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Under state law, cities may close that portion of any street dividing any school grounds when, in the opinion of the council, such closing is necessary for the protection of students attending such school or school grounds. Further, cities may vacate a street if the council finds that the street is unnecessary for present or prospective public use. In addition to these legislative acts, state-zoning laws also would require legislative action to amend the circulation element of the City's General Plan, the General Plan and Zoning Maps, and the Local Coastal Program.

There are legal questions whether the Measure is beyond the scope of the voters' initiative powers. First, the courts have held that an initiative measure is invalid if, instead of itself being a legislative act, it directs a city council to perform a legislative act. As this Measure expressly directs the City Council to carry out a series of legislative acts necessary to close and vacate a portion of Sixth Street, rather than placing the contemplated legislative acts on the ballot itself, a court could rule this Measure unenforceable.

Second, since the state has preempted the entire field of traffic control, any right of a city to interfere with the free flow of traffic, as by closing a street, must be derived from an express delegation of authority from the Legislature. As state law specifically delegates to city councils the power over the closure and abandonment of roads, an argument can be made that a city may not adopt such legislative acts by the initiative process.

The proposed ordinance will be enacted by receiving a simple majority of "yes" votes. If adopted, this Measure shall become a valid and binding ordinance of the City and cannot be repealed or amended except by a vote of the people. The ordinance is adopted upon the date that the vote is declared by the City Counsel, and shall go into effect 10 days after that date.

In summary, your YES vote means you favor amending the Municipal Code to require the City Council implement the legislative actions specified in this Measure. Your NO vote means you do not support the proposed amendment to the Municipal Code spelled out in this Measure.

MICHAEL G. MALINICK, City Attorney

THE NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL WHICH WILL OPEN IN SEPTEMBER 2001 WILL HAVE AN ENROLLMENT CAPACITY OF 750 STUDENTS, WHICH EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED (1500) CHILDREN CROSSING SIXTH STREET EACH DAY. SIXTH STREET BELONGS TO US, THE VOTERS OF CORONADO. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS CUSTODIAL DUTIES FOR THE STREET. PROPOSITION G DIRECTS THE CITY COUNCIL TO TRANSFER THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR SIXTH STREET, BETWEEN F AND G AVENUES, TO THE CORONADO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. THERE IS NO CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY SHOW SOME GAIN IN NET VALUE, HOWEVER, THE CITIES NET VALUE WILL REMAIN THE SAME.

THE TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, FOR SIXTH STREET BETWEEN F AND G AVENUES, WILL PLACE NO FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE CITY OF CORONADO, EXCEPT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION COST OF CHANGING THE GENERAL AND TRAFFIC CIRCULATION PLANS AS RELATED TO THE USE OF SIXTH STREET FROM F TO G AVENUE.

UTILITIES, STORM DRAINS AND SEWER SERVICE WILL REMAIN INTACT UNTIL THE CORONADO SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS PLANS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROPERTY.

THE CORONADO SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY BARRICADES TO CLOSE SIXTH STREET

HISTORICALLY, CORONADO HAS HAD A REPUTATION FOR HAVING THE HIGHEST DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL RATE PER CAPITA IN THE USA. WE DO NOT NEED AN OPEN STREET THROUGH THE CENTER OF OUR SCHOOL COMPLEX.

VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION G FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN.

DON D. VALLIERE, Retired CHS Teacher, 1959-1988

EUGENE A. GREENE, Retired CHS Teacher

BEN G. COOPER, Retired CHS Teacher

ROBERT J. OLIVER, Retired High School Teacher & Principal

DENNIS P. GRIMAUD, Retired Sergeant, Coronado Police

The School District made it clear in their 20 November 1995 reply to then City Manager Homer Bludau. In that letter, School District Officials flatly REJECTED ALL CITY PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE CHILD SAFETY, including all pedestrian tunnels, barricades or bridges suggested for a Sixth Street crossing, insisting instead that: "Our District request is for full closure. Anything less than full closure does not meet the stated objectives" (i. e. more land for playfields).

Enlarged playfields are not important enough to jeopardize the safety of Village School children and city residents. Emergency vehicles respond to about forty-five alarms each week. Any delay responding to a serious injury or heart attack can mean the difference between life or death.

