City of Chula Vista
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Cannabis
- Possibly, but this must be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Are you intending on releasing a form for the notarized labor peace agreement statement or should applicants create their own labor peace agreement statements for notarization?
Applicants should prepare their own statement or agreement in accordance with CVMC 5.19.050(A)(l), taking into account the definition of "Labor Peace Agreement" as specified in CVMC 5.19.020.- Please see Chula Vista Municipal Code section 5.19.050, City License Application Process, and accompanying regulations for additional information on application assessment.
- Possibly, but this must be determined on a case-by-case basis.
- Assuming that this question refers to cannabis businesses, no. Please refer to the definition of premise' and the limitations outlined in CVMC chapter 5.19. If the question refers to a non-cannabis and cannabis business located on the same premises, it depends; such situation would need to be evaluated on an individualized basis.
- Assuming that this question refers to cannabis businesses, no. Please refer to the definition of premise and the limitations outlined in CVMC chapter 5.19. If the question refers to a non-cannabis and cannabis business located on the same premises, it depends; such situation would need to be evaluated on an individualized basis.
- Yes. See applicable California state law requirements.
Currently, drivers that are delivering cannabis in Chula Vista from legal dispensaries elsewhere are allowed. Will we be required to have full backgrounds if the tax measure passes right away?
Delivery employees lawfully conducting deliveries for licensed cannabis businesses located outside the City will not be required to obtain or carry an identification badge issued by the Police Chief until six months after City'۪s initial application period. See Cannabis Regulations section 1600(D).- Yes, the engineer must be a CA Registered/Licensed engineer.
- Yes.
Do you anticipate that the highest scores will be awarded to companies that submit a business plan that follows the SBDC template? Or is this template included as just one example of a professional business plan?
The SBDC template is one example of a business plan, and is not required.- Security plans must be submitted with the phase two application. See CVMC 5.19.050(B)(1)(f).
Does City consider the Public Records Act acknowledgment to extend to proprietary and sensitive information (i.e., detailed financial projections, payroll records with employee info, and evidence of financial net worth with confidential financial information?
City will release information as required by California law.- CVMC 5.19.160(A)(8) requires state-licensed security personnel. Armed vs. unarmed security is a business decision that should be made by business owners after taking into account all security needs of the business.
Does the property section require complete site plans? The reason I ask that is after listening to an audio tape on your site, someone said if your package is approved but the site does not work you will be given some time to find another. Can you please explain?
In the event that a selected, qualified retail applicant's proposed premises is no longer available, the applicant will be offered the opportunity to select another site in the same district with certain restrictions. See Cannabis Regulations section 0502(N)(2)(a)(i).- Go to www.chulavistaca.gov/cannabis and you will find a place to enter your name and email address to receive cannabis-related updates. You can find links to the current set of cannabis regulations and Chula Vista Municipal Code chapter 5.19 online. Applicants and licensees are expected to comply with all effective laws and regulations.
How am I supposed to know if the owner of a property has had a felony conviction that would prevent me from operating at that location?
The City encourages all applicants to use due diligence in selecting a location.- The Police Chief expects to evaluate any expungement on a case-by-case basis.
- CVMC 5.19.040 authorizes up to 10 cultivation licenses.
If I am submitting multiple license applications with the same Owner, Manager, or Officer, do the Owner, Officers, and Managers need to submit a separate Live Scan form with each application?
As long as the LiveScan form lists the Submission ID numbers for all applications with which the individual is associated, you may submit a single LIVE SCAN for an individual associated with multiple applications. For example, if John Doe is associated with Submission ID Nos. 12345, 12347, and 22578, John Doe may complete one LiveScan form that includes “Submission ID #s 12345, 12347, and 22578” at the “Your Number” prompt on the LiveScan form.
If I purchase the property from an owner who has operated outside of the law can I move forward with my application for that property under my ownership?
It depends. CVMC chapter 5.19 contains language disqualifying persons who have previously facilitated or been involved with illegal cannabis activity or who have certain criminal convictions. If such persons remain associated with your proposed cannabis business or premises, such association may affect your ability to qualify for a license.- Per 5.19.050(B)(1)(d), if an owner of a proposed premises is an entity, the Police Chief may require individual employees, officers, members, or others of the entity to submit fingerprints and/or other information for a background check. For example, if the proposed premises owner is a large, out-of-state corporation, a local representative may be required to submit fingerprints and/or other information; however, determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis.
