San Diego City Council Meeting Summary – July 29, 2025
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
San Diego City Council Meeting Summary – July 29, 2025
The San Diego City Council met on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in a full-day session that began at 9:00 a.m. and concluded after 7:00 p.m. The meeting included proclamations, a consent agenda, and several discussion items covering Mission Bay Park surplus land, legal services for the former Naval Training Center, an update to the city debt policy, a ground lease for 101 Ash Street, and a resolution regarding water-based instructional activities. The council also heard extensive public comment and took several votes.
Proclamations
- The council approved 10 proclamations, including Purple Heart Day, Taiwan Festival Day, Coates Disease Awareness Day, Panda and Me Day, World Ranger Day, Afghanistan Independence Day, Cheryl Willis Day, and Dr. Joseph Caperna Day. Public speakers expressed support for these recognitions, with some urging continued support for Afghan refugees and park rangers.
Consent Calendar
- The council approved the consent agenda with items 10, 50–54, 100–104, 106–112, and S500–S502, S504–S514, and S516. Three items were pulled: 105 (Mission Bay Park surplus land), S503 (legal services for former Naval Training Center), and S515 (legal services for former Naval Training Center boat channel). Councilmember von Wilpert registered no votes on items S512 and S513 due to retroactive approval issues. The consent agenda passed unanimously with those exceptions.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Numerous members of the public spoke on items 105 and 332, with many opposing the Mission Bay surplus land declaration and expressing concerns about the 101 Ash Street project. Speakers on item 331 (water activities) were split, with some supporting the resolution for safety reasons and others opposing it as a barrier to equitable access. Non-agenda public comment included topics such as the Hookah lounge closure, pay parking, and the Torrey Pines Gliderport.
Discussion Items
Item 105 – Mission Bay Park Surplus Land Declaration
- Staff proposed declaring three city-owned properties in Mission Bay Park as surplus land to comply with the Surplus Land Act and allow long-term leases. Public commenters, including the Mission Bay Park Committee chair, urged a continuance for more community input. Councilmember von Wilpert moved to deny the staff recommendation, citing the need to protect parkland and seek state legislative changes. Councilmember Campillo moved to continue the item to September, which passed 7–1 (Councilmember Moreno absent). The council directed staff to engage with the Mission Bay Park Committee and return in September.
Items S503 and S515 – Legal Services for Former Naval Training Center
- These items authorized second amendments to legal services agreements with two law firms for litigation related to the former Naval Training Center boat channel. Public comment was brief. Both items were approved unanimously (7–0, with Councilmember von Wilpert recusing from both).
Item 330 – Biennial Update of City Debt Policy
- Staff presented updates to the debt policy, including new guidelines for debt appropriations, lease revenue bonds, and enhanced infrastructure financing districts. The council approved the update unanimously after discussion on debt ratio limits and reporting requirements.
Item 332 – Ground Lease for 101 Ash Street
- Staff recommended a ground lease with MRK Create to convert the vacant 101 Ash Street building into 247 affordable housing units (30–80% AMI) with childcare and retail. The total development cost is $267.6 million; the city is providing no cash, only a $45.6 million residual receipts loan. The IBA reported that the financing structure is typical for affordable housing projects. Public comment was mixed, with union representatives supporting the project and others citing concerns about asbestos, cost, and lack of a competitive bid. The council approved the staff recommendation 7–0 (Councilmember Moreno absent), with many members noting the need to stop the $2.5 million annual maintenance cost and the public benefit of affordable housing.
Item 331 – Water-Based Instructional Activities Resolution
- Staff proposed a resolution finding that existing permitting requirements for water-based instructional activities (e.g., surf camps) are necessary due to liability. The resolution would allow the city to maintain permits for nonprofits under AB 2939. Public comment was extensive, with nonprofits arguing that the resolution would restrict equitable access and that they already meet high safety standards. The council debated safety versus equity. Councilmember Campbell moved a substitute motion to approve the staff recommendation, but a motion to continue the item to September (made by Council President LaCava) passed 7–1 (Councilmember von Wilpert voting no). The council will revisit the issue after the August recess.
Key Outcomes
- All proclamations were approved.
- Consent agenda approved with items pulled.
- Item 105 (Mission Bay Park) continued to September.
- Items S503 and S515 approved.
- Item 330 (debt policy) approved unanimously.
- Item 332 (101 Ash Street) approved unanimously.
- Item 331 (water activities) continued to September.
- The meeting was adjourned in memory of Maggie Brown.
Meeting Transcript
Now have four millen paved teams that are focused on serious and failed road conditions, and that's re uh really bringing life to some of these areas that have been underinvested in some time. So not just that we're celebrating today, but I also want to look forward to next year. We will not be resting on these laurels. We will be doubling down in communities that have under been underserved for many decades. Forty-three percent of our roadways across the city are in communities of concern, and next year 52% of those are actually going to be paved. So we are exceeding our goals around equity. In addition to that, every time we touch a road surface, we're bringing improvements to visibility crosswalks to vision zero improvements and improving safety across all of those, as well as our climate action goals are going to be uh contributed to. So it's really bringing all of those upgrades over the next year. So in concluding, I'd like to say that uh the depart the transportation department knows that um no road is more important to residents than the road right outside their house. So I'm really glad to be able to deliver these road improvements today. Um, and so everyone can track the road progress next year at streets.sandiego.gov. And Mayor Glory, I'll hand it back to you to get this done. Thank you. Thank you, Bethany. As I mentioned, we're holding up the second uh coding on this street, so I'm gonna be quick, but we uh are missing two people today that I want to just acknowledge. Uh first off, we're in Council District 2, uh led by the incredible uh Dr. Jennifer Campbell, who's the council member for this district. Margaret's here from hearst team. Margaret, thank you for being here representing the council member. Some of you know she's recovering from some surgery, so we want her to get well soon and come back and join us at City Hall. But I guarantee you this would not be happening without her incredible advocacy of the people here in Point Loma and all across district two. So please thank Dr. Jen for us uh as well as uh her birthday is on Thursday, and so we'll send her a happy early birthday. This she has is not a birthday gift, um, but you know, she can take it that way. The second person we're missing is our city's engineer, uh Ronnie Amen, who is the uh director of our engineering capital projects team. She's represented by Louis Char, who's here, the tall guy in the back. Um, but Ronia has been an incredible leader. Her plus Bethany are the dynamic duo that are delivering these incredible uh numbers for road repair throughout our uh throughout our city. I just want to thank both Dr. Jen and Ranya again who couldn't be here today, but are definitely missed. Let me wrap up with this. San Diego, I know it. I know you want the roads paid yesterday. And I can't undo decades of uninvestment uh by previous administrations, but what I can do is fix the problems that are ahead of us today. What you've seen over the last five years with Councilmember Whitburn and Councilmember Campbell's support, we've studied every road. We've taken an objective analysis, assigned them a grade, and started methodically taking out the worst ones that are there. We've given more resources to transportation engineering capital projects to make sure they have the dollars and the bodies to do this work. We've held uh utilities accountable when they break into these streets to dig into them that they have to pay to repair them or repair what they've broken. You've seen what year after year coming back over and over again, no matter if the economy is good or bad, and putting more money toward road repair. This will continue. And as Bethany said, and that's why she's head of transportation. I recognize it doesn't matter until it's the road in front of your house. We will get there eventually. Watch our progress on streets.gov. Uh in the meantime, I just have tremendous gratitude to all the city employees who are here. You guys are incredible. I'm so proud of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for what you do. Councilmember Whipper and I have the easy jobs. We just get to he gets a vote and I get to sign it, but you all do the work.
openpublica.com