Despite problems caused by overflowing trash cans and encamped homeless people, the downtown Oceanside Property and Business Improvement District is working well, the MainStreet Oceanside Monthly Morning Meeting was informed Tuesday.
Rick Wright, CEO, and Cathy Nykiel, Director of Events, reported on the success of the PBID thus far with a slide show of charts and photos.
“The PBID is halfway through its lifecycle,” Wright said.
Its purpose is to provide services (like pressure-washing sidewalks) over and above what the city can do.
Progress has been slower than expected, Wright said, in part because of COVID restrictions.
Wright said the district was formed in 2019 with an affirmative vote of owners of 76 percent of the assessed square footage in a 24-block area between the beach and Nevada Street and Seagaze Drive and Civic Center Way. Included are 197 properties with 125 different owners, he said.
The district provides special benefits only to the assessed parcels, Wright said – for instance, it might pick up trash on one side of the street but not on the other.
Another election would be needed for the district to extend beyond Dec. 31, 2024.
The district’s four areas of concern are maintenance, safety, economic development, and administration and advocacy (handled by MainStreet).
Four people are working seven days a week on maintenance, Wright said, and every sidewalk is pressure-washed once a month, and “hot spots” taken care of as needed. Graffiti is removed as quickly as possible.
Gumaro Escarcega, chief operating officer and director of business development, spoke about the economic-development aspects of the program, mentioning way-finding signs, additional street lighting, possible shuttle service and a proposed 27-foot lighted sign construction on four poles that would become a major attraction.
There was a question as to why the sign would not be placed on Coast Highway, but Wright and Escarcega said it would not be that kind of a downtown marker.
The annual budget of $370,757 was not used up in the first year, and money has carried over from year to year, so in 2022 there is $676,134 available for a “huge effort.” “Unfortunately,” Wright said. “we are having trouble spending that money. Hopefully, we will get better at spending money.”
But, Wright said, “we are not spending money to benefit any one business.”
Nykiel also noted that employees are working seven days a week and that city code-enforcement officials are notified of violations by “repetitive individuals who cause problems.”
And she said MainStreet is working with Green Oceanside on waste control.
Her photographs showed many instances of overflowing dumpsters and of trash strewed around them. She also showed where mail, both opened and unopened, had been scattered about.
Sites specifically mentioned – or shown – for rubbish or vagrant activity, even human waste – or the malicious placement of 1,000 stickers – were the Junior Seau Amphitheatre where “people go down at night and leave their trash”, the Pier View Way Underpass, the Bank of America, Oceanside Museum of Art and St. Mary’s Church.
The Petite Madeline Bakery and the wall behind the Brooks Theatre are favorite spots for graffiti, some of it neon green, Nykiel said. And, she said, business windows are being etched. Businesses can be charged, Nykiel said, if their dumpsters overflow
One group of taggers came over from Escondido a couple of months ago, she said.
Waste Management is responsible for graffiti on its dumpsters, Wright noted
From the audience, Tom Frankum said he has noticed the effects of the power washing of the sidewalks and they “really look different – much better than before” and that they look better for the more than 100 passengers a day who walk from the Oceanside Transit Center to downtown. “They get a lot of positive attention,” he said.
Wright noted that the publicly owned transit center had opted out of membership in the improvement district.
The PBID presentation can viewed [HERE].
In other matters, Nykiel announced:
–The Thursday morning Farmers Market and evening Sunset Market will celebrate Cinco de Mayo this week.
–MainStreet’s Mothers Day Is Sweet event is this Saturday.
— KOCT public television will hold its fundraiser on May 12 at the Outback Steakhouse. The cost is $2.
–May 21 is the annual Operation Appreciation event for military service personnel staged in the amphitheater by the Chamber of Commerce.
–A month remains for applications to participate in the Independence Parade on June 25 (Earlier in the meeting, it was noted that Robbie Hass in the audience, the 2022 winner of the city’s Martin Luther King Civic Award would be participating in the parade). Volunteers are needed. More than 100 units are expected in the parade.
–May 24, Visit Oceanside will present its annual tourism summit at 2:30 in the Brooks Theatre with a reception at 4:30. Wright highly recommended it, “It’s really a great event. Everyone should come.” [FREE REGISTRATION HERE]
–Oceanside’s Independence Week events, besides the parade, will include the Ofest Beach Festival July 2, 3 and 4 and the city fireworks July 3.
Also:
— John McDonald talked about his wife, Barbara’s new iron sculpture gallery in front of the Regal Cinemas and said “we are trying to activate the plaza in a new way. We will collaborate with anyone.”
Linda Piña of Carla and Linda’s Walking Food Tours said it has obtained a bus to transport customers for tours of Morro Hills farms.
–Hass announced a fundraiser June 13 at Vista Valley Country Club to benefit Tri-City Hospital Foundation.
–And Wright invited everyone to next month’s (June 7) meeting of MainStreet Oceanside for an “exceptional presentation” by Tanner Yates, marketing and communications director at Visit Oceanside.
Meeting notes by Lola Sherman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The MainStreet Morning Meeting is held on the first Tuesday of each month at 8:30 a.m.
We welcome all parties interested in the progress of Downtown Oceanside, including businesspeople, residents, and City staff.
This informative one-hour meeting is held in an informal discussion format. The general public is always welcome! Come meet your city officials, MainStreet Oceanside staff and members and find out about upcoming events and changes to YOUR downtown and city.
The MainStreet Morning Meeting is held at the MainStreet Oceanside meeting room at 701 Mission Avenue. Call our office for more information or directions at (760) 754-4512.