If you cannot disallow "address use" fees by premise landowners/landlords OR allow for only one applicant per address, can you require disclosure from all applicants?
The City may, in its discretion, request information relevant to site control.In reading the Cannabis Regulations, 0502 E.2., I am unclear as to what is meant by "Security Exclusion" policy. What does "security exclusion" mean?
The Exclusionary Policy refers to how that business will manage individuals who have been banned from a premises. The term is commonly used in police regulated businesses such as alcohol and gaming establishments. The exclusionary policy should address, for example: the type of issues may cause a person to be banned, such as gross intoxication, fighting, inappropriate behavior, passing forged monetary instruments, etc.; how a business will document that a person has been excluded so all employees will be aware; the length of time a person will be excluded; and what employees should do if a banned subject returns to the premises.In reviewing both Ordinance 3418 and the Draft Ordinance I noticed that there are some discrepancies between the documents. Can you tell me which would be the reliable ordinance to begin building our Phase One applications from?
The documents cited are actually two separate items. Ordinance 3418, the Commercial Cannabis Ordinance, was approved by City Council in March of this year and created the initial set of local cannabis laws, which are codified in Chula Vista Municipal Code chapter 5.19. The link referenced connects to a draft version of the regulations, which are promulgated by the City Manager. The regulations accompany the ordinances and provide additional information (in other words, they expand upon the ordinance provisions). All applicants/licensees will be required to comply with all ordinances and accompanying regulations.Is it possible to apply with multiple cannabis locations in mind or is the City only allowing one location per application?
Applicants should submit only one location per license application.Is the initial application process for retail/delivery only? Or is it also open for cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and testing licenses?
The initial application period is for all license types.On the draft application for number 28, will an application score more points if more boxes are checked for indication of cannabis, alcohol or pharmaceutical experience, or will full points be awarded by checking just one box in each section (28a and 28c)?
It depends. Determinations regarding qualifications will be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all aspects of qualification information submitted.On the Police Controlled License Application, what is the question “Have you ever applied for and/or been issued a police controlled license of any time prior to this application?” asking for?
The question is asking if you have ever been issued a license that has required some type of police or law enforcement oversight/control. For example, a license to sell alcoholic beverages or tobacco would be an example of a police controlled license, as would a license to conduct commercial cannabis operations. If you have applied for or hold any of those types of licenses, you should answer in the affirmative and list the required info.ow should you answer the question regarding the name of the business if you have not established a company yet?
Applicants may provide an individual's name if no business name is associated with the application.Posting at proposed premises. This appears to allow several storefront retailers to apply using the same address/landlord. Was this the original intent of the ordinance, and does it allow for landlords to charge fees for allowing multiple applicants to use their address for application purposes?
The provisions are intended to permit more than one applicant to list the same proposed site in the phase one application process; however, only one license will ultimately be issued per site. In regard to any fees charged by landlords, the City does not regulate real estate transactions between private entities.Question 24 of the draft application state " Premises Ownership %" Please clarify - are you referring to the ownership percentage the premise owner has in the property or in the cannabis business to be located on the property?
Draft application question 24 refers to the percentage of ownership in the Premises. If the premises owner also has an ownership interest in the business, such interest should be disclosed in the business ownership section of the application.The initial application period of five days is short. Perhaps clarifying it with '''business days' and extending might be appropriate.
The current regulations specify that the Initial Application Period for retail and cultivation licenses will run for five (5) consecutive business days' and that the City Manager has discretion to further extend such application period.Under the Police Controlled License Application, section VI, it requests information about incorporated entities. Do LLCs also have to submit their information in that section?
No, so long as the LLC information is provided in the cannabis license application submitted.- Please see applicable state regulations.
What is required to satisfy the "Premises Owners Information" document? Also, is the property owner required to complete a Live Scan and/or background check, and if only required in certain instances, in what case(s) would the property owner be required to complete those?
