SAN DIEGO | Boom Rundown, Vol. 2

[Nerv]

Originally Posted by dtell04

I think its somewhere in between. There was a good intention with this law but there seems to be too many holes and it has allowed people like Briggs to make a living challenging projects that really have no significant environmental impact.
We all know that replacing the Q with a different stadium should be a no brainer. But instead the city is spending 2.1 million dollars to hurry this along and in the end Briggs will probably sue because the funding plan is inadequate. Meanwhile in Carson, 8,000 plus signatures and a few nobody politicians can legally exempt the whole process?
I would support scrapping the law and coming up with something that actually makes sense.

They won't get rid of it simply for the reason to many people like the law so they can misuse it to their own ends. Why not? It's almost a perfect way to hold someone hostage for money or destroy something you don't like. It's just another law on the books that isn't being used the way it was intended. I've heard many people over the years comment on its misuse but also why it's not going away for the above reasons.

It is way misused too. Almost everyone agrees its a good law only in theory but not how it is actually used. This was from a recent article on it:

“Everywhere you have people trying to preserve the status quo, but do they go to court and win?” she asks. “In New York, agencies win all the time.”

But in California cities, they very well might not. Agencies in the Golden State win about 53 percent of the time, Hernandez says, while challengers win about 47 percent of the time. Plaintiffs have a good shot at slowing the development of environmentally iffy projects — big box stores, industrial polluters — but also neighborhood libraries, high-density housing and mass transit.


https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/env...erg-bike-lanes

[SDCAL]

Originally Posted by Nerv

Hopefully one of those mentioned above tries the downtown market soon because as much as I love Whole Foods I'd have rather seen one of them mentioned in a new project instead. Downtown is fine with grocery stores and restaurants, thank you.

No, no downtown is not fine with grocery stores We NEED. A Trader Joes down here. I drive to Hillcrest every week to go to TJs and usually stop off at Whole Foods as well to get things I can't get at TJs. I stopped going to the huge chain places like Albertsons and Ralph's many years ago during the strikes and never returned because I found MUCH higher quality at the smaller stores and WF, especially when it comes to produce. Quite frankly the Albertson's downtown is TOO big for me and the produce is not fresh. You walk in and it's like you're in a gigantic airline hangar with isles and need a map just to find the few items you need. I know some people like the big grocery experience so I'm glad Albertsons and Ralph's are downtown, but a lot of people like me don't shop there. Jumbo's is an OK alternative to WF but I'm in the EV and it's still a pain to go over there and I'm not a big fan of going into Horton Plaza to do grocery shopping. If they do build the WF at 7th and Market they will definitely have one customer guaranteed - me. It's in close walking distance. And if they build a TJs in EV that would be even better

[SDCAL]

My two cents on EIRs: Needed, but need to be amended to be more reasonable. There should always be a robust environmental evaluation on any project, I firmly believe this. But the process needs to be efficient and non-biased which it is neither. It needs to be overhauled and it needs to be controlled by objective environmental experts who have no ties with politicians, lawyers, NIMBY community groups, or developers.

[Northparkwizard]

Originally Posted by SDCAL

My two cents on EIRs: Needed, but need to be amended to be more reasonable. There should always be a robust environmental evaluation on any project, I firmly believe this. But the process needs to be efficient and non-biased which it is neither. It needs to be overhauled and it needs to be controlled by objective environmental experts who have no to with politicians, lawyers, NIMBY community groups, or developers.

[Nerv]

Originally Posted by SDCAL

No, no downtown is not fine with grocery stores We NEED. A Trader Joes down here. I drive to Hillcrest every week to go to TJs and usually stop off at Whole Foods as well to get things I can't get at TJs. I stopped going to the huge chain places like Albertsons and Ralph's many years ago during the strikes and never returned because I found MUCH higher quality at the smaller stores and WF, especially when it comes to produce. Quite frankly the Albertson's downtown is TOO big for me and the produce is not fresh. You walk in and it's like you're in a gigantic airline hangar with isles and need a map just to find the few items you need. I know some people like the big grocery experience so I'm glad Albertsons and Ralph's are downtown, but a lot of people like me don't shop there. Jumbo's is an OK alternative to WF but I'm in the EV and it's still a pain to go over there and I'm not a big fan of going into Horton Plaza to do grocery shopping. If they do build the WF at 7th and Market they will definitely have one customer guaranteed - me. It's in close walking distance. And if they build a TJs in EV that would be even better

Sorry. I meant fine in the sense that they do have a Albertsons, Ralph's, and Jimbo's at least with a possible Whole Foods on the way (again). If I had to pick a retail store that's needed most in downtown I'd say it's a Target or Walmart. Even a Costco in the city could work. Just one of those stores could reduce a lot of trips outside the city to shop. Everything else should come as demand is increased (well, we hope).



You are right about Trader Joes too. That's a store that usually has a small retail footprint and could work perfect in some project in the future. If I were them I'd look at space in the upcoming ballpark village project. They carry a lot of product that would work for convention goers too giving them a nice secondary market during events. Hell I could see people stopping in before a baseball game too with their drinks and sandwiches.

[spoonman]

There is a Walmart on Commercial a few blocks east of the 5. It's one trolley stop from the MTS station. I don't see them builiding another location downtown, but I belivee Target will build one of their "express" type stores.

I heard that another grocery store was coming to Little Italy in the Aeriel Suites building. I'm not sure the status of the project at this time.

[Nerv]

We got our logo today.

