plan #2, that wall needs to be moved west a few feet farther from … Continue reading Rebuttal #3 – DMUSD’s documents refute that a “big wall” is required by Rolf Plan #2

Rebuttal #2 – DMUSD’s northwest parking lot “concerns” don’t make sense

DMUSD says Rolf Silbert's Plan #2 has "potential pedestrian traffic crossing the vehicular entrance to the school with the parking in the northwest" - a safety concern for them. But compare DMUSD's own school at Sage Canyon Elementary below, with Rolf's Plan # 2 underneath it. Sage Canyon - parking and car queue Rolf Silbert … Continue reading Rebuttal #2 – DMUSD’s northwest parking lot “concerns” don’t make sense