Lesa's Letter to the Community

By Lesa Heebner

I am writing to ask for your support for my re-election to the Solana Beach City Council. I've worked hard for you since I was first elected, so this letter is a report to you on what I've accomplished and what my priorities are for the future. But first, some background on me, and why this election is so critical to our community.

I've been a businesswoman for over 30 years. From my early career as a stockbroker with a Fortune 500 company, I founded a successful culinary business that featured my skills as an author, TV chef, and nationally-known kitchen designer. I understand business, both big and small.

I've lived in Solana Beach for 35 years, both east and west of the freeway ... probably for the same reasons you live here: the beauty of our coastal setting, our small town quality of life, and the eclectic nature of our city style. In other words, we live here because of the special character of Solana Beach. It will be my top priority to safeguard our community character as we continue to improve our neighborhoods, public places and businesses. Doesn't it make sense to protect the very attributes that make our town such an attractive, high-value location?

This election is vital to those of us who love the city we bought into. Special interests with very deep pockets are supporting three opposition candidates who would change the rules and change our town! How is that possible? Pivotal decisions will be made in the next few years on zoning, density, traffic and development standards for our city as we dive deeper into our state-mandated General Plan update. This document sets the rules and the vision for how Solana Beach will develop over the next 20 years. Additionally, as the economy recovers, we are poised for numerous commercial developments throughout the city. Do you want to see oversized commercial buildings lining Highway 101 and Cedros and the resulting traffic they would bring? Or incompatibly large homes developed on your block? These are the types of impacts the wrong Council can bring to Solana Beach. Make no mistake, I want development...but it must be the right development...development that respects our small town character, individual property rights, the live-ability of our neighborhoods and the unique qualities of our beachside business community.

I have demonstrated that I am an independent thinker who listens to all sides of an issue and acts for what is best for the entire community. My special interest is the public's interest! I bring experience, dedication, and a strong sense of Solana Beach history to the issues that will be reviewed by the Council. And most importantly, underlying all my work for you is my proven commitment to protect our community character and the ability to stand up to powerful interests.

FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY I'm proud of my strong track record of fiscal accountability. Solana Beach is fiscally sound! Our budget has been balanced by matching spending to revenues without increasing taxes. And total reserves for the city are $32.5 million, a considerable amount for a small town with a small budget. As your councilmember, I helped Solana Beach become the first city in the San Diego region to enact and implement full pension reform for all employees. As a result, we will save approximately $7 million over the next 20 years in pension costs.

Sheriff and Fire expenditures comprise the largest portion of our budget. While ensuring public safety is a councilmember's primary obligation, it is a delicate balance to provide topnotch service without out-of-control costs. While on Council, we negotiated a contract with the County Sheriff's department to reduce their annual cost increases from the 17% increase I saw when I was first elected, to a maximum of 5% annually over the past five years. No cuts were made to services! The Sheriff contract is a $3 million annual expense, so the savings are substantial. Noteworthy is that Solana Beach remains one of the top two safest cities in the region.

Further, Solana Beach engaged the neighboring cities of Encinitas, Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe to combine fire management services and by so doing increased the level of service, decreased response times and cut costs. This innovation is being copied throughout the region.

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT INVESTMENTS During my time on Council, we have also managed to complete a number of public improvement projects through the prudent use of State and Federal dollars and monies the city set aside in savings for these purposes. Most are award winning, and all have enhanced our lives, our experiences of our city and have become places that reflect our coastal character, which we proudly share with visitors, friends and family. They include:

