[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[6:10] Call the City Council meeting of Monday, March 2nd, 2026 to order, clerk, please call the roll.
[6:17] Thank you, Council President. Council member Campbell.
[6:23] Council member Whippern.
[6:26] Council member Foster.
[6:27] Here. Council member von Woper. Council President Protemling. Here. Council member Campio. Council member Morano.
[6:36] President, Council Member Ello Rivera, and Council President LaCava.
[6:41] Also saying the meeting our city attorney Heather Ferber, independent budget analyst Charles
[6:45] Monica, and myself, your city clerk, Diana Fuentes.
[6:49] All right, thank you, city clerk.
[6:50] The quorum is now present.
[6:52] We will begin this morning with an indication by clerk Fuentes, followed with the line of
[6:56] acknowledgement and the pledge of allegiance led by Council Member Foster.
[7:01] Grant those who hold office in this city, the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice that
[7:07] at Fast Purpose, they may faithfully serve in their offices to promote the well-being of
[7:12] all people.
[7:16] We respectfully acknowledge that the Kumiyai Nation are the original inhabitants
[7:20] of the Unceded Land now known as San Diego. Despite enduring the horrors of genocide and
[7:26] colonization, the Kumiyai spirit remains unbroken. We honor the resilience of their ancestors who
[7:32] fought to protect their culture and land. Today, they carry their legacy forward ensuring that
[7:38] traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength. We stand with the
[7:42] Kumi I nation, connected to our past, and committed to a thriving future.
[7:48] Please face the flag, hand over your heart, and begin.
[7:52] I pledge allegiance.
[8:11] Frank, please go over how the public can offer their testimony.
[8:15] Thank you, Council President. I like to highlight the slide on the screen that reviews how
[8:18] the public can offer their public testimony during today's meeting. If you're in person,
[8:22] please complete a speaker so I look at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of
[8:25] room. No further in person, testimony will be taken once the council begins virtual testimony.
[8:30] For better meeting, management purposes, each people will have one minute per item per person,
[8:35] for a maximum of three minutes if three or more items are on the agenda.
[8:39] Thank you, council President. All right. Thank you. And with that, please read the close session
[8:42] items into the record and proceed with public comment. Thank you. Conference with legal counsel
[8:47] existing litigation, percent California Government Code Section 54956.9D1 is the S1
[8:53] Maria Natalie Brazil versus City of San Diego,
[8:56] conference at Libra Negotiate is presented
[8:57] to California Government Code Section 549-57.6.
[9:00] It's the S2 City Designate Management Team
[9:02] representative.
[9:03] The purpose of this co-session meeting
[9:05] is to review the city's position
[9:06] and instruct the city's designated representatives
[9:08] regarding meeting conferred negotiations.
[9:11] First successor memorandum of Understanding
[9:12] with San Diego Municipal Employees Association,
[9:15] American Federation of State County,
[9:17] and municipal employees, local 127,
[9:20] Deputy City Attorney's Association of San Diego
[9:22] San Diego City Firefighters IAFF Local 145 California Teamsters Local 1986 and San Diego Police Officers Association
[9:30] If you'd like to speak to these items, please be sure to submit a speaker to the Father Room
[9:34] If you're participating virtually now's the time to raise your hand.
[9:37] There are no speakers here in Council Chambers going to those participating virtually have started the five minute timer
[9:43] Phone number adding ending in 8700 if you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.
[9:50] I thank you one and two.
[9:53] You'll have two minutes, please proceed.
[9:56] Thank you.
[9:57] Joyce and Yada, C-B-3, C-S-1, Trippinfall.
[10:03] I was wanting one of you to pull item in city attorney's office with provide status and seek direction.
[10:12] This must have been a very serious trippinfall to have happened over seven years ago.
[10:17] that perhaps there are extending way to circumstances.
[10:21] I would really like to know what is caused, delay,
[10:25] and set a legal investigation for all these years,
[10:28] love to all.
[10:29] I'm CS2 of the International Association.
[10:34] I want you to know that I rewrote and rewrote my comments
[10:39] for this item three times, I just couldn't do it.
[10:42] Finally, this morning, I decided to just be from my heart
[10:46] So I'll say this, at this negotiation table, I invite all of you present to step out of your
[10:55] roles and become a family member sitting together at a kitchen table to figure out how to balance
[11:02] the family budget. Is there an opportunity to cut up the budget pie that's fair to all?
[11:16] Thank you so
[11:16] Thank you. That does include public comment on the closed session agenda.
[11:20] Thank you, Council President.
[11:21] All right. Thank you with that.
[11:22] We will now recess into closed session and reconvene Council today at 2 p.m.
[11:27] or shortly thereafter.
[27:25] Thank you, council president, council member Campbell, here, council member Whitburn, council member foster, council member van Wilper, council president, pro-temling, here, council member campion, council member
[27:39] Councilmember Moreno, President, Councilmember Elor Vera, and Council President LaCava, also
[27:46] obtain the meeting of our Assistant City Attorney, Michelle Garland, Independent Budget
[27:50] Analyst, Charles Monica, Advisor in the Mayor's Office, Mr. Wilde, and myself, your
[27:57] city clerk, Diana Fuentes, thank you.
[27:59] Right, thank you, Madam City Clerk, Forum is now present, so we'll start off first by asking
[28:04] if there's any comments from the Mayor's Office from City Council members to the Attorney
[28:08] any independent budget analyst or the city clerk?
[28:11] And we see the city clerk calves comments?
[28:14] I just wanted to give a quick update
[28:15] that we are going to be ending our community engagement survey
[28:19] at the end of this week.
[28:21] There is a QR code during our slides that go up.
[28:25] And on my website, www.sandiego.gov, backslash city clerk
[28:29] on the front webpage there.
[28:32] We encourage everyone to participate
[28:33] and please give us feedback
[28:34] on how we can better support public engagement
[28:36] and city council meetings.
[28:38] Thank you, Council President.
[28:39] All right.
[28:39] Thank you, many of you.
[28:40] Some clerk.
[28:40] Thank you for going for that extra effort to get that public input.
[28:44] So with that, please go over how the public can offer their testimony.
[28:48] Thank you, Council President.
[28:50] I'd like to highlight the slide that was on the screen to mitigate, but the screen that
[28:54] reviews how the public offer can, how the public can offer their public testimony during
[28:57] this afternoon's meeting.
[28:59] You can go and get the website link at www.sandigo.gov.
[29:03] Backslash City Clerk on our agenda.
[29:05] It is there at the front.
[29:06] If you like to participate via zoom, it's www.sandiago.gov slash CCMTG, it's back up on the screen now,
[29:16] as well as the webinar ID information. If you are in person, please complete the speaker slip
[29:20] located at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of the room in the clear box.
[29:25] There's also council ambassadors that are available near the entrance of chambers and
[29:28] can assist with questions and speaker slips. If you are participating remotely,
[29:32] press star nine or the raise your hand icon and no further in person testimony will be taken once the council begins for a troll testimony
[29:39] Thank you, council president. All right. Thank you with that. Please introduce item 200. Item 200 is an informational item
[29:46] It is the annual update from the San Diego City port commissioners if you'd like to please if you'd like to speak on this item
[29:53] Now is the time to submit your speakers lips to the front of the room into the clear box or if you are participating remotely
[30:00] Come on in. If you are participating remotely, please be sure to raise your hand by pressing star 9 or raise your hand icon. Thank you, council president.
[30:11] All right. Thank you. Well, welcome to our chambers this time. And these are our port commissioners or the commissioner to represent in the city of San Diego. Excuse me. Please introduce yourselves for the record and let us know how much time you need for your presentation.
[30:25] Good afternoon, Council President. 15 minutes, please.
[30:28] All right.
[30:29] When you were.
[30:30] Go ahead.
[30:32] Next slide.
[30:33] Oh, oh, no, sorry.
[30:35] I apologize.
[30:38] I know you're very excited.
[30:40] Good afternoon.
[30:43] Council President.
[30:43] Members of the City Council.
[30:45] I'm Michael Zucat.
[30:45] I'm the Vice Chair of the Board of Court Commissioners.
[30:48] Join by Commissioner Sid Verapura.
[30:50] And Commissioner Daniel Moore.
[30:52] we are your three San Diego appointees.
[30:55] We're going to give you a brief update on a number of items
[30:58] today, broken down in a three categories, parks and open space,
[31:02] economic development, and we're going to tell you
[31:04] about some exciting events coming through our Titans
[31:07] activation program.
[31:08] Next slide, please.
[31:29] Very good.
[31:30] So beginning with parks and open space,
[31:31] we're going to begin with what will be the largest veterans
[31:36] park on the west coast, Freedom Park at Burnham Navy Pier. If you look at the rendering there,
[31:42] that's Navy Pier on the left side of this photograph. And the park will begin at that eastern
[31:49] edge of the pier wrap all the way around the midway over the G Street mole on the other side
[31:57] and ten acres in all. So this is a very substantial park that is under construction today.
[32:03] the port demolished last year that head house,
[32:07] warehouse-looking structure at the base of the pier.
[32:12] It's nearing completion of the under water,
[32:17] reinforcements and engineering that's going on.
[32:19] The Midway Museum are partners in this effort.
[32:22] Continue their fundraising for the construction,
[32:25] and we're excited that completion is scheduled to be
[32:27] in time for Veterans Day 2028.
[32:31] Next slide, please.
[32:32] Moving on to Caesar Chavez, Park Improvements, this is a project that is in a more preliminary
[32:41] design phase, we're working closely with Councilmember Moreno, the Barrier Logan Community
[32:48] Planning Group, which kind of Park Steering Committee.
[32:51] We've had a few public workshops and pop-up events trying to come up with a collaborative
[32:59] design and a plan to make these improvements. At the moment we're talking about a splash pad,
[33:05] we're talking about more lawn space for picnics and gatherings, a perched beach sort of above,
[33:12] above the water, ass-tech inspired heart scape, shade structures and other amenities. Although
[33:19] this is in preliminary design, the good news is this project is basically already funded through
[33:26] something at the port called the Balance Capital Program, which is something where each member
[33:31] city's commissioners sort of guide some public money, and this is the choice of the three
[33:38] commissioners before you in terms of San Diego. And so this project is largely funded. Construction
[33:43] we're hoping is fall of 2027, completed in the spring of 2028. Next slide please.
[33:55] Another
[33:56] next slide please. Coming up for East Harbor Island. This is the part of East Harbor Island
[34:06] that you probably haven't been to before unless you made a wrong turn. This is the part
[34:11] that is right by Harbor Island Drive. It's currently parking lots for overflow rental cars
[34:19] and construction areas for the airport right now. It's going to be the future site for top
[34:25] off, which my colleague's going to talk about in a second, but we're talking about that,
[34:29] what do you call that teal, aquamarine around it, that's a ten acre park, all on the
[34:36] waterfront.
[34:37] There's also a proposal for about a six and a half acre entertainment and restaurant district
[34:42] in this area, the part of Harbor Island that most people are familiar with is that
[34:47] bottom of the photograph part with the restaurants and the hotels.
[34:50] This is right now literally a walled off sort of industrial section of East Harbour Island and this entire
[34:59] development and park space will be transformative.
[35:04] Next slide, please.
[35:06] Finally, at least for my part of this presentation, I want to update you on the Maritime Clean Air Strategy,
[35:12] something the port adopted in 2021.
[35:14] One, the purpose of it was, and the goal of it was health equity for all, basically, what
[35:19] can we as a port do more to improve on the lives of the port communities who surround
[35:26] the operations of the port, and one of the goals of the strategy was to put our goals,
[35:36] make them aggressive and put them in writing and hope to generate federal and state money
[35:41] to help fund those activities.
[35:43] And I think it's fair to say that even our most optimistic
[35:48] hopes were far exceeded to date.
[35:50] We've raised sort of a quarter billion dollars
[35:53] in the last five years to fund electric cranes,
[35:58] completely electrify, almost completely
[36:00] would like to try the 10th Avenue and Reinterminal.
[36:02] By the way, all that electric equipment is the electricity.
[36:06] From it comes from a solar powered microgrid at the 10th
[36:10] of Romanian turmoil, which also saves money and reduces further emissions.
[36:15] So, very grateful to the work of our staff at the port, especially Job Nelson, who you
[36:20] already know and his team who have really gone above and beyond in securing this money.
[36:25] And the result of that of those investments were demonstrated in our emissions inventory, which
[36:31] was just published, and it showed that in a five-year period, we had a 30% decrease in nitrogen
[36:38] in oxides, and a 46% decrease in diesel
[36:42] particulate matter emissions from port-related activities
[36:45] in just a five-year period.
[36:48] And so we're pretty excited about that.
[36:50] Just at our last board meeting, we approved our clean cargo
[36:55] port grant with EPA, which did come through.
[36:57] We have a couple of partners on that.
[36:59] Dole, our main tenant at the 10,000th Avenue,
[37:02] Rene Terminal, and Patia Automotive, who runs the terminal
[37:05] down in national city. Also in that grant we've got funded a workforce development staff member
[37:13] who's going to help promote clean tech careers. And so we're excited about these results
[37:20] and look forward to continuing the progress. Moving on, Commissioner Veracaro.
[37:25] Good afternoon. I said Veracaro for the record. Happy to be here. I also want to acknowledge
[37:32] as commissioners, you can't mention Job Nelson, Job Nelson, Scott Chattwick and Ron Powell.
[37:37] I think they need no introduction from all of you.
[37:39] I've joined us today as well.
[37:41] I'm going to share three projects all under environmental review at this point in time,
[37:48] but as you'll see, we see the end of the tunnel or the light at the end of the tunnel on all three of them.
[37:54] Starting with C. Port San Diego, it is our most ambitious project in its planning stages.
[38:00] I know you are all familiar with it.
[38:03] This mixed-use project proposes pre-public uses and commercial ventures, including plazas,
[38:10] parks, promenades, pears, marinas, hotels, retail and restaurants, commercial fishing uses,
[38:17] multiple visitor attractions, and urban beach, and educational uses as well.
[38:24] It would unfold on about 39 acres of land and 63 acres of water that includes parts
[38:30] of C. Poor Village, Tunal Harbor, and Barcadero,
[38:33] Marina Park, North, and Rucal Park.
[38:36] So as I said, it's under environmental review,
[38:38] and we actually anticipate the next completion
[38:40] of that review later this year.
[38:43] Next slide, please.
[38:46] The second project I want to share
[38:49] is the is 1220 Pacific Highway.
[38:52] So after completing a deal with the US Navy
[38:54] to acquire its leasehold, the port staff
[38:57] is preparing to present a proposed use for the site
[39:00] at our March 10th board of board commissioners meeting and we are considering a proposal that promises
[39:07] to bring in a new public attraction to the area next to the intercontinental hotel along the
[39:14] Barcadero. So I think all three of us are excited to see a development plan that transforms
[39:19] what has been an unusable 3.4 acre cluster of Navy office buildings since 1949 into an
[39:29] activated space for our community.
[39:31] Next slide, please.
[39:34] Vice Chair Zucat also talked a little bit about East Harbor
[39:37] Drive, our East Harbor Island of Excuse me,
[39:40] and the park.
[39:41] This is part of our activation program with top golf.
[39:46] So this proposed project is sits on 10 acres.
[39:50] Again, also occupied currently by rental car companies.
[39:54] It's also under environmental review,
[39:56] and we're expecting an EIR to be circulated for public study and comment this fall.
[40:02] Once it is the EIR is certified by the Board, a port commissioners, it will be submitted
[40:08] to the California Coastal Commission for review and it is that say crucial step that would
[40:14] allow construction to begin.
