SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2

[nezbn22]

While I'm sure you can simply wait for the proposals to be plastered all over the internet, the Port is hosting an open house next week to preview the Seaport Village redevelopment ideas:

https://www.portofsandiego.org/real-...portunity.html

[hotwheels]

Pacific Gate to transform San Diego skyline

Soon to rise from the heart of the San Diego Marina, Bosa Development's Pacific Gate, a 41-storey condo tower designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates is set to transform the downtown skyline.

[SLO]

Originally Posted by SDCAL

It's about balance. We don't need endless red-tape but we also don't need a free for all where no environmental regulations exist at all. The goal should be streamlining, not abolishing. Most of the "coastal" may be East-Coast women, but most of the anti-density, anti-mass transit, anti-anything over two-stories are cranky old right-wing NIMBYs. I'll take the East-Coast women.

You know Ive been pondering the topic of politics of NIMBYs lately, and Ive got to believe most are far left. I run into them all the time here on the central coast in projects we do and for the most part they are far left.

[Bikemike]

^Actually MIMBY's in my experience come from all political persuasions. NIMYism isn't necessarily partisan. It stems from self-centeredness, a universal human trait.

The reason why you're seeing many liberal NIMBYs is simple. Liberal jurisdictions are the only places with environmental laws that can be abused by NIMBYs. Cities that have laissez fair zoning (eg Houston) have weak environmental laws, and by extension, no legal grounds to abuse and obstruct with.

[Bikemike]

Originally Posted by Lipani

Will a mod please get rid of this Bertroce troll?

Thank you.

It's one thing to troll and be on-topic at the same time, but this Bertrice guy both trolls and is incoherent and completely ad hominem.

[SDCAL]

Originally Posted by SLO

You know Ive been pondering the topic of politics of NIMBYs lately, and Ive got to believe most are far left. I run into them all the time here on the central coast in projects we do and for the most part they are far left.

I suppose, depending on the situation, it can come from both the left and right. When I posted the comment I was thinking about the wealthy conservatives who will fight any coastal development that even thinks of blocking their waterfront views. Also, conservative politicians tend to be the ones against mass transit infrastructure spending both in SD and statewide; one example - the HSR opposition.

[SLO]

Originally Posted by SDCAL

I suppose, depending on the situation, it can come from both the left and right. When I posted the comment I was thinking about the wealthy conservatives who will fight any coastal development that even thinks of blocking their waterfront views. Also, conservative politicians tend to be the ones against mass transit infrastructure spending both in SD and statewide; one example - the HSR opposition.

Sure, I can see that. In California the ones Ive encountered tend to be environmentalist liberals who are anti development and show up at virtually all development proposals and have a tinge of disdain for wealthy people who want to do what they want. I think most developers here vastly over shoot what they want to build in their proposals because they know it will never be approved as proposed.

[Lipani]

Originally Posted by SLO

Sure, I can see that. In California the ones Ive encountered tend to be environmentalist liberals who are anti development and show up at virtually all development proposals and have a tinge of disdain for wealthy people who want to do what they want. I think most developers here vastly over shoot what they want to build in their proposals because they know it will never be approved as proposed.

The coastal areas in California have the worst NIMBYs in the state, by far. It doesn't matter if we're talking about liberal San Francisco and Santa Monica or conservative Pismo Beach and Coronado. Last fall in Coronado, for example, NIMBY's killed additional bike lanes for the dumbest of reasons:

• Video Link

[nezbn22]

Originally Posted by SLO

Sure, I can see that. In California the ones Ive encountered tend to be environmentalist liberals who are anti development and show up at virtually all development proposals and have a tinge of disdain for wealthy people who want to do what they want. I think most developers here vastly over shoot what they want to build in their proposals because they know it will never be approved as proposed.

The most prominent NIMBY obstructionist in San Diego is a bleeding heart liberal - Cory Briggs. Aside from Briggs, I don't have a great feel for who's doing the obstructing...just that it really pisses me off.

