San Diego Active Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Meeting – March 20, 2025
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San Diego Active Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Meeting – March 20, 2025
The Active Transportation and Infrastructure (ATI) Committee of the San Diego City Council met on Thursday, March 20, 2025, to review a consent calendar, a major water infrastructure contract, emergency lifeguard station funding, and a comprehensive parking reform package. After extensive public testimony, the committee unanimously approved the consent calendar and items 7 and 8, and approved item 9 by a 3-1 vote.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Approved the committee minutes from February 20, 2025.
- Item 2: Approved a construction and reimbursement agreement with the City of La Mesa for the Montezuma Mid-City Pipeline Phase Two project.
- Item 3: Approved first amendments to two as-needed architectural services contracts (with Platt/White La Architects and Rosaling Nakamura Torada).
- Item 4: Approved first amendments to three as-needed landscape architectural services contracts (with Schmidt Design Group and Spurlock Landscape Architects).
- Item 5: Approved extension of contractual obligations for the remaining Small Diameter CI Water Phase Two project.
- Item 6: Authorized obligations of the construction contract with New West Construction to extend beyond five years for the Soledad Pump Station Upgrades project. All passed unanimously 4-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
Non-Agenda Public Comments:
- Residents from the community described health problems from toxic fumes in their neighborhood and called on the city to address air quality, water pipelines, pavement, and police visibility, as well as correct map errors.
- Public health educators Madison and Becky Rapp urged measures against drugged driving, citing cannabis use trends and a survey that 85% of marijuana users drive the same day they consume.
- Other speakers raised concerns about walkability, e-bike safety, street repairs, and accountability of the mayor’s office.
Consent Agenda Comments:
- Cesar Javier spoke to items 2, 5, and 6, urging science-based planning and readiness for desalination in pipeline projects.
- A virtual speaker (phone ending in 870) spoke to item 5, noting the workforce report showed 24 of 27 total workers and 31 of 36 trades workers were Latino/Hispanic, with no Black workers, and asked for review.
Item 7 (Marina Pipeline) Comments:
- Cesar Javier asked about sewer/water flow types and district impacts.
- Blair Beekman asked about seismic retrofitting.
- A virtual speaker thanked staff for transparency and supported the project.
Item 8 (Lifeguard Station) Comments:
- Cesar Javier strongly supported funding and suggested selling city property to pay for the repairs.
- Mary Soriano (President, La Jolla Town Council) supported all lifeguards, citing 417,396 prevention actions, 7,352 water rescues, 51 clean rescues, and 2,483 medical aids across the lifeguard division.
- Larry Webb (Mission Beach Precise Planning Board and Town Council) urged immediate action to keep lifeguards and the public safe.
- Connor Robbins (Chief Steward, Teamsters Local 911, representing lifeguards) called the station an imminent safety risk and said the funding is a short-term fix.
- Shane Harris urged that public safety not be undermined by the budget deficit.
Item 9 (Parking Reform) Comments:
- Supporters included Cesar Javier, Michael Meachum (Uptown treasurer), Christopher Gomez (Downtown Parking Mobility Alliance/Little Italy Association), Ian Grooms (ASPE Local 127), Anar Salaev (Bike San Diego), Vaughn Hartini, Saad (housing advocate), Carl German, Joel Hermosillo (Downtown San Diego Partnership), and Gail Freed. They cited benefits such as dynamic pricing, reduced congestion, funding for mobility projects, and revenue generation. Saad cited San Francisco data showing a 43% reduction in parking search time and 30% lower emissions.
- Opponents of Sunday paid parking included Doreen Diaz, Shane Harris, Francine Maxwell, Travis, Courtney, Mary Soriano, Marcos de la Sierra, and many others who called it a burden on residents and low-income families. Shane Harris called it a “money grab” and noted his “Keep Free Sunday Parking” campaign.
- Rosemary Bystrack and Darren opposed paid parking at Balboa Park and Mission Bay, urging that parks remain accessible.
- AJ Estrada (Building and Construction Trades Council) and Manny Rodriguez (City Heights CDC and coalition) demanded equitable representation and needs-based spending for community parking districts.
- Ben Nichols (Hillcrest Business Association) proposed 25% funding for CPDs and objected to restricting maintenance projects.
- Peter Komiskey and Gillian Riza (Balboa Park Cultural Partnership) called for more study and data before any paid parking at Balboa Park.
