CAMPBELL CHRONICLES

May 16, 2025
 

Dear {{firstname}},

 

On Wednesday, an honorary street sign was unveiled in honor of Eloise Battle, who was widely known as the "Savior of Tecolote Canyon." Eloise Battle spearheaded a ten-year effort to preserve the canyon starting in the late 1960s, and on April 1, 1978 Tecolote Canyon Natural Park officially became San Diego's first dedicated open space natural park. 

 

Ever since then, Ms. Battle was Tecolote Canyon's biggest champion, chairing the Tecolote Canyon Citizens Advisory Committee and helping to secure the funding to build the Tecolote Canyon Nature Center. For more than five decades of her life, Eloise gave time and energy to making Tecolote Canyon Natural Park a reality and working to preserve it in its natural state.

 

Her love of Tecolote Canyon was clear to anyone who met her, and she shared this love with all who visited Tecolote Canyon for one of her many workshops, field trips, volunteer days, and special events. Eloise was a dedicated community leader and is absolutely deserving of being recognized with the honorary renaming of Tecolote Road to "Eloise Battle Boulevard." From now on, every time we drive to and from the Tecolote Canyon Nature Center we will see this wonderful sign that reminds us of Eloise.

 

I want to thank the staff from the Transportation Department and the Parks & Recreation Department for their work in getting this sign installed so quickly. It is truly a delight to get to honor incredible community leaders like Eloise Battle for the work that they do to improve our city.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Jennifer Campbell
District 2
San Diego City Council
 

Budget Review Committee Hearings

From May 5 through May 9, the City Council convened as the Budget Review Committee to review the first draft of the Mayor's Proposed FY26 Budget. Throughout the week, City Departments presented an in-depth analysis of their proposed budgets for the next fiscal year, including increases, reductions, and revenue-generating measures. After these presentations and receiving feedback from the Budget Review Committee and from the public, the Mayor released a revised budget this week.

 

Public Utilities Department Customer Service Update

On May 12, the City Council heard a report on the Public Utilities Department's customer service updates, which have drastically reduced phone wait times, incorrect bills, and other issues. In the past, many residents have waited on long holds to speak to a service representative, and some people went months without receiving a water bill before getting hit with a large cumulative bill. However, over the past year, the Public Utilities Department has made incredible progress toward eliminating these issues. Customer service hold times are down to an average of just over one minute, and billing is now more efficient, reducing the number of customers who receive large cumulative bills. I want to thank the Public Utilities Department staff for all their incredible work at improving this important City service for all residents.

 

Lupus Awareness Month

On May 13, the City Council recognized May as Lupus Awareness Month. Nearly 1.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with lupus, which causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue in the body. Lupus is often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can mimic symptoms of other diseases, and there is no singular test for the disease. Thank you to the Lupus Foundation of Southern California for their tireless work to support people diagnosed with lupus and their families.
 

North Clairemont Community Park Renamed After Officer Austin Machitar

Yesterday, the City's Parks and Recreation Board unanimously approved Mayor Gloria's proposal to rename the North Clairemont Community Park in honor of San Diego Police Officer Austin Machitar, who lost his life last summer in the line of duty. Officer Machitar served SDPD's Northern Division for over five years, and I believe this is a great way to honor Officer Machitar and his selfless commitment to making Clairemont and San Diego a safer place for everyone. Officer Machitar is a community hero and is absolutely deserving of this wonderful honor.
 

Clairemont Garden Tour

Congratulations to the Clairemont Town Council on their 28th annual Clairemont Garden Tour! This tour brings the community together and highlights the beautiful neighborhoods and gardens of Clairemont. The Garden Tour Expo also featured San Diego Master Gardeners, food, live music, and many community programs and educators.
 

Upcoming Compost Giveaway Events

The City's Environmental Services Department is partnering with I Love A Clean San Diego to give away free, nutrient-rich compost to City of San Diego residents this month. Compost has many benefits, including reducing erosion, saving water, providing energy to plants, and keeping carbon out of the atmosphere, which in turn reduces the effects of climate change. San Diego residents are invited to come by and self-load compost on Saturday, May 17 from 8am to noon at Sun Runner Lot (5199 Fiesta Island Rd). Registration is recommended but not required, and you can register by clicking the button below.
 

Point Loma Trash Pickup Event

On May 13, staff from the Environmental Services Department completed a trash pickup event for residents of Point Loma. They collected 0.19 tons of recyclable waste and 1.74 tons of non-recyclable waste for a total of 1.93 tons. Thank you to our Environmental Services team for their hard work to serve the residents of District 2!
 

Next Phase of Work for Pure Water SD

Beginning April 17, crews started installing the next phase of traffic control on Clairemont Dr. to allow for pipeline installation in Bay Park. This traffic control will span between Lakehurst Ave. and Clairemont Mesa Blvd. As it is installed, one northbound and one southbound lane of traffic will be maintained through the work zone. Pipeline installation will take place between 7am and 4:30pm Monday through Friday. Welding and other work to finalize pipeline installation will take place between 4:30pm and 11pm. This phase of work is anticipated to last approximately four weeks, but this schedule is subject to change. For your safety, please follow all posted signage. To view the schedule of work and block closures, or to sign up for updates from Pure Water, click the button below.
 

17th Annual San Diego Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast

This morning my LGBTQ+ Liaison attended the 17th annual San Diego Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, an event that brings together members of the LGBTQ community and beyond to celebrate the diversity of San Diego's LGBTQ community. The Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast celebrates the life and legacy of Harvey Milk and honors LGBTQ leaders who have made a difference in their communities. This year's honorees included Governor of Oregon Tina Kotek, San Diego Police Department's LGBTQ+ Liaison Officer Lisa Hartman, the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, and SPARTA Pride, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting transgender members of the U.S. military. Congratulations to all the honorees, and thank you for the incredible work that you do!
 

Mission Bay High School Wellness Center Grand Opening

On May 2, students, parents, and members of the public gathered at Mission Bay High School to celebrate the success of its new Wellness Center. The Wellness Center is the newest in a network of similar centers across San Diego public schools, and provides students with a safe place to study or take care of their mental health. Thank you to the Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools, Pacific Beach Town Council, and Pacific Beach Women's Club for your contributions to making this center a reality!
 

Home Start Blue Ribbon Gala

Last weekend, Home Start held their annual Blue Ribbon Gala, where they honored outgoing CEO Laura Tancredi-Baese for her 18 years of incredible work with the organization. Laura's leadership has transformed Home Start and allowed them to serve even more families in need throughout San Diego. This event also raised over $120,000 for child abuse prevention!
 

City's Street Design Manual Update

The City's updated Street Design Manual is now out for public review and comment. The Manual addresses the many aspects of modern streets that will serve the needs of all users, such as pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders. To view the Streets Design Manual and submit your comments, click the button below.
 

Have a question or need assistance from the City? Contact your respective Community Representative from my Office:
 

If you need assistance with non-emergency community concerns, please use the Get It Done App or you can call my office or email me directly.

Office of Councilmember
Jennifer Campbell
City Administration Building
202 "C" Street, 10th Floor
San Diego, CA 92101

 

619-236-6622