[embora]

Someone has proposed a residential building on part of the site that the Chargers would like to use for a stadium:


Stadium or apartments?

Texas developer proposes 383 units in the middle of the Chargers downtown site

By Roger Showley | 4:12 p.m. June 8, 2016

A $1.8 billion stadium-convention center measure is headed toward the Nov. 8 ballot, but that's not stopping a Texas developer from seeking approval for a 383-unit apartment building in the middle of the downtown site.

Civic San Diego, the city agency responsible for downtown development, reviewed the design Wednesday for Modera San Diego, a seven-story project proposed by Mill Creek Residential Trust, a Dallas-based multifamily housing company that has built about 15,000 units in more than 50 projects around the country, including in Carlsbad.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...hargers-civic/

[Lipani]

It's seasonal, but at least Frankfurt is a major hub and will give travelers more options.

San Diego gets nonstop flight to Germany
By Lori Weisburg

Starting next year, San Diego will get its second nonstop flight to a European destination, thanks to an agreement with Condor, a German airline, to fly directly to Frankfurt, Germany.

While the flights will not operate year-round, service will be available during the crucial summer season, between May and October, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority announced Thursday.

Condor, which has been in operation since 1956, will operate two flights weekly — Mondays and Thursdays — starting May 1, and add a third flight, on Saturdays, starting July 8. The initial two weekly flights will run through early October, with Saturday service operating through Sept. 2.

Condor estimates that one-way flights from Frankfurt to San Diego will start at nearly $400.

Based on Condor’s operation in other U.S. cities, it’s very possible that the airline could eventually expand service to San Diego for additional months beyond the May-October season, said Hampton Brown, who oversees air service development for the airport.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...ght-frankfurt/

[dtell04]

Originally Posted by Bikemike

^Actually MIMBY's in my experience come from all political persuasions. NIMYism isn't necessarily partisan. It stems from self-centeredness, a universal human trait.

The reason why you're seeing many liberal NIMBYs is simple. Liberal jurisdictions are the only places with environmental laws that can be abused by NIMBYs. Cities that have laissez fair zoning (eg Houston) have weak environmental laws, and by extension, no legal grounds to abuse and obstruct with.

Yeah I have to agree with this. California is such a unique place, environmentally, socially, fiscally, and politically. What works in most places doesn't fly here for any number of reasons. Putting blame on one side of the aisle isn't really taking into account the whole situation. If you just look at the price of houses being 2.5 times the national average, its obvious all these California factors are to blame. Unions, CEQA, NIMBYs, Low Income Housing - all the common thread of people exploiting the situation for personal gain. San Diego does a better job than LA and SF building and allowing developments, but it is still nothing to boast. Change needs to occur, hopefully it will be sooner rather than later. I often contemplate turning my tiny 600 sq foot condo into a 3 bedroom house with a pool in Phoenix and using the leftover money to buy a boat. The environment of the city will obviously increase prices, but it shouldn't be like this.
It is a problem that will never be fixed by blaming people with different political views, that's for sure.

[dtell04]

http://www.civicsd.com/images/storie...marts_Farm.pdf

The Salvation Army apparently wants to use some of their property to park trailers and sell donated cars. I tried looking up zoning laws but with little success. See the emails in page 8 or 9 (?) of the pdf above. Does anyone know/think if they will actually get approval to use a half of a block for junk storage indefinitely?

[dtell04]

Originally Posted by embora

Someone has proposed a residential building on part of the site that the Chargers would like to use for a stadium:


So that is a bit odd. The following line from the article:

Sharon Cooney, MTS chief of staff, said her agency opposes the project because it is incompatible with the operation of the bus yard, where 155 buses are washed, cleaned and readied for daily routes from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.

"It's very noisy," she said. "I would like to make it clear to you this is going to be a potential problem."