Please see CVMC 5.19.050(B)(1)(d) and Cannabis Regulations section 0502(C) regarding premises owner information requirements.What limitations will be enacted on advertising (billboards, sign twirlers, building and window signage, etc.)?
Please see CVMC 5.19.270 and applicable state regulations.What time will you close your application acceptance - at the close of business on the 18th of January or at midnight on the 18th of January?
The Initial Application Period will commence at 8:00 am PST on Monday, January 14 and end at 5:00 pm PST on Friday, January 18 for limited license types (storefront retail, non-storefront retail, and cultivation). The Initial Application Period for non-limited license types (distribution, manufacturing, and testing laboratory) will commence at 8:00 am PST on Monday, January 14 and end at 5:00 pm PST on Friday, January 25.- Currently, when an applicant applies for a State license for a business located in Chula Vista, the State contacts the City to determine whether the applicant is permitted in our jurisdiction before processing the State license. At this time, the City anticipates that it will only affirm that an applicant is scheduled to be permitted in our jurisdiction once the applicant has received Conditional Approval of their application pursuant to CVMC 5.19.050(B)(7).
- Please check the DOJ box on the cannabis license Live Scan form.
- The application will be available online during the Initial Application Period, which begins January 14, 2019 at 8:00am.
- There are several phases to the application process that include review by Finance, Police, Development Services, Fire Prevention, Code Enforcement, City Manager and outside consultants.
Will armed security guards be required 24 hours or only during business hours? Will this apply to all business types?
Please see CVMC 5.19.160(A)(8).- The City anticipates that finalists will be invited to an interview process.
- The use of electronic signatures on Cannabis-related forms using DocuSign is approved except in the following cases: documents or transactions that require a signature to be notarized for acknowledged; and documents or transactions that require a handwritten signature, including but not limited to transfers of interests in real property. In the event that DocuSign is used, a Certificate of Completion must accompany the document submitted.
- Yes.
Will the Live Scans need to be submitted prior to or at the same time as the license application? Where can I complete my Live Scan?
Owners, managers, and officers associated with an application will be required to complete their Live Scans within 30 days of submitting the application. Once the cannabis business license application is submitted, an application submission number will be provided to the applicant. Each owner, manager, and officer must include their application submission number on the approved Chula Vista Cannabis Business License Live Scan form (at the Your Number' prompt) when they request their Live Scan service. Live Scan may be completed at any authorized California Live Scan provider. Inquiries regarding out-of-state fingerprinting should be directed to the Chula Vista Police Department Special Investigations Unit at (619) 409-5059.Will you be giving extra points or preference on applications for those citizens/residents who qualify as a minority?
No. The laws and regulations were adopted following extensive discussion and consideration. At this time, City does not anticipate further substantive changes to its program.With the government shut down, FEIN applications are not being processed. How shall we handle this situation in the online application form?
Applicants who do not have a FEIN can submit an individual social security number. Applicants may be required to provide a FEIN at a later date, if available.- This zone is from the East Lake II Planned Community (PC) District Regulations for the following SPA Plans: East Lake I (including: East Lake Hills, East Lake Shores, Business Center I, & Village Center North Supplemental SPA Plan) and East Lake Business Center II SPA Plan. The PA district does not permit retail sales.
City Attorney
- The City Attorney’s Office cannot provide legal advice to private citizens. However, the San Diego County Bar offers a free referral service and can be contacted at 1-800-464-1529 or LRIS@sdcba.org.
- Yes, the City does have rent control for mobilehome space rent pursuant to CVMC Chapter 9.50.
- See the City Clerk's web page
- The Chula Vista Municipal Code is available on line at www.codepublishing.com/ca/ChulaVista/. You may also contact the City Clerk’s Office.
- If the situation, in either elder abuse or child abuse, is life threatening or in progress, you should call 911. You may also report elder abuse to Adult Protective Services at 1-800-510-2012. You may also report child abuse to Child Welfare Services at 1-800-344-6000.
- There are two legal types of cities in California—a general law city and a charter city. For a general law city, it must follow specified laws set forth in the California Government Code for its conduct. The State establishes those specified rules found in the Government Code. A charter city, on the other hand, is authorized, under the California Constitution, to create its own specified laws that govern its conduct in certain areas of law considered to be “municipal affairs”. Those rules are set forth in the city’s charter. Municipal affairs include local government, structure, elections, rules for public land use, and contracting. The charter is established by a vote of the city’s residents.
