Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting Summary - November 6, 2025
Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting Summary - November 6, 2025
The Land Use and Housing Committee convened on November 6, 2025, to address surplus land declarations, building code updates, and public concerns regarding environmental safety and community welfare. The meeting featured testimony on cannabis cultivation risks, park security, and tobacco waste pollution, followed by deliberations on declaring 900-1000 square foot city parcels as surplus and adopting the 2025 California Building Standards Code.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Madison Rapp expressed concern regarding the environmental risks of illicit cannabis cultivation in California, citing state data on water consumption and toxic pesticides. Speaker stated full belief that strong enforcement and environmental safeguards are necessary in San Diego to protect local watersheds and wildlife.
- Guest (Phone ending in 4592) expressed full opposition to the proposed elimination of overnight security at a downtown children's park. Speaker warned that removing security could attract homelessness and drug use, creating unsanitary conditions for children.
- Blair Bakeman expressed support for de-escalating militarization in local law enforcement and urged the city to maintain community dialogue regarding smart streetlights and Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) usage, expressing frustration that San Diego might be moving away from these conversations.
- Terry Ann Skelly expressed support for a smoke-free, vape-free public places policy. Speaker cited San Diego State University research indicating that cleaning cigarette butts is an impractical solution to pollution in Pacific Beach wetlands, advocating for upstream source reduction.
- Guest (Zoom User) expressed opposition to the use of the crown Plaza Hotel for processing illegal aliens. Speaker called for hiring a forensic accountant to trace funds, suggested charging fees for deportation re-entry, and advocated for increased surveillance via streetlight cameras.
- Guest (Zoom User identified as Judy Strang) expressed support for stricter tobacco waste policies. Speaker emphasized the toxic impact of cigarette butts on water quality, citing that a single butt can contaminate a thousand liters of water, and urged the committee to reconsider land protection policies.
- Blair Beekman (Consent Agenda) expressed full support for the committee minutes. Speaker voiced hope for responsible land trust practices, avoidance of speculation, and better dialogue on mixed-income housing initiatives.
- Zoom User (Item 2) expressed full opposition to the sale of city land, labeling it a "money grab." Speaker advocated for leasing properties ("yank the land") for 40-year terms rather than selling them outright to preserve long-term city assets and revenue.
- Paul Krueger (Item 2) expressed cautious support for the exemption process but urged extra scrutiny of surplus land dispositions. Speaker noted that surrounding areas contain low-income housing and requested tracking of future consequences from any sales.
- Blair Beekman (Item 2) expressed discomfort with selling city land, citing negative precedents in Santa Clara County. Speaker advocated for city governments to retain initial land ownership and recommended moving forward cautiously.
- Serena Pelka (Climate Action Campaign) (Item 3) expressed full support for the 2025 Building Standards Code updates. Speaker stated that these measures are foundational for implementing the city's climate action plan and decarbonizing the built environment.
- Lucy Terry (Sierra Club) (Item 3) expressed full support for the code expansion and the new residential reach code. Speaker welcomed the inclusion of voluntary air conditioning to heat pump policies as a step toward a carbon-free built environment.
Discussion Items
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Item 2: Declaration of Exempt Surplus Land
- Staff proposed declaring five small, vacant city-owned parcels (under 0.5 acres) located in North Park (District 3) and La Jolla (District 1) as exempt surplus land pursuant to California Government Code Section 54221(f)(1)(B).
- Staff noted the parcels are unsuitable for affordable or multifamily housing, zoned for single-family residential, and no other city departments have identified a current need for them.
- Councilmember Kipio asked about a previously included parcel on Radio Drive; staff explained it was removed because it was designated parkland in the 1980s, requiring a separate vote for disposition.
- Councilmember Moreno expressed discomfort with declaring the parcels surplus and stated he would not support the motion. Speaker questioned if the parcels were suitable for housing units and noted they were not offered to the Housing Commission at this stage.