[40:17] Top golf promises to serve as a magnet that we think will attract the public and provides
[40:21] a job of energy to ease harbor drive.
[40:25] Between the planning pages of East Harbor Island Park and Prananod and Topgolf, we, the three of us,
[40:31] are in particular looking to see how we could reimagine this space that is Vice-Chair
[40:35] as a kept mentioned, has been just not usable for the public and our community. Next slide.
[40:44] And finally, for me, in my portion of this presentation, our cruise industry. So the port is experiencing a rebound.
[40:50] and it's cruise ship business. We had a 177 cruise ship calls with 389,000 passengers this season.
[41:00] So, as just to give it comparison in the 2024-2025 cruise season, we recorded 75 cruise ships
[41:07] and welcomed just about 260,000 passengers at that time. So, during that season, cruise lines
[41:15] have repositioned ships to Asia and Australia and tested other markets.
[41:20] But I want to say congratulations to our maritime team who have really worked hard to kind
[41:26] of engage the cruise line industry.
[41:29] And this year's performance is similar to our 2020-23-2024 season, and that's when global
[41:35] traveler magazine recognized us, San Diego, as the best cruise port in the world.
[41:40] That season saw 101 cruise calls with 340,000 passengers.
[41:44] So to give you a sense of why this matters for all of us, each voyage that begins and ends in San Diego,
[41:50] so a home port call, injects $2 million into the local economy through ship provisioning and visitor spending.
[41:58] A stop here by a cruise ship that originates at a different port brings in about $600,000 into our local economy.
[42:06] This year's fiscal year, the port's cruise businesses will generate an estimated $157 million in economic impact to the San Diego County.
[42:14] and I see we're down at three and a half minutes,
[42:15] so I'm gonna turn it over to my colleague,
[42:17] Commissioner Moore.
[42:24] Hello everyone, Daniel Moore,
[42:26] very proud to be on this board.
[42:29] And one of the best parts is being able to serve
[42:32] with the other commissioners.
[42:33] Commissioner Zoukant is modest when he talks about the MCAS.
[42:38] But I'm sure you all observed how he stood up
[42:40] a little taller, his chest stuck out a little bit more.
[42:43] And that's because of the work that was done
[42:45] with the MCAS was during his tenure as chair.
[42:48] So as he is vice chair this year, we are very excited about his leadership next year so that he can continue introducing more innovative ideas like MCAS.
[42:58] I'm going to walk us quickly through some other exciting things that are happening at the port of San Diego.
[43:03] The first one being Harbor Drive 2.0.
[43:06] And this project is about modernizing movement.
[43:09] We reduce truck ideline and prove safety and make access more predictable.
[43:14] Well, also moving goods better and making breathing easy, easier.
[43:19] Harbor Drive is a front-line corridor, it has to work for freight visitors and nearby
[43:25] neighbors, especially communities impacted by diesel emissions.
[43:29] And it is not just a traffic project, it's a health immobility project.
[43:36] Aligned with our emissions reduction goals and regional partners like CalTrans and Sandag who
[43:41] been instrumental in making this project come to life.
[43:46] And while we're modernizing, oh, one thing I also
[43:48] wanted to note that is already this year,
[43:50] the poor participated in a joint federal race grant
[43:53] application with Cal Trans with the goal of furthering
[43:55] this corridor concept.
[43:57] And also environmental analysis is expected
[44:00] to be released for public review this fall.
[44:03] Next slide, please.
[44:11] One of the exciting stories that we
[44:13] are able to tell at the Port of San Diego
[44:15] is about the blue economy incubator.
[44:17] You look at places like Silicon Valley that have come known for their tech innovation, the San Diego Bay has really become known all over the world for the innovation that we are doing and our San Diego Bay in terms of incubating technologies and concepts that will improve the blue tech economy.
[44:37] And so the Board of Commissioners last month approved the addition of our 13th early stage water dependent company to the roster of the poorest blue economy incubator portfolio.
[44:48] The new entrance is Nayoka Design Corporation, also known as Luxe Blue.
[44:54] And one of the things that makes them so excited is that exciting is that they have patented underwater biologist.
[45:00] Common SNC, lighting solution, that will replace plastic glow sticks, which are harmful to the environment.
[45:07] The Board agreed to fund the Luxe Biosarda for up to $350,000 for 18 months, where they will
[45:14] be able to use the Bay to test their enzyme, powered underwater lighting technology, at several
[45:20] locations, and in exchange, they will pay us up to $2.1 million over time from eventual sales of their products.
[45:31] One of the proof points when we look at our entire portfolio is that we have had innovative technologies
[45:39] that have removed marine debris at a scale of over 110,000 pounds.
[45:46] We have also had living short line where 60 plus species were documented on bio-enhancing armor
[45:52] units within months.
[45:54] We're able to see real-time environmental monitoring that replaces weeks-long lab delays with actionable data.
[46:02] And so that same commitment to a healthier, more accessible Bay shows up in how we invest in our parks.
[46:08] Starting with SESSA SHABIS Park.
[46:10] Next slide, please.
[46:16] Commissioners, we can't talk about some of the work that is doing to redesign the park in collaboration with Council Member Marino's office.
[46:24] And I want to just acknowledge that that work is not about, you know, consulting with the community afterwards,
[46:30] but from the very beginning being integrated in the community and really getting feedback about what they want.
[46:35] And so the Port will host a free day at the Park Cultural Celebration at Cesar Chavez Park on Saturday, April 11th, from 11 to 3pm.
[46:45] This family-friendly event is part of the Port's expanded access program that really is designed to bring people out,
[46:51] residents out to our parks to be able to enjoy the waterfront and we are able to sponsor a day
[46:58] of fun and entertainment and highlights include multicultural entertainment featuring local
[47:03] artists, hands-on children's activities, interactive community booths and vouchers for free food
[47:09] and beverages. We are entering our third year of water activation program and we'll have similar
[47:21] on the Big Bay Boom, every July we get very excited about this event that brings hundreds
[47:26] of thousands of visitors to San Diego.
[47:30] The port began to be the title sponsor of the Big Bay Boom, this fourth July with the
[47:35] fireworks event that draws crowds of 300,000 attendees.
[47:38] The pyro-techno show provides a boost to hotels, restaurants, and small businesses, and
[47:43] this show will be special as the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing
[47:49] of the Declaration of Independence.
[47:52] The Port is partnering with Fleet Week San Diego as events new nonprofit partner and fiscal
[47:56] sponsor, aligning with celebration with an organization that directly supports active duty
[48:01] servicemen members and veterans.
[48:06] The cost are the benefit to the Bay is a million dollars in terms of the economic impact.
[48:15] And we also are excited to provide sponsorship to support cruise ships that are positioned in
[48:22] the bay during the event.
[48:25] All right.
[48:25] Thank you all.
[48:27] Thank you.
[48:27] And that concludes our report.
[48:29] We're happy to take any questions.
[48:31] I did just want to end on something that Commissioner Moore references, which is very grateful
[48:37] for the opportunity to serve.
[48:38] We appreciate the confidence you show on us to do that on behalf of the people of San Diego.
[48:44] And we also think it's been for everybody who really enjoyed working with each other as well.
[48:50] And so I wanted to thank you for the opportunity.
[48:53] Thank you, Council President.
[48:55] All right.
[48:55] Thank you.
[48:56] Thank you for the presentation.
[48:57] Thank you for taking the time to come here and make the annual report.
[49:00] And your service to the port and to the city as our representatives.
[49:05] So with that, please go to public comment.
[49:10] Thank you, Council President.
[49:11] I've started the five minute timer hearing council chambers because I do not have any speaker
[49:14] subs for this item here in council chambers going to those on the line.
[49:20] John Stump, if you can please unmute after that is Andrea Ewing and then 8700.
[49:25] John Stump?
[49:26] Hi.
[49:27] Good afternoon.
[49:29] You know, the port report was very good.
[49:33] The problem is the port, on one hand, claims that it's trying to reduce carbon pollution.
[49:41] global warming and the environment.
[49:46] All of the things that support does create global warming
[49:52] and carbon production. So what's needed in the future is that for each activity we need to have an accounting of how much carbon,
[50:05] how much global warming pollution was created, and what they did to decrease it.
[50:14] It folks, there's no free lunch. We can, on one hand, salute climate change and global warming
[50:25] reduction. And on the other hand, increase our activities that burn fossil fuels and
[50:33] I'll move the atmosphere.
[50:36] Thank you very much.
[50:39] Thank you.
[50:39] Next is Andrea Ewing.
[50:41] If you can please unmute.
[50:45] Hi, guys.
[50:45] That was a really good presentation.
[50:47] I think the the court in the area is just one of my favorite parts of San Diego.
[50:55] I think it's a really it's a place where upon arrival everyone is going to remember.
[51:01] So I like the plans.
[51:02] And I just saw a lot, especially the last one where, you know, show what's going to go over to
[51:10] Seekport Village.
[51:11] And then just to somewhat piggyback on the last comment, I know we have let a long history
[51:19] of fireworks, and that's part of our skyline, that's part of San Diego for SeaWorld, and
[51:25] all that.
[51:25] But I almost wonder if it's time to start looking at drone shows versus fireworks for
[51:32] the emissions and that sort of thing and the waste that is produced from those shows not quite
[51:39] sure what the regulations would be FAA-wise or aviation-wise but there are certainly some really
[51:45] solid vendors out there that do amazing drone shows that could be a great addition and attraction
[51:51] to San Diego. I think that whole area and everything we just saw could also be a great attraction for
[51:59] I don't know if who's doing our tourism, what used to be convex, convention visitors bureau, if we
[52:04] have something like that. But if we could start campaigning in feeder markets,
[52:09] what I just saw from that, you know, visual is enough for me to want to visit if it was like long
[52:14] beach or an hour or something like that. And that's it. Thank you so much. Thank you, next is 8700.
[52:21] If you can please unmute,
[52:25] after that is hector, and then Kathleen Lippitt.
[52:31] Thank you, Joyce and you had a CD3.
[52:34] So good to see all of you representing the port, a great presentation from all three.
[52:42] And I have to say this on record every time I love our working waterfront.
[52:49] So you have three big categories and you cover them all very well.
[52:54] I want to say a couple of things first of all, the port honors our military in big ways.
[53:01] The military are one or a big part of our San Diego family.
[53:06] Thank you so much, health equity for all, maintaining the clear air strategy, that's a quick thing of that.
[53:17] Thank you. Thank you for that. Love the electric cranes. I just, all when they were, when they arrived, it just beyond belief there, they're so amazing. Thank you for that. 12, 20 Pacific Highway looks positive and fresh. Wow, 1940s buildings. Wow, that's well over. I guess about 85 years old. Those are strong buildings. Best cruise port in the world.
[53:48] That's an amazing statement and the amount of economic impact because of being the best
[53:56] port cruise port in the world is so, so appreciated.
[54:01] We need more revenue, everybody.
[54:04] Love the, love the, at the park.
[54:08] It's terrific.
[54:09] I would just ask you to do this.
[54:11] Most of the people I talked to in the downtown area do not know much about the working water
[54:17] Thank you for those comments.
[54:21] The five minutes timer has included here in Council Chambers.
[54:24] There are two people in the queue.
[54:25] No additional people will be taken.
[54:26] Hector and Kathleen Lipett.
[54:28] Your final two speakers.
[54:29] Hector, if you can please unmute.
[54:33] I have to hear.
[54:35] The port has really had their stuff together from the get go.
[54:39] Guys doing a great job.
[54:41] I just wish the city could model their game out with you guys.
[54:45] Everything's looking great.
[54:47] The veterans thing down a midway.
[54:49] I think you guys got to get on it, man, because Mailing, Mailing, no, there's burning daylight.
[54:55] You guys getting old.
[54:57] You guys got to step it up like six months, so it can be done before he checks out.
[55:03] But he's a great guy, so also he's building up.
[55:07] He wants to build a tunnel on the strand.
[55:10] I don't know if he's told you about it, but Mailing's thinking about it.
[55:12] I was trying to do that with an 80.
[55:15] So to open up another part of San Diego Bay.
[55:18] And I would be like on the southern end there, put up.
[55:23] Jetties in there and have a tunnel go of the road to underneath it.
[55:27] That'd be another project to work on with the port.
[55:30] And whatever you guys are doing, full speed ahead and get it done.
[55:34] And thanks a lot for your time.
[55:36] Thanks.
[55:37] Thank you, and our final speaker is Kathleen Lippett.
[55:39] If you can please unmute.
[55:44] Thank you.
[55:45] Good morning.
[55:46] And thank you for the presentation.
[55:47] and it was a great presentation, really do appreciate all your suggestions and plans to increase
[55:55] and improve park amenities and park acreage. The clean air strategy is something the
[56:04] San Diego's will welcome and I am hoping that there is pushback from the port as to the taking
[56:14] or transitioning of mission-based park plan to commercial amenities and taking away any of that
[56:22] from the public is really a disturbing prospect, but thank you for all of you doing right now.
[56:31] Appreciate it. Thank you for letting me speak. Thank you. That concludes public comment.
[56:35] I don't do hundreds. All right. Thank you, City Clerk. The reminder, this is an information item
[56:41] and no motions required.
[56:42] We'll turn over to council members,
[56:43] your questions, council members.
[56:45] We'll start with council member, ELO Rivera.
[56:47] Thank you, council president.
[56:49] Thank you to our board commissioner,
[56:50] who's really appreciate all three of you.
[56:54] The time that you all spend, the way that you show up,
[57:00] and it really do appreciate,
[57:01] I think the San Diego Superwell served by all three of you,
[57:03] and I appreciate you doing the work that you do.
[57:07] The updates were great, lots of good stuff.
[57:10] I really, very much appreciate how much of what is coming online will benefit, or at least
[57:17] can benefit San Diego's and provide access points for San Diego's, especially young people.
[57:22] Even Shelter Island, a park, a little park that's there, I took my son there a couple
[57:29] weeks ago, and it's a great little playground.
[57:33] So, appreciate the updates there and the progress that's being made.
[57:39] I think that's pretty incredible in terms of the updates on cruise ships.
[57:46] I'm curious, is there something in particular that you think change or is it like they experimented elsewhere and kind of forgot what a good thing they have here?
[57:58] What do you think the difference was on that front?
[58:04] Thank you, Councilmember.
[58:06] I think it's actually a combination of multiple things.
[58:09] I think we've heard from the cruise industry
[58:12] that their guests, their cruisers,
[58:16] they actually really like the San Diego home port.
[58:19] I think that actually drove,
[58:20] drives a lot of their thinking.
[58:22] I think that they also did as to your kind of like thinking about it,
[58:27] that they did do a lot of experimentation in Asia
[58:29] And I think just the, you know, typically three to five day kind of trip to through Baha, actually is one that works really well, even just from a, did not just from a visitor experience or customer experience, but also just from like an economics perspective as well.
[58:45] And then I, I can't thank enough our maritime team who have been really diligent about going out and actually engaging each of our cruise line industries and keeping ones like holiday America who's been a homeport.
[58:59] for some time now, very much engaged and excited about what we have to offer, and I know that
[59:06] there are a couple new cruise liners that are looking at doing home ports with us, so I
[59:11] actually think the next time we come here, we might have some bigger updates for you, but
[59:14] I think it's a combination of those three.
[59:16] I just want to add to that, you know, I think when Commissioner Barack Obama talks about they
[59:21] like the San Diego home port, they like being able to be dropped in the middle of our city and
[59:26] at it offers, they like being adjacent to the airport, where you look at other places in
[59:31] Southern California, where it's so remote, the port is isolated from a lot of things that
[59:35] are accessible. But here in San Diego, you get dropped here and you get access to our entire
[59:40] city, to our transportation system, to the train system. And so, it opens up so much for people
[59:46] when they come to San Diego, they're not just coming to, you know, just go to the port, they're
[59:51] coming to see San Diego and see all that it has to offer.
