Pacific Beach Town Council to celebrate 75 years of serving the community

Pacific Beach Town Council is holding a community party for the ages on Dec. 5.

The Pacific Beach Town Council’s 75th Birthday Celebration will be held that Saturday starting at 5 p.m. at the ZLAC Rowing Club on Mission Bay.

“We are celebrating 75 years of accomplishments, milestones, and history, as well as recognizing that we stand on the shoulders of giants — those that have made so much in PB possible before us,” said Charlie Nieto, president of the town council.

“It will truly be a special occasion, which recognizes traditions both old and new, as this event will also serve as a fundraiser for the [Pacific Beach Town Council] to support our neighborhood elementary schools,” Nieto said. “Several special silent auction items will be available to fundraise for all four of our PB elementary schools. When it’s all said and done, we’ll dig into a special birthday cake for all to enjoy.”

Tickets to the Pacific Beach Town Council 75th Birthday Celebration are available beginning at $55: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/75th-birthday-celebration.

Pacific Beach 75 Years of Highlights

• 1951: The Pacific Beach Town Council is founded thanks to the PB Women’s Club. Its first elected president was Leonard Lafferty.
• 1958: Selection of PB’s first honorary mayor, Sam Dunaway of the famous Dunaway Building.
• 1965: After tensions heightened between surfers and homeowners, the council led a compromise culminating in Tourmaline Surfing Park being created as a city park.
• 1970s: The council called for a two-year moratorium on development projects over 30 feet in height, reacting to the 12-story Pacific Tower Condos. Two years later, voters passed Prop. D 30-Foot Coastal Height Limit.
• 1980: Saw the first council-sponsored community Police and Emergency Services Appreciation Night (PAESAN) barbecue honoring first responders, founded by Anne Evans, Annie McDaniel and Mary Wilding.
• 1984: Thanks to council advocacy starting in the ‘70s, the first of three phases of Ocean Boulevard’s transformation into a pedestrian promenade is completed.
• 1980s: From 1981 until the late ’90s, the council hosted and organized the annual PB Christmas Parade.
• 1987: PB celebrated its 100th birthday, planned by town council members.
• 1993: The council chose to help plan the revamp of the Pacific Beach Lifeguard Station.
• 2010: First community council-sponsored graffiti clean-up day held.
• 2017: The council joined the planning group in supporting efforts to restrict unregulated, short-term vacation rentals.
• 2021: The council supported renaming the joint-use field at PB Rec Center as William Payne Park, honoring the community’s first African-American teacher.
• 2023: Led by community activist Brian Curry, the community surf garden featuring repurposed surfboards by muralist Rob Tobin was unveiled at PB Rec Center.