A copy of Chula Vista’s Charter is available here. - The District Attorney’s Office handles criminal matters (misdemeanors and felonies) under the state Penal Code. The City Attorney’s Office, while it may prosecute specified misdemeanors, generally handles civil matters involving the City of Chula Vista Municipal Code.
333 H Street, Suite 4000, Chula Vista, CA 91910
Phone: (619) 498-5650
Engineering
The California Vehicle Code (CVC) has established the law regarding parking near fire hydrants. Pursuant to section 22514, no person shall stop, park, or leave standing any vehicle within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
Generally, the City does not paint red curb in front of fire hydrants due to the high cost of maintenance. There are thousands of fire hydrants within the city limits and maintaining 30 feet of red curb in front of all of them would take away resources that can more effectively be deployed to maintain other public facilities around the City.
If a vehicle is parked too close to a hydrant in a fire emergency, the Fire department will use all means necessary to gain access to the fire hydrant. In non-emergency situations a vehicle parked within 15 feet of a fire hydrant is in violation of CVC 22514 and can be cited by a Police Officer or Parking Enforcement Officer.
If there is a vehicle parked in front of a fire hydrant, please call the Police Department at (619) 691-5151. If there is a fire emergency, call 911 immediately.
Children at Play signs are not recognized by the State of California or the Federal government as official traffic control devices and are therefore not installed on public streets in the City of Chula Vista.
Traffic studies have shown that these signs do not increase driver awareness to the point of reducing vehicle speeds or pedestrian collisions. In fact, placement of the signs may increase the potential for collisions by providing a false sense of protection that does not exist and cannot be guaranteed.
The CVC defines crosswalks as the part of a roadway that is an extension of the walkways or sidewalks at the intersection. Unless there’s a sign indicating not to cross the street there, the crosswalk already exists.
Note that not all crosswalks are marked. That’s for a good reason: studies have shown that pedestrians at intersections where there are no stop controls or traffic signals are more likely to be struck by a vehicle while in a marked or painted crosswalk than in an unmarked crosswalk. The reason apparently is that marked crosswalks may give pedestrians a false sense of security, believing that motorists will yield to them.
Crosswalk markings are used to guide pedestrians to a preferred crossing location. The markings are not nearly as visible to an approaching motorist as they are to the pedestrian. At intersections without stop signs or traffic signals (uncontrolled intersections) where it’s obvious where pedestrians should cross, crosswalks probably shouldn’t be marked except when supplemented by other pedestrians warning signs/devices and additional pavement markings to warn motorists that they are approaching an uncontrolled marked crosswalk and to be prepared to stop for a pedestrian on the crosswalk. The City has a marked crosswalk policy for the installation of these marked crosswalks at uncontrolled locations.
How are speed limits established and how can I reduce or increase the speed limit on a particular street?
Speed laws, as well as other traffic laws, are enacted by the State Legislature and compiled in the California Vehicle Code (CVC).
All states base their speed regulations on the Basic Speed Law: “No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property” (CVC 22350).
California state law also establishes maximum speed limits. For example the maximum speed on an undivided two-lane roadway is 55 MPH (CVC 22349b). All other speed limits are called prima facie limits, which are considered by law to be safe and prudent under normal conditions. Certain prima facie limits are established by California law and include the 25 MPH speed limit in business and residential districts and the 25 MPH limit in school zones when children are present.
Local jurisdictions have authority to establish reduced speed limits on the basis of engineering and traffic surveys (CVC 22358). Such surveys must include an analysis of roadway conditions, accident records and a sampling of the prevailing speed of traffic, (CVC 627). Other factors may be considered, but an unreasonable speed limit, which is called a speed trap, may not be established, (CVC 40802).
The Legislature has declared a strong public policy against the use of speed traps, to the extent that citations issued where a speed trap is found to exist are likely to be dismissed, particularly if radar enforcement methods are used (CVC 40803 – 40805).