[HurricaneHugo]

Originally Posted by Nerv

We got our logo today.

Looks very generic.

They could at least put the Coronado bridge

[Northparkwizard]

Originally Posted by HurricaneHugo

Looks very generic.

They could at least put the Coronado bridge

This logo is ugly but less ugly than the Coronado bridge.

[aerogt3]

Originally Posted by SDCAL

My two cents on EIRs: Needed, but need to be amended to be more reasonable. There should always be a robust environmental evaluation on any project, I firmly believe this. But the process needs to be efficient and non-biased which it is neither. It needs to be overhauled and it needs to be controlled by objective environmental experts who have no ties with politicians, lawyers, NIMBY community groups, or developers.

The EIR system needs a complete revamp, because in reality it has a neutral or even detrimental impact on the environment while adding an enormous cost, complexity, and uncertainty to any development. Transit and clean energy projects often suffer delays of years due to lengthy EIRs. Is there really doubt that the overall environmental impact of a subway line is positive? Because there is definitely an environmental drawback to having 50 thousand single occupancy vehicles on the road during the 2 or 3 years of EIRs.

EIR's in their current form should be reserved for large scale industrial applications. Building a strip mall with some parking doesn't need an EIR. A large shopping mall which will have acres and acres of parking run off and potential traffic queues should get an "EIR-lite" to address the limited number of environmental impacts that type of project could have, without diving into million dollar studies about the potential 1% population decline of magic unicorn snails.

Also, EIR's should be excluded entirely when the property is already surrounded by other development (so long as the type of proposed development is similar.)

And whatever the type/level of detail, EIR's should be done at the zoning level rather than on a project by project basis. It would be faster, more cost effective, and less subject to NIMBYism if districts were zoned industrial/residential/ec. and then the appropriate level of EIR were done for the zoned area as a whole.

[Streamliner]

Park Station housing in La Mesa on hold
San Diego Union-Tribune
Karen Pearlman
July 21, 2015

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...-mesa-on-hold/

“The Park Station team has decided to postpone the specific plan approval process to ensure that we have taken sufficient time to process additional input that has been received from the community,” said Lenette Hewitt, spokeswoman for Park Station. “Additionally, as market conditions are constantly changing, the team feels it prudent to assess the current real estate market to reaffirm which building uses will bring the greatest benefit to the city of La Mesa and all of its residents.”

The mixed-use development over 4.73 acres was originally set for 190 feet in 2009. In response to an outcry from residents citing excess traffic, noise, pollution and ruined views, developers made changes, including lowering the height in seeking city approval.

But even as it reduced the height, Park Station continued to get pushback from the community. On its third go-around at a three-hour meeting May 20 at a packed City Council chambers, the Park Station plan was again rejected by the La Mesa Planning Commission.

The commission turned down the most recent revamped design that called for a maximum height of 75 feet, saying it could not recommend the plan to the City Council. Sixty percent of that proposed project was four stories tall — or 46 feet.

This is too bad. Downtown La Mesa has a good town center and access to transit. The perfect place for more density and transit oriented development.

[Leo the Dog]

^That is unbelievable.

I would think that La Mesa and even El Cajon would really push for high density in-fill, especially near a trolley stop with freeway access.

They have a huge advantage because they don't have to contend with the CCC.

[mello]

I would think El Cajon is much more open to it. This section of La Mesa has way more residential charm with the craftsman homes and hilly landscape. El Cajon is flat and its nicer older houses are up in the hills just south of the 8. I have walked around that old center of LM and I can tell it would be a NIMBY type hood there are some really nice blocks and those people are more likely to bitch and moan.

This is very upsetting though. The developer has been trying to get this done for almost 10 years pathetic... Think of all the extra business all those mom and pops in the downtown area could be missing out on with the influence of high end renters this project would bring. Not to say its a silver bullet for turning La Mesa in to our Pasadena but its a start at changing the perception.

[The Flying Dutchman]

SANDAG released their grant award recipient list today:

http://www.sandag.org/uploads/meetin...4082_19439.pdf

Regarding downtown, one million was awarded to construct the initial pilot block of a pedestrianized 14th street project, and to study the feasibility of an enhanced 6th ave. bridge crossing for pedestrians.

[Nerv]

Liberty Station will be getting the Liberty Station Market this October. Having spent an awful lot of time in Washingtons Pikes Place Market even a mini version of that in San Diego is something I'm looking forward to.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...public-market/

[nezbn22]

Originally Posted by Nerv

Liberty Station will be getting the Liberty Station Market this October. Having spent an awful lot of time in Washingtons Pikes Place Market even a mini version of that in San Diego is something I'm looking forward to.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/...public-market/

Great idea, just wish it were downtown...seaport village anyone?

[Bertrice]

Originally Posted by nezbn22

Great idea, just wish it were downtown...seaport village anyone?

better parking situation at LS and tourists would just ruin it

[nezbn22]

Originally Posted by Bertrice

better parking situation at LS and tourists would just ruin it

Absolutely correct about the parking. They'd have to address that in their remodel. However, while tourists are annoying, I'm pretty sure they haven't ruined Pike Place Market. The only way they'd ruin it is if the market started selling touristy crap instead of the good market items.

[Bertrice]

never been to pikes but isnt that place more like a wholesale market and this liberty market looks to be a boutique. Probably pricier than wholepaycheck. kinda dainty and specialty

[chris08876]

Can see some developments u/c around town.

There's a big dirt pit to the right of the Petco Park. Whats going on there?


Credit: The View From 6A