The Finest City

This episode features Shawna Anderson, the Executive Director of the San Dieguito River Park, the agency responsible for creating natural open space in the San Dieguito River Valley. In this episode, Shawna talks about the mission of the organization and the rich tapestry of habitats and landscapes that grace the park, while exploring the vital connection it shares with the San Dieguito River Vall...

This episode features Eric Bowlby, Executive Director of San Diego Canyonlands, as part of the Knowledge to Action series. San Diego Canyonlands is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of San Diego's canyons and creeks through ongoing education and community engagement. Eric talks about how our canyons play a very important role in battling climate change, how you...

As part of the Knowledge to Action series, we continue the conversation around San Diego's Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) and welcome Holly Smit Kicklighter, a biologist and key figure around the program. Holly details MSCP's historical significance, its international model status, and its role in achieving climate action goals for the region. Holly talks about how this game-changing...

As part of the Knowledge to Action series, this episode welcomes two expert guests who helped create the MSCP, San Diego's Multiple Species Conservation Program, Landscape Architect and Natural Resources Manager Karen Scarborough, and Biologist and Land Use Entitlement Expert, Jim Whalen. Karen and Jim speak on the role of the MSCP in inspiring today's climate action goals, what makes it so succes...

As part of the Knowledge to Action series, this episode features two leaders from Ocean Discovery Institute, Board Member Vanessa Sandoval, and Carla Camacho, Manager of Business Development. They discuss their previous experience with the Institute and how getting involved at a young age helped shape their careers in adulthood. Vanessa and Carla discuss the mission of Ocean Discovery Institute, a...

The oral history episode series continues with architect and former C-3 President, Fred Marks. Kate Goodson sits down with Fred to talk about evidence-based design and the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture, including how humans are affected by architecture, building scale, and urban design. They also cover the critical role C-3 played in the beginning of downtown San Diego's redevelopment i...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, Executive Director Phillip Musegaas and former Executive Director and managing attorney, Matt O'Malley, from San Diego Coastkeeper, discuss how their organization uses a combination of science, advocacy, education, and community engagement to address various water-related issues. They talk with host Jen Whitelaw about Coastkeeper's history and eff...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw is accompanied by Clarissa Anderson to discuss the topic of coastline and wetlands. Clarissa Anderson is a member of the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS), one of the 11 regions that collaborate with the United States Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). Clarissa talks about SCCOOS's origin story an...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw is joined by Theresa Talley, Scientist and Extension Specialist at California Sea Grant. Theresa talks about using science to advance the field of ecology, address coastal environmental issues, train tomorrow's leaders, and raise awareness of our local ecosystems. She talks more with Jen about how Sea Grant bridges the gap betwee...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw welcomes Angela Kemsley and Mary Liesegang of WILDCOAST. Along with their international team, Angela and Mary are working to conserve coastal and marine ecosystems and address climate change through natural solutions. They speak with Jen about WILDCOAST's mission to establish and manage marine protected areas, restore blue carbon...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw welcomes Zach Plopper, Senior Environmental Director at the Surfrider Foundation. Zach is a coastal marine conservationist by trade, surfer, and ocean lover at heart. Zach walks us through his career journey in advocacy-driven coastal and marine conservation, including his previous work at WILDCOAST where he helped California sig...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw welcomes Mirle Rabinowitz-Bussell, Ph. D., and Leslie Lewis, Ph. D. from Homelessness Hub, two of the great minds leading the collaboration between Urban Studies and Planning and Geographical Information Systems at UC San Diego. Mirle and Leslie discuss Homelessness Hub's use of data and visualization tools to support research an...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw welcomes Ricardo Flores , Executive Director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) San Diego. Ricardo talks about the complex work LISC does throughout its extensive network of investment-based collaborations that support San Diego's underserved neighborhoods. He discusses how LISC stands behind its mission in many ways...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw welcomes Diego Velasco, Principal and Founder of Citythinkers , an integrated and multi-disciplinary planning, urban design, and research firm based in San Diego, California. Diego shares how he got into design and planning, and how his love and pride for San Diego translates into all the projects he takes on. Diego discusses the...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw speaks with Stephen Russell, current President and CEO of San Diego Housing Federation and former Executive Director of the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement District. He sheds some light on the important role of Business Improvement Districts, including supporting economic development activities and promoting city growth a...

In this episode of the Knowledge to Action series, host Jen Whitelaw speaks with Developer Rammy Cortez of Rammy Urban Infill. Rammy speaks about his work specializing in creating attractive infill residential micro-unit communities in urban walkabout areas. Rammy discusses his belief in housing people and not cars, and how San Diego can better build efficient dwelling units that help all members...

Welcome to The Finest City's Knowledge to Action Series, where we interview movers and shakers covering six areas of land planning in our region: the urban core, mesas, valleys and canyons, San Diego Bay, the binational border, coastline and wetlands, and the backcountry. In this episode, host Jen Whitelaw speaks with urban planner Suchi Lukes who also spearheads C-3's Urban Core Knowledge Action...

This week we welcome former C-3 President, Bill Anderson. Bill walks us down his career path to become a nationally recognized urban planner and also discusses timely issues like transit-oriented development, smart density, and mixed-use communities. He also discusses San Diego's legacy of unjust exclusionary housing policies, and how we can ensure inclusion at every level of development, moving f...

This week, we welcome former C-3 board member Andrew Spurlock. Andy first talks about his move to San Diego in 1975 to jumpstart his career in landscape architecture, after he read Temporary Paradise and was inspired by its vision. Andy talks about a few of the important changes he's seen in San Diego in over four decades, and how C-3 can look forward to the future and effectively protect our regi...

In this episode, we feature retired SANDAG planner and longtime C-3 member, Mike McLaughlin. He discusses how transportation is linked to responsible land-use decisions, and why many of the planning challenges from 40 years ago are still relevant today. Mike talks about the Smart Growth Movement, and where we go from here to best prepare for the future and get the next generations on board. Mike a...

This week, we welcome Don Wood to share his story of falling in love with San Diego, one surf session at a time. Don discusses a few of his key takeaways from working with SDG&E, the Community Action Partnership, and C-3. He talks about the climate of natural resource management in San Diego in the 1980s, and a few of the battles still being fought today. Don shares a few of C-3's biggest accompli...

We welcome back longtime C-3 member and director Diane Coombs. Diane shares her journey to San Diego from growing up on a farm, and the lessons it taught her about the environment and cultivating a relationship with nature. Then, Diane talks about the history of managed growth and smart growth in San Diego, from open space preservation to densification. Diane talks about the biggest battles of the...

This week we welcome Phil Pryde, San Diego State University Professor and self-proclaimed "bird guy." Phil talks with us about regional planning in the 1970s and his tenure on C-3's board, which coincided with the release of Temporary Paradise. Phil reflects on the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, how attitudes towards conservation and growth management have evolved, and t...

This week, we had a chat with Angeles Leira, former C-3 board member. During her 30-year tenure as city planner, she experienced a diversity of challenges corresponding to massive growth in suburban development in the region. She shares how she came to live in San Diego from Spain, and why she got involved with C-3. Angeles gives us an inside look at the city's planning department in the 1970s, an...

This week, Kate sits down with Mike Stepner, former City Architect and long-time C3 member. Mike discusses "Temporary Paradise?" and why its quantitative approach still holds up today after being created in 1974. He and Kate discuss the relation between C3 and "Temporary Paradise?", and how advocacy groups like C3 will continue to be a vital resource for our next generation of city architects and...