PUBLIC NOTICE OF ANNUAL ELECTION

Election of eight voting members to the Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group

for individual terms of two years per elected voting member will take place on:

Saturday, March 4, 2022 from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM

in front of

Kensington-Normal Heights Library

inside Kensington Park

4121 Adams Avenue,

San Diego, CA 92116

AND

Wednesday, March 8, 2022 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

inside

Talmadge Traffic Circle

at the intersection of

49Th Street and Adams Avenue,

San Diego, CA 92115

VOTER ELIGIBILITY

Pursuant to City of San Diego Council Policy 600-24 requirements and Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group Bylaws as approved by the San Diego City Council and San Diego City Attorney, all voters in this election must:

be at least 18 years of age;
be affiliated with the community as a:
1. property owner, who is an individual identified as the sole or partial owner of record, or their designee, of a real property (either developed or undeveloped), within the community planning area as shown in Exhibit A, or
2. resident, who is an individual whose primary address of residence is an address in the community planning area as shown in Exhibit A, or
3. local business person, who is a local business or not-for-profit owner, operator, or designee at
  a non-residential real property address in the community planning area as shown in Exhibit A;
submit a Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group Registration Form as shown in Exhibit B, and
present:
1. one of the following documents: a valid government issued photo identification card, such as
  a United States passport, United States military identification card, California driver's license, or California identification card with a current Kensington-Talmadge address; however,
2. if the document does not include a Kensington-Talmadge address imprinted by the issuing agency, then one of the following additional documents with a qualifying Kensington-Talmadge address must be provided: a current original utility or property tax bill or facsimile thereof, or first-class mail personally addressed to the voter postmarked within the last 30 days.

Kensington-Talmadge Community Planning Area

As shown in the map below, the Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group covers the area east of I-15, west of Contour Blvd./51st Street, north of El Cajon Blvd. and south of Montezuma.

Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group Registration Form

Click here to download a printable version

Candidate Statements

KTPG elections will be held Saturday, March 4 from 10:30am to 12:30pm at the Kensington Library Park AND Wednesday, March 8 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Talmadge Traffic Circle to elect eight voting board members to the Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group (KTPG). The candidates are listed below in random order as they appear on the ballot. There are also candidate statements for those that submitted them.

Ari Isaak

My name is Ari Isaak. I’ve lived in Talmadge with my partner and two daughters since 2018. My day-to-day work is as Owner and Director of Operations at Evari GIS Consulting. Most of my time is spent collaborating with younger staff to create maps which facilitate street lighting conversions and ADA compliance across the US. I own a 3 unit property in North Park and participate in multiple civic organizations including the Public Policy committee through the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. On most days I commute on the Meade bikeway on my bike to my office close to 30th and University.

As one of the younger members of this group, I am interested in how Talmadge and Kensington will mature over the upcoming years and decades. I would much rather be involved in influencing the way our neighborhood changes over time, than obstructing the changes that come with time, increased population and changing priorities. I have been involved in the Kensington Talmadge CPG for 2 years. In that time there have been circumstances where I have been the lone vote in-favor or opposed to an action item. I believe my sometimes contrarian view adds to the debate which results in better decisions.

Brian Helmich

I’m very pleased to be running for re-election to the Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group. Local input on land use, development, and transportation matters is so important for building healthy and balanced communities benefiting those who live and work there and come to enjoy what they have to offer.

Professionally, I am a Ph.D. immunologist who builds research collaborations between industry and university partners. I develop opportunities, nurture relationships, and negotiate the legal agreements that govern partners working together. I’m largely a negotiator and believe very strongly in finding practical solutions that work for all.

I’m in my tenth year living in Talmadge and chair both Talmadge Community Council and the Talmadge Maintenance Assessment District board. In these roles, I actively connect a community of diverse residents to one another and to the elected officials, staff, and department resources established to serve their needs. I understand how to unify and represent a large community of many different viewpoints. I’m driven to find solutions to benefit all involved. Further, I’m presently Vice-Chair of the Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group, and chair or serve on many of its established subcommittees.

I hope you will vote to re-elect me to serve you for another two years.

