Spring Valley Revitalization Steering Committee Meets to Discuss Area Updates

Approximately 40 East County residents and community members gathered at the on Feb. 26 to discuss projects and updates to area interests at a meeting of the Spring Valley Revitalization Steering Committee.

While the establishment of a public safety committee, graffiti clean-up efforts, stepped-up DUI enforcement and the addition of a dog park at Lamar Park were among the topics of discussion, the hot topics of concern were continued high levels of crime at the Spring Valley Shopping Center, health concerns for East County residents, and the continued parking of RVs and oversized vehicles on area streets and roadways.  

Justin Bradely, who serves as the assistant manager for the Albertson’s grocery store located within the Spring Valley Shopping Center, said that although meetings have taken place to discuss ways to remove blight and increase safety, high crime, shoplifting, drug sales and speeding within the parking lot continue to be an issue.

“We saw a number of purse snatchings in the parking lot last year,” Bradley said, noting that one half of the shopping center does not have any lighting at night. “And there’s still extensive shoplifting at Albertsons. It’s hurting our business.”

The marked presence of homeless, suspected drug dealing within the parking lot and vandalism are challenges that still needed to be overcome, said Rep. Steven Relyea.

“Residents are up in arms about this,” he said. “It’s hurting the Casa de Oro Business Association and it’s hurting the Albertson’s center even more than they’re aware. People don’t want to go there and they’re taking their business elsewhere.”

San Diego County Supervisor Diane Jacob, whose district includes Spring Valley, said she believes her office needs to get involved in order to ensure change is affected.

“It’s time we get some action on this problem,” Jacob said. “Otherwise, over time, businesses are going to go away.”

Solutions to improve community health were also addressed. 

Katie Judd of the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) presented the 3-4-50 numbers for East County.  The concept revolves around three actions leading to four diseases that lead to 50 percent of deaths within San Diego County. HHSA statistics, however, say that East County residents show that the first two indicators are the cause of closer to 60 percents of deaths within the area.

“Smoking, poor nutrition and lack of exercise can lead to diabetes, heart disease, cancer and respiratory illness,” Judd said. “East County has a higher rate of smoking, has fewer adults who walk or exercise, and residents in general exercise poor nutrition. Three out of five East County residents are overweight or obese.”

Judd said a leadership group is being formed to help create a charge toward healthier communities.

CHP Officer Brian Pennings spoke next, focusing on safety concerns pertaining to oversized trailers, motor homes, boats and RVs being parked and stored on community streets.

“This is a huge problem, because if you have oversized vehicles being parked or stored on both sides of the street there is no way two cars can pass each other safely,” he said. “We get 15 to 20 calls each day on this issue. It’s hazardous condition.”

Supervisor Jacobs agreed the only solution to the problem was to instate round-the-clock bans on parking or storage of such vehicles.

“It’s going to be the only way to do this,” she said. “In order to get them off the street we’ll need to prohibit them entirely.”