Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Clairemont corner eyesore

Graffiti magnet at major Balboa Avenue intersection

Good spot for a gas station, however...
Good spot for a gas station, however...

The corner lot on Clairemont Drive and Balboa Avenue was covered in graffiti again on December 4. It wasn't the first time Stephanie Pfaff of Bay Park had seen the vacant buildings behind the chain-link fence vandalized.

"More than anything," said Pfaff, "I would like to know who the owner is and what the plans are for the property. It has been such an eyesore for so long."

Though the owner paints over the graffiti, the property is repeatedly vandalized.

A Shell gas station was located on the corner lot until 1998. Since that time, the building at 3091 Clairemont Drive has housed a smog shop, a yoga studio, a flower stand, and lingerie-clad baristas. Since the end of 2010, no businesses have made use of the property.

Sponsored
Sponsored

On December 11, I spoke to Bobby Emrani, a former tenant. Emrani operated the All Star Smog station for ten years until he says he was forced to leave in 2010.

"The owner of the property kicked all of the businesses off the lot at once because he said he wanted to build a restaurant," said Emrani.

On December 15, Michael Richmond, deputy director of the City of San Diego's Code Enforcement Division, elaborated on what happened in 2010.

"The city issued a civil penalty notice and order and subsequently took the matter to two civil penalty hearings due to non-compliance,” Richmond said. He provided a copy of the October administrative hearing decision and order representing the results of the second civil penalty hearing.

According to the city, Sharok Eslamian purchased the property from the Shell Oil Company in 1998. Since 1984, the property has had a permit to operate a gas station and a convenience store. According to a city administrative hearing document, Eslamian abandoned the permit by leasing to tenants not permitted to conduct business on the property.

In early 2010, the city received a complaint about the corner lot. In April, a civil penalty notice and order was issued to Eslamian. In May, Eslamian quit-claim deeded the property to his brother Shaw Eslamian.

On September 21, 2010, a hearing took place with both brothers present. Civil penalties of $36,000 were ordered. All business operations were also ordered to cease by December 10. In addition, two options were offered to Eslamian with the same deadline: the first was to obtain a demolition permit to remove all property structures; the second was to apply for a permit to operate a gas station and convenience store.

On October 26, 2015, a second administrative hearing was held to determine compliance of the 2010 order. According to Richmond, Eslamian failed to appear even though notice was properly served. In fact, Eslamian was granted a continuance for the original hearing scheduled in September.

It was shown at the hearing that Eslamian had not complied with the 2010 order. Furthermore, numerous citations had been issued due to graffiti, unpermitted signs, and trash. The city noted that even though Eslamian paints over the graffiti, the property is repeatedly vandalized.

On October 29, civil penalties of $110,000 were ordered. It was also ordered that permits be obtained within 30 days to remove all structures and any hazardous conditions related to the service station. The demolition was ordered to be completed within 60 days. If complied with, $35,000 in penalties will be forgiven and $76,000 would be due in 90 days. Administrative costs are also being sought in the amount of $2,528.12.

As of December 15, Eslamian has not applied for or obtained any permits to comply with the October order.

On December 15, I reached one of the brothers by phone (Sharok Eslamian). When asked what the plans were for the property, Eslamian replied, "I'll call you right back." As of publication, this reporter has not received a call back.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

The Digital Currency Wave Hits the Shores of San Diego

Next Article

A poem for March by Joseph O’Brien

“March’s Lovely Asymptotes”
Good spot for a gas station, however...
Good spot for a gas station, however...

The corner lot on Clairemont Drive and Balboa Avenue was covered in graffiti again on December 4. It wasn't the first time Stephanie Pfaff of Bay Park had seen the vacant buildings behind the chain-link fence vandalized.

"More than anything," said Pfaff, "I would like to know who the owner is and what the plans are for the property. It has been such an eyesore for so long."

Though the owner paints over the graffiti, the property is repeatedly vandalized.

A Shell gas station was located on the corner lot until 1998. Since that time, the building at 3091 Clairemont Drive has housed a smog shop, a yoga studio, a flower stand, and lingerie-clad baristas. Since the end of 2010, no businesses have made use of the property.

Sponsored
Sponsored

On December 11, I spoke to Bobby Emrani, a former tenant. Emrani operated the All Star Smog station for ten years until he says he was forced to leave in 2010.

"The owner of the property kicked all of the businesses off the lot at once because he said he wanted to build a restaurant," said Emrani.

On December 15, Michael Richmond, deputy director of the City of San Diego's Code Enforcement Division, elaborated on what happened in 2010.

"The city issued a civil penalty notice and order and subsequently took the matter to two civil penalty hearings due to non-compliance,” Richmond said. He provided a copy of the October administrative hearing decision and order representing the results of the second civil penalty hearing.

According to the city, Sharok Eslamian purchased the property from the Shell Oil Company in 1998. Since 1984, the property has had a permit to operate a gas station and a convenience store. According to a city administrative hearing document, Eslamian abandoned the permit by leasing to tenants not permitted to conduct business on the property.

In early 2010, the city received a complaint about the corner lot. In April, a civil penalty notice and order was issued to Eslamian. In May, Eslamian quit-claim deeded the property to his brother Shaw Eslamian.

On September 21, 2010, a hearing took place with both brothers present. Civil penalties of $36,000 were ordered. All business operations were also ordered to cease by December 10. In addition, two options were offered to Eslamian with the same deadline: the first was to obtain a demolition permit to remove all property structures; the second was to apply for a permit to operate a gas station and convenience store.

On October 26, 2015, a second administrative hearing was held to determine compliance of the 2010 order. According to Richmond, Eslamian failed to appear even though notice was properly served. In fact, Eslamian was granted a continuance for the original hearing scheduled in September.

It was shown at the hearing that Eslamian had not complied with the 2010 order. Furthermore, numerous citations had been issued due to graffiti, unpermitted signs, and trash. The city noted that even though Eslamian paints over the graffiti, the property is repeatedly vandalized.

On October 29, civil penalties of $110,000 were ordered. It was also ordered that permits be obtained within 30 days to remove all structures and any hazardous conditions related to the service station. The demolition was ordered to be completed within 60 days. If complied with, $35,000 in penalties will be forgiven and $76,000 would be due in 90 days. Administrative costs are also being sought in the amount of $2,528.12.

As of December 15, Eslamian has not applied for or obtained any permits to comply with the October order.

On December 15, I reached one of the brothers by phone (Sharok Eslamian). When asked what the plans were for the property, Eslamian replied, "I'll call you right back." As of publication, this reporter has not received a call back.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Pet pig perches in pocket

Escondido doula gets a taste of celebrity
Next Article

Mid-range fleet scoring bluefin limits off Ensenada

Rockfish to open at all depths April 1st (no foolin’)
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.