San Diego Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting - February 18, 2021
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San Diego Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting - February 18, 2021
This meeting of the San Diego City Council's Land Use and Housing Committee was held virtually via Zoom on February 18, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee, chaired by Councilmember Whitburn and including Vice Chair Ila Rivera and Councilmembers La Cava and Moreno, approved a consent agenda, discussed a major item on lifting deed restrictions from UC San Diego land, and reviewed the 2021 committee work plan. Public testimony was taken on all items.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Third Amendment to Office Space Lease at 9370 Chesapeake Drive – Approved unanimously. Councilmember La Cava noted the need for a comprehensive review of all city office leases rather than approving extensions one by one, but voted yes.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment: Joy Sanyata spoke on preservation, prevention, and powering, highlighting the need to preserve SRO units and prevent displacement of affordable housing residents.
- Item 2 (UCSD Deed Restrictions): Ten speakers offered testimony.
- Support: Rick Bates (Unite Here Local 30), Melanie Cohn (Biocom), Chris Nielsen (UCSD Community Advisory Board), Cecile Lightle (UCSD professor), Lindsay Wade (Hospital Association), Angeli Kallanog (San Diego Chamber of Commerce), Nancy Groves, Roger Sprague, Yen 2, and Dean Oliver (Oliver McMillan) all urged removal of deed restrictions, citing job creation, tax revenue ($80 million+), and the need for public-private partnerships to fund campus projects.
- Opposition/Concerns: Don Schmid (La Jolla resident) opposed, calling for a cumulative impact study and noting infrastructure deficits. Charles Kaminsky asked for clarification on which parcels, why only 20 years of tax revenue, and whether projects would be reviewed by local planning groups.
- Item 3 (2021 Work Plan): Eight speakers addressed the committee.
- Several speakers from community organizations (PANA, Sunrise Movement, Climate Action Campaign, Hammond Climate Solutions) urged the committee to prioritize creating a Tenant Protection Board and Rent Registry to protect tenants from wrongful evictions and landlord harassment.
- Becky Rapp urged caution on marijuana businesses near residences.
- Ricardo Flores (LISC San Diego) called for a historical equity lens.
- Laura Nunn (San Diego Housing Federation) expressed support for the work plan.
- Whitney Benzian (California Apartment Association) emphasized housing supply and reducing development costs.
- Joyce Sanyata highlighted preservation of affordable housing, SROs, and homeless outreach.
Discussion Items
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Item 2: Removal of City Deed Use Restrictions and Reversionary Rights from UC San Diego La Jolla Campus Site
- Staff from the Real Estate Assets Department presented the proposal to remove deed restrictions imposed in the 1960s on over 500 acres conveyed to UCSD. The restrictions prevented the university from using public-private partnerships to develop projects in its 2018 Long Range Development Plan, including a hotel/conference center, intergenerational housing, research space, and a wellness center. Removing restrictions would allow private financing and generate an estimated $85.6 million in state and local revenue over 20 years, plus 11,000 jobs. The city would receive TOT, TMD assessments, possessory interest taxes, and a right of first refusal on sales of over 10 acres.
- Councilmember La Cava, whose district includes the site, led discussion. She asked whether the land was gifted or sold at market value (staff noted unclear historical records, but benefits were negotiated). She clarified that the action does not constitute city approval of specific projects. A motion was made to move the item to full City Council with two amendments: (1) remove deed restrictions only on East Campus parcels E and L (east of I-5), and (2) require UCSD to notify the city when hotel development on those parcels begins. The motion was seconded by Vice Chair Rivera and supported by Councilmember Moreno, who emphasized economic benefits and UCSD's community partnership. The motion passed unanimously.
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Item 3: 2020 (2021) Land Use and Housing Work Plan (Informational)
- Chair Whitburn presented the work plan, highlighting priorities: tenant protections, eviction moratorium enforcement, rental assistance distribution, preservation and creation of affordable housing, homelessness outreach, streamlining permitting, and cannabis ordinance updates. He emphasized an equity lens.
- Committee members offered comments. Vice Chair Rivera stressed housing as a human right, tenant protections, and racial equity. Councilmember La Cava called for updates to planning group policy, a tenant protection board, and childcare incentives. Councilmember Moreno supported expanding first-time homebuyer programs, vacancy studies, and rental assistance regardless of immigration status.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda (Item 1): Approved unanimously.
- Item 2 (UCSD Deed Restrictions): Motion passed unanimously (3-0) to recommend full City Council approval with two amendments: remove restrictions only on East Campus parcels E and L, and include hotel development notification. The item will proceed to the full council.
- Item 3 (2021 Work Plan): No action taken; informational item received by the committee. The work plan will guide committee priorities for the year.
Meeting Transcript
And we are alive, Councilmember Weber. Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome. Per executive order 2920, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act. The committee members will be participating via Zoom. In addition, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website. No members of the public will be in physical attendance at today's meeting in the interest of public health and safety. However, the committee liaison has made arrangements for the public to make comments using the Zoom webinar platform. As we go forward, I'll go over the specifics of how to join the webinar and we'll give details on how people can offer public testimony. At this time, I will call the land use and housing committee meeting of Thursday, February 18th, 2021 to order. I will now call the roll. Vice Chair Ila Rivera. Present. Councilmember La Cava present. And Councilmember Moreno. Here. We have a quorum. I would also like to welcome from the office of Independent Budget Analyst Charles Nodica from the Mayor's Office, Randy Wilde, and from the City Attorney's Office, we have Corinne Dofer. Thank you very much for joining us today. The public may view the meeting on the City TV channel for Cox Communication and Time Warner Cable, that's Channel 25, or for ATT, that's Channel 99. Or you may view the meeting online by going to the City Council Committee's homepage at Sandieago.gov and selecting the City TV Live Webcast blue button on the right hand side of the page. Members of the public can offer public comment on items by accessing the Zoom webinar online using a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, or by calling into the meeting using a smartphone cellular phone or landline. The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on the agenda on how to join by iPhone 1 tap. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, you may dial either 1669 254 5252 or 1646 828 7666. And when prompted, input webinar ID 16102 5337 pound. That information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each item. When I introduce the item you would like to comment on, please raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by pressing star 9 on your phone. It'll be taken in the order in which you raise your hand. You may only speak once during a particular item. When our committee consultant, Juan Carlos Leba indicates that it's your turn to speak. He will uh read out the last four digits of your phone number if you're calling by phone if you have called into the meeting. And that's how you'll know that it's your turn to speak. At that time, please unmute your phone by tapping the unmute button tablet or smartphone or by pressing star six on your phone. I'll review those instructions briefly again when the public comment period on an item is open. Please wait until the item that you wish to speak to has been called before raising your hand to speak. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Also, please mute the volume on your TV or computer before you begin to speak. We'll start by taking up the approval of the committee actions of January 21st, 2021. Do I have a motion to approve the committee actions? So motioned. I'll second. This is Vivian. All right, we have a motion by Vice Chair Ila Rivera and a second by Councilmember Moreno. Uh we will uh, well, if there are any council member comments or questions regarding approval of the January committee actions, I'll invite those now as I call the role. Uh otherwise each committee member may register their vote. Vice Chair Ila Rivera. Yes. Councilmember La Cava. Yes. And Councilmember Moreno. Yes.
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