[59:55] Wait, on that point, I have to share a quick anecdote, which was-
[1:00:00] I was at Ralph's bagging my groceries in line and I was wearing my poor San Diego jacket and the cashier
[1:00:06] SPG, you work at the port and I said, actually, I'm one of our commissioners here in San Diego.
[1:00:09] And she said, when are you bringing back a certain cruise line because I hate going my husband
[1:00:13] and I hate going to Long Beach? So I think that kind of like says it all.
[1:00:17] Okay. Thank you. One question I think I've asked every time you all come upon 20, what's going on with
[1:00:24] on 20 with the progress there.
[1:00:28] Thanks, Councilman.
[1:00:30] I feel like both of them just looked at me.
[1:00:33] I'll say it out.
[1:00:34] I'll have to say it out.
[1:00:38] So a long process, obviously.
[1:00:42] And at the moment, so there are six agencies participating
[1:00:45] in the interagency review team to develop
[1:00:48] the banking and abling instrument along with the poor.
[1:00:52] So maybe I should start by for those who are unfamiliar
[1:00:54] with what a banking enabling instrument is.
[1:00:57] That's actually the legal binding agreement between the bank, the bank, the bank, the
[1:01:02] It may be even a little bit more about what Pond 20 is, if you don't mind, if they count
[1:01:07] the president's okay with a little bit of an overview for those who don't know.
[1:01:10] Sure.
[1:01:11] Thank you, Council Member.
[1:01:13] It's basically like Wetlands Mitigation Project, so ensuring that there's specific
[1:01:19] space that we at the Port of San Diego will preserve for our, it's, I want to say it's 80 acres.
[1:01:30] I'm going to get you a little bit.
[1:01:32] Thank you very much.
[1:01:33] Council member, I just need to ask you that.
[1:01:36] That is preserve wetlands mitigation.
[1:01:38] So what happens is oftentimes a developer will get, as they're trying to do a project,
[1:01:44] will be required to have a specific set aside
[1:01:47] for Alpine Lens mitigation for the development that they're doing.
[1:01:51] And they'll typically pay out a certain kind of amount of money
[1:01:55] for an in-loop fee that says, OK, here's this cash for preservation.
[1:02:00] And it's oftentimes just siloed and in different spaces.
[1:02:03] This particular project would ensure that that space here
[1:02:07] on the Tylens would be preserved and could be used as this bank
[1:02:12] for other developers who are looking to determine projects.
[1:02:17] The money that's received can be then turned into an equity economic development opportunities.
[1:02:23] So it's actually the city of San Diego and Imperial Beach would be the recipients of those potential resources.
[1:02:30] I hope that's helpful, Councilmember.
[1:02:33] And then the actual in-nade banking and enabling instrument, as I mentioned, is the legally blinding agreement between the regulatory agencies.
[1:02:42] and the bank's sponsor, which is the Port of San Diego.
[1:02:46] And through that agreement, that's where we actually are looking at
[1:02:49] defining how credits are created.
[1:02:52] Again, I just did a very big overview, but the agreement itself
[1:02:55] is we'll determine how those credits are created,
[1:02:58] how they are released and then how they are sold.
[1:03:02] So the interagency review team currently consists of the Army Corps of Engineers,
[1:03:07] the EPA, the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Services,
[1:03:10] know the California Regional Water Quality Control Board and the California Coastal Commission.
[1:03:17] So where we stand right now is that there has been an iterative process of back and forth
[1:03:21] with questions being addressed by the Interagency Review team and currently we have a thousand
[1:03:28] comments from that team and we are actually going through those because they are all technical
[1:03:36] in nature and the ports plan is to resumit with answers to those questions later this spring.
[1:03:44] Got it. And I don't know if there's any way of even projecting out or is there a hope for when this
[1:03:51] turns into the sort of wetlands rehab project that is envisioned or I don't know if I can say envisioned,
[1:04:00] but like some folks hope for. Sometimes like again like once we submit these these questions or the
[1:04:06] feeling there's going to be multiple more questions I gave from that.
[1:04:10] I will say this council member, I asked port staff for a monthly meeting to just
[1:04:14] keep me updated on where things stand, so the hope is that we can move this along as
[1:04:19] fast as possible.
[1:04:20] Because it's a real opportunity if we can turn this into an economic development, banking
[1:04:24] instrument for an equity, for San Diego, and an imperial beach.
[1:04:29] And if I think it was natural wetlands, or one before it was a salt, like a commercial salt pond, right?
[1:04:41] That's right.
[1:04:41] So there has to be restoration as well.
[1:04:44] I appreciate that update, and thank you again, everyone, for all the work that you're doing.
[1:04:49] Really, really appreciate everything that you're doing and have done.
[1:04:52] Thank you.
[1:04:52] All right.
[1:04:53] Thank you.
[1:04:53] Thank you.
[1:04:57] and thank you for the presentation. I want to thank our poor commissioners just for everything they do.
[1:05:04] San Diego Port, there is no other port like it. I would venture to say in the whole world,
[1:05:11] extremely dynamic hotels, shipbuilding, navy, potential mitigation banks and
[1:05:19] city residents, right? And there is nothing like this. So it's really clear to me that a great deal of
[1:05:25] planning, coordinating and vision has gone into the efforts that you
[1:05:28] guys presented, and I do appreciate the transparency in sharing the
[1:05:33] progress to us and also to the public. I am very excited about all the
[1:05:39] projects. In particular, I want to point out, Harvard Drive 2.0, the
[1:05:45] pont-20 that was just mentioned that's in district 8, and especially the
[1:05:49] significant investment the port is making into SESF Chavez Park. As
[1:05:54] What was mentioned, Ponte 20 is a salt and crusted area, which the port will hopefully transfer
[1:06:01] into a mitigation bank.
[1:06:04] First of its kind in the San Diego Bay, I once upon a time was a staffer where there were
[1:06:12] proposals for this Ponte 20, and I think one of the most interesting one was a medieval
[1:06:19] times arena. Obviously, we're worlds away from arena, but I will say that I will be specifically
[1:06:33] asking what delays have we experienced in Pond 20 at the state level. And you mentioned
[1:06:40] that what was the agency that you guys were, the port is waiting is putting together. It's
[1:06:48] response to this agency, right, on a array of questions that they have asked.
[1:06:54] If I may just kind of clarify that, Council member, that's, so we're the bank sponsor,
[1:07:01] and so we have to respond to the interagency review team. So that's called the
[1:07:05] higher agency review team. And is that a state agent here is that a federal?
[1:07:10] It's both, so it's the six members of that,
[1:07:14] RIT is the Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Services, NOAA.
[1:07:22] And then the California Regional Water Quality Control Board and the California Coastal
[1:07:26] Control Board.
[1:07:26] California Coastal Command.
[1:07:27] Thank you for reiterating that I missed it when you first mentioned it.
[1:07:33] And so you guys will respond, or the port of San Diego will respond, how long will that
[1:07:39] response take?
[1:07:42] Again, I think that we've been doing, it's been an inter入 process so to be clear, like just so you know, this isn't the first response we've been having back and forth, but the most recent set of questions or comments we received were over a thousand and so we're looking at and now everybody at the port of San Diego are on the record because I'm saying it that they told us, but it's going to be submitted later this spring.
[1:08:06] later this spring. Correct. So before June 20th, 2026. And I have a feeling you'll be calling me
[1:08:14] fun through 2021. And I want to, I mentioned this earlier, I have until December, and since I have been working at the city of San Diego,
[1:08:25] I feel like this is a missed opportunity because of the land. The land that we have in Pant 20 is, I mean,
[1:08:33] side-in-used, used it for mitigation right next to pont-20, and they mitigated for the desalination
[1:08:40] plant in the northern part of the district, and northern part of the county. I think it's a
[1:08:46] great opportunity and I know developers and folks are looking for land like pont-20 to bring
[1:08:53] back to life. And obviously in the South Bay, for any folks who ever drive over
[1:09:01] towards going on old state route 75, Palm Avenue and you're going over towards the ocean.
[1:09:08] It's the big piece of land that's over on your right hand side.
[1:09:12] Unfortunately, that's, or fortunately, that is what the South Bay has, what we got from the port.
[1:09:20] And so we really want to make sure that it's put to work and that we use it to the best of its ability.
[1:09:27] So we are going to respond before summer time and we don't know, this is the first time I ever hear of this agency.
[1:09:38] So maybe we need to dissect this in another committee to get to know a little bit more about what are the next steps after that.
[1:09:46] How long does it take?
[1:09:48] I don't think we're the first mitigation bank in the nation.
[1:09:51] we might be, I don't know, so just to get more information on what the steps to hold us as legislators
[1:09:58] accountable and also you as our fearless port commissioners accountable as well.
[1:10:06] That sounds great, Councilmember. I will say to just very quickly this council gave me the honor
[1:10:11] of serving on our port commission in February 2024 and I think it was in March of that year when I
[1:10:18] asked for my first meeting about Pond 20 because it seems such like an opportunity for us.
[1:10:23] I will also share that Commissioner Dan Malcolm who represents Imperial Beach and I have
[1:10:30] chatted about how he actually was on the Imperial Beach Council in the late 90s when the agreement
[1:10:38] was made to create Pond 20 with a negotiated agreement with the Environmental Justice community as
[1:10:45] Also, we also have a strong partner in our fellow city and national, in Imperial Beach for moving this forward.
[1:10:54] And it's in the Imperial Beach's former redevelopment district.
[1:10:59] Which is now confusing because of the dissolution of redevelopment.
[1:11:02] But that's, we're not going to get into the weeds of things.
[1:11:04] I just want to make sure that Pantone comes to fruition in my lifetime.
[1:11:09] I'm 43 years old.
[1:11:11] About to turn 44.
[1:11:12] So I will be pushing on that front, but thank you for that, and obviously more to come.
[1:11:19] Also equally excited about Harbor Drive 2.0.
[1:11:23] It's a significant project that will contribute to the vast industry sector and Mario Logan,
[1:11:28] and also the port, and not only will it bring it a better and nicer infrastructure,
[1:11:33] it will also mitigate environmental impacts that affect neighboring communities of Mario Logan.
[1:11:39] for decades the community of Barrio Logan has suffered from systemic disinvestment, limited
[1:11:46] green space and environmental burden. I should say plural. I know Joe has taken the lead on
[1:11:54] this and I do think him for it. Every time I ask for an update, he's quick to respond on what
[1:12:01] you guys, if I may take three more minutes of my time. This is obviously a priority for the
[1:12:08] and it took a while, but I think you guys
[1:12:12] for making this one of the lead priorities.
[1:12:14] It is a significant project within the port.
[1:12:20] So thank you for that.
[1:12:22] It says have Chavez Park, three-acre park
[1:12:25] on the Waterfront and Barrio Logan,
[1:12:28] seeing meaningful resources directed into Caesar.
[1:12:31] Chavez Park is a major step in the right direction.
[1:12:35] And acknowledgment that our communities deserve
[1:12:37] the same level of care and opportunity as any other.
[1:12:41] I also, I want to commend Port staff who work diligently to advance this particular project.
[1:12:49] The community meetings regarding SESF Chavez Park improvements have been just astounding.
[1:12:54] We give the community a platform to voice their opinion, should they have one regarding this
[1:13:02] Park that they have and once again a real opportunity to share input, raise concerns, and the last part is really have them help us shape the future of that park.
[1:13:16] I think this is what collaboration should look like, agencies working hand in hand with residents, listening first and making investments that reflect the community's priorities.
[1:13:27] And I know none of that could have been done without your guys' leadership, so it's an honor to have you guys sit as our port commissioners.
[1:13:39] You guys are very open, candid, and I think you have the community's best interests at heart.
[1:13:48] And I appreciate that. I appreciate that partnership.
[1:13:51] And so, is there a motion on the floor to its informational item? Okay, wonderful.
[1:13:56] Will happy to have you guys when do you guys come back before December I hope
[1:14:03] When do you want us back?
[1:14:05] How often do they present come back next week?
[1:14:08] You're but we can happen come back. Maybe like a day after
[1:14:12] Spring is over
[1:14:14] No, thank you guys. I appreciate it. Thank you much council if I if I may in terms of coming back
[1:14:19] I think you're idea about a committee hearing with respect to
[1:14:23] upon 20 is a great idea and an appropriate thing because it is a big deal. It has taken forever.
[1:14:30] Nobody's making any excuses and you heard that list of organizations. It's a, you know,
[1:14:36] no shade on the Army Corps of Engineers or EPA or Coastal, but it is quite a process and
[1:14:42] Commissioner Moore and I are all in for sure and it's fair to say that Commissioner Veracra
[1:14:47] has been particularly all in and leading the way on this and so I think I think you will
[1:14:55] be the spokesperson for the committee meeting.
[1:15:01] So, I see that that's going away present for council member Morena, right?
[1:15:05] Apped up by December. Thank you, council member Morena, and we'll go next to council member Von Wilberg.
[1:15:11] Thank you very much to our three commissioners for your excellent work for the presentation today.
[1:15:16] You represent the city of San Diego very well and we're glad that you're doing all that hard work on top of your normal lives and jobs.
[1:15:23] And so please know that I know how hard you work, especially since I sit on the airport authority a year all the time, about how hard everyone is working.
[1:15:30] I appreciate you very much for your work, and a huge kudos to the successes on emissions and sustainability.
[1:15:39] I mean, you really are industry leaders in this, and it's been incredible to watch.
[1:15:44] And as, you know, a C&D agent, we are all beneficiaries of your work in terms of cleaner environment and cleaner to breathe.
[1:15:51] And so just in cheaper energy bills too, you know, so it's just really want to thank you for all of that.
[1:15:56] looking forward to all the improvements coming up.
[1:15:58] I do have one question about the convention center.
[1:16:03] And I see Job and Scott are here too.
[1:16:06] So I'm excited to hear their thoughts on this.
[1:16:08] But I know that previously the port of C&D
[1:16:11] ago in the city of C&D who have worked in great partnership
[1:16:13] to make sure the convention center is maintained
[1:16:16] in the expansions that we have been working on.
[1:16:19] In 1996, the port and the city appointed
[1:16:22] to rate powers agreement to issue $200 million
[1:16:24] and in least revenue bonds to make sure the Convention Center was taking care of.
[1:16:28] And I think we're at a point now where we need to do a similar long-term bond again for the Convention
[1:16:33] Center because they are coming to the city every budget year saying there's $400 million in
[1:16:38] back maintenance that they have to do just for the basics of the Convention Center.
[1:16:42] And it's one of our big economic revenue generators that we share with the port.
[1:16:46] And we've have been shown videos of folks who have booked out rooms of the Convention Center for the
[1:16:51] convention halls in waters leaking through the roof onto their conventions and nobody
[1:16:56] needs that when we're competing with San Francisco, we're competing with San Jose, other
[1:17:00] areas.
[1:17:01] And so now that we have finally secured the funding he measures see to come to the city of
[1:17:07] San Diego, the increased TOT tax, we do have an opportunity to leverage that funding and do
[1:17:14] another series of at least back revenue bonds or infrastructure bonds, but it would be really
[1:17:19] wonderful to have the port's partnership in that as the city had before, because if you might have seen the cities,
[1:17:25] budget deficit isn't the easiest hill for us to tackle, and so we may need an additional predator like the port to partner with us on that, but it's to our joint benefit.
[1:17:35] And so I'm just, you know, I'm going to plug, you know, we're prepared to, I'm going to say, hey, you guys need to get on this as well.
