San Diego Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting - February 2, 2023
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San Diego Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting - February 2, 2023
The Land Use and Housing Committee of the San Diego City Council met on February 2, 2023, at approximately 12:45 p.m. (20:45 UTC) to consider the approval of prior committee actions, hear non-agenda public comment, and deliberate on the sale of city-owned property on Lusk Boulevard. Committee members present included Chair Vivian Moreno, Vice Chair Lakava, Councilmember Whitburn, and Councilmember Lee. Also attending were Chris Ackermanavila (mayor's office) and Cory Newfer (city attorney's office).
Consent Calendar
- The committee unanimously approved the committee actions from January 12, 2023. The motion was made by Vice Chair Lakava, seconded by Councilmember Whitburn, and passed with affirmative votes from all four members.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jose Cortez, representing the San Diego Justice Center and the Beautify the Boulevard coalition, described an abandoned lot at the southeast corner of 70th Street and Okahome Boulevard owned by absentee landlords Alex and Ben Shaw. He reported collecting hundreds of signatures and requested that the committee take up an agenda item regarding better use of poorly maintained lots in housing-starved regions.
- Gilman Bishop, a local home builder, testified that he submitted a 90-unit apartment building in July 2022 and had not received a plan check assignment 170 days later, despite a November 1 deadline. He contrasted this with a 141-unit project in Rancho Cucamonga that completed plan review in four weeks, expressing concern that San Diego is not competitive and urging the committee to pressure the Development Services Department to expedite plan checks.
- Dan Bourgeois, an East Village resident, raised concerns about homeless encampments along National Avenue and 7th Avenue, asked the city to address vacant lots and properties, requested an end to towing, and suggested reopening a closed family center near 17th and Imperial for homeless services.
- Blair Beekman expressed concerns about proposed temporary shelter plans involving 10 units of 1,000 units each (10,000 units total), comparing them to potential "shantytowns" and urging an open process to alleviate public concerns.
- Terry Ann Skelly cited an iNews article about a destroyed playground in Mount Hope, noting developer impact fees of $11 million since 1988 for that community compared to $133 million for Pacific Highlands Ranch. As a public health advocate, she also expressed concern about smoke, vape, and marijuana shops in communities of concern.
- Kathleen Lippitt spoke about city authorized planning groups and argued that project applicants with economic conflicts of interest have the privilege of self-certifying compliance with city codes, particularly regarding marijuana businesses, and that staff should consider research on public health harms.
- Peggy Walker shared a CDC Office on Smoking and Health study released that day showing that a majority of Americans support phasing out all tobacco sales, including nearly two-thirds of non-tobacco users and more than one-third of tobacco users. She advocated for policies such as phasing out tobacco retail licenses and banning cigarette filters, citing environmental impacts.
- Joyce Sunyada (District 3) asked whether the small former café building at the library could be used as a compassionate care center for homelessness resources, and referenced the "human book experience" introduced by library director Misty Jones.
- Ann Riddle, a Native San Diegan and health field worker, expressed concern that redistricting changed the allowed number of marijuana businesses from 36 to 38, and cited UCSF research on the cardiovascular effects of marijuana smoke and vapor.
- Becky Rapp, a parent and youth mentor, urged the committee to consider root causes of homelessness, citing a forum where five young men from New Life House sober living facility described starting drug addiction in their early teens with marijuana and progressing to meth, cocaine, and fentanyl. She expressed concern about marijuana commercialization and advertising targeting young people.
Discussion Items
- Item 1: Sale of City-Owned Property on Lusk Boulevard (Sorrento Mesa, District 6) to LS Lusk Land LLC.
- Mary Carlson of the Department of Real Estate and Airport Management presented the item, joined by Director Penny Moss and Deputy Director Lucy Contreras.
- The property is Pueblo land acquired by the city in 1874. The council approved an ordinance in 1979 authorizing sale for scientific research, manufacturing R&D, corporate headquarters, and high-tech manufacturing uses. The property is designated open space, within the airport overlay zone and the Multiple Species Conservation Plan (MSCP) sub-area.
- City departments were notified of availability in December 2017; none requested retention. The property was declared surplus in 2021, and notices of availability were sent to public agencies and affordable housing developers, with no expressions of interest.
- Because no entities responded, the property can be sold outside the Surplus Land Act, with the condition that if 10 or more units are developed, at least 15% must be sold or rented as affordable housing (though residential development is not allowed under the ordinance).
- Offers received ranged from $223,000 to $1 million. Staff recommended accepting the highest offer of $1 million, with proceeds deposited into the Capital Outlay Pueblo Land Police Decentralization Fund. A flat fee of $50,000 would be paid to Cushman and Wakefield for marketing services.
- Councilmember Lee noted the offer was "fairly well above" the appraisal value and moved to adopt the proposed actions. Councilmember Lakava seconded the motion and asked about the police fund, which was explained as a fund for financing construction and acquisition of police substations and other permanent improvements.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the committee actions of January 12, 2023, unanimously.
- Approved the sale of the Lusk Boulevard property to LS Lusk Land LLC for $1 million, including payment of the $50,000 marketing fee to Cushman and Wakefield, execution of the purchase and sale agreement, and deposit of proceeds into the Capital Outlay Pueblo Land Police Decentralization Fund. The motion passed unanimously (4-0).
- The committee adjourned to the next meeting on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at 1 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
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Uh, the committee liaison, Natalie Kessler will provide information and instructions. Thank you, Chair Moreno. Until further notice, committee meetings will be conducted pursuant to the provisions of California Government Code Section 54953e, added by Assembly Bill 361, which allows the city to use teleconferencing and to provide the public an opportunity to address the city council committee via a call-in option or an internet-based service option during a proclaimed state of emergency. While the public is allowed to attend the meetings in person, we encourage you to maintain six feet of social distance as well as follow California mask guidelines where masks are strongly recommended. In addition to being able to attend in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the committee liaison will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Additionally, members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hand before the queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever happens first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the council is able to manage and conduct city business. Councilmember Whitburn. Councilmember Lee. Here. And I'm Councilmember Vivian Moreno. Also attending the meeting is Chris Ackermanavila with the mayor's office. Uh Cory Newfer with the city attorney's office. If you are attending in person and wish to speak on any items, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the box indicated at the speaker's left turn at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. And members of the public can join the webinar 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 1669-254-5252. When prompted, input webinar ID 160-268-1157-pound. This information is also available on the agenda. Please note that if you're 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. And as a reminder, members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or an internet-based service option, must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. 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 nine on your phone. You will be taken in the order in which you raise your hand. You may only speak once on a particular item. When I indicate it is your turn to speak, I will call you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list or read out the last four digits of your phone number. If you are in person, please come up to the reserve seats at the front of the room when your name is called and be prepared to come up to the lectern in the order called. If you have joined the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone, you will receive a pop-up notice to select to unmute your device. If you have called into the meeting by cell phone or landline, please press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. We will review these instructions briefly again when the public comment period on an item is open. Please wait until the item you wish to speak on has been called before raising your hand to speak. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. And when you are announced as the next speaker, please unmute yourself and offer your comments. Please mute the volume on your TV or a computer before you begin to speak. Chair Moreno. Thank you. A quorum is now present. Uh and we will now take up the approval of the committee actions of January 12th, 2023. Uh Natalie, please proceed with public comment. The public comment period for the approval of the past committee actions is now open. If you have already joined the Zoom webinar online or by phone, please raise your hand if you wish to speak on the committee actions of January 12th, 2023.
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