Advocacy
beautifulPB advocates for projects and policies that promote sustainability, equity, and connection in our community. Here is some of the work we do at the local and citywide level on behalf of our neighborhood.
Slow Streets
PB’s Slow Street on Diamond Street continues to provide a safe space for people to skate, cycle, scooter and more during the pandemic. Slow streets demonstrate how roadway space can provide benefits to the community beyond just moving cars.
BeautifulPB supports the Diamond Slow Street and other slow street work in San Diego by promoting the Slow Street in our community and assisting the City with data collection.
Our letter writing campaign also helps demonstrate community support for our Slow Streets. Members of the PB community can email Councilmember Campbell to let her know how important you think slow streets are for our community. Here is a sample letter anyone can use as a template to advocate for slow streets in Pacific Beach.
PB Community Park Renaming
In 1945, 1900 residents in Pacific Beach residents protested the hiring of San Diego Unified’s second black teacher William Payne. With the support of the district superintendent, Mr. Payne was able to remain at teacher at Pacific Beach Middle School. His wife, Fannie Payne, also worked in education.
BeautifulPB supports the proposed renaming of Pacific Beach Community Park to “Fannie and William Payne Community Park” in honor of the bravery, dedication and community service of the Paynes. Learn more about the park renaming effort here.
PB Parking District
BeautifulPB is one of four community organizations that makes up the Advisory Board for the PB Community Parking District. The Advisory Board is currently considering a one-year pilot program for paid parking along a portion of west Garnet Avenue and key side streets in the heart of PB’s business district. BeautifulPB supports the paid parking pilot program proposed by the PB Community Parking District.
Beach communities across California have had success using paid parking to manage their shared parking resources. Paid parking can reduce the number of people “cruising” in search of parking spots, encourage active transportation, and reduce air and water pollution. Funding from the paid parking program can support a variety of projects, such as pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, a neighborhood shuttle, or wayfinding signage, that benefit everyone in Pacific Beach.
BeautifulPB believes our community should be a safe and clean place to visit. Improvements made possible by the proposed paid parking program align with beautifulPB’s goals, and will enhance our already vibrant community.
Community Mapping
The first step in creating people-first streets is identifying places that need improvements and sharing ideas with others in Pacific Beach. Using the Plan Together mapping tool, anyone in PB can add their own ideas for community improvements. Use the link below to provide your input and see your neighbors’ suggestions. for Pacific Beach.
Vision Zero
Vision Zero is a policy approach created in the late 1990s based on the goal of eliminated all traffic fatalities and severe injuries. Since then, it has spread across the world, including to San Diego, where in 2015 the City of San Diego officially became a Vision Zero City.
As part of Vision Zero, the City of San Diego has released its Draft Vision Zero Strategic Plan 2020-2025, which identifies locations and opportunities for improving traffic safety throughout the City. Pacific Beach is one of the communities in San Diego that is most impacted by poor traffic safety, particularly along key corridors like Garnet Avenue. BeautifulPB is a partner in the City’s Vision Zero work, advocating for improvements like marked crosswalks, roundabouts, and bike lanes to make walking and biking safer in Pacific Beach.
Rewild Mission Bay
BeautifulPB is a member of the ReWild Mission Bay Coalition, a group of conservation organizations, labor unions, civic and public health groups, tribal leaders, and neighborhood stakeholders, partnering on wetland restoration in the northeast corner Mission Bay, which includes the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve, Rose Creek, and De Anza Cove.
On October 14, beautifulPB supported ReWild’s advocacy at the Regional Water Quality Control Board for a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) that enables the City of San Diego to create a new alternative as part of the ongoing De Anza planning process. The Board voted 6-0 in favor of a SEP, which allows funds to be earmarked for development of the ReWild Mission Bay “Wildest” plan as a project alternative. While ReWild’s SEP will be considered at the same level as the city’s own plan, there is no guarantee that the City will ultimately choose the ReWild plan for implementation. The ReWild Mission Bay Coalition will continue to advocate for a plan that prioritizes wetland restoration as the planning process moves forward.
Learn more about ReWild Mission Bay here.