[1:17:41] But I'm just hoping the port would be open to those conversations because the Convention Center is a jam that we both share.
[1:17:48] So let me just agree with everything you said and begin by thanking you and the rest of the council for your commitment to the your recent approval of expenditure of some of that.
[1:18:00] I'll measure see money for maintenance and capital improvement at the, at the conventioners.
[1:18:06] You note it's absolutely critical and an expansion ultimately could prove to be important
[1:18:16] and a good thing.
[1:18:16] But what has to happen is we have to, we have to not have that tire facility get more tired.
[1:18:23] And so thank you very much for, for this Council's commitment to that.
[1:18:26] And in terms of your question about going forward and are interested in engaging with you on that, the answer is of course, and we look forward to doing that.
[1:18:35] Okay, thank you very much.
[1:18:36] People much smarter than me will be leading those discussions.
[1:18:39] I just wanted to put it out there that something I think could benefit all of us.
[1:18:44] Especially since we finally secure the tax revenue on an ongoing basis, we might as well leverage that.
[1:18:49] So, but thank you.
[1:18:50] I'm really excited to see all the new projects coming up.
[1:18:52] The radio cell is one of my favorite projects
[1:18:55] at the city in the poor and the whole region is done recently.
[1:18:58] So who's huge kudos to that, looking forward to top golf and everything else.
[1:19:02] So thank you again for your work.
[1:19:03] Thank you for representing the city of San Diego so well on our behalf.
[1:19:07] And we appreciate you.
[1:19:08] Thank you.
[1:19:10] All right.
[1:19:10] Thank you.
[1:19:10] We'll go next to Councilmember Whitburne.
[1:19:14] Thank you, Council President.
[1:19:15] Thank you, Vice Chair, Suket, and Commissioner Varokara, Commissioner Moore.
[1:19:19] I was quite an update, really appreciate you taking the time to come in and brief us on
[1:19:25] all that is new and happening in particularly within the City of San Diego.
[1:19:30] I think it's worth emphasizing that the Port of San Diego is its own agency, its own
[1:19:37] jurisdiction, but the activities that you highlighted very directly benefit city of
[1:19:44] of San Diego residents, and people from around the region,
[1:19:47] but for our purposes, San Diego residents,
[1:19:49] you are doing a lot of good for the city.
[1:19:52] And you look just at some of the things right here
[1:19:55] downtown.
[1:19:55] Freedom Park is going to be a beautiful new park right
[1:19:59] along the Bay downtown.
[1:20:01] You've got Seaport, San Diego.
[1:20:03] You were talking about the environmental study on the way,
[1:20:06] and underway, and concluding perhaps by the end of the year.
[1:20:11] That is going to be just a wonderful addition.
[1:20:14] and an economic driver to the city.
[1:20:18] Thank goodness, those Navy office buildings are being redeveloped.
[1:20:20] That'll be good to see along Pacific Highway.
[1:20:25] You mentioned the maritime clean air strategy,
[1:20:29] the electrification of the cruise ship terminal benefits
[1:20:33] all of us here, and just the number of cruise ship passengers
[1:20:37] that are activating downtown.
[1:20:40] I just very much appreciate what the three of you are doing to accomplish it as the City of City of those representatives to the Park Commission.
[1:20:52] And I want to thank the staff leadership that's here as well for all that they're doing.
[1:20:57] So thank you. Thank you for all the accomplishments that thank you, Council President.
[1:21:01] All right. Thank you, Council Member Woodburn. Not seeing anybody else on the lights.
[1:21:05] I'll join the chorus.
[1:21:08] Thank you to commissioners for taking the time.
[1:21:10] As council president, I've been reviewing our council policies
[1:21:12] and how many boards and commissions
[1:21:14] are supposed to report back to the council on a regular basis.
[1:21:18] And you all are one of the ones
[1:21:20] that consistently come back year after year.
[1:21:22] And as council member,
[1:21:23] it doesn't have the transparency in not only the work
[1:21:26] that you do every day as commissioners,
[1:21:29] as along with your regular lives there,
[1:21:32] is very much appreciated.
[1:21:33] and communicating that to the council, and I'm sure to the mayor's office, that's
[1:21:38] something to work that you're doing to make sure that we're all in sync and can manage
[1:21:42] just incredible resource that we all get to enjoy.
[1:21:49] The projects you do, my wife and I had a chance to stay at the Gailory when it was first
[1:21:53] open.
[1:21:53] We went out and took a walk and suddenly we saw this incredible renovation and rebuilding
[1:21:59] of the environment, coastal sage, and all that was done to the North Fair really pretty
[1:22:05] spectacular in that commitment, and I think that really highlights what the port is all
[1:22:11] about.
[1:22:11] It's a good work you do every day, maybe some people will see it, maybe they won't, but
[1:22:15] it's the right thing to do on any basis.
[1:22:19] So thank you for that.
[1:22:20] You have an amazing staff that gets that work done every day and navigates all the challenges
[1:22:25] that the Port District faces and has navigated us through the economic downturn at COVID
[1:22:32] and kind of bounced back both for the working waterfront, but also for the Port tenants
[1:22:39] in the contribution they make and certainly in a important part of the TOT that this city relies
[1:22:45] on. So thank you for that good work, and I'll highlight the electrification component.
[1:22:53] And, yeah, there's no free lunch, but you don't turn on a dime when you make that environmental
[1:23:00] commitment.
[1:23:02] It takes time, it takes money to make those conversions.
[1:23:07] First electric tugboat, the largest and most capable electric cranes on the West Coast.
[1:23:16] Those are big, big ideas, not really shows a leadership in the whole blue economy and trying
[1:23:24] to figure out what else can this bay really provide as resources rather extraordinary.
[1:23:30] So thank you for your commitment and your willingness to continue to lead and I will continue
[1:23:34] to be jealous about how fast you can move compared to the city and without adding excuses
[1:23:41] As commissioners who kept said, have been involved in the formation of mitigation banks.
[1:23:46] It's serious business and every eye has to be dotted in TS and every T has to be crossed to make sure
[1:23:52] that those who use the mitigation bank once it's formed really uphold what the original vision was.
[1:23:59] So it takes too much time but I know you will get it done.
[1:24:02] So thank you for that good work.
[1:24:04] Thank you to call for my colleagues, the good work they do.
[1:24:06] Now again, we'll just close by saying thank you for taking the time to come out this afternoon.
[1:24:11] Thank you.
[1:24:20] All right, so we're now going to be talking about items 201 and 202, for those items, there will
[1:24:27] be a joint presentation and combined public comment. A separate vote will be taken for item 202,
[1:24:35] and no motion will be required for 201, which is just strictly information.
[1:24:40] So with that clerk, please introduce items 201 and 202.
[1:24:46] Thank you, Council President.
[1:24:47] Item 201 is the Dam Safety Program and you'll update 2024 to 2025.
[1:24:52] This is an informational item.
[1:24:54] And item 202 is the award of the As needed Dam Design Services Agreements with HDR Engineering Inc.
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[1:25:21] people with that staff to show photo and
[1:25:25] continue to attend the campaign by the
[1:25:27] Blue Island.
[1:25:28] Lisa Slia,
[1:25:32] Kelly Baylow, Deputy Director, Tiffany Kirk, Assistant WD Director,
[1:25:37] and we'll need about 20 minutes.
[1:25:39] All right, when you're ready.
[1:25:40] Good afternoon, Council President LaCava, and City Council members.
[1:25:45] Thank you for the opportunity to provide an update on the City of San Diego's dam safety program.
[1:25:51] Today's presentation will walk through the condition of our dams and water tanks.
[1:25:55] The programmatic approach we are using in close coordination with our regulator, the division of safety of dams, as well as the significant progress made over the past year to address both immediate safety needs and long-term system resilience.
[1:26:12] As you will see, Dam Safety is not a single project or timeline.
[1:26:18] It is a sustained parallel effort to protect public safety today,
[1:26:23] while planning and delivering the long-term investments required
[1:26:26] to responsibly manage some of the oldest infrastructure in California.
[1:26:36] Dam's and water tanks are essential infrastructure for city water systems
[1:26:40] as they store and deliver water to treatment plants,
[1:26:43] provide emergency reserves during disasters in managed flood risk.
[1:26:50] The city's Public Utilities Departments Dam Safety Program oversees 11 dams in two
[1:26:56] potable water tanks, which all fall under the regulatory jurisdiction of California Department
[1:27:04] of Water Resources, division of safety of dams, typically referred to as DSOD.
[1:27:11] The Public Utilities Department coordinates daily, with the San Diego Fire Department, to ensure
[1:27:16] our resources are available to assist in their efforts fighting fires.
[1:27:22] To the right, you will see some of the different types of water infrastructure, the team
[1:27:26] manages.
[1:27:29] Dams are particularly crucial as they act as barriers, creating reservoirs that collect,
[1:27:35] and store large volumes of water.
[1:27:37] Alongside dams, water tanks play a vital role in our water supply by providing storage capacity,
[1:27:45] maintaining water pressure throughout the network, and ensuring that treated of drinking
[1:27:50] water remains readily available for distribution during peak usage times or in emergency situations.
[1:27:58] Our reservoirs, dams, and water tanks are connected through a network of pipelines, channels,
[1:28:04] and pump stations which facilitate the movement of water to drinking water treatment facilities
[1:28:10] into approximately 1.4 million customers.
[1:28:14] The water from our reservoirs on average makes up to 10 to 15 percent of the city's water
[1:28:20] supply.
[1:28:21] And we've been able to increase that to 30 percent in recent years as a result of receiving
[1:28:27] more rainfall in maximizing our operations.
[1:28:31] As a reminder, water collected in our reservoirs costs roughly $400 per acre foot compared
[1:28:39] to water purchase from our wholesale or the San Diego kind of water authority that costs over
[1:28:44] $2,600 per acre foot. With that, I'll turn over to Kelly.
[1:28:49] Thank you, Lisa.
[1:28:50] DSOD has mandated water level height restrictions on five reservoirs, which will remain in place
[1:28:56] until necessary repairs and improvements are completed.
[1:28:59] These reservoir restrictions marked a fundamental shift for our Dan Safety Program.
[1:29:04] Up until this point our program was focused primarily on routine operations and maintenance.
[1:29:11] In coordination with our regulator, the Public Utilities Department has been working to implement
[1:29:15] and utilize a forward-looking, programmatic, Dan Safety Approach.
[1:29:19] What this slide depicts is the reality of our work today.
[1:29:22] Damsafety is no longer sequential. It requires a proactive, sustained parallel effort, where continuous assessments, inspections, maintenance and repair projects are done, while we simultaneously plan and develop a long-term risk-based capital program that will fundamentally reshape the Damsystem through rehabilitation, replacement, and removal over the coming decades.
[1:29:47] PUD is continuing to implement a nationally recognized DM safety standard, integrating strategic
[1:29:53] planning with comprehensive program management to address both safety and operational challenges.
[1:29:59] This slide shows
[1:30:00] Those the components included in the comprehensive DMCV program, which include performing approximately 400 maintenance and inspection activities each year, completing 159 condition assessments to evaluate facility conditions and identify near-term, interim and long-term risk reduction measures, designing and constructing approximately 27 repair projects, and we've identified at least three long-term improvements.
[1:30:27] We currently estimate that approximately $3 billion will be needed over the coming decades
[1:30:32] to complete all the improvements.
[1:30:35] Building our internal team has been a priority.
[1:30:38] We established a dedicated team in 2020 and now have 110 team members across the city,
[1:30:43] focusing on projects that address critical deficiencies, including seismic stability, overtopping,
[1:30:50] concrete deterioration, and erosion.
[1:30:52] In parallel, our last year alone part of me, the program oversight team grew from 8-20 full-time
[1:30:57] staff with expertise in both engineering and environmental.
[1:31:03] Our operations expanded from four to six dedicated crews and we doubled our equipment resources
[1:31:08] to be able to deliver more work in-house.
[1:31:12] In parallel, the program prioritized on going damn safety training to build internal knowledge.
[1:31:17] But in addition to these internal resources, the DM safety program also requires specialized third-party expertise
[1:31:25] due to the complexity and long-term nature of the projects involved.
[1:31:29] All of these resourceing efforts combined enable us to meet increasingly complex and evolving DM safety requirements.
[1:31:38] Without proper resourceing PUD would not be in a position to proactively manage risk as opposed to reacting to findings from our regulator.
[1:31:49] Understanding the condition of our dams and water tanks is critical to informing risk-based
[1:31:53] decisions on maintenance, repair, and long-term investments to protect downstream communities
[1:31:58] and water supply. We are making significant progress in completing assessments for our highest
[1:32:03] risk and poorest condition dams. Two days, we have completed 60 condition assessments with an additional
[1:32:10] 13 currently in progress and the remaining assessments plan through the year 2032.
[1:32:15] Showing here are pictures of helicopter supported geotechnical drilling and investigations completed last year at lower OTI and Barrett Dam.
[1:32:24] Helicopter access is required due to the steep terrain, limited access, and sensitive environmental resources.
[1:32:32] These investigations provide critical information on foundation conditions, help confirm future design assumptions, and support evaluations of whether the dams can meet modern safety standards.
[1:32:44] While we continue to advance long-term planning, near-term repairs and maintenance projects are needed.
[1:32:52] Over the past year, we've completed numerous repairs to address known deficiencies.
[1:32:57] These included clearing the lower portion of the spillway at El Capitán Dam to restore hydraulic capacity,
[1:33:03] completing vault and valve improvements at Miramar Dam to improve reservoir operability,
[1:33:08] repairing handrails at Barrett and lower OTIDAMs to support crew access for inspections and maintenance.
[1:33:14] Looking ahead, 14 repair projects are currently in design to upgrade monitoring systems, repair
[1:33:21] concrete, and improve outlet works, remove vegetation, and strengthen security.
[1:33:26] Four additional projects are in planning to address intake restoration and emergency
[1:33:31] drawdown requirements, and construction on five projects will begin this upcoming calendar
[1:33:36] year.
[1:33:38] Additionally, our operations team actively manages reservoir levels to stay below DSOD management
[1:33:43] needed thresholds, and has made important system improvements, including faster reporting
[1:33:48] of field issues, real-time monitoring of raw water reservoirs through the one-rain system,
[1:33:54] and the first-ever use of high-resolution lidar at L. Capitana Marana dams to support ongoing
[1:33:59] monitoring and movement of surface changes.
[1:34:03] As always, we are working to balance critical
[1:34:06] infrastructure needs with affordability for our rate payers. Program funding comes from
[1:34:11] water utility capital improvement program and water operating funds and as future costs are refined
[1:34:16] they will be reflected in PUD's annual five year financial outlook which informs the city's
[1:34:21] water rate setting process. We continue to proactively pursue state and federal funding opportunities
[1:34:27] to help reduce costs for ratepayers. To date $1.7 million in state and federal funding has been
[1:34:34] secured for ongoing initiatives including seismic stability analysis and geotechnical investigations
[1:34:39] at El Capitán, Barrett and Hodges Dam's is shown on the pictures to the right.
[1:34:45] In total, the city has applied for approximately $322 million in external funding, including
[1:34:50] $77 million in grant funding, and selection by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to submit
[1:34:56] a full application for $241 million in low-cost loan-fansing financing for dam improvement
[1:35:02] projects through the year 231.
[1:35:06] This slide shows PUD's strategic phasing plan to address dam safety across all 13 DSOD regulated facilities based on available financing.
[1:35:17] At the top of the timeline each facility is shown with its DSOD condition rating and the year we plan to complete long-term improvement plans.
[1:35:26] Dam's and fair for our unsatisfactory condition are addressed first, followed by facilities and satisfactory condition in later years.
