Smart Growth and Land Use Committee Meeting Summary - October 17, 2018
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Smart Growth and Land Use Committee Meeting Summary - October 17, 2018
On October 17, 2018, the Smart Growth and Land Use Committee of the San Diego City Council met to discuss the San Diego Forward 2019-2050 Regional Plan (RTP) and approve a lease with the San Diego Rowing Club. Committee members present: Councilmember Staff, Councilmember Sherman, and Councilmember Gomez (Chair). Councilmember Alvarez was absent. The meeting was called to order at 10:00 AM.
Consent Calendar
- The committee unanimously approved the records of action from September 19 and September 27, 2018, with Councilmember Alvarez absent.
- The consent agenda was adopted without any items pulled, with a motion by Councilmember Sherman and second by Councilmember Staff. The committee noted a request to register support from Tom Rucote.
Public Comments & Testimony
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Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Scott Chipman, reading on behalf of Dr. Renette Lev (Chief of Emergency Department at Scripps Mercy Hospital), opposed the commercialization of marijuana in San Diego. He cited increased emergency visits for marijuana poisoning (doubled since 2010, five times since 2005) and described cases of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, seizures worsened by THC, and a patient on life support from inhaling high-THC wax. He stated that 462 deaths in San Diego in 2016 had THC in their systems, including a one-year-old baby.
- Kelly McCormick criticized the hearing officer's approval of a marijuana cultivation and manufacturing facility in a business condominium complex, arguing the system is weighted in favor of marijuana businesses. She noted that neighboring businesses (Biogeneral and Abbott Labs) objected due to risks of airborne particulates and odors that could force shutdowns. She stated there are no established compliance criteria or timely process for remedying complaints.
- Martha Welch expressed concerns about affordable housing, Section 8, and county policies. She claimed that the area's AMI (Area Median Income) keeps rising, making affordable housing unclear, and criticized the county for receiving federal HUD funds without proper oversight. She also mentioned vacant buildings near the trolley.
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Public Comment on Item 3 (RTP):
- Sophie Wolfram (Climate Action Campaign) supported the staff recommendation to request mode share data from SANDAG. She emphasized that the city needs 2035 mode share outcomes for transit priority areas (TPAs) for each concept. She noted that SANDAG provided such data in 2015 and should do so again. She also requested SANDAG develop a scenario maximizing mode shift within revenue constraints and another to show what would be needed to meet city targets.
- Gretchen Newsom (IBW Local 569) expressed disappointment with the concepts, raising concerns about meeting GHG targets, reducing air pollution in environmental justice communities, and the absence of new light rail projects like the Purple Line. She supported the staff recommendation.
- Maya Rosas (Circulate San Diego) supported the recommendation, noting that data is critical for informed decisions. She stated that more transit projects need to be advanced from the 2015 plan, including planning for the Purple Line.
- Ana Reynosa (Environmental Health Coalition) supported the recommendation and echoed concerns about the lack of compliance with the city's Climate Action Plan (CAP) and equity element. She urged deprioritizing freeway expansions and prioritizing mass transit, especially in environmental justice communities.
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Public Comment on Item 2 (Rowing Club Lease):
- Dan O'Neill (representing the San Diego Rowing Club, UCSD, and USD) spoke in favor, highlighting the club's public programs, including free learn-to-row classes, leadership courses for low-income schools, and services for disabled veterans.
Discussion Items
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Item 3: Report from SANDAG on the San Diego Forward 2019-2050 Regional Plan
- Marcus Bush (policy advisor for Councilmember Gomez) introduced the item, noting coordination with SANDAG since the July 25 committee meeting. He emphasized the need to determine consistency with the city's CAP.
- Colleen Clemenson (SANDAG Principal Planner) presented the RTP process. Key points:
- The region is projected to grow by 700,000 people by 2050, with most growth in urbanized areas.
- Compared to the 2015 plan, construction costs are up 15-20%, revenue assumptions are down 16% (from $205B to $180B), and the state GHG reduction target increased from 13% to 19% per capita by 2035.
- Three concepts were released for public review: Concept A (Shared Mobility) focuses on transit and rapid bus; Concept B (Connected Corridors) focuses on managed lanes; Concept C (Policy Possibilities) includes programs and policies to maximize GHG reductions.
- All concepts include the entire regional bike network, managed lanes on I-5, I-805, SR-78, SR-52, increased trolley and coaster/sprinter frequency, and rapid bus on managed lanes.
- Concept C could achieve a theoretical 22% GHG reduction but may require tolling and other policies that could overburden low-income communities (Title VI concerns).
- SANDAG is seeking public input through surveys and workshops. The board will select a preferred scenario in April 2019, with a final plan by winter 2020.
- Mode share data is currently available only at the regional level, not city-specific. SANDAG is willing to provide data but noted that city-level analysis would require additional work.
- Councilmember Sherman asked about the 2015 plan's performance, mode share progress, and the methodology for bike mode share goals. He noted that the bike path along I-15 appears underutilized. SANDAG responded that the 2015 plan had no mode share goals (only GHG targets), and the city's CAP sets its own targets. A regional plan monitoring report is forthcoming.
- Councilmember Gomez emphasized the city's stake (40% of regional population) and the need for city-specific data to advance CAP goals. He clarified that the city is not asking for SANDAG to meet all CAP goals, but for data to understand the plan's impact. He called for a vote on the motion.