Make no mistake about it, if approved, this UNLAWFUL INITIATIVE: "Close(s) Sixth Street and the adjacent public rights-of-way (sidewalks) located between F Avenue and G Avenue to all types of traffic and transfer(s) title to the aforesaid property to the Coronado Unified School District.." thereby PREVENTING SAFE PASSAGE OF CHILDREN to Village Elementary, Kindergarten and Sacred Heart School along existing Sixth Street sidewalks, and BLOCKING ALL EMERGENCY VEHICLES and public utility easements.

Please VOTE NO! on Proposition G

MARGARET C. RICHARDSON,President, Fourth & G Homeowner's Association

RICHARD C. DIETZ, President, Palms Owners Association

JOAN T. MC COLLY

JAMES W. NEWHALL, Engineering Manager

CHARLOTTE PIEPENKOTTER, Property Owner

SAFETY. Sixth is Coronado's MOST CRITICALLY IMPORTANT east-west route, the ONLY street running from Glorietta Boulevard to Coronado Avenue. Ambulances and fire engines responding from the fire station on Sixth to the western side of town (G Avenue through Alameda, entire Country Club area, Village Elementary and Kindergarten) would have to detour several blocks around the closed section. In a medical, police or fire emergency, seconds count and closing Sixth could cost a life or home. Sixth is a designated Collector Street in Coronado's General Plan.

COSTS. Moving underground sewer mains, storm drains and utilities and satisfying legal requirements to close Sixth can easily COST TAXPAYERS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

TRAFFIC. Closing Sixth Street will force residents to needlessly drive out of their way. This will increase congestion and push more traffic onto adjacent streets, likely requiring cutting into the median for more traffic lights on Orange at both Fifth and Seventh Streets.

SCHOOL PLANS. Voters approved the school bond based on a master plan that DID NOT require taking any public open space to enlarge playfields.

THE CORONADO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS NOT ENDORSED THIS CITIZEN'S INITIATIVE TO CLOSE SIXTH STREET.

SCHOOL CHILDREN. Sixth Street is already VERY SAFE for children with stop signs at intersections and a 15 mph school zone speed limit. Closing Sixth Street will INCREASE RISK TO CHILDREN, forcing them to find ways around high fences blocking their route.

UNLAWFUL INITIATIVE. City Attorney's brief to City Council (07/ 13/00) states: "the Sixth Street initiative, as circulated by the proponent's petition and submitted to the City Council, IS LEGALLY INVALID"

PLEASE VOTE NO!

JOSEPH T. TALBERT, JR., Former Chairman-Planning Commission

DUNHAM REILLY, Captain USN (Ret.)

FLOYD R. MOORE, Coronado Engineer Consultant, Retired

FRANK A. TIERNEY, Candidate for City Council

WILLIAM A. KINZLER, Former Supt. of Coronado Schools, 1976-83

THE 1986 SCHOOL DISTRICT MASTER PLAN CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED THE NEED TO SEPARATE THE SCHOOL AGE GROUPS, SAYING PARTICULARLY THAT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SEPARATION WAS ESSENTIAL. THE SCHOOL BOARD IS ON TRACK TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL. IS THERE A PRICE TO BE PAID BY WE ADULTS FOR OUR CHILDREN NOW AND IN THE FUTURE? OF COURSE! THERE WILL BE TRAFFIC IMPACTS AROUND 5 TH , F, AND G STREETS; HOWEVER THE TRAFFIC STUDIES SAY IT WILL BE MEASURABLE BUT NOT SIGNIFICANT. THE SAME IS SAID TO BE TRUE FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLE RESPONSE TIME TO THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTRY CLUB AREA. IN ADDITION, CHANGING THE TRAFFIC FLOW IN FRONT OF VILLAGE ELEMENTARY TO A SEMI CUL-DE-SAC WILL GREATLY ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PLAN FOR OFF STREET PARKING WILL INCREASE THE PARKING SUPPLY. JOIN US BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION G., FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN AND TO BRING CORONADO SCHOOLS INTO THE 21 ST CENTURY.

DAVID BLUMENTHAL, Retired City Council Member and Retired Principal, Village School

MAUREEN MC GRATH, School Superintendent

MARLYS SIMMONS STANLEY A. SEARFUS, Retired Coronado Student, 1968-1979

SHARON M. LIGHTNER, University Professor