[1:35:34] In addition to facility condition, the timing of the long-term improvement planning considers
[1:35:39] factors such as downstream risk, required water level restrictions, the role of each reservoir
[1:35:45] in the water supply system, and coordination with the city's pure water program.
[1:35:49] At the bottom of this timeline are the program level efforts that guides system-wide decisions.
[1:35:54] This work begins with updating the water model to identify the most critical reservoirs
[1:35:58] for long-term wireless supply, supporting PUD's goal of increasing local water use to 60%
[1:36:04] by the year 2040.
[1:36:07] In 2028, we plan to complete a program plan to help manage risk, and in 2032, we will
[1:36:13] have the data and plans in place to develop a strategic capital improvement phase in plan
[1:36:17] that sequences work across the system for decades to come.
[1:36:22] This information together with condition assessments and long-term improvement plans will
[1:36:26] give us a comprehensive and holistic understanding of which reservoirs are most critical.
[1:36:31] Where long-term infrastructure investments provide the greatest value, allowing us to
[1:36:35] strategically strategically, strategically phase, dam safety improvements over time.
[1:36:40] This planning is happening alongside active projects, with repairs moving forward to keep
[1:36:44] our dam safe and operational, while long-term strategic planning efforts are underway.
[1:36:51] So we know we cannot replace or upgrade all of our high-risk dams at the same time.
[1:36:56] These projects are large, complex, taking many years to plan, fund, design, and build.
[1:37:03] Because of this, we're using a phased risk-based approach.
[1:37:08] Long-term improvements are prioritized and sequenced over time, while interim repairs are
[1:37:13] done to manage safety until permanent solutions are delivered.
[1:37:19] City Council's prior approval of our as-needed program management agreement allows us to assess
[1:37:25] VM conditions, set priorities and plan this work in phases as shown on the left side of
[1:37:30] the slide.
[1:37:31] However, that agreement supports planning and assessments only.
[1:37:35] It does not include the design or construction oversight services needed to implement repair
[1:37:39] projects.
[1:37:40] The next step is securing new, as needed, DAM design service agreement.
[1:37:46] So, priority-DAM safety projects can move forward from planning, into design and construction,
[1:37:51] helping to avoid emergency-driven actions and to ensure steady, responsible progress.
[1:37:57] Without these design-service contracts, we would be unable to move forward immediately with
[1:38:02] critical dam safety repair projects.
[1:38:06] Shown on this slide are some examples of upcoming dam safety projects at Murray, Southern
[1:38:11] and Lower Oty dams that require design work before the projects can move forward.
[1:38:18] While long-term improvements are being implemented,
[1:38:21] a process that can take decades,
[1:38:23] interim projects are needed to manage risks and maintain regulatory compliance.
[1:38:29] Examples of projects include seismic upgrades to Murray,
[1:38:33] outlet tower and dam structure,
[1:38:36] intake and outlet improvements at southern end reservoir.
[1:38:40] Concrete repairs that lower OTI to maintain structural integrity and safe access.
[1:38:46] All of these projects, these projects ran from smaller but critical repairs around $18 million
[1:38:52] to major rehabilitation projects costing upwards of $40 to $80 million.
[1:38:58] From initial studies through design, environmental review, permitting and construction,
[1:39:03] individual damn safety projects can take 7 to 10 years or more to deliver.
[1:39:09] That brings us to the action item for your consideration today.
[1:39:13] PUD is proposing to 10-year as needed dam design services contracts, each and an amount not to exceed $75 million.
[1:39:22] It's important to note this work was included in the water rates Council approved last year is in PUD's budget as well as our five-year outlook.
[1:39:30] Council will hear an annual dam safety update and have an opportunity during each budget and
[1:39:36] fiber outlet process, as well as any future rate case to receive additional information
[1:39:41] on this program and its associated spending.
[1:39:45] Highly skilled experts in dam design and engineering and environmental compliance and construction
[1:39:49] support will complement the strong internal team we have built.
[1:39:54] The proposed contract duration and amount are based on detailed engineering estimates in
[1:39:58] historical data, aligning with the extensive timeframe needed for specialized dam repair and rehabilitation projects.
[1:40:08] Long term as needed design agreements ensure continuity of expertise, regulatory coordination, and timely delivery of required critical dam safety work.
[1:40:18] The RFP selection process began in 2024. Two firms, HDR and STAC were selected as a preferred providers following a qualifications-based selection.
[1:40:28] Both firms would work on a rotating basis, task order basis, ensuring fairness and consistent
[1:40:33] access to dam design expertise.
[1:40:37] Listed on this slide are the services the agreements will provide, including dam engineering
[1:40:41] analysis, design development, permit and regulatory coordination, environmental planning,
[1:40:48] and construction phase engineering support.
[1:40:51] The consultants will support the study delivery of maintenance, repair and rehabilitation projects
[1:40:56] for spillways, outlets, and dam structures.
[1:41:01] PUD is requesting your approval of two 10-year
[1:41:04] as needed dam design services agreements with HDR
[1:41:07] and Stantack each and an amount not to exceed $75 million.
[1:41:11] Funded through the water utility CIP and operating fund
[1:41:14] and included within both the recently approved water rates
[1:41:17] in PUD's five-year outlook, each agreement
[1:41:20] would carry a minimum spend of $1,000.
[1:41:24] These agreements are essential for delivering
[1:41:26] critical dam safety projects, ensuring that our dams and water tanks remain safe, reliable, and
[1:41:32] compliant with DSOD requirements, while continuing to meet community needs for decades to come.
[1:41:38] Importantly, these are as needed agreements.
[1:41:41] There is no obligation to use the full contract amount.
[1:41:44] The work is authorized only through individual taskwriters.
[1:41:47] Even if the full value were utilized over the 10-year term, it would equate to approximately
[1:41:52] $7.5 million per year each contract.
[1:41:56] This provides us long-term flexibility rather than a single up front commitment.
[1:42:02] Your support for these four of the ordinances requested today for approval of the two
[1:42:06] as needed dam design services agreements will help us continue to safeguard our water infrastructure,
[1:42:12] protect the public, meet our regulatory requirements, and enhance the resilience and sustainability of our water system.
[1:42:19] We thank you for your consideration and we are here to answer any questions you may have.
[1:42:24] All right. Thank you very much for the presentation. And with that, clerk, please proceed with public comment.
[1:42:30] Thank you, Council President. We have several speakers here. And online Ronda Ferrar, if you can please come forward.
[1:42:37] You'll have time seated to you by Mary Ellen Lee, if you can please raise your hand.
[1:42:42] Thank you so much. If I can have the following individuals, please come forward to the yellow reserve seats.
[1:42:46] Monique Lacer, Steve Lacer, and Robert Dudley.
[1:42:51] If you can all please come to the yellow reserve seats,
[1:42:53] you will have two minutes for item 201.
[1:42:58] Please proceed already.
[1:43:00] Good afternoon, Honorable Council President,
[1:43:02] Council members and city staff.
[1:43:04] My name is Ronda Ferrar,
[1:43:05] and I'm president of the Friends of Lake Hodges.
[1:43:08] Who's mission it is to support local government efforts
[1:43:11] to improve Lake Hodges' dam safety and capacity,
[1:43:14] water quality, wildlife habitat, and public access for the benefit of our community.
[1:43:20] For over a hundred years, Lake Hodges has been a crown jewel in North County,
[1:43:24] a vital drinking water reservoir, a critical habitat for wildlife,
[1:43:28] an recreational haven for hikers, burders, fishermen, and paddlers.
[1:43:32] But the damn that makes this lake possible is currently unsafe and in danger of failing.
[1:43:38] Council members, this is not a future problem, this is a current crisis.
[1:43:41] The existing dam is 108 years old and deemed unsatisfactory by the DSOD.
[1:43:46] It is the worst, it's in the worst shape of all the dams in California,
[1:43:50] which is why the state has mandated construction begin by 2029.
[1:43:55] While we applaud the city's plan to evaluate all the dams in San Diego,
[1:43:58] it is most concerning that the current study of the Lake Hodge's alternatives
[1:44:02] is now expected to be delayed until the end of the year.
[1:44:06] Lake Hodge has the largest watershed in San Diego.
[1:44:08] So one inch of rain can raise the lake an entire lake of foot.
[1:44:14] There's too much building downstream in Rancho Santa Fe
[1:44:16] and the other communities there for there not to be a dam
[1:44:19] for flood control.
[1:44:21] We need a new dam.
[1:44:22] If the dam fails tomorrow, downstream communities would be flooded.
[1:44:26] Like Hodgman would become a stagnant pool of wildlife.
[1:44:29] And the wildlife that inhabit the lake would die.
[1:44:32] We would lose the ability to provide water to the Rancho Santa Fe
[1:44:35] and Santa Guida water districts.
[1:44:36] The Sandagito Lagoon, which taxpayers have spent millions of dollars restoring, would dry up,
[1:44:42] decimating the wetlands and endangered bird populations that depend on it.
[1:44:46] And the $2008 million pump storage facility,
[1:44:49] our region's largest battery for clean energy, would be rendered useless.
[1:44:53] We would lose the ability to move water where it's needed during a drought.
[1:44:57] A new down needs to be designed, funded, and built as soon as...
[1:45:00] This is the best source of drinking water for downstream water districts, and the lowest cost water available to the region.
[1:45:07] Although the water authority does not clearly put in comment.
[1:45:09] I thought it was four minutes.
[1:45:11] You have two minutes. You had one person. You took time. You only submitted for item 201.
[1:45:16] Did you want to speak to item 202 as well?
[1:45:19] Could I finish my call?
[1:45:19] Please continue. I just have another minute.
[1:45:23] A new down needs to be designed, funded, and built as an as possible is the best source of drinking water for downstream water districts,
[1:45:29] and the lowest cost of water available to the region.
[1:45:32] Although the water authority does not currently believe it needs the water and lake
[1:45:35] Hodges for the regions, that is likely to change over the 100 year life expectancy of a new dam.
[1:45:41] The new dam needs to be at least of sufficient height to allow the transfer of water to the rest of the region's water supply,
[1:45:47] and for the billions of gallons of water, a precious rainwater to not be released to the ocean for the next 100 years.
[1:45:54] The Friends of Lake Hodges represents thousands of residents who use the Slake, where
[1:45:58] we're asking you to prioritize the safety and reliability for a region, where we're asking
[1:46:02] you to direct staff to expedite design, building, and construction process to meet the
[1:46:06] states 2029 deadline for construction.
[1:46:10] We have you to collaborate with the city, county, and federal governments to secure
[1:46:14] funding for this project.
[1:46:16] Every month we make wait, construction costs rise and the risk of catastrophic failure increases.
[1:46:21] We are grambling with a critical piece or infrastructure.
[1:46:25] Should this dam fail, the cost of building a new dam with it increased exponentially,
[1:46:30] then the cost of replacing the dam now with existing dam in place?
[1:46:34] Let's not wait for disaster.
[1:46:35] Let's prevent it. On behalf of the thousands who live work and play around like
[1:46:40] Hodges, I urge you to direct staff to expedite this project.
[1:46:43] Let's get this done. Thank you.
[1:46:46] Thank you, next this morning. You're speaking on item 202.
[1:46:53] You'll have one minute. Please proceed.
[1:46:56] My name is Monique Lesher and I'm representing raise Lake Hodges and 80,000 Sandy Agons and an entire wetlands ecosystem.
[1:47:07] As someone who's worked for environmental organizations for most of my life, I'm happy to see your devotion to the environment.
[1:47:13] But Lake Hodges is an environmental tragedy waiting to happen.
[1:47:20] We support a new dam, but the city budget clearly does not support a $300 million replacement
[1:47:27] anytime soon.
[1:47:30] So in the meantime, Lake Hodges remains a 285 feet, that's roughly 16% capacity, and the
[1:47:38] sand to get over Mount Lee is paying the price.
[1:47:40] The lake's not just a reservoir, it's wildlife corridor, it's a wetland ecosystem, and it is a fire buffer.
[1:47:48] There has been no environmental impact upstream of the dam, and the lake bed is drying out.
[1:47:55] The grubs there used to be, wow, that was fast, all right, thank you.
[1:48:01] Thank you.
[1:48:03] The timer is there in the corner, so you can monitor your time, Steve Lysher, your speaking on item 202.
[1:48:08] My
[1:48:13] name is Steve Lashar, I'm also a part of the Hodges gang here.
[1:48:18] I just wanted to talk a little bit about the unintended cost,
[1:48:22] you know, the cascaded cost that's involved in this.
[1:48:25] So what happens is our property taxes are elevated,
[1:48:29] because the amount of our home values actually continues to decrease.
[1:48:34] For example, that would be the Pacific Palicades,
[1:48:36] the treasures happen there.
[1:48:38] More than 90% of the people have yet to receive any insurance
[1:48:41] of the California Fire Plan, less than 10% have received anything, those that have only
[1:48:47] received an average of 10% of what they followed for.
[1:48:50] We're in the next and long for that to happen.
[1:48:53] So, the cost of property taxes are inappropriate.
[1:48:57] Proper taxes, California Fire Plan says no, our properties are worthless.
[1:49:02] In addition,
[1:49:06] our water costs are higher, barring rates are higher.
[1:49:10] there's no competition, selling our properties will be harder,
[1:49:13] unless it's a life property we take in service work.
[1:49:16] So, anyway, there's a lot of cascaded effects that go on.
[1:49:18] Thank you for that considering comment, Robert.
[1:49:28] Good afternoon, I'm Robert Dudley.
[1:49:30] And the city of San Diego is my closest neighbor.
[1:49:34] I also am on the CAC Council, which I appreciate the patients
[1:49:40] and a contribution of Council President LaCaba
[1:49:44] and Council Member Wilbur.
[1:49:48] I brought this up probably two years ago,
[1:49:51] and in that time we have lost opportunity.
[1:49:57] The big difference is what happened in LA,
[1:50:00] the fires of LA have changed everything.
[1:50:06] Last week, the mayor directed the PUD
[1:50:09] to flush more precious water,
[1:50:11] local water downstream to the ocean,
[1:50:12] while the city has done nothing to address
[1:50:17] So, I stand in favor of the action now before us.
[1:50:21] Repair and replacement of the dam restoring the city's commitment to the emergency storage project.
[1:50:27] empirically, there has been may have be extended in the additional two minutes for 201.
[1:50:34] It would be an additional minute for 201.
[1:50:36] Thank you.
[1:50:38] So there's been no major dam collapse in California since 1928.
[1:50:47] At the same time, we've seen increases in the risk of fire throughout California.
[1:50:54] This body must recognize that urban wildfire represents the greatest accidental threat to the citizens of San Diego.
[1:51:02] the Palisades and Altadina fires of 2025 and the Campfire of 2018 collectively resulted in 116 deaths.
[1:51:14] 255,000 displaced citizens and more than 34,000 structures destroyed with a loss of 69 billion dollars.
[1:51:22] What have we learned?
[1:51:23] And the interim, the instant captains reported that each situation, the fires, we're behaving
[1:51:30] like they'd never seen before, fires are different than they were in the past years.
[1:51:36] So we really need to address this, and I would support what Ron said, that we really need
[1:51:41] to look at replacement of this dam, and in the meantime, that's true to the fire.
[1:51:46] Thank you.
[1:51:47] Thank you.
[1:51:48] I started the five minutes time.
[1:51:49] We're going to those.
[1:51:50] That does conclude public comment here in Council Chambers.
[1:51:52] I've started the five-minute time recording those participating remotely.
[1:51:55] We currently have four speakers in the queue.
[1:51:57] Please be sure to let me know which item or items you wish to speak to when I am.
