- City introduced an ordinance to allow non-motorized scooters at Coronado’s Skatepark after modifications and an ordinance update
- Council to consider an ordinance to regulate the safe use of recreational unmanned aircraft systems (drones)
- Conversion from gas to battery operated blowers and weed whips has begun
- Sunset Park improvements update
- New Community Development Director Rich Grunow will start work May 7
- Moving forward with purchase and rehabilitation of 35 multi-family units for low- and very low-income housing for Coronado residents in conjunction with Coronado Interfaith Housing
- This summer’s Junior Lifeguards (ages 9-17) and Surf Awareness (ages 6-8) program information available online
- Planned Glorietta Bay Boat Launch ramp closure April 11 and 12
- Vietnam Veterans honored at event hosted by Naval Base Coronado and the City of Coronado
- Electronic filing of Form 700s and campaign statements for elected officials and public employees who make or influence governmental decisions
- Flower Show and Book Sale April 21 and 22; set up and preparation to begin April 16
Each week, the City Manager’s Office provides an update that includes information on programs, services and issues within the City, as well as news, project updates and follow-up information when necessary.
Get up to speed on what’s going on in Coronado with this video preview of the latest edition of the Coronado City Manager’s Weekly Update, as well as a sampling of the updates below. Read the full update on the City’s website.
- Drone Use in Coronado: The City Council received its first presentation on recreational unmanned aircraft systems, better known as drones. The Council will soon consider an ordinance for the promotion, regulation and safe use of drones. The City has received complaints of drones harassing people and flying where they should not. However, since the City’s Municipal Code was silent on drones, there has been no local enforcement capability. The Navy currently has enforcement oversight. The ordinance will allow local enforcement. According to Federal Aviation Administration rules, drones may not fly within five miles of an airport without prior approval of the airport operator. Airports surrounding Coronado blanket the City and prevent drone flights from operating in nearly all areas of town without securing the needed permission from the Navy. The City will be working with the Navy to pre-approve specific areas where recreational drone operators can fly. Drone users will likely be required to first notify the City electronically of their plans to fly through an internet-accessible system on the City’s website. Recreational and commercial drone operators will still need permission before flying outside of those pre-approved areas. The ordinance will only apply to recreational drone activities.
- Affordable Rental Housing Plan: The City is moving forward with a plan to provide for the purchase and rehabilitation of 35 multi-family units to ensure that Coronado keeps low and very-low income housing available to residents. The City Council agreed in February to work with Coronado Interfaith Housing, which will own, develop and manage the properties for 65 years. Financing consists of $7 million in tax-exempt multi-family housing revenue bonds, which are payable solely out of the revenues derived by the developer for the project. The City is not a party to the financing agreements. Tenants will be temporarily relocated during construction, which is expected to take 10 months. In return for a $1 per year lease, Interfaith Housing will rehabilitate existing structures, secure all financing, maintain compliance with new income limits, and operate the facility for the term of the agreement. At the end of the lease, the land and improvements will belong to the City. The units are located at complexes at 406-430 Orange Ave., 445-451 Orange, 560-566 G Ave., and 840 G.
- Leaf Blower Conversion Update: The City’s Parks Division recently completed the first phase of Coronado’s conversion from gas to battery-operated blowers and weed whips. Parks Division purchased three blowers, three weed whips, 10 batteries, 10 chargers and two backpack batteries. The first phase established benchmarks of actual usage time for each piece of equipment, while evaluating three different sizes of batteries; and the productivity/effectiveness compared to the gas-powered equipment that was replaced. This information will inform the equipment purchases in the second phase, which are scheduled for August. Multiple commercial-grade battery-operated pieces of equipment currently available in the marketplace were evaluated. After comparing performance, maintenance and cost factors, the decision was made to select Husqvarna for the City’s battery powered landscaping equipment. Parks Division’s service trucks will soon be retrofitted with inverters and chargers to facilitate handheld equipment battery charging while in the field. A few members of the Parks crew were using the new equipment, on a daily basis, over the past three months. All feedback was positive regarding performance and ease of use, and the quietness was touted as a significant quality of service benefit.