- Councilmember Moreno's position was recorded as opposition to the item.
- Councilmember Campio proposed the motion to approve the item.
- Vice Chair Ilo Rivera and Councilmember Moreno's position (after noting the cost of maintenance) were discussed regarding the necessity of the sale versus maintaining the asset.
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Item 3: Adoption of 2025 California Building Standards Code
- Staff recommended adopting the 2025 California Building Standards Code with local amendments, including the new Part 7 (California Wildland Urban Interface Code) and green code updates.
- Key updates highlighted included requirements for cool roofs on commercial/hotel repairs, high-rise hot water efficiency standards, swimming pool safety regulations, and optional retrofitting standards for soft-story buildings.
- Councilmember Moreno inquired about stakeholder outreach; staff confirmed outreach to the Building Industry Association and technical advisory committees.
- Councilmember Moreno expressed support for the item based on progress toward sustainability goals.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously by voice vote. Includes approval of the October 9, 2025, committee minutes.
- Item 2 (Surplus Land): Passed by a vote of 3-1. Committee members Campio, Rivera, and Lee voted in favor. Committee member Moreno voted no.
- Action: Declare 5 parcels exempt surplus land. Next steps include appraisal, notification of park agencies (for Torrey Pines Road property), and a future report to the council on marketing and sale.
- Item 3 (Building Code): Passed unanimously (0-0).
- Action: Adopt 2025 California Building Standards Code and associated municipal code amendments, effective January 1, 2026.
- Next Meeting: A special committee meeting is scheduled for November 21, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, welcome to the Land News and Housing Committee meeting of November 6th, 2025. Our committee liaison, Natalie Kessler will go over instructions for today's meeting. Thank you, Chair. While members of the public are able to attend the meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before the virtual queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair. Natalie, please call the role. Vice Chair Ilo Rivera. Councilmember Moreno. Present. Council Member Kempio. Here. And Chair Council President Pro Tem Lee. Here. Also attending the meeting today is Chris Ackermanadilla with Mayor Todd Gloria's office. Deputy City Attorney Noah Brazier with the City Attorney's Office. Amy Lee with the independent budget analyst office, and Angeli Hoyos, committee consultant. If you're in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it on top of the box indicated at the front of the room next to the public comment microphones. 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. The webinar ID is 160683-0623 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. And this concludes in-person public testimony for non-agenda public comment. We will move to the virtual queue. I've started the five-minute timer for all those in the virtual queue to indicate that they have non-agenda public comment. We have five hands raised in the queue. Madison Rapp, please unmute and begin. Hi, thank you. Good afternoon, Council members. I'm going to speak about the serious risks tied to cannabis cultivation here in San Diego. Just last month, Governor Gavin Newsom's office reported that state officials removed 21,000 illicit cannabis plants from growth sites across California, including in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Sahama counties. These were not small backyard operations. They were large hidden groves that devastated sensitive habitats and watersheds. According to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, those 21,000 plants would have consumed up to 9.5 million gallons of water over their growing cycles. Water stolen from streams and ecosystems already under stress from drought. Officials also found banned pesticides and fertilizers, some so toxic they're illegal in the United States. These chemicals poison the soil, contaminate groundwater, and threaten both wildlife and public health. At one site in San Bernardino, officers found plants growing among western Joshua trees with rodenticides and illegal water diversion hoses running through a protected desert ecosystem. State officials had to restore water flow that had been cut off to supply these grows. This is what happens when cannabis cultivation is poorly controlled, and these environmental harms can occur here in San Diego's backcountry, canyons and watersheds if we allow cultivation without strong enforcement and environmental safeguards. As the Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham said, nearby communities and fish and wildlife depend on clean water from these watersheds. We all pay the price if water supply is affected. It is great that cannabis cultivation is highly regulated in San Diego, but we also need to make sure there is some enforcement happening. So our land is protected. Let's learn from what's happening statewide and protect San Diego's water, wildlife, and communities.
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