A provision of the vehicle code that California Courts have generally considered very important reads, “It is the intent of the Legislature that physical conditions such as width, curvature, grade and surface conditions, or any other condition not readily apparent to a driver, in the absence of other factors, would not require special downward speed zoning, as the basic rule of section 22350 is sufficient regulation as to such conditions” (CVC 22358.5). The words, It is the intent of the Legislature, are intended to get the attention of traffic engineers and local jurisdictions in setting and maintaining local speed limits. Such speed limits must be set carefully, as justified by appropriate factors, to avoid making such limits unenforceable.
In all other areas the speed limit is set by an engineering and traffic survey which is done once every seven years for each segment of roadway.
When traffic problems occur, concerned citizens frequently ask why we don’t lower the speed limit. There are widely held misconceptions that speed limit signs will slow the speed of traffic, reduce accidents, and increase safety. Most drivers drive at a speed that they consider to be comfortable, regardless of the posted speed limit. Before and after studies have shown that there are no significant changes in average vehicle speeds following the posting of new or revised speed limits. Furthermore, research has found no direct relationship between posted speed limits and accident frequency.
Realistic speed limits help preserve uniformity of speed. Uniformity of speed is valuable for a number of reasons:
- It maintains consistency in traffic gaps for crossing traffic.
- It enables pedestrians to more accurately judge the speed of traffic.
- It reduces the possibility of conflict between faster and slower drivers.
- It makes unreasonable violators more obvious to enforcement personnel.
If you have further questions regarding the establishment of speed limits or a missing or needed speed limit sign, please call Traffic Engineering at (619) 691-5026.
If you have concerns regarding the enforcement of speed limits please contact the Traffic Division of the Chula Vista Police Department at (619) 691-5151.
- Please contact Engineering Permits at (619) 691-5024
- Request a copy of a police report from the City of Chula Vista Police Department.
You may do so through the ACT Chula Vista app (available for iPhone and Android devices ), by visiting the Service Requests page, or you may also call the Public Works Department at (619) 397-6000. ACT Chula Vista and Public Works Dispatch are strictly for non-emergency services and any emergency should be reported to the Police Department at (619) 691-5151 or by calling 911.
Since the roadways are public, they are subject to the laws of the California Vehicle Code and the Chula Vista Municipal Code. As long as vehicles are parked correctly, they are subject to the 72-hours parking limit. Each home is typically required to have at least a 2-car garage and driveway in order to provide sufficient off-street parking. For any home, the vehicles should first be parked within the garage. Secondly, the driveway should be utilized. Third, use any legal parking space available on the local public street.
Any vehicle exceeding that limit is subject removal by the Police or Fire Department in accordance with sections 22651 and 22669 of the California Vehicle Code.
If you think there is an abandoned car in your neighborhood please call the Chula Vista Police Department at (619) 691-5151.
- Please contact South Bay Expressway at (619) 661-7070 or email them at customerservice@southbayexpressway.com.
I was involved in a traffic collision, how do I obtain information for traffic signal operations and traffic signal timings?
Please contact Traffic Engineering at (619) 691-5026.- Visit the Sewer Rates page for more information.
- Contact the Police Department at (619) 691-5151.
The City of Chula Vista does have a City Council Policy titled "Installation of Speed Humps for Residential Streets." Please see the link below for specific information. A "speed hump" covers the entire width of a roadway, for a distance of about twelve feet, with a maximum height of about three inches. "Speed humps" differ significantly from the "speed bump" which are commonly found in parking lots and other private development areas. Bumps are often higher, and cover much less length of roadway, as little as one foot.
The City has an annual CIP allocation consisting of major and minor pavement rehabilitation. Major Pavement Rehabilitation projects consist of street overlays and reconstructions throughout the City, and are identified with the prefix “STM”. Minor Pavement Rehabilitation projects are mainly for street preservation and are identified with the prefix “STL”. Pavement maintenance includes the use of ARAM, slurry, chip and other types of seals.
The selection of street segments for both types of projects comes from a five year list of streets selected to match each year’s funding appropriations. Priority is given to high volume and high speed streets classified as collectors and arterials as approved by the City Council’s Resolution number 2007-080.
