Group fights for University Heights boundary rights

Contrary to what some people say, this is not really a very complex issue. This boundary error was included in the 1986 North Park Community Plan as a result of a meeting of the UHCA board members and then-Councilperson Gloria McColl. They met on June 2, 1984 to discuss reducing the borders of University Heights. Specifically, they met to discuss “the community plan as it affects the area bounded by El Cajon Blvd. on the south, Mission Valley in the north, Park Blvd. in the west, and 805 in the east" (quote from the UHCA's Newsletter dated May 1984). The idea to divide and reduce the borders of University Heights was spearheaded by the UHCA's board member Chris Huddy along with the other board members, including Judy D. Abercrombie. Consequently, only a few months after that meeting, the (blue) University Heights street signs were strategically placed at Texas Street by the City, thus dividing our neighborhood in half. Then, in 1986, the North Park Community Plan was published and the new UHCA's recommended reduced borders that split University Heights at Texas Street were listed in the Community Plan. This was done in error and without proper notice or input from those affected. No one on the east side of Texas Street was ever informed that these new boundaries had been discussed and decided upon. Indeed, our entire area was removed from having the UH neighborhood designation because of the actions of only a few people. I’m sure you will agree that no person or any group should be able to throw 16,000 people out of their neighborhood. We now have the opportunity to correct this error. Currently the North Park Community Plan is being updated and we want this boundary error corrected. We want the UH traditional boundaries, from I-163 to I-805, to be listed officially in the Community Plan. These have been the UH boundaries since 1888. That is why I asked the UHCDC to create a resolution to ask the Planning Department and the Mayor to recognize the true boundaries of University Heights. This resolution was approved unanimously be the entire board of the UHCDC and unanimously supported by the North Park Planning Committee. I am the person who started the "We Are University Heights" on-line petition (http://weareuniversityheights.weebly.com/). We are also talking to our neighbors and collecting signatures door-to-door. We currently have several hundred signatures of people in the neighborhood who believe that they live in University Heights and would like to have this noted correctly in the new North Park Community Plan. It is time that Community Plan recognizes that the University Heights borders begin at the I-163 in the west and end at the I-805 in the east. It is time that we stop this arbitrary exclusion of 16,000 people from their rightful neighborhood. Indeed, all of our deeds and our tax bills indicate that we live in University Heights and we are entitled to be recognized as such
— February 3, 2014 6:50 a.m.