San Diego Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting - November 30, 2021
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San Diego Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting - November 30, 2021
The Land Use and Housing Committee of the San Diego City Council met on November 30, 2021, to consider several agenda items, including a consent item and a major discussion item regarding a public-private partnership for a downtown open space. The meeting was conducted via teleconference due to public health concerns. Items 3-5 were returned to staff for further analysis.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Authorization to grant San Diego Gas & Electric Company a gas pipeline easement on city-owned property for the San Diego Regional Airport Authority project was approved unanimously via consent agenda, with no public comment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-agenda public comment: Three speakers addressed the committee.
- Becky Repp expressed concern about marijuana businesses, urging the city to require annual background checks for all employees and to allocate collected fees to education and prevention. She cited a recent Chula Vista fee implementation.
- Carol Green (speaking as an individual, not as PTA) shared her personal experience with her son’s cannabis-induced psychiatric disorders and read from a Chula Vista resolution showing that licensing costs exceeded anticipated revenues, suggesting San Diego conduct a cost-benefit analysis.
- Jan Hitzman (President, Friends of the College Rolando Library) raised a land use issue in District 9, stating the library lost control of its driveway and parking due to a prior land deal. She requested the city secure a permanent easement before an upcoming plan amendment and zoning change, urging Councilmember Elo Rivera to act.
- Jeff Heuter (Chair, Neighbors for a Better San Diego) criticized the city’s ADU ordinance, especially density bonuses in transit priority areas, arguing they incentivize investor speculation and increase car dependency. He noted Councilmember Elo Rivera’s proposed changes were insufficient and called for a full hearing. He also raised concerns about SB9 potentially allowing unlimited ADUs on single-family lots.
- Item 2 public comment: None.
Discussion Items
- Item 2: Easement Use and Maintenance Agreement with IQHQ for Block A1
- Staff presented a proposal to enter into a long-term agreement (until May 31, 2117) with IQHQ regarding the 1.5-acre open space parcel known as Block A1, located at the southeast corner of Broadway and Harbor Drive. The parcel sits atop an underground parking garage with over 2,000 public spaces. The agreement includes:
- A public access easement.
- IQHQ will develop, maintain, and program the park at no cost to the city, including security 24/7.
- The park will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., designed for passive recreation, with space for events, concerts, and other activities. IQHQ will retain a private operator to manage permits and collect fees for park maintenance.
- If the city were to develop the park itself, construction costs were estimated at $5-7 million and annual maintenance at over $100,000 (excluding security and enhanced services).
- Councilmember Whitburn (in whose district the site is located) strongly supported the project, noting it provides a valuable asset the city could not otherwise afford. Councilmember LaCava praised the public-private partnership, highlighting amenities like restroom access and public parking. Councilmember Moreno also supported the project, noting the city gains a park without incurring typical costs. Vice Chair Elo Rivera expressed support but lamented that the city had to relinquish rights to achieve such a space, urging the city to build capacity to undertake such projects independently.
- The committee voted unanimously to approve the staff recommendation.
- Staff presented a proposal to enter into a long-term agreement (until May 31, 2117) with IQHQ regarding the 1.5-acre open space parcel known as Block A1, located at the southeast corner of Broadway and Harbor Drive. The parcel sits atop an underground parking garage with over 2,000 public spaces. The agreement includes:
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda item 1: Approved unanimously.
- Item 2: Approved unanimously. The agreement will go before the full City Council on October 25, 2021 (note: date discrepancy with meeting date of November 30, 2021 per instruction). IQHQ committed to a public workshop within 90 days of the effective date, and targeted construction completion by Q3 2023.
- Items 3-5: Returned to staff for further analysis (not heard).
- The meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m. (approximate). The next committee meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Please proceed. Greetings, everyone, and welcome to today's meeting of the Land Use and Housing Committee. Thank you very much for being with us. California Government Code Section 54-953G, added by Assembly Bill 361, allows the city to use teleconferencing and to provide the public an opportunity to address the City Council Committee via call-in option or via an internet-based service option. As such, the committee members will be participating via Zoom, and no members of the public will be in physical attendance at the meeting in the interest of public health and safety. However, the committee liaison has made arrangements for the public to make comments via 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 to order the land use and housing committee meeting of Thursday, October 14th, 2021. I am joined by my colleagues, Vice Chair Councilmember Sean Elo Rivera, Councilmember Joe LaCava, and Councilmember Vivian Moreno. I'm Stephen Whitburn, so we have a quorum. We're all here. I'd also like to welcome from the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, Charles Matica, from the mayor's office. Randy Wilde is joining us, and from the city attorney's office, we have Corinne Newfer with us today. Thank you to each of you for being here. This meeting is being broadcast on our public television station, City TV. That's Channel 24 for Cox Communication and Spectrum or Channel 99 for ATTU verse, or you can view the meeting online by going to the City Council Committee's homepage at Sandiego.gov and selecting the City TV Live Webcast blue button on the right hand side of the page. Thanks as always to our City TV staff for broadcasting today's meeting. We invite members of the public to comment on items by accessing the Zoom webinar online by 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 meeting webinar online is listed on the agenda under How to Join by iPhone one tap. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, you may dial either one six six nine two five four five two five two or one six four six eight two eight nine seven six six six. And when prompted, input webinar ID 1610425337 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and it'll appear on the screen during the public comment period for each item. When I introduce the item you'd 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 nine on your phone. You'll be taken in the order in which you raise your hand. You may only speak once on any particular item. When our committee consultant, Juan Carlos Leva indicates that it's your turn to speak. He will call you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list, or he'll read out the last four digits of your phone number if you've called into the meeting. And that is how you will know that it's your turn to speak. At that time, please unmute your phone by tapping the unmute button on your computer tablet or smartphone or by pressing star six on your phone. 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. Otherwise, we'll get feedback. One note on today's agenda items number three through five will not be heard today since they are being returned to city staff for further analysis. Aside from that, the committee will take all items in order. And at this time, we will take up approval of the committee actions of September 16th, 2021. Do I have a motion to approve the committee actions? Locava thumb moved. We have a motion by Councilmember Lacava. Do we have a second? I will be glad to second that. Uh and if there are any council member comments or questions regarding approval of the September committee actions, we'll invite those now as I call the role that each committee member may register their vote. Vice Chair Ilo Rivera. Yes. Uh Committee Member Lacava. Yes. And Committee Member Moreno. Yes. Thank you. I'd also like to register a yes vote.
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