Measure P Pavement Rehabilitation ProjectThis new Pavement Rehabilitation Project (STL) is funded by Measure P and intended to be active until 2027. This project will focus on the rehabilitation of residential streets with PCI's ranging from 0 to 25. The street selection for this project varies in that the streets in worst condition, though unlikely to be prioritized in other programs, will be repaired first.
The City initiated and has maintained PMS since 1986 in accordance with the California Streets and Highway Code. In 2006, the City implemented a new PMS tool, StreetSaver database, to assist staff in determining priorities and rehabilitation strategies for the entire city and the City’s long-term rehabilitation needs. The state requires a PMS in order for a jurisdiction to be eligible for state funding. Please check System Overview including pavement project funding information available in the following link: (http://www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/public-works/asset-management/pavement-management)
Currently the City is monitoring a total of over 3,000 (2022) street sections with 1,179 (2022) in total lane miles. The City’s average PCI is 72 (2022) compared to average PCI of 67 (2022) for the State of California.
See Policy number 585-02 Utility Trench Moratorium Policy
http://www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/public-works/asset-management/pavement-management
Every three to five years, the City hires a consultant to update its PMS database to provide an objective assessment of the pavement condition citywide. The Consultant conducts an expert evaluation of the pavement surface of all City streets, ranks each street based on a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) between 0 and 100 (with 100 being “like new), and recommends an appropriate maintenance strategy based on street PCIs. Please visit the Pavement Management page for more info.
- Financing of concrete alleys is provided through the formation of an assessment district (Resolution 2013-232/Council Policy No. 505-01). In order to initiate an assessment district, you will need to obtain the signatures of at least 60 percent of the property owners on a petition. Under assessment district procedures, the City will take care of design and other staff costs and any utility relocation, while the property owners will need to pay their share of construction costs. At least 50 percent of the weighted vote of property owners (based on assessment amounts) will need to be in favor of the assessment district for the project to be constructed.
Regarding the posting of Speed Limit signs on the streets in residential areas in the City of Chula Vista, there are several factors that need to be considered. Generally, we do not post SPEED LIMIT 25 sign on residential streets for two very basic reasons: 1) All residential streets, meeting the CVC definition, in the State of California have a Prima Facie (“on the face of it”) speed limit of 25 MPH as established by California Vehicle Code and do not need to be posted in order to be enforced and, 2) the other reason for not posting speed limits on most residential streets is simply a matter of available resources. We have thousands of residential streets in the City, and the cost of posting speed limit signs on all of them, when it is already something that is enforceable by local Police Departments and should be something that all California drivers are aware of, is not the best use of our limited resources.
If you have concerns about speeding on your street, please Contact Us, and we can evaluate for traffic calming options and/or refer to the Police Department for speed enforcement.
- The City of Chula Vista advertises bid opportunities through the Chula Vista Star News, San Diego Daily Transcript and other various trade papers for construction within San Diego County.
- Please contact Traffic Engineering at (619) 691-5026. You may also visit the Traffic Safety page.
- Please contact the Public Works Department at (619) 397-6000.
- Please visit Service Requests or call (619) 691-5026.
- Please contact Traffic Engineering at (619) 691-5026.
Click the icon below to Submit a Service Request
FD Jobs
- Firefighting positions are very competitive. Any additional training and education received in the Fire Science field will be of benefit. Consult a local community college for course information and the location of the nearest fire academy, as well as the local fire department regarding Fire Reserve programs. A high level of physical fitness should be maintained; firefighters must be in excellent physical condition at all times to safely perform the duties of their job. Cardiovascular fitness and upper body strength are essential. A good physical fitness program will help applicants pass the physical agility test.
- Applicants must be 18 years of age at the time of application submission
- High school diploma or G.E.D.
- A California class "C" drivers license is required at the time of hire
- Certification in Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in the state of California
- Applicants should also be physically fit to meet the demands of the job
- Employment may be contingent upon completion of a pre-placement medical exam, which may include a drug screen and a psychological evaluation.