I read this as: "There's no way we are going to ever approve a housing development adjacent to the bus yard." I wonder if she has already gotten a sweet offer from Spanos......

[The Flying Dutchman]

Originally Posted by dtell04

http://www.civicsd.com/images/storie...marts_Farm.pdf

The Salvation Army apparently wants to use some of their property to park trailers and sell donated cars. I tried looking up zoning laws but with little success. See the emails in page 8 or 9 (?) of the pdf above. Does anyone know/think if they will actually get approval to use a half of a block for junk storage indefinitely?

Can confirm the lot is vacant now. Seems like they had until June 6th to vacate the premises, as stated by CivicSD on page 8. The Salvation Army is going to have a hard time finding parking for those trailers. Downtown isn't really the place for that kind of thing anymore, I think. They knew they were on a month-to-month basis for years, so it's not like they had no warning.

[bmfarley]

Originally Posted by dtell04

So that is a bit odd. The following line from the article:

Sharon Cooney, MTS chief of staff, said her agency opposes the project because it is incompatible with the operation of the bus yard, where 155 buses are washed, cleaned and readied for daily routes from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.

"It's very noisy," she said. "I would like to make it clear to you this is going to be a potential problem."

I read this as: "There's no way we are going to ever approve a housing development adjacent to the bus yard." I wonder if she has already gotten a sweet offer from Spanos......

MTS is adjacent to the proposed development and has a right to comment upon it.

Residential development adjacent to a bus yard is an obvious conflict. The yards are 24-hour operations. Fueling, cleaning, maintenance, etc.

[embora]

Originally Posted by dtell04

http://www.civicsd.com/images/storie...marts_Farm.pdf

The Salvation Army apparently wants to use some of their property to park trailers and sell donated cars. I tried looking up zoning laws but with little success. See the emails in page 8 or 9 (?) of the pdf above. Does anyone know/think if they will actually get approval to use a half of a block for junk storage indefinitely?

The property is zoned as Neighborhood Mixed Use Center(NC) in the Centre City Planned District. Look for the "NC" in the "Use Category" row atop each page starting on page 29 of this .pdf, and then go down the matrix until you see what you think the use should be described: http://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/Mu...Division03.pdf

Go to page 102 of the same .pdf to see a zoning map for Centre City.

My interpretation based on the zoning information is that it depends on how the city categorizes the use. If the use is considered "Parking," then the Salvation Army needs a conditional use permit; if the use is considered "Moving and Storage facilities" then it is not allowed; and if it is considered "All other vehicle & Vehicular Equipment Sales & Services," then it is not allowed.

See the below .pdf for info about conditional use permits in San Diego:
http://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/Mu...Division03.pdf

[dtell04]

Originally Posted by bmfarley

MTS is adjacent to the proposed development and has a right to comment upon it.

Residential development adjacent to a bus yard is an obvious conflict. The yards are 24-hour operations. Fueling, cleaning, maintenance, etc.

Another obvious reason for the bus yard to go, I guess.

[tyleraf]

The Union Trib has the Seaport Village redevelopment proposals up. So many huge plans that could revolutionize the Embarcadero! My personal favorite is the Oliver- McMillan/Renzo Piano team.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...redevelopment/

[Streamliner]

Originally Posted by tyleraf

The Union Trib has the Seaport Village redevelopment proposals up. So many huge plans that could revolutionize the Embarcadero! My personal favorite is the Oliver- McMillan/Renzo Piano team.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...redevelopment/

I'm a little baffled by the Oliver-McMillan entry. With Renzo Piano and Gensler as architects I would have expected something a lot more noteworthy, but the whole project looks a bit dull. Almost like a large resort or something. It's especially frustrating because their examples of similar projects in other cities look 10x better than the renderings.

I'll need to look through all of these more closely before I come up with a strong opinion. Unfortunately I think a lot of it will come down to people's opinion of the "gimmick", rather than the entirety of the design.