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San Diego City Council’s Environment Committee unanimously endorsed a compromise plan balancing environmental, active recreational, and waterfront camping needs that seeks to fairly re-apportion the northeast corner of De Anza Cove in Mission Bay Park for public use.
The proposed amendments to Mission Bay Park Master Plan recommended by the committee on March 14 will now be forwarded to the full City Council for ultimate approval, denial, or modification.
District 1 Councilmember and Environment Committee chair Joe LaCava thanked citizens who have participated in the planning process over the years on this issue. “It is your input and voices that have shaped this plan to be what it is today, and what it will be in years to come,” he said.
Besides the City Council, LaCava noted De Anza Natural will also have to pass muster with state and federal agencies. “For the better part of a decade this plan has been analyzed, dissected, praised, panned, and everything in between,” noted LaCava pointing out, “What brings you here today is that you care about the present – and future – of De Anza.”
Adding he has met with all stakeholders on De Anza, LaCava concluded: “Whether it is a little league, soccer field, tennis and pickleball, golf course, camping, or Kendall-Frost Marsh, I can assure you that what you have today will be there tomorrow.”
For years, the conversation about enhancing and revitalizing the northeast corner of Mission Bay has pitted active recreationists in large numbers against environmental concerns. Recreationalists have expressed fear that updating Mission Bay Park’s Master Plan to create more wetlands would encroach upon and endanger active recreational uses of the park including baseball, soccer, tennis, golf, etc.
Environmentalists have pointed out that wetlands now contained in Kendall-Frost Marsh have dwindled to 1% of their previous extent. They argue that maximizing wetlands expansion is critically important to improving water quality, storing carbon, and preparing for sea-level rise in the future.
“De Anza Natural provides community-serving recreational opportunities that serve over 200,000 users per year while offering recreational facilities for a growing population,” staff told committee members on March 14. “It also adds 138 acres of new wetlands increasing wetlands habitat to 225 total acres for sensitive species, improving water quality and furthering the City’s Climate Action Plan.”
PB activist and community planner Scott Chipman advocated for De Anza’s recreational interests. “When LaCava came to his first town hall he was greeted by about 150 individuals and their kids, nearly all of whom were there to urge protection, improvement, and expansion of the youth fields and recreation areas,” he said. “He was told De Anza Natural Plan was threatening the amount of acreage devoted to athletic fields and recreation. At that time, LaCava indicated he got the message loud and clear and promised he would protect recreational uses in this part of Mission Bay.”
Jacob Gelfand, representing Campland on the Bay and Mission Bay RV Resort, argued in favor of “Ensuring continued public access to the nearly 1,000 waterfront campsites in northeast Mission Bay Park. Despite the overwhelming support for waterfront RV camping expressed by the public throughout the planning process, the proposed project will significantly reduce lower-cost accommodations by as much as 50% or more. We support the master plan update with one crucial caveat: existing facilities providing waterfront camping and recreation must continue to be available.”
“The City has support for prioritizing wetlands restoration; it’s been said loud and clear over and over again,” testified Andrew Meyer representing San Diego Audubon, Rewild Mission Bay, and a broad-based coalition of environmental groups. Referencing a past phone survey, Meyer added, “Over 95% of the people in San Diego support preserving and enhancing natural resources in Mission Bay. Please prioritize wetlands restoration in the northeast corner of the bay for a thousand reasons.”
DE ANZA NATURAL
De Anza Natural amendments to the Mission Bay Park Master Plan are being proposed to enhance and revitalize De Anza Cove in the northeast corner of Mission Bay Park. The plan amendments seek to balance a variety of uses, including enhancements to the existing active recreation and parkland facilities. The amendments also recognize the benefits of preserving and restoring wetlands, which reduce the impacts of sea-level rise and improve water quality.
Project Goals
- Expand wetlands for habitat, public enjoyment, climate resilience, and water-quality benefits.
- Create an iconic recreation destination that maximizes the benefit offered to the region by this extraordinary waterfront amenity.
- Provide for the highest and best use of the project area to serve the needs of a broad range of local and regional users.
- Identify a mix of uses that will provide sustainable revenue-generating leaseholds for the City.
To meet these goals the City will engage the community and technical and design experts to determine the potential reuse of the project area to revitalize De Anza and surrounding areas.
De Anza Natural will be a multi-year process for planning the long-term future of the area. Proposed amendments to the Mission Bay Park Master Plan include guiding principles for the development of De Anza Natural. The amendments allow for a range of new or continued uses in each land-use category, which includes active recreation, regional parkland, low-cost visitor accommodations, and habitat. The amendments are available for public review and are expected to be adopted in 2024.