- Proof of citizenship or provide documentation that gives the individual the legal right to work in the United States
- Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), qualified individuals with a disability that require assistance during the testing process should notify the City of Chula Vista Human Resources Department one week prior to request reasonable accommodation
Today's firefighters provide many services in addition to responding to fires. Including:
- Medical aids
- Vehicle accidents & rescues
- Hazardous materials spills
- Public assistance
- Fire prevention and public education
- Advance Life Saving
- New recruits start with an intensive 12 week formalized training program (Fire Academy). This program consists of classroom instruction as well as drills designed to prepare the new recruit for a career in the fire service.
After the formalized training, recruits are then assigned to one of the fire stations for on-the-job training. There, they will continue to learn the duties utilizing hands-on training from experienced firefighters.
After successful completion of this training phase, the recruit will be assigned to another station to work rotating shifts on a 24-hour basis, which includes weekends and holidays. Firefighters may be required to work back-to-back shifts and be on-call as necessary by departmental activities and staffing levels. Fire Recruits serve a 12-month probationary period. There are several phases to the testing process:
- The written test will measure reasoning skills, mechanical aptitude, and reading comprehension. Successful testers move to phase two.
- The oral interview will include an evaluation of education, experience, interest, and personal qualifications for the position.
- Paramedic Simulation, including megacode.
- Background Investigation.
- Conditional job offer when openings occur.
- the City of Chula Vista is the second largest city in San Diego County and the seventh fastest growing city in the nation, encompasses over 50 square miles. It is rich in diversity and tradition and includes a large retirement community.
- Chula Vista is rapidly expanding residentially, commercially, and industrially. As the city’s population increases, the demand for fire and emergency services is expanding.
- The CVFD operates nine fire stations; the Fire Facility Master Plan has three more stations scheduled to open in the next several years.
- Every year the Fire Department’s eight engines, two trucks, Heavy Rescue vehicle and brush engine respond to nearly 15,000 emergency and non-emergency requests including fire, medical, rescue, hazardous materials, and public assistance calls.
- The FD has a training facility, which includes a 4-story training tower where firefighters learn skills such as fire suppression, heavy rescue, rappelling techniques, ladder placement and high-angle rescues. The site also includes a training room where up to 58 students can be instructed on urban search and rescue, disaster preparedness, and hazardous material safety.
- The CVFD is also among the few fire departments in the United States that has an urban search and rescue dog.
Infrastructure
Visit the City's Measure P page and sign up to receive the monthly Community Connection newsletter with updates about infrastructure projects and other City events and activities.
Measure P puts in place strict accountability provisions, such as annual audits and the establishment of the Citizens Oversight Committee (COC) to ensure that all funds are spent appropriately. The COC will review proposed expenditure plans and annual audits Applications for the 16-member COC are now being accepted. More information available here.
The new sales tax is a half-cent. The sales tax increase will be collected starting April 1, 2017. The total tax rate in Chula Vista will be 8.25%. All residents, visitors, and tourists will pay the sales tax. For every $100 in taxable items the increase in sales tax is 50¢. Sales tax is not charged for groceries and prescription medicine.
The half-cent sales tax will be dedicated to high priority infrastructure projects including:
- Pave, maintain and repair neighborhood streets and fix potholes
- Upgrade or replace aging police, fire and 9-1-1 emergency response facilities, vehicles and equipment
- Replace storm drains to prevent sinkholes
- Upgrade irrigation systems to conserve water and save energy
- Make essential repairs to older libraries, senior center and recreation centers
- Improve our traffic signal systems
- Repair our sports fields and courts and park infrastructure
The temporary half-cent sales tax will provide local funding that will directly support Chula Vista’s priority projects. The Infrastructure Facilities and Equipment Expenditure Plan outlines how the funds will be used. The Plan was approved by the City Council on December 6, 2016. The funds can only be spent in the City of Chula Vista and cannot be diverted to other local or state agencies. A Citizens Oversight Committee is being formed to review proposed expenditure plans and all audits.
To help identify the needs of our community and to evaluate the state of our infrastructure, the City formed the Asset Management Program Advisory Committee (AMPAC) in March 2014. The committee includes local leaders and residents from throughout our community and is critical to helping identify our infrastructure needs and prioritizing improvements. The committee continues to provide input into setting priorities for the Asset Management Program.
