A motion by the Hillcrest Town Council’s (HTC) development committee to support an interim ordinance limiting the height for new construction in the Hillcrest area passed on May 8.

The interim ordinance recommends limiting the height of new construction in the blocks of Uptown where 150 feet, or approximately 15 stories, is currently allowed, to 65 feet, or approximately six stories. This area includes Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues, from Laurel Street to University Avenue, and along University Avenue, from Third Avenue to Park Boulevard. It also recommends limiting the height ordinance to 50 feet, or approximately five stories, along Washington Street, from Dove to Ibis streets in Mission Hills.

The HTC’s endorsement joins the endorsements of several other groups and will be put before the City Council for vote sometime in the future.

At the meeting, Mission Hills resident and attorney Barry Hager gave a presentation about the proposed interim height ordinance, which would update the 1989 Uptown Community Plan. Hager said many residents feel zoning is needed so the entire community can re-evaluate the guidelines for future development in the Hillcrest area.

After Hager’s presentation, a motion for the HTC to endorse the interim ordinance passed, with one resident voting against it and one abstaining.

Hillcrest residents and business owners not present at the meeting had an opportunity to sign an endorsement of the decision in the Uptown District Shopping Center on Saturday.

Next month’s meeting will be held Tuesday, June 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the Joyce Beers Community Center in the Uptown Shopping District.

San Diego Pride recently announced that volunteer positions are now available for San Diego Pride weekend, scheduled for July 21-22.

Each year, the celebration attracts more than 700 volunteers for areas such as ticket sales, parade support, beer garden, setup, medical, safety and more. Volunteer crewmembers who work a five-hour shift at either the parade or festival will receive two-day festival admission, a meal ticket per shift, a souvenir T-shirt and an appreciation barbecue scheduled for Aug. 12.

Those interested can sign up on the Pride Web site at www.sdpride.org or attend one of the upcoming volunteer sign-up sessions in The Center’s auditorium, located at 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest. The sessions will be held on Thursday, May 24, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, June 16, at noon.

“If you want to learn more about how you can volunteer or get a better idea of the various positions available, the volunteer sign-up event is a perfect opportunity to obtain additional information,” said Patty Zwolinski, the volunteer coordinator for Pride for the last seven years. “Online or at the sign-up sessions, volunteers can select their preferred shifts and the areas in which they would like to work.”

“Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, get directly involved with the Pride celebration and help to make a difference in our community,” said Ron deHarte, executive director of San Diego Pride.

This year’s Pride theme is “United for Equality,” and the festivities include an outdoor rally, a mile-long parade down University Avenue in Hillcrest, and the two-day festival featuring multiple performance stages, expanded beer gardens and a host of new attractions.

For more information, call 619-297-7683, ext. 3, or visit www.sdpride.org.

Last Tuesday, lawmakers approved a resolution calling on the federal government to end the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which prevents GLBT people from serving openly in the military.

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed SJR6, authored by Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, and sponsored by Equality California, urging Congress and President George W. Bush to adopt the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2007 (H.R. 1246). The federal bill would prohibit discrimination in the military based on sexual orientation.

SJR6, which passed the committee by a 3-2 vote, is co-authored by a total of 10 California lawmakers. The resolution is part of EQCA’s “Empowering Our Communities” legislative agenda.

“The U.S. military continues to discriminate against an entire community of servicemembers simply because they identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender,” said EQCA executive director Geoff Kors. “This blatantly discriminatory policy not only prohibits able and willing people from defending their country, it weakens our national defense by discharging talented and highly capable individuals.”

Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a servicemember may be discharged for coming out, attempting to marry someone of the same sex or having a physical relationship with someone of the same sex. The federal military policy was part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1994, signed by President Bill Clinton.

“Qualified, patriotic servicemembers who want to serve their country are being dismissed from the military for no other reason than their sexual orientation,” said Sen. Kehoe. “As a result, these servicemembers must live with the stigma of being forced out of the military, and taxpayers are left to pay millions of dollars to replace some of our most competent and well-trained troops.”

Tyson Redhouse, a gay veteran from Northern California who was honorably discharged from the Air Force in 2006, told the committee members that the military’s policy forced him to turn the other cheek when he heard slurs against gays and would not allow him to hold regular conversations about his life.

“I decided to leave the Air Force – a life I loved – because of this policy,” said Redhouse, who worked in intelligence. “‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ tells me that I’m not good enough to serve.”

More than 11,000 servicemembers have been discharged under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, including 800 military specialists who held critical occupations in counterintelligence and medical fields. Unlike the United States, 24 other nations, including Great Britain, Australia, Canada and Israel, allow GLBT people to openly serve in the military.

Mayor Jerry Sanders has appointed Thomas Felkner, Theresa Oyos and Carolina Ramos and nominated Gary D. Lynn, Nicole Murray-Ramirez and Lorraine R. Johnson for reappointment to the Human Relations Commission.

Felkner is the proprietor of the San Diego News Group, Inc., a GLBT-community print and Internet media. He is also the former co-owner of Bourbon Street and has made many civic and community commitments to San Diego, including service on the boards of Mama’s Kitchen and the San Diego Democratic Club, and is active with GLBT veterans organizations. Felkner will replace Christine Fletcher who has resigned.

Oyos is a senior community program representative with California’s HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center at the University of California, San Diego, a post she has held for 10 years. Oyos will replace Karen Marshall who has resigned.

Ramos is the coordinator of Latino Services for The Center, a post she has held since 2003. Prior to joining The Center, she served as: the regional director of Bienestar Human Services as an advocate for victims of domestic violence, homeless youth and children in protective custody; a domestic violence advocate for the Palomar Pomerado Family Violence Program; and a case manager/outreach specialist for the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. Ms. Ramos has served on the board of directors of PACTO Latino AIDS Organization and been honored by Phi Beta Kappa as Citzen of the Year. Ms. Ramos will replace George Khoury who has resigned.

All appointments and reappointments will be subject to the confirmation of the City Council at an upcoming council meeting.

The Kensington Concert Series will present the men’s jazz and pop singing ensemble, the Cosmos, in a backyard-concert setting on Sunday, June 3, at 5 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Kensington-Normal Heights Friends of the Library.

Formed in January 2004, the Cosmos has performed its rich, sassy and colorful sound to audiences all over San Diego. The group’s repertoire is full of familiar songs.

An unusual pool of talented musicians, these singers are dedicated volunteers who are full-time career professionals and give their time, talent and love to their passion of creating music of the highest caliber. They commit to weekly rehearsals and an extra half-day rehearsal each month to ensure the group’s music and artistry will touch audience members.

Under the direction of artistic director Bob Wuertz, the group has been described as powerfully emotional, entertaining and just plain fun.

Tickets are on sale at the Kensington Video, located at 4067 Adams Ave. Because the concert will take place at a private residence, the concert location will be disclosed when tickets are purchased.

The San Diego HIV Health Services Planning Council, which helps allocate Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act 2006 funds to provide services to people living with HIV/AIDS, is seeking new members.

The Planning Council is particularly interested in involving people living with HIV/AIDS in its committee work and as members of the council itself.

“The Planning Council is a wonderful opportunity for consumers to help design services for the HIV community and to help allocate funds for those services and programs,” said Ken Riley, lead health planner.

For more information about the San Diego HIV Health Services Planning Council, call Riley at 619-293-4711 or e-mail kenneth.riley@sdcounty.ca.gov.