[1:52:01] You John Stump if you can please unmute.
[1:52:05] Thank you.
[1:52:05] I'm speaking to both items.
[1:52:08] You'll have two minutes one minute each.
[1:52:09] Please proceed.
[1:52:11] Thank you.
[1:52:11] I support this item.
[1:52:13] I'm particularly concerned about the damn called Troyus.
[1:52:18] The damn call choice is the city park choice lake.
[1:52:24] This dam is more than 110 years old of a unique type, no longer built, and if it failed,
[1:52:33] it would flood to the San Diego Bay in danger some 5,000 homes and 10,000 sleeping residents.
[1:52:42] You have engineers on your council, they could look at the structure of this dam.
[1:52:51] It's very strange.
[1:52:55] What I ask is that the council,
[1:53:02] look into opportunities to fill choice lake instead of with potable water, which is doing now.
[1:53:14] But with either using pure water or storm water.
[1:53:19] Finally, if you look at the staff report, nowhere in the staff report, do they talk about the stakeholders as being parks on recreation and the recreation councils and the community councils?
[1:53:37] We need the staff reports in the future and this contract to consult with Parks and Recreation,
[1:53:49] concerning Chroyus Lake Dam.
[1:53:52] Thank you very much.
[1:53:54] Keep us safe.
[1:53:56] Thank you.
[1:53:57] Next is phone number.
[1:53:58] ending in 8700. If you can, sorry. If you can please un-mute.
[1:54:07] 8700.
[1:54:15] 8700 and have sent you
[1:54:17] an un-mute. You can press R6 on mute.
[1:54:23] Hello. Yes, hello. Are you speaking on mute? Yes, I can hear
[1:54:29] you. Okay, well, I did the star six both times perfectly, so I don't know what happened.
[1:54:36] Let's see the clerk. I will be doing both items. Thank you.
[1:54:40] Thanks for saying.
[1:54:43] First of all, QD and, you know, everyone involved in this.
[1:54:50] You have my full support.
[1:54:52] This is a mess.
[1:54:55] But put that behind us.
[1:54:57] We've got what we've gotten now. You have my full support.
[1:55:00] The Colorado River Accordock is 242 miles long.
[1:55:04] It provides 50 to 60% of our water.
[1:55:07] local dams such as Lake Hodges. Thank you speakers for speaking up
[1:55:13] with Lake Hodges. Love you. So Lake Hodges and the other dams act as
[1:55:18] critical storage for this important water blending it with local runoff to
[1:55:27] supply the city with the water we need. Dam safety equals ongoing maintenance.
[1:55:34] deferred maintenance is not safe, it creates high risk.
[1:55:40] As I said, this whole thing, the whole water supply system,
[1:55:46] it's a mess.
[1:55:48] But let's look for the opportunities and let's go there
[1:55:52] and do it.
[1:55:54] Whatever we need to do now, you have my stool support
[1:55:57] and I just love all of you.
[1:55:59] This is really tough work.
[1:56:00] Okay, on tool two, quite a lot of the underrepresentation is there in both HDR and stand tech.
[1:56:11] Both companies do report progress in reducing the underrepresentation.
[1:56:17] So I was glad to see that statement, but really really not happy with seeing how much is underrepresentation represented.
[1:56:27] So I was confused by the TBDs that 2B decided they were all over the EOC report and I've
[1:56:36] never seen that before ever so I don't know what that's all about but in any case water
[1:56:42] water water your time has concluded my apology.
[1:56:47] Hector if you can please unmute that also concludes the five minute timer we have two additional speakers
[1:56:51] no other speakers will be taken.
[1:56:54] Hector, please let me know which items you wish to speak to.
[1:56:57] I'd like to speak to both of them. Thanks for taking my call.
[1:57:00] Hector.
[1:57:01] Well, man, when you listen to this, when you listen to this,
[1:57:06] you guys are way over your head on this man.
[1:57:09] You're so fucking ears.
[1:57:10] You guys can't even figure out a parking meter
[1:57:13] and the roof leaks at the convention center for months.
[1:57:17] You can't hire a couple of roofers.
[1:57:20] You guys are way over your head.
[1:57:21] I think that the Lake Hodge's lady should contract a private investor to build a dam for profit.
[1:57:29] Given the water rights and given the electric generator at the bottom, they could generate electricity.
[1:57:36] Negotiate the rates for the water, let him own the dam, and he could build a dam like 20 feet higher than it is.
[1:57:45] like a 50 yards, a hundred yards below the other dam
[1:57:49] and had water raise up 20 feet above the existing dam
[1:57:53] and leave it.
[1:57:55] And everyone will be cool.
[1:57:56] It's just a matter of negotiating.
[1:57:59] Talk to the Vectil or something.
[1:58:01] Big company, big time guys can build a dam.
[1:58:04] They design it.
[1:58:05] They build it.
[1:58:06] They own it.
[1:58:07] And we'll let them charge for water.
[1:58:11] It feels to discount rate on the water and the power that it generates over time, over
[1:58:16] 100 years.
[1:58:17] There could be some guys that will do it.
[1:58:20] Big-time dudes that know how to build dams.
[1:58:23] Instead of having the other guys don't even talk about Lake Hodges.
[1:58:29] Look at the other dams.
[1:58:30] There's so many other dams that can look at it.
[1:58:32] Because if you study Lake Hodges, we know it's got to go.
[1:58:36] And we got to get some make it profitable for somebody who doesn't build it.
[1:58:40] And, you know, they build a huge, it'll be a great investment, and the city won't need to touch it.
[1:58:47] City's just wasting their money looking at it. They don't got the money. They don't even have
[1:58:53] the money. It's not even there. Thanks a lot. Our next speaker is Blair Beekman. If you can please
[1:59:00] on me.
[1:59:05] Hi. That was Ben. I don't. You can hear me. My dream is going to be really bad today.
[1:59:12] I'm on an airplane, headed back to San Diego, from Newark,
[1:59:18] Mayway.
[1:59:19] It's a clicker.
[1:59:22] Are you speaking on both items?
[1:59:24] Work after full of discreet.
[1:59:27] Yes, yes.
[1:59:29] Yes, yes.
[1:59:31] Please head in here.
[1:59:31] Yes, sir.
[1:59:32] OK, OK.
[1:59:33] I have to hang up now.
[1:59:35] Lake, yes, I actually offer a lot of good work.
[1:59:39] San Diego's done after flooded use around the enemy use.
[1:59:42] Keep up the good work, have these items a lot on City Council and thank you.
[1:59:48] Our final speaker is Kathleen Lipett.
[1:59:53] Thank you for letting me speak.
[1:59:55] California is a, I'd like to speak to both items.
[1:59:58] One, two, one, one.
[2:00:00] 1-0-2. Can you hear me?
[2:00:03] Please proceed.
[2:00:05] California is a desert in waters and necessary and limited resource of the highest
[2:00:10] friari. Instead, the public has washed us damn conditions have eroded, not just
[2:00:16] Lake Hodges. The city was worn four years ago that Lake Hodges was deemed a need of
[2:00:21] critical repair. But once again, the city postponed and redirected funds reserved for addressing
[2:00:27] dam maintenance and repaired a numerous other projects, none of which are as critical as
[2:00:33] potable water for the public. The cost of deferred spending for a critical resource or water
[2:00:40] went has gone then from $400 for acre foot to $2600 for imported water. It's inexcusable that
[2:00:48] the city failed to recognize that a dam over a hundred years old should have been monitored regularly
[2:00:54] for necessary repairs.
[2:00:56] It's structural degradation and defects were only discovered in 2022, a full-word placement
[2:01:03] of the dime down is currently being planned for repair, but it won't be done until
[2:01:08] 2034.
[2:01:10] We wasted $11 billion worth of water that had be flushed out to the ocean because the lake
[2:01:17] could not accommodate the increased water levels to preserve human life and property and
[2:01:24] comply with state regulators in a 2019 order.
[2:01:31] Please, stop postponing the projects that you have money set aside to monitor and
[2:01:39] stop putting it towards special interest projects.
[2:01:43] Thank you for letting me speak.
[2:01:45] Thank you, that concludes public comment on these items.
[2:01:48] All right.
[2:01:49] Thank you, City Clerk.
[2:01:50] We'll turn it over to my colleagues for questions and comments.
[2:01:55] Again, to a one as an information item, no actions required.
[2:01:58] To a two does require a motion.
[2:02:01] And we'll start with the chair of the act of transportation and infrastructure committee.
[2:02:05] Council member Whitburn.
[2:02:07] Thank you, Council President.
[2:02:08] A couple of other questions since we did discuss this act of transportation and infrastructure committee.
[2:02:14] but I think the points are important to capture here at the council meeting as well.
[2:02:20] The design services that are covered by these proposed contracts between the city and HDR
[2:02:26] and Stentec, those will be provided and as needed basis and in other words, the city will only
[2:02:34] pay for the design services that it requests and receives. Correct? That is correct, sir.
[2:02:42] We've been hearing a lot of discussion
[2:02:43] around the future of Lake Hodges' dam.
[2:02:49] The state has ordered that the city conducts some measures
[2:02:56] to reduce the risk of a dam failure.
[2:03:00] And those measures are not going to be cheap.
[2:03:03] So I want to ask for the record.
[2:03:05] Given the questions about Lake Hodges' dam,
[2:03:07] does the city have a choice about whether or not to perform the state mandated risk reduction
[2:03:15] measures at Lake Hodges' dam?
[2:03:17] No, we're required to do those risk reduction measures, and that is what these dam services
[2:03:22] contracts will help us design for.
[2:03:25] And if we don't, what's the consequence of saying that no, we're not going to do that?
[2:03:32] later has different options at their play. I mean, they've been wanting this. This is the only unsatisfactory dam in their entire portfolio.
[2:03:41] They can go all the way up to and including telling us to empty the entire reservoir.
[2:03:46] And emptying the entire reservoir could result in some of the very fire risks that we're hearing nearby residents express concerns about.
[2:03:58] Sorry, it has, so I think we want to separate the entire issue in regards to fire risk in regards to the level of the reservoir.
[2:04:07] As it is right now, we have the capability to pull from the reservoirs.
[2:04:13] And I'm going to have Chief Deputy Chief Breiner, he is here from the Fire Safety Fire Department, and he can help add any information onto that.
[2:04:21] I do not believe that anything about the level of the dam impacts increases that fire risk.
[2:04:30] But we can ask that question too. Would you like me to have them come up?
[2:04:33] Well, yes, I think that's relevant. If a consequence of not performing the state mandate actions
[2:04:41] were to be that the city had to empty Lake Hodges, would that create an additional fire risk?
[2:04:58] Good afternoon.
[2:05:00] Brent, Brent, Brent, here for assistant chief eddy.
[2:05:03] That's a new fire risk.
[2:05:04] We take all barriers of fire safety seriously, and we, from the, all the way from the border,
[2:05:09] all the way up to Lake Hodges, anywhere where there's any type of wildfire risk we take
[2:05:14] very seriously.
[2:05:18] So, I guess the question is in regards to specifically, if the dam was eliminated, that
[2:05:24] removes one source of water in regards to pulling from, is that correct?
[2:05:30] our helicopters as far as so any of the dams or anything we pull we can pull from up
[2:05:35] to two feet of water. I just confirmed with my helicopter crew chief that's on duty
[2:05:40] today. Our crews can pull from every different ponds, anything and then he is little as
[2:05:46] two feet of water. Okay so that's I understand how you're hearing the question but let me
[2:05:53] restate the question in in a different way. We're talking about approving these contracts
[2:06:00] And I'm asking about the consequence of not approving them and you're saying that what are the consequences of not approving the contracts could be that and not conducting the state mandated actions of Lake Hodges Dam could be that the state could order Lake Hodges to be drained.
[2:06:24] And my question is, if we were to drain like Hodges and leave that landscape, is that not
[2:06:33] fire fuel that would be dangerous?
[2:06:36] Maybe it's not, but that's my question.
[2:06:39] If anywhere where there's urban interface or any type of wildfire, brush or anything like that,
[2:06:45] we're going to treat exactly the same, and we'll aggressively attack with all of our partner
[2:06:48] agencies throughout the San Diego County, we'll have a joint unified response.
[2:06:53] But I think in regards to your comment, in regards to, if we're trying to address, as it relates to fire safety, obviously also dams are also used as fire breaks too.
[2:07:05] And so if there's no water in there, that is going to have a problem in regards to fire.
[2:07:10] As it is right now, whether or not it's 280 versus 295, those are different conversations.
[2:07:16] But if you have nothing there, there's no dead pull, there's nothing there.
[2:07:20] That's going to have impacts in regards to fire safety, yes.
[2:07:26] It is, but that is why these dams, services, contracts are so important because if we're
[2:07:30] trying to at least maintain what we have right now, then we want to do these contracts.
[2:07:36] Okay.
[2:07:37] Thank you.
[2:07:38] That concludes by questions.
[2:07:42] All right.
[2:07:42] Thank you, Council Member Whitburne.
[2:07:44] We'll go next to Council Member Campbell.
[2:07:52] I thank you very much for the presentation.
[2:07:55] I think it's very important that we approve this, especially as is mandated by the state.
[2:08:01] I wish that the state would pay for whatever it mandates, but it doesn't.
[2:08:06] And so I will move the staff's recommendation.
[2:08:10] Thank you.
[2:08:12] All right, thank you, Council Member Campbell.
[2:08:13] So we do have a motion to move the staff's recommendation.
[2:08:16] and we'll go next to Council Member Bonloper.
[2:08:20] Thank you.
[2:08:21] Thank you for the presentation today.
[2:08:24] On our dance program and thank you for answering all the questions.
[2:08:27] I also want to thank Linda and friends of Lake Hodges.
[2:08:30] Everybody for being here.
[2:08:31] Thank you for coming down today.
[2:08:32] And for being engaged with the whole process.
[2:08:35] My incredible policy adviser AJ Baker has been a wonderful
[2:08:39] and making sure that the community is involved in this discussion
[2:08:43] because as you said when the lake water diminishes
[2:08:45] that leads to an explosion in a, in a,
[2:08:49] of, growth of brush.
[2:08:51] And when I was a kid and you drove on the 15th
[2:08:53] freeway up to the North County fair,
[2:08:54] that's what I still call it.
[2:08:55] You can see water on both sides of the 15th freeway.
[2:08:58] And that's what we grew up with
[2:09:00] and we were used to with Lake Hodges.
[2:09:02] I understand this dam was built before women
[2:09:04] had the right to vote in this country.
[2:09:06] I do understand how old this dam is.
[2:09:09] At the same time, we are now aware
[2:09:11] that this is the most failing dam in the state
[2:09:15] California, and so we have to do something about this. My first question is, where is the county
[2:09:24] water authority? Are they paying for any of this 75 million over 10 years? Are they going
[2:09:31] to be contributing to the repair of Lake Hodges because this is half their asset? So two different
[2:09:37] things. So if we're looking at any project that is for maintenance activities, it is
[2:09:45] our belief at Lake Hodges. So remember the 75 million for each of these contracts is for
[2:09:50] all of our entire dam portfolio. If it is associated with Hodges, they do have a cost share
[2:09:55] measure. They are responsible for 50% of the cost. They have as a reminder, though, they
[2:10:02] have told us if it's the full replacement, they do not believe that they have our required
[2:10:08] to pay for that, and that is different than our understanding.
[2:10:13] Okay, well, we'll get to their place in a second, but in terms of this item today to approve
[2:10:18] our rate payers will be paying for this.
[2:10:21] Our rate payers, so in this specifically for this 75 million for these two contracts, if the
[2:10:31] measures they would be paying their 50% of that. Yes. Okay, and the County Water Authority
[2:10:36] has agreed to do this? Are they protesting this or? It is not under standing that they
[2:10:41] would be protesting that. They would only be protesting the full replacement is our understanding.