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Item 2: Lease with San Diego Rowing Club and Intercollegiate Rowing Consortium
- Vladimir Belotsky (Supervising Property Agent) presented the item: a 25-year public purpose lease for a 1-acre land and 0.03-acre water area in Mission Bay Park (1220 El Carmel Place). The facility is a 17,000 sq. ft. rowing center built in 1989, used by UCSD and USD (250 athletes) and the public. Current lease is month-to-month since 2013. The new lease includes:
- Base rent of $25,672 plus $8,500 annual rent for deferred leasehold improvements.
- Lessee to invest $850,000 in capital improvements.
- Term: 25 years with two options for extension (10 and 5 years).
- Rent guided by Council Policy 708 (33% of average commercial rent for Mission Bay).
- The city receives improved assets at lease end.
- Councilmember Sherman asked about public access. Dan O'Neill clarified that the public can use the facility through free learn-to-row programs, visitor memberships, or paid use. Monthly membership is $75.
- Councilmember Gomez supported the lease, noting the club's long history (since 1888) and positive community impact.
- Vladimir Belotsky (Supervising Property Agent) presented the item: a 25-year public purpose lease for a 1-acre land and 0.03-acre water area in Mission Bay Park (1220 El Carmel Place). The facility is a 17,000 sq. ft. rowing center built in 1989, used by UCSD and USD (250 athletes) and the public. Current lease is month-to-month since 2013. The new lease includes:
Key Outcomes
- Item 3 (RTP): The committee unanimously approved a motion (Councilmember Staff, seconded by Councilmember Gomez) directing staff to work with SANDAG to provide the city with mode share data (for transit priority areas), vehicle miles traveled, and GHG reductions at the city level, and to bring draft network scenarios to the City Council in early 2019. The vote was 3-0 (Alvarez absent).
- Item 2 (Rowing Club Lease): The committee unanimously approved a motion (Councilmember Sherman, seconded by Councilmember Staff) to recommend approval of the 25-year lease with the San Diego Rowing Club and intercollegiate rowing consortium. The vote was 3-0 (Alvarez absent).
- The meeting adjourned at approximately 11:00 AM. The next regular committee meeting is scheduled for December 5, 2018, at 1:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. We are going to call this meeting to order, this Smart Growth and Land Use Committee meeting for October 17th. This meeting is now in order, and just for the record, we have committee members, Councilmember Staff, Councilmember Sherman, and Councilmember Gomez. Councilmember Alvaris is absent from today. We also have the presence from Leslie Fitzgerald, City Attorney, Adrian Kanda from the mayor's office, sorry for butchering your last name. And Bakou Patel, independent budget analyst and Karina Johnson, committee consultant. We will start with the approval of the committee records of action. If I could please get a motion to adopt September 19th and September 27th of 2018, need a motion. Thank you. Second. Thank you, Mr. Shimon. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Moves unanimously with Elvaris absent. We will move to non-agenda public comment. And we have uh three speakers. Okay, we're gonna have Scott Chipman, Kelly McCormick, and Martha Welch. We'll start with Scott, and you'll have two minutes. Today I'm gonna speak for uh Renette Lev. I'm reading her words. Chief of emergency department at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, Chair of the San Diego prescription drug abuse task force. Every day I see cases of marijuana poisoning in the emergency department every day. Number of emergency visits for marijuana has increased uh double since 2010, five times since 2005. Last night, a man from a local shelter was brought in for seizures. Uh, despite the medication, he continues to have seizures and he continues to smoke marijuana multiple times a day. His seizures are worse because of the THC, not better. Next patient could hear across the s the uh hallway screaming in agony, 25-year-old female retching and riding an ab uh abdominal pain. This is called scromiting. Scrobining is screaming and vomiting, the hallmark of cannabis hyperemes syndrome. Has been to numerous emergency rooms, has was begging for dilatted uh strong opioid. However, all she needed to do was stop smoking weed. Her marijuana addiction was also becoming an opioid addiction. Next patient spitting and thrashing about, he's sweating, blood pressure up, took six people to hold him down. Blood test comes back. Only thing we could find was THC marijuana. When he woke up, he told me it was all from a single gummy bear. It was just marijuana that landed the next patient on life support and ICU hanging between life and death. He was inhaling wax, THC wax, which is 90 to 100 percent THC. So who dies of marijuana? The San Diego marijuana death diaries counted 462 people who died with THC in their systems in 2016. A one-year-old baby, a 15-year-old, and 19-year-old driver, along with 31 other drivers, 55-year-old motorcyclist along with nine other motorcyclists, a 21-year-old who jumped off a bridge along with 76 other suicides, a 55-year-old with hypertension along with 63 cardiac deaths. It is not smart to commercialize marijuana in San Diego. Okay, Kelly Kelly McCormick. Good afternoon. I'm Kelly McCormick. And I would like to comment on the hearing officer meeting that I attended this morning. It appears the system is extremely flawed and weighted in favor of marijuana businesses over anyone else. As an example, a marijuana cultivation and manufacturing facility was readily approved over the objections of two neighboring businesses who will be adversely affected. One of those neighbors is Biogeneral, which manufactures highly sensitive monofilament tubing and other supplies for surgical procedures.
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