Discussion Items
Item 7 – Marina Pipeline Construction Contract: Staff from the Engineering Capital Projects Department requested authorization to award a construction contract to OHLA USA for the Marina Pipeline, Marina Improvements 3/3A, and Marina Boulevard median projects. The project replaces approximately three miles of aging water pipelines serving about 3,000 customers and adds a new 36-inch pipeline to improve supply redundancy for about 14,000 customers. The contract amount is not to exceed $63.13 million. This is the first city project under the new citywide Project Labor Agreement, which includes a 30% local worker goal. The committee approved staff’s recommendation unanimously.
Item 8 – Emergency Mission Beach Lifeguard Station: Fire-Rescue staff presented an emergency CIP project for the Mission Beach Lifeguard Station, built in 1982 and deemed in extremely poor condition. The requested actions included creating a new CIP project, transferring $1 million from existing funds (with a swap of development impact funds), and seeking an additional $2 million in FY26. The funds will pay for a structural assessment and temporary repairs or temporary facilities. The IBA noted that a longer-term $25.6 million facility request has no identified funding. The committee approved unanimously.
Item 9 – Comprehensive Parking Reform Package: Transportation staff presented a package of amendments to municipal code and council policies to implement data-driven parking management. Proposed changes include dynamic pricing (meter rates from $1 to $20), authority to enforce meters on Sundays (tied to expanding residential parking permits), authority for the city manager to manage parking at city-owned lots, and changes to community parking district (CPD) funding (15% of meter revenue), parking meter zone formation, valet fees, and parking blockage fees. During discussion, Chair Whitburn sought assurances that residents would not be forced to pay meters in their own neighborhoods on Sundays. Vice Chair Lee supported the package but requested stronger representation language for parking district boards. Councilmember Foster asked for a process flowchart and clearer eligible-expenditure guidance. Councilmember Von Wilpert objected to granting broad authority and to charging at Balboa Park, and initially asked to forward the package without recommendation. The motion to approve staff’s recommendation passed 3-1, with Von Wilpert voting no.
Key Outcomes
- The consent calendar passed unanimously (4-0).
- Item 7 (Marina Pipeline contract) passed unanimously (4-0).
- Item 8 (Mission Beach Lifeguard Station emergency funding) passed unanimously (4-0).
- Item 9 (Parking Reform Package) passed 3-1 (Whitburn, Lee, Foster in favor; Von Wilpert opposed) and will be forwarded to full City Council. The city attorney’s office will continue legal review and may make changes.
- The next regularly scheduled committee meeting will be Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Employers must allow time off for medical care, mental health, and counseling, legal assistance, relocation, or support from a victim services organization. Safe time. Our committee liaison, Sarah Jordan will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting. Sarah, please proceed. Thank you, Chair Whitburn. While members of the public are able to attend the meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair. Vice Chair, Council President Pro Tun Lee. Here. Council Member Foster. Councilmember Von Wolpert. Present. Chair Whitburn. Here. Also attending the meeting is City Attorney Representative Dana Fairchild, Mayoral Representative Randy Wilde, and IBA Representative Donnie Nguyen. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of the committee room and place it in the speaker slip box at the table at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. Members of the public can join the webinar or by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-2545252. And when prompted, input webinar ID 160-685-1166 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and it will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you are watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. Please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. If you wish to speak to a particular item, please wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you are a call and participant by selecting star nine on your cell phone or landline. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you, sir. A quorum is now present. Uh we'll begin with not agenda public comment. Uh the council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings. Sarah, please proceed with further instructions. Thank you, Chair Whitburn. Per Rule 2.7, non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of this committee. Each speaker will have two minutes. And as a reminder, if you're watching on City TV or the live stream online, and you'd like to call in in the meeting to speak, please dial 1669-25452, inputting webinar ID 160, 685-1166 pound. We'll begin testimony with individuals here in the committee room, starting with Perita Javier and Cesar Javier. If you'll please approach the lectern, and you will be followed by Doreen. And you will have two minutes each. Since 1997, and Cesar Havier since 2012 are sneezing, coughing, eye irritation, sore throat, difficulty, breathing, dissiness, unusual, headaches, heart palpitation, anxiety, fear, and depression. We were hospitalized related to the toxic fumes from the keln operation, the poisonous gases, and airborne toxic toxic, inhaled, and or possibly ingested for film. Operation may lead to respiratory problems, such as asthma, pneumonia, and lung cancer in parentheses. So we are not here to destroy democracy. Our participation is consistent because we want to survive. We want to enjoy our property, our home. We just paid our property tax this morning at the county. And we pray that this amount will be insuring us. Or we expect the value of that money to be happy on our last days on this earth.
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