[2:10:49] Okay, I'll get to the full replacement in a second. But in terms of the current state of the
[2:10:54] dam right now, the city has been doing repairs on Lake Hodges because we've been ordered to.
[2:10:59] So has the county ward authority paid their fair share of those repairs?
[2:11:04] Yes.
[2:11:05] And how much are they paid?
[2:11:09] I would have to get back to you in regards to that one.
[2:11:13] I have to get back to you.
[2:11:15] But they have been paying their 50% of all of ours.
[2:11:18] Okay.
[2:11:19] I would love to know how much they have been contributing going forward.
[2:11:24] So if they're paying half of the bill and we are currently being ordered to do mandated repairs
[2:11:30] by the State Department of the MCC. Why is it taking so long? We were supposed to get back
[2:11:36] the options from the geotechnical scientists this summer and now it's pushed back to December
[2:11:41] of 2026. Is that correct? Yes, we're expecting it by December of 2026. Yes. But we were
[2:11:48] expecting it this summer. Yeah, Kelly, if you want to add anything in regards to Kelly or Tiffany,
[2:11:53] if you want to add anything in regards to the timeline. Yeah. Thank you. So there's a number of
[2:12:00] medical analyses that we must complete to come to a recommendation for an alternative to full
[2:12:07] dam replacement for Hodges, and those technical analyses take some time, so we do expect
[2:12:14] that we're going to need more time, so the end of the year is when we expect to have a recommendation
[2:12:20] on what we're doing with Hodges in the long term. Okay, here we are. It was an outside contractor
[2:12:25] to do this recommendation for us. Yes, we currently have GEI doing the alternatives analysis
[2:12:30] for us.
[2:12:33] Oh, so then I'd like an explanation from them also why this is taking so long.
[2:12:39] Are they not working on it?
[2:12:40] Do they have other projects?
[2:12:41] I mean, this is the highest rated failure safety dam in the state of California.
[2:12:46] And they have been working on it in regards to some of the issues that, so every time that
[2:12:53] we have to do anything in regards to Hodges, we want to make sure we're doing our entirely
[2:12:59] do diligence. The status one of the assessments they do is on the concrete itself. Can it
[2:13:06] withstand whatever recommendations that we're doing? So then there's different modeling
[2:13:10] on that. I think the expectation was that we went with a shorter timeline because we're
[2:13:15] trying to push through and then each thing we're trying to identify does take us a little bit
[2:13:19] longer and we want to make sure we've done all of our Duke diligence so that way when we get
[2:13:23] into design and construction we don't identify things that pushed that timeline around.
[2:13:29] Okay, I have a request for next time we hear a dance update at ATI or I think can we bring
[2:13:34] the engineer as well?
[2:13:37] We're paying them, they should be here answering our questions about what's going on with
[2:13:42] the dam.
[2:13:45] I was also asking a lot of questions about how we're communicating with our residents at the
[2:13:50] committee, because the fire increased fire risk is real.
[2:13:55] Chief Eddie, who I know can't be here today, actually lived in the community.
[2:13:58] And we received over a million dollar grant from the State of California from a assembly
[2:14:03] number-darship, a tells office, because the increased fire threat, because of the
[2:14:07] brush growth when the water went down, has exponentially increased fire concern in a community.
[2:14:13] They already lost their homes.
[2:14:14] And this is not a theoretical concern.
[2:14:16] This was where the rich creek fire went through.
[2:14:19] And so you're hearing from people who've watched their homes burn before.
[2:14:24] And so my question is, if the Department of AMCG is not going to allow us to raise the water level,
[2:14:29] which would then flood some of the brush, what is our plan going to be going forward?
[2:14:34] I know we have the $1 million grant this year to do extensive rush management and get some of the
[2:14:38] unnatal plans out of the area, but what about next year or the year after?
[2:14:43] And so, you know, deputy chief, I know this is you just had to fill in today since chief Eddie is not available.
[2:14:48] But my question for the fire department is going forward, can we have more involved conversations
[2:14:53] with the community about what to do about this increased pressure management issues?
[2:15:02] Yes, we could do that. I can, again, touch with Chief Taska to talk about the brush management area, and we can be back.
[2:15:09] Okay. Thank you. And I know that, you know, we're currently waiting on our second wildfire helicopter to get a new part in which takes an abominally long amount of time.
[2:15:19] But are we able to get a, you know, the firehawk up there, copper three, if we need to delay causes at this point?
[2:15:26] Okay.
[2:15:27] 3 is in service.
[2:15:27] Top 3 is in service today.
[2:15:29] Okay.
[2:15:30] Got it.
[2:15:30] And then Cal Fire is able to bring fixed wing in on a more regular basis.
[2:15:34] I mean, we are much more prepared than we were in 2007, correct?
[2:15:37] Absolutely.
[2:15:41] Our coordination between Cal Fire, all of our partners, between us, Candido, Rage Sanfe, and all
[2:15:46] the surrounding jurisdictions has never been better right now.
[2:15:51] Cal Fire, as the incident commander, we're call for fixed wing air package.
[2:15:55] We could bring it in and I could keep bringing in as many resources as necessary to mitigate any incident as possible that we face.
[2:16:02] Okay, and calfired their planes can dip in Lake Hodges too, correct?
[2:16:06] I'm not, I don't have it yet. I'm not aware of any capabilities of that.
[2:16:10] Got it. I could find out for a week back too.
[2:16:12] Okay, thank you. I think we just need to have a better conversation with the community members about this because it is alarming to see the exponential growth in brush, which is a result of the lake lowering.
[2:16:24] So, thank you, and thank you for filling in for Chief Eddie, I appreciate you being here today.
[2:16:30] I, so I have one more question about communication with our office and our residents.
[2:16:36] I've been asking for the city in an apartment of dam safety to have a meaningful conversation
[2:16:41] about whether we can raise the water level.
[2:16:44] Because we now know that we're not going to be able to replace this dam as quickly as we wanted to,
[2:16:49] because the County Water Authority has unilaterally decided they do not have to share the cost
[2:16:53] anymore. One, I hope we're getting a legal opinion on that. Okay. All right, thank you.
[2:17:01] We should be getting legal opinion on that. Second, our constituents have been rightly asking
[2:17:08] what we're going to do about this in the meantime. And so I wrote a letter last July to the Secretary
[2:17:13] of the California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Crawford asking for DSOD to work with
[2:17:19] how far to determine if the risk of the dam breaking is greater at this point to
[2:17:24] life and safety of the risk of a wildfire resulting because of the lower water levels.
[2:17:29] And nobody has answered my question, I have asked our state assembly members, our state
[2:17:33] senators.
[2:17:36] And in this morning, we received an email that my office was not included on from a gentleman
[2:17:43] who is the Public Affairs California Department of Water Resources, Public Affairs
[2:17:48] and which he has been explaining to constituents that this dam is so dangerous that not only
[2:17:56] are we required to lower the water level at because of a seismic event, because of an earthquake.
[2:18:03] But in 2023, it was discovered that the concrete deterioration has progressed to such a state that
[2:18:08] the Department of Dam Safety has determined that the dam to be an unacceptable condition that could lead
[2:18:12] to failure under normal or static conditions, meaning right now that the dam could fail.
[2:18:17] And Councilover Campio's office was CCD on the Z-mail, but my office was not.
[2:18:22] And so I'm just asking, I have been begging this department to give communication to
[2:18:26] me and my residents who come all the way down here.
[2:18:30] And why can I not simply be CCD on an email?
[2:18:33] I just, we were very frustrated.
[2:18:38] One group, I'll be able to tell this director, Councilmember von Wohlberg, I just want to apologize
[2:18:42] to you for not including you on those conversations earlier.
[2:18:45] There's a request from D7 and we're being responsive and meeting with that constituent.
[2:18:50] They followed up a few times and then DWR got back to them about two weeks ago and we
[2:18:55] just got that to you today.
[2:18:56] So, I think it's a helpful reminder that if there are inquiries that come from other
[2:19:00] council districts, that we include the council district where the concerns blocated, in
[2:19:06] this case, Hodges will make sure to keep you updated on any communications related to Hodges
[2:19:11] for all of these.
[2:19:16] Thank you.
[2:19:17] I appreciate that commitment.
[2:19:20] I am also wondering when we're going to have a newly updated Hodges and Revive's Award
[2:19:24] Dam, frequently asked questions.
[2:19:27] Given this new information at the Department of Dam safety, things this Dam is so unsafe
[2:19:31] that at any moment it could experience a structural collapse that we can't raise the water level.
[2:19:37] If that is the case and he put it in writing here, when are we going to update it on our own website?
[2:19:41] I'll have Alie, Berencher, Deputy Director of External Affairs answer that.
[2:19:47] Yeah, thank you, Council Member, that FAQs in the process of being completely updated and we'll
[2:19:51] ensure that update is finalized with DSOD's perspective as well, and it should be uploaded
[2:19:56] to our website, within the near future.
[2:20:00] Will you let us know when that's done, please?
[2:20:02] Of course.
[2:20:04] And I want to thank the residents who have been consistently arguing this point and particularly
[2:20:09] this point because you were able to get answers quicker than sometimes we get to unfortunately
[2:20:16] here at the city so okay well I appreciate the commitment to getting more better communication
[2:20:25] with our office my last question is I agree with Rhonda's recommendation that since this
[2:20:33] is the worst day I'm in the whole state of California why are we not putting all the pressure on
[2:20:38] we're going to prove this $150 million for all that he has in San Diego.
[2:20:43] Lake Hodges needs the most attention.
[2:20:45] So why can't we focus on this one first?
[2:20:48] So I'll go back in regards to the most important thing is making sure
[2:20:52] because we've lost 50% of the person who's going to find it.
[2:20:56] We got estimates.
[2:20:57] We are originally looking at $275 million replace this dam.
[2:21:03] The estimates now are between $500 and $700 million.
[2:21:06] dollars. That would mean the city would be responsible. We would lost 50% of our funding for
[2:21:12] that. So that increases the liability and the cost to actually do the work on the city
[2:21:18] of San Diego residents. And so we're trying to right now identify all options available to
[2:21:25] us in regards to what is the best use of all rate payer funds. Because we do not have unlimited
[2:21:31] funds. Our existing right now, we don't even have the rates to do that replacement right now.
[2:21:39] So that would also require future increase rates. And so we want to make sure and come back,
[2:21:45] and make sure we've identified that option that gets us addresses the concerns in regards
[2:21:50] to the safety of that dam, but also looks at the affordability that we're looking at. And that's
[2:21:56] So we chose to do that risk, alternative analysis and coming back with also interim risk
[2:22:02] reduction measures.
[2:22:07] Okay.
[2:22:08] Which I appreciate.
[2:22:08] My question.
[2:22:09] I guess still is.
[2:22:10] Are we going to direct most of these resources immediately to Lake Hodges?
[2:22:13] Hodges is the number one priority.
[2:22:16] Okay.
[2:22:17] All right.
[2:22:17] Thank you.
[2:22:19] Well, thank you for answering the questions.
[2:22:21] Thank you for the commitment to communicate better with us going forward.
[2:22:25] You know, we work well with our state partners.
[2:22:27] That's how we got the million dollars.
[2:22:28] with assembly of the hotel is because when constituents come to us, we can ask, but if we don't
[2:22:32] get this information, I can't act on it.
[2:22:36] So given the commitments that you will work with our communities better and get us more
[2:22:40] answers, and we will be focusing the efforts immediately on the causes if we approve this
[2:22:45] today.
[2:22:46] I'll prove the item, but we will continue to follow up to make sure that these commitments
[2:22:52] are actually followed through, so the community can feel safer and that we all can be more
[2:22:55] where we're going to do with this very precious resource
[2:22:58] that we've all counted out for a long time.
[2:23:00] So thank you very much.
[2:23:02] Thank you, Councillor Valleable, Pert.
[2:23:03] I think you said you would vote to approve it.
[2:23:05] You didn't actually second it,
[2:23:08] though.
[2:23:10] I'll jump in there and second it before I go to Council Member Foster
[2:23:14] offer a few thoughts, because I want to clarify some of the things
[2:23:17] that we've been talking about.
[2:23:19] One, thank you for coming down and taking the time
[2:23:23] to testify.
[2:23:24] There isn't anything more scary than the possibility of changes that could potentially threaten
[2:23:33] their homes.
[2:23:35] You know, I'm old enough to remember when living next to open space and wildlands actually
[2:23:39] was an asset given as many people describe the changes in our environment and the risk
[2:23:47] of wildfire has certainly turned people's attention in a different direction.
[2:23:52] Most of my district district one, used to enjoy the quality of life by being separated by
[2:24:00] major pieces of open space and what are they faced today, difficulty getting insurance.
[2:24:08] The state introducing zone zero, which is going to require everybody, a sense almost everybody
[2:24:13] in the city to actually clear everything within five feet.
[2:24:16] circumstances of different change and sadly it takes dramatic incidents to actually force us to change.
[2:24:26] And I do want to emphasize the world changed with the Auroville Dam and change division of Dam safety and how they looked at things for better or for worse.
[2:24:36] So, I appreciate the pivot, as Council member of Alma Wilpert and the public mentioned, I am a civil engineer, so I paid a little bit extra attention.
[2:24:46] And I want to remind that we did do upwards $10 million worth of repairs at Lake Hodges, a pretty extraordinary innovative approaches to try to stabilize the dam.
[2:24:57] And I can remember we actually began a pace to actually start thinking about a new dam there.
[2:25:06] I don't know how far we got, but we certainly got slammed when the county water authorities said,
[2:25:13] Yeah, we don't care about the hydroelectric capacity there.
[2:25:16] We don't care about the water storage there.
[2:25:18] We're not interested in being your 50% partner.
[2:25:23] And that changed the landscape.
[2:25:25] I want to re-emphasize a question, I think Council Member Vaughn Wolper raised, but there's nothing
[2:25:31] in the action today that actually precludes what we might do at Lake Hodges.
[2:25:35] Is that correct?
[2:25:36] Correct.
[2:25:37] Okay, so I wanted to make sure that we weren't doing anything in that regard.
[2:25:44] And I also don't want to forget about the larger picture that we're talking about, that we first
[2:25:49] the city, again given the 2021 action, actually took a look at the entirety of our system of
[2:25:59] water storage, which is our water storage. It doesn't belong to the county water
[2:26:04] authority, it's ours. And it does, typically we talk about it as 10% of our water
[2:26:16] and more importantly, the cost of $400 an acre foot.
[2:26:20] That's supposed to $2,600.
[2:26:22] And anybody who thinks about privatizing,
[2:26:24] the most expensive water in San New County
[2:26:26] is a private decalemization plant.
[2:26:29] So I'm not interested in going in that direction,
[2:26:32] but everything that we need to do to make sure
[2:26:35] that that local water continues to function
[2:26:38] in a very efficient manner and keeps the rates down.
[2:26:42] So, I appreciate that, even though this is a tenure contract that you're asking, that you will come back to us yearly, and let us know the progress clearly after GEI completes its assessment of Lake Hodges and the options coming back to ATI or Environment Committee, whatever makes sense best.
[2:27:03] I do feel inclined because I've heard it more than once about joyous slake, it's not part
[2:27:08] of our water storage, it's not part of our system there, it is a dam, all dams always
[2:27:14] have that risk of breaking.
[2:27:17] How do we, it's not PUD, as I assume, it's park and wreck?