• Fletcher Cove Park--Transformed from an asphalt parking lot to family-friendly gathering place. Paid for with Redevelopment Agency (RDA) dollars.
• Fletcher Cove Community Center--Truly a community-building project, with the city and community partnering to renovate this dilapidated building on the bluff. Paid for with donations, grant funds and monies the city used for handicapped accessibility upgrades.
• The Coastal Rail Trail--Iconic biking and walking pathway we all enjoy. Solana Beach is the first and only city in the region to build their Rail Trail. Paid for entirely with grant funds.
• I-5 On and Off Ramps--Improved traffic flow on Lomas Santa Fe. Paid for with State funds.
• La Colonia Park Master Plan--Improvements for our Eden Gardens park will include an upgraded tot lot, soccer field and basketball court, the addition of a skateboard feature, enhanced picnic and gathering places and increased meeting rooms at the community building. Paid for with monies the city set aside for this purpose. We hope to bring this to construction when funds are identified.
• Dahlia Street and Cliff Street Pedestrian Bridges--Connected our neighborhoods to the beach and our business districts to each other. Paid for with RDA funds, grants and monies the city set aside for this purpose.
• The Current Highway 101 Renovation Project--Adds parking, widens sidewalks, increases safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, encourages development of new businesses and outdoor dining, beautifies Historic Highway 101 with additional trees and landscaping while maintaining two traffic lanes in each direction, and creates 11 gathering places in which to enjoy our outdoor lifestyle. Paid for with historically low interest rate "Build America Bonds" to be re-paid with a portion of our existing Transnet sales tax revenue that is designated for local roadway improvements, and monies the city set aside for this purpose.

PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS At the heart of our community are our neighborhoods. Having lived in several of them over the last 35 years, I know their special qualities and assets. I want to protect their core character, and I want to protect your right to have a say in developments that would impact you. Commercial developments have the potential to alter our community character along with the increased traffic they would bring. Our current process for development review provides standards and guidelines to builders, a forum for you to be heard by your council, and the opportunity for your council to evaluate any impacts on the city. Without the intrusiveness of a design review board--which we do not have in Solana Beach--our current process allows you to have a say in how our community develops. We became a city so we could have a say in development projects. Let's not go backward by giving up this right! I will continue to ensure all voices are heard and individual property rights are protected, those of the builder as well as those of residents.

HELPING BUSINESS Businesses are a vital part of our community, both in the services they provide and the tax dollars they generate. This is why I have helped many businesses establish themselves here, and will continue to do all I can to foster a business-friendly environment to attract a healthy mix of resident-serving businesses...visitors welcome! An authentic local experience is what visitors want, not a contrived tourist trap! As such, I will continue to work for new business developments that complement the successes on South Cedros Avenue by encouraging in-scale, eclectic buildings that house distinctive cafes, boutiques and other specialty businesses. These are the qualities that make our city a destination, not just another nondescript location.

I-5 WIDENING We have been under the threat of a super-widening of the I-5 for many years, something that would greatly impact Solana Beach. In my role as your representative on SANDAG, I fought hard and we succeeded in getting the smallest footprint for the I-5 widening with no property takings. Along with the widening process, we ensured protections for our neighboring lagoons and increased Coaster frequencies. We will also benefit from a new regional bike and pedestrian path that will enter Solana Beach at Valley Avenue, cross Lomas Santa Fe and continue onto the proposed bridge over the San Elijo Lagoon.

YOUR SUPPORT PROVEN COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY I've shared with you my guiding principals, priorities and accomplishments. I hope you conclude that I am an effective advocate for our community. I will bring the same discipline and dedication to our community as I have in the past. I will work to support the Solana Beach we all bought into and call our home, one that respects our small town character, individual property rights, the live-ability of our neighborhoods and the vibrancy of our business community and public places. I'm qualified, experienced and ready to continue to work on your behalf.

With the many complex and crucial issues that will face us in the coming years, the stakes could not be higher for our city. We need council members who are independent, who will listen and are not beholden to special interests. We need council members who have the in-depth knowledge of the issues that comes with experience, a strong sense of Solana Beach history and most importantly, a proven commitment to protect our community character. I bring these qualifications and the ability to stand up to powerful interests.

I consider it an honor to represent you and it is with great respect that I ask for your vote and your financial support.

Sincerely,

Lesa Heebner PS Feel free to contact me by phone or email should you have any questions wish to contribute to my campaign, or visit http://www.lesaheebner.com.

Endorsed by First Mayor Margaret Schlesinger, Former Mayors Tom Golich, Celine Olson, Rick Hendlin, Current Deputy Mayor Dave Roberts, Current Councilmembers Mike Nichols and Tom Campbell, Supervisor Pam Slater-Price, State Senator Christine Kehoe, Former School Board member Joel Small, Current School Board member Rich Leib, Retired Trustee San Dieguito Union High School District Dee Rich, The Sierra Club, The League of Conservation Voters, Deputy Sheriffs Association and many many more!