Infrastructure Committee Meeting – October 24, 2018
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Infrastructure Committee Meeting – October 24, 2018
The Infrastructure Committee of the San Diego City Council met on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, at 10:00 AM. The meeting included non-agenda public comment, approval of a consent agenda, an informational update on the Balboa Park Plaza de Panama project, and action items on bicycle improvements, an interchange project amendment, and ratification of emergency contracts. The committee also approved the minutes from the September 26, 2018 meeting.
Consent Calendar
- The committee unanimously approved items 1, 2, and 3 on the consent agenda (details not specified in the transcript).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Robert Buck expressed concerns about a sewer liner product, arguing it could cause blockages and void warranties, and that laterals are property owner responsibilities.
- Martha Welch criticized city inaction on potholes, sidewalks, sewer pumps, and hiring, referencing litigation and alleging lack of maintenance.
- Balboa Park Plaza de Panama Project Testimony:
- Opposition: David London (President, Balboa Park Heritage Association) argued the project’s parking revenue estimates are unrealistic, citing a 30–40% drop in downtown parking due to ride-sharing and scooters. He claimed the garage will remain empty, leading to default on bonds and a $39 million general fund obligation, and requested no substantive votes until after the November 6 election.
- Support:
- Peter Kamisky (Balboa Park Cultural Partnership and Balboa Park United) spoke enthusiastically in favor, noting enhanced pedestrian safety, parkland creation, and $30+ million private investment in the House of Charm (Mingei Museum).
- Tomas Herrera-Misler (Balboa Park Conservancy) emphasized improved accessibility, pedestrian-vehicle conflict reduction, and the project’s role in enhancing the visitor experience.
- Stephen Schindler (trustee, San Diego Art Institute) supported the project for its benefits to guest experience and accessibility.
- Jennifer Davies (San Diego Tourism Authority) expressed support, stating the project is critical for promoting Balboa Park as a world-class urban park.
- Catherine Johnston (chair, Balboa Park Committee and Park and Rec Committee; trustee, Balboa Park Conservancy) noted the project was approved by the city’s official advisory committee and thanked the mayor’s team.
Discussion Items
- Balboa Park Plaza de Panama Project (Informational):
- Staff provided an update: The $79 million project (city contribution $49 million, $39 million from bonds, $10 million cash) includes resurfacing plazas, a bypass bridge, an underground parking structure, and 6.3 acres of parkland. Litigation updates: CEQA challenge – Court of Appeal ruled in city’s favor on October 24, 2018; bond/cooperation agreement challenge – trial court decision expected November 2, 2018. Construction bids open December 2018, award March 2019, completion June 2021. The project will be built while the park remains open.
- Committee members raised questions about cost overruns (committee responsible per agreement), revenue projections and bond repayment (general fund would cover shortfalls), and the construction timeline. Staff noted a 10% contingency in estimates and that revenue projections would be updated before bond issuance.
- Cooperative Agreement with Caltrans – I-5 & SR‑56 Bicycle Improvements (Action):
- Staff presented a proposal for a 1,100-foot bike connector linking the SR‑56 bike path to Sorrento Valley Road. City contribution: up to $2.25 million ($1.63M from Carmel Valley FBA fund, $620K from Carmel Valley Diff Fund). Caltrans to construct; city to maintain. Construction projected fall 2020, one year duration. The committee approved the item for full council consideration.
- Third Amendment – Palm Avenue & I‑805 Interchange Project (Action):
- Staff requested a $78,646 amendment to extend the contract with Kleinfelder Inc. for updating environmental documents and completing project specifications. The project will widen the bridge, add sidewalks and a Class IV cycle track, and realign ramps. Two design alternatives (loop ramp vs. diamond interchange). Public comment period on draft environmental document open until early November. The committee approved the item for full council.
- Ratification of 11 Emergency Sole Source Contracts (Action):
- Staff presented ratification of 11 emergency contracts totaling $7.4 million for FY18, covering storm drain, water/wastewater, and building/structural repairs. Contracts were awarded to pre-qualified contractors on a rotational basis. The committee approved the item. Vice Chair Alvarez inquired about the trend: the number of emergency projects decreased from 31 two years ago (El Niño) to 11 this year. Staff also provided updates on the Park Boulevard elevators (on schedule for completion November 2019) and the Lofty Trails Drive storm drain replacement (in closeout phase).
Key Outcomes
- Approved consent agenda (items 1–3) unanimously.
- Approved meeting minutes from September 26, 2018, unanimously.
- No action taken on the Balboa Park Plaza de Panama information item; staff will return after bids and updated revenue projections.
- Approved cooperative agreement for I-5/SR‑56 bike improvements (moved to full council).
- Approved third amendment for Palm Avenue/I‑805 interchange project (moved to full council).
- Approved ratification of 11 emergency sole source contracts (moved to full council).
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everybody. We're gonna go ahead and get started. Uh today is Wednesday, October twenty-fourth, twenty eighteen. Welcome to the October meeting of the infrastructure committee. Let the record reflect that we are joined by Vice Chair Ward, Council Member Zeff. I think or no, you're not Vice Chair anywhere. Alvarez is Vice Chair, my bad. Uh it's been, you know, eleven months. Um Victor Alvarez will be joining us later, I believe. Uh, we also have our City Attorney Representative Tina Ray, we have our IBA representative Jillian Jillian Cassie, and our mayor representative Lee Friedman, as well as our committee consultant Justin Garber like to thank the members of the public who are with us today. Uh, I'm a little bit under the weather, so we're gonna get through this as expeditiously as possible because I think we may be losing uh a committee member at some point anyway. So we'll start with an unagenda public comment. Each member of the public has two minutes to speak, starting with Robert Buck. And then going to Martha Welch. You have now created a scenario that will go something like this. There will be a hard obstruction in a sewer line that no amount of flushing and water will wash out. And because of the fragile nature of this liner, where you will you'll stick a still auger into the sewer and try to retrieve the obstruction, you would damage the lining, thereby voiding the 25-year warranty and possibly damaging the liner. So your other option is to dig it up. The sewer laterals are the sewer laterals were the responsibility of the individual property owner to maintain as needed. Now, if they run an auger down it, they can severely affect the functioning of that lateral, and the city is going to have to repair that lateral. This product that you are putting in is not meant to be a replacement for a perfectly functioning pipe. It is meant to extend the service life of a malfunctioning deteriorating system a little bit longer. That's it. Next one. Thank you, sir. Martha Welch. Mark Bros. I've been in meeting for three years. I never saw you vote for two minutes and the committee. You didn't do that. There's a lawsuit about this, also, I think, because um you didn't vote for that. Now where we have all these pumps um where the where they go? Because um we don't have a sewer plant at all. Online, no, we don't have one. Point in the only is water. So where does it go? Where do you pump to? I don't know. You know you do dry sewer. That's what you do. Now where these pumps go, I don't know. Now, potholes and cracks. Now on um uh downtown where I live. Now on 11th and 10th and market and Broadway all cracked up. They're all cracked up, big cracks all over there. It's it's been maybe 20 years to fix this or something. I don't know, because it's all cracked up. There's the big cracks on market and Broadway and 10th and 11th, and it's 9th, it's all is it's it's it's all cracked up. It's just it's all cracked up. It's not fit in the sidewalks or up and down, all that stuff, and um it's not right what you do here.
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