Paul Kreuger

I’ve been a Talmadge homeowner for almost 40 years, and care deeply about our neighborhood (and our neighbors)!

I’ve tried to help as much as I can with neighborhood issues in my years of service on our Planning Group, and served for a year as the Group’s treasurer.

I’m particularly interested in helping promote awareness of the need for adequate infrastructure and transit planning and “smart” density in Talmadge.

Paul Tourkin

I am a homeowner and resident of Talmadge and have lived nearby nearby since the ‘90s. I am also an attorney who specializes in the creation and governance of nonprofit organizations such as community and educational groups, business groups and charities. Through that I have experience with Maintenance Assessment Districts and other special districts in the City of San Diego.

I am interested in habitability of our neighborhood and specifically how it interfaces on my end with the more urban Little Saigon district. Revisiting my South Park home of 20 years, I have noted how home values there have rapidly appreciated while the walkable village aspects have increased. My small cul de sac is populated by families with small children and most of the people I see at the open houses are in their demographic. Without attention to their needs and desires, home values here will not follow the market. I am interested in the City and this group being responsive to these interests as well as the majority views of the legacy residents which are currently represented.

Roger Utt

As a founding Board Member of the Kensington-Talmadge Planning Group in 1991, I have served on the Board and various Subcommittees (on-and-off) since its formation, and I have attended 80-90% of the monthly board meetings since then.

I have been a practicing Architect in San Diego for over 40 years, becoming very knowledgeable of the City of San Diego Land Development Code and Planning regulations, including new City Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) regulations. I have brought my extensive architectural, design, engineering, and planning experience to the Board and Subcommittees to help guide the preservation and development of our community over the years.

I have lived and conducted my business in both Kensington and Talmadge for over 40 years, raised my family in the Kensington neighborhood, and been an active member of the community in many ways.

I would appreciate your support to continue my service to the community to ensure compatible and aesthetic development occurs within our community.

Thank you for you vote!

David Roth

My name is David Roth. I have been a San Diego resident since 1982 and a homeowner in Kensington Heights since 2010. After an extensive restoration, our house was historically designated in 2014.

I have been actively involved in community matters in Kensington/Talmadge for more than 10 years since my husband, Bill Adair, was elected Secretary on the KTPG Board. I have served on the Elections sub-committee several times and assisted with Historic Resources review.

I am particularly interested in preserving the unique historic character of Kensington/Talmadge and protecting our neighborhoods from overly aggressive development by non-residents. I am a founding member of the Historic Kensington organization, which is currently pursuing designation of Kensington as an Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. I am also involved in recent community efforts to preserve and protect Kensington’s historic streetlamps and resist re-zoning measures which jeopardize our single-family neighborhood status.

By trade I am a geospatial engineer with FedEx, now in my 37th year with the company. I have decades of experience in project management, successfully working with commercial and governmental interests to implement projects. I look forward to bringing my experience and passion for Kensington/Talmadge to the Board.

Ken Baer

15-year resident of Kensington, currently serving on KTPG and the Kensington Heights MAD. Also: I am the Chair of the Government Affairs-Central Committee of the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS; and a Docent since 1998 at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.

Lisa Stone

I'm Lisa Stone. I have a family friend living in the Kensington Talmadge Community and, I have been visiting for the last 25 years from New York. I've dreamed of owning a home here and finally my husband and I were able to make that happen almost 2 years ago.

Recently I saw news about the destruction of the Kensington Heights streetlights, and I've since become an active volunteer to help preserve not only the streetlights but our amazing historical neighborhood. I don't live in Kensington Heights, but I care deeply. If the streetlights were in Talmadge, I'd care just as much. I live in Kensington Manor and am fortunate to have wonderful neighbors.

I'm really looking forward to serving on the Kensington Talmadge Planning Group as a member of the board. In the past, I've volunteered as the co-chair of my NYC building's Tenants Association. I've also served on the board of a battered woman's shelter in NJ for many years.

My current career is working for a woman-owned boutique company providing technical support to large law firms throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Thank you for considering me. I will listen to you and do my best to make you proud.