The Measure P Citizens Oversight Committee (COC) will review and report on all Measure P expenditure plans, financial reports, and audits. The framework for the COC, which was outlined in the ballot measure, specifies that 11 of the COC members serve as “Designated Members.” Designated Members were nominated by local organizations and individuals such as the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, Chula Vista Youth Sports Council, Chula Vista Growth Management Oversight Commission, and the Chula Vista Police and Fire chiefs. The remaining five members are “At-Large Members” selected from a pool of applicants who applied directly to the City. There is at least one “At-Large Member” appointed from each of the four City Council districts. The City Council interviewed and appointed each of the 16 members.
The Measure P COC roster consists of Designated Members: Lileana Robles, nominated by Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment; Zulema Maldonado, nominated by Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce; Robert Ziomek, nominated by Chula Vista Fire Chief; Donald Hunter, nominated by Chula Vista Police Chief; Leon Firsht, nominated by Chula Vista Director of Public Works; Michael Lengyel, nominated by Chula Vista Growth Management Oversight Commission; Thomas Doyle, nominated by Chula Vista Parks & Recreation Commission; David Garcias, nominated by San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Union; Todd Voorhees, nominated by San Diego Taxpayers Association; Robert Coleman, nominated by Chula Vista Sustainability Commission; and, Silvestre Vigilante, nominated by Youth Sports Council. At-Large Members are: District 1, Paula Whitsell; District 2, Christopher Redo; District 3, Jason Prater; District 4, Christopher Sheridan; and At-Large - Any District, Mona Freels.The City has an annual CIP allocation consisting of major and minor pavement rehabilitation. Major Pavement Rehabilitation projects consist of street overlays and reconstructions throughout the City, and are identified with the prefix “STM”. Minor Pavement Rehabilitation projects are mainly for street preservation and are identified with the prefix “STL”. Pavement maintenance includes the use of ARAM, slurry, chip and other types of seals.
The selection of street segments for both types of projects comes from a five year list of streets selected to match each year’s funding appropriations. Priority is given to high volume and high speed streets classified as collectors and arterials as approved by the City Council’s Resolution number 2007-080.
Measure P Pavement Rehabilitation ProjectThis new Pavement Rehabilitation Project (STL) is funded by Measure P and intended to be active until 2027. This project will focus on the rehabilitation of residential streets with PCI's ranging from 0 to 25. The street selection for this project varies in that the streets in worst condition, though unlikely to be prioritized in other programs, will be repaired first.
Currently the City is monitoring a total of over 3,000 (2022) street sections with 1,179 (2022) in total lane miles. The City’s average PCI is 72 (2022) compared to average PCI of 67 (2022) for the State of California.
Every three to five years, the City hires a consultant to update its PMS database to provide an objective assessment of the pavement condition citywide. The Consultant conducts an expert evaluation of the pavement surface of all City streets, ranks each street based on a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) between 0 and 100 (with 100 being “like new), and recommends an appropriate maintenance strategy based on street PCIs. Please visit the Pavement Management page for more info.
- Financing of concrete alleys is provided through the formation of an assessment district (Resolution 2013-232/Council Policy No. 505-01). In order to initiate an assessment district, you will need to obtain the signatures of at least 60 percent of the property owners on a petition. Under assessment district procedures, the City will take care of design and other staff costs and any utility relocation, while the property owners will need to pay their share of construction costs. At least 50 percent of the weighted vote of property owners (based on assessment amounts) will need to be in favor of the assessment district for the project to be constructed.
Voters approved Measure P on the November 2016 ballot with the intent to address high priority infrastructure needs. The ballot question voters approved is
“To repair neighborhood streets and sidewalks, replace storm drains to prevent sinkholes, update police, paramedic and 9-1-1 equipment and facilities, improve parks, repair recreation facilities, and for general city services and infrastructure, shall the City of Chula Vista adopt an ordinance enacting a temporary ½ cent sales tax, generating an estimated $16 million per year, expiring in 10 years, with no further increases without voter approval, with all funds staying in Chula Vista, requiring citizen oversight and independent audits?”
Residents, visitors, and tourists will all pay the increased sales tax. For every $100 in taxable items the increase in sales tax would be 50¢. Sales tax is not charged for groceries and prescription medicine.