[2:27:21] Yes, that is correct, but we are in coordination because we do kind of have the expertise in regards
[2:27:26] to doing the condition assessments, we are coordinating with park and wreck to give them
[2:27:30] information. It is a satisfied three-dam at this point in time, which is within DSODs. That's
[2:27:36] their highest rating. So, but we do have it identified and preparing the information that
[2:27:42] is needed so that any future actions can be done. But that would be at the expense of from the
[2:27:46] general fund. Okay. I don't want to put any undue pressure in under our colleagues, but we do have
[2:27:53] ten members of the County Water Authority Board of Directors there. If I think it's a pretty
[2:28:00] to pony up that kind of dollars where they may not see the benefit to the county water
[2:28:05] authorities, entire vision of an area of responsibility, so I don't really hold much hope
[2:28:13] there no matter what the city can or able to do at the board level going forward.
[2:28:19] But again, I also don't want to lose the incredible pivot that PUD went through in the past
[2:28:26] five years going forward, and you responded to one division of dam safety, said new rules
[2:28:34] are in place. You jumped on every requirement and then when county water authorities said,
[2:28:40] again, slammed it over on us, that you pivoted again, and that's an extraordinary amount
[2:28:45] of work of something that is not part of our data they work. So, it's very much appreciated. I appreciate
[2:28:52] Mr. McFadden, being here in participating this is the Chief Infrastructure Services, I think.
[2:28:59] So with that, I'll close my comments, my colleagues have some comments as well, but I will
[2:29:04] second the motion.
[2:29:05] So we do have a motion by Council Member Campbell and a second by Council President Lekova
[2:29:10] to second the motion on the floor.
[2:29:12] And with that, we'll go next to Council Member Foster.
[2:29:16] Thank you, Chair.
[2:29:17] And thank you for the presentation.
[2:29:18] and we did hear this previously, I did, and continue to have some concerns, but listening
[2:29:26] to the conversation today, we have this action that's before us today, but you mentioned
[2:29:33] the program, there's another contract that we have programmatic contract where they're doing
[2:29:37] analysis to look at potions and how we are going to approach the very damn we are
[2:29:48] standing a work that's being done.
[2:29:50] Can you help me to understand why we are taking this action today?
[2:29:57] Absolutely.
[2:29:58] It's a great question in regards to-
[2:30:00] We do have regulatory deadlines that we must address right now. We cannot wait to have every analysis that the team went through to have that all done before we move.
[2:30:12] We have definitely some priorities, just like Hodges, Barrett, O tie, Murray, Damp, we have other commitments and other requirements that are do, and so we need to move forward in having that design work and keep maintaining that.
[2:30:28] As we continue in a parallel path on the entire overall programmatic analysis.
[2:30:33] And so do we not have any, do we not have another contractor in a existing contractor to expire?
[2:30:39] What is the, how are we taking care of these regulatory requirements prior to this item?
[2:30:45] In regards to, yeah.
[2:30:47] So a lot of them didn't require some of them didn't require design.
[2:30:51] We're moving into more major maintenance as it relates to design that we will need design expertise on this.
[2:30:59] And so, and then I'll have Kelly add anything else.
[2:31:02] So, we have contracts at engineering and capital projects department, so they issued three
[2:31:08] as needed contracts to assist with some near-term repair projects and do design.
[2:31:12] Those contracts are nearing completion and capacity.
[2:31:16] So, we no longer have the ability to issue work for new repair projects and help the need
[2:31:21] for these.
[2:31:22] And how much were those contracts that we had at the same concept, what was the capacity
[2:31:29] in time line on these?
[2:31:30] Yeah, so for each one it was a five year duration they were as needed and they were each approximately
[2:31:36] 7 million so 21 million dollars total for all the as needed.
[2:31:41] Okay, and then with this.
[2:31:44] With this contract, what is the maximum, I guess, authority or capacity of a task order?
[2:31:57] The task orders are not limited and dollar value.
[2:32:00] I'm asking with the mayors of the, what is the mayoral authority for a task order?
[2:32:05] Based on my comments at ATI, I had concerns on one commitment, right, how are you going
[2:32:13] to break down some contracts and things like that if I remember the conversation, right?
[2:32:17] There'd be determined later as we go through actual task order process.
[2:32:20] My question is, what is the mayors authority?
[2:32:23] I'm trying to understand what we will see coming back and what we will not.
[2:32:27] Within those 75 million dollars, it is within the mayor's authority up to 75 million dollars
[2:32:35] within the term of the contract.
[2:32:39] But getting coming back, we can come back each year in regards to our update.
[2:32:47] Is that accurate?
[2:32:48] I believe there's a limit on each task order regarding the attorney's council approval.
[2:32:57] I've found you two WD-3 attorney there is no limit on tasks for as needed consultant contracts.
[2:33:06] So essentially we're issuing 75 million dollars of capacity to the mayor and not one item will come back to us in the ten year process for additional authority.
[2:33:18] Is that what I'm understanding?
[2:33:21] Bonnie, can you clarify if task orders are capital funded if that would trigger an additional approval?
[2:33:31] There is no cap on task for as needed consultant contracts.
[2:33:37] There's no limit within the municipal code for this type of contract.
[2:33:57] They're talking when you see if they're going to add something.
[2:33:59] Councilmember, I would just offer that we couldn't issue a task today to the total to the
[2:34:04] tune of $75 million, because that is not what's included in the race that you all approved
[2:34:08] this past fall. That's also not included in our five-year or budget, that the full amount in
[2:34:14] year one. So that's where we noted that every opportunity that we will be coming back for every annual
[2:34:21] DM safety update with an update on this program, but also in every five-year outlook, every budget,
[2:34:27] And every great case we have moving forward, there will be additional information on the plan spend for these contracts included within our dam safety program line items.
[2:34:40] Purchasing and contracting on the call.
[2:34:43] I just want to make sure I understand this. I didn't realize that consulted contracts did not come with a limit attached to the task orders.
[2:34:53] Yes, PNC is online.
[2:34:56] Yeah. Good afternoon. Councilmember Foster. That is correctly. As we look at municipal code, there are no limits for task orders under as needed contracts.
[2:35:10] Okay, so how much do we have budgeted for this.
[2:35:13] Psycho was a budget impact or any rate. I'm assuming what we have is included in the rates and we're not going.
[2:35:19] Would I just say we're not going to go over that.
[2:35:22] Correct. The amount is currently within this fiscal year as identified in a rate case and also with our five-year
[2:35:31] Okay, all right
[2:35:35] Thank you
[2:35:36] All right, thank you council member foster for your questions. We'll go next the council president program. We think that's president
[2:35:42] We had a pretty extensive discussion of this in a ti so I think for me just summarizing and we're camping it
[2:35:47] quickly as perhaps helpful. I think everyone in the room understands the significant need
[2:35:53] for many of our dams, especially for like lodges. We already, as the Council had initiated,
[2:36:00] funding for the study of the conditions of the dams. And then the next step, frankly,
[2:36:05] is to have this contract in place to allow for funding to ensure that design, the design phase
[2:36:10] for any future projects can occur. And I know this is under a tenure period. I feel comfortable
[2:36:16] with the budget authority piece being where we, the Council is going to have some ability to
[2:36:21] annually in terms of determining what's actually implemented within the budget or authorised
[2:36:26] within the budget for projects, and so that it's not all just going to be spent. But I presume
[2:36:33] that without this we wouldn't be able to address any of the identified potential repairs, replacement,
[2:36:41] water levels, as I have been requested by the Department of Safety of Dance.
[2:36:45] That is correct. I mean, we have already have identified projects right now at Lower O tie at Murray at Barrett.
[2:36:53] Risk reduction measures at Hodges. All of those wouldn't be able to be completed without these contracts.
[2:37:00] Thank you. Well, with that, Councillor Sain, I'm happy to support that.
[2:37:02] And look forward to the work continue.
[2:37:06] All right. Thank you, Councillor President. Perth, Emily. I don't see any else in the lights.
[2:37:10] Let me ask one last question. This is just a design.
[2:37:13] So, when you identify construction contracts, those will come back, because I suspect it will be quite sizable.
[2:37:21] Okay, just one. One of the doubles checkup on that.
[2:37:23] Okay, we have a motion by Council Member Campbell.
[2:37:26] Second by myself to move the staff recommendation.
[2:37:29] Clerk, please call the roll.
[2:37:31] I'm sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.
[2:37:39] That passes unanimously. Sorry, that does not pass unanimously.
[2:37:42] That passes seven to one.
[2:37:44] with Councilmember Foster voting no and Councilmember Campio absent.
[2:37:49] Thank you, Council President.
[2:37:50] All right, thank you to my Council colleagues for all the questions and comments.
[2:37:54] Thank you to the good folks of PUD for putting this together and answering all the questions.
[2:38:00] And of course, gentlemen from Fire Rescue for showing up as well.
[2:38:06] So with that, clerk, please introduce item 203.
[2:38:09] Item 203 is the naming of an existing alley in the Cabrillo Heights neighborhood within the
[2:38:13] a community plan area, it tied way PRJ-1130276. If you'd like to speak to this item, please be
[2:38:22] sure to submit your speakership to the front of the room into the clear box. And if you are
[2:38:27] participating remotely, now's the time to raise your hand by pressing star 9 or the raise your
[2:38:32] hand icon. Thank you, Council President. All right. Thank you. I see staff is settling in. Please
[2:38:39] introduce yourselves for the record and let us know how much time you need for your presentation.
[2:38:55] Good afternoon, Council President LaCaba and Council Members. My name is Daniel Neri,
[2:38:59] Development Project Manager with Development Services and joining me today is Senior Lands
[2:39:04] Survey or Greg Jeffries and Lands Survey or Assistant Michael Bocaud. I will need approximately
[2:39:10] three minutes for today's presentation. All right, begin when you're ready.
[2:39:23] Okay.
[2:39:25] Item number 203 on today's docket is project number PRJ 1130276 for the naming of an existing
[2:39:33] alley in the Cabrio Heights neighborhood within the Ceramesa community plant area, E-Ti-Way.
[2:39:42] The item before you today proposes the naming of an existing unnamed public ride of way,
[2:39:47] to e-tieway, this street name change was brought forth by petition from all affected property owners and tenants
[2:39:56] fronting the subject property in accordance with San Diego Municipal Code 1-251-20B.
[2:40:04] Although the Municipal Code allows for a process one decision for petitions containing signatures indicating 100% support,
[2:40:12] The item before you requires a process 5 decision by city council because the circulated petition received less than 100% support.
[2:40:21] Our recommendation from the Planning Commission is not required for this action for the San Diego Municipal Code.
[2:40:28] The naming was determined to be categorically exempt from the California Environmental Equality Act,
[2:40:33] pursuant to sequence sections 15301 for existing facilities and section 1531 for access restructures.
[2:40:41] The project is within the Ceramesa Community Plan Area of Council District 7,
[2:40:46] and the site lies between Larkdale Avenue and Makawa Avenue within the RM-11 and RS-17 zones.
[2:40:54] The Cabrillo Heights neighborhood lies east of Interstate 805, west of Interstate 15,
[2:41:01] and approximately 0.6 miles south of Montgomery Gibbs Airport.
[2:41:06] The existing 26 foot wide and 0.4 mile long alley was established from app number 303 of the Rancho Cabrio subdivision in 1960.
[2:41:19] Known today is the Cabrio Heights neighborhood. The alley serves as a divide between the multi-dwelling unit residential RM11 zone to the north,
[2:41:26] shown here in Tope, and the single-dwelling unit RS17 zone to the south, shown here in the yellow.
[2:41:33] The development pattern of the Cabrio Heights neighborhood is characterized by multi-family U.S. military housing to the north along Larkdale Avenue and single-family residences to the south along Makawa Avenue.
[2:41:48] In accordance with the street name change regulations under the San Diego Municipal Code, the applicant provided identified 85 property owners,
[2:41:58] or tenants with either property of letting the alley or property within an address on the affected segment of the subject right of way.
[2:42:07] The petition was circulated via door to door, canvassing, resulting in 25 signatures in favor, which equates to 29% in support and exceeds of the 25% minimum threshold required by the code.
[2:42:21] It's important to note here that addresses, without signatures, we're not responsive.
[2:42:27] And should today's action be approved, all-fronting properties will have the option to submit an address change request for information bulletin 185.
[2:42:39] In accordance with San Diego Municipal Code Section 1251120C, staff determine that the project does not adversely affect the multi-agency computer-added dispatch service for police, fire, and paramedic vehicles,
[2:42:51] or the policies and procedures of the United States Postal Service as ETI-Way is not currently
[2:42:57] in a science street name in the city.
[2:43:01] On March 20, 2025, the Serum Mesa Community Planning Group voted 601 in support of a recommendation
[2:43:09] to approve the naming of the alley to ETI-Way, citing enhanced safety, navigation, property
[2:43:16] addressing, and community identity as a reason for their support.
[2:43:21] In consideration of the staff report and supporting materials, staff recommends that city council adopt a resolution for the
[2:43:29] exemption, to seek a section 1, 5301 and 1, 5311, staff further recommends that the council adopt a resolution
[2:43:37] of proving street name change PMT 3349350. This concludes staff's presentation and staff and the lead applicants are here to answer any questions.
[2:43:47] All right, thank you for the presentation.
[2:43:49] Please proceed with public comment.
[2:43:55] We have a few speakers here.
[2:43:57] Good luck, Deckner.
[2:43:58] If you can please come up to the microphone.
[2:44:01] If I can have the following individuals, please come up to the yellow
[2:44:03] Reserves seats at the front.
[2:44:05] It's a Deckner, a Veeve Deckner and room room room room.
[2:44:11] Deckner.
[2:44:13] You'll have two minutes each.
[2:44:14] Please proceed.
[2:44:17] Or if you'd like to all speak together, that's fine.
[2:44:23] Would you like to all speak together?
[2:44:24] Yeah, as an organized presentation.
[2:44:28] All right.
[2:44:28] We came here
[2:44:32] at Ali.
[2:44:34] The biggest issue
[2:44:37] of delivery,
[2:44:39] the emergency services,
[2:44:40] because it's such a distinct situation.
[2:44:43] The houses that are facing Ali,
[2:44:46] are very difficult to find.
[2:44:49] So we'll see the inside wells driving around.
[2:44:52] I know from the neighborhood,
[2:44:55] that somebody called the emergency ambulance
[2:44:58] and they came to the house facing.
[2:45:00] Please. We're unable to find the house that they will call to in Bali. So we are here to show support and hope to get that.
[2:45:13] Thank
[2:45:16] you.
[2:45:18] Thank you. Is that concludes your comments?
[2:45:19] Yes.
[2:45:19] I appreciate you being here. We'll go to those participating remotely starting the five minute timer.
[2:45:24] There's actually nobody,
[2:45:28] nobody in the virtual queue that concludes public comment on this item.
[2:45:36] Thank you for taking the time and sitting through this afternoon's conversations.
[2:45:41] This is in District 7.
[2:45:42] We would normally go to the District 7 Council member for guidance and geographic courtesy.
[2:45:48] He is not here.
[2:45:49] So we'll go first to Council member Bon Wilpert.
[2:45:52] Thank you.
[2:45:53] Yes, since Councilor Camp he was up on fraternity leave with his new baby.
[2:45:57] I'm happy to make the motion to approve recommendation to change the alleyways name.
[2:46:02] Okay, we have Council Member Bonlopent moving in the recommendation and we go next to Council Member Campbell.
[2:46:07] I'm happy to second the motion.
[2:46:10] All right, we have a motion by Council Member Campbell.
[2:46:12] The second the motion is for recommendation on here.
[2:46:14] I don't see anybody else in the lights.
[2:46:16] I've got a couple of questions.
[2:46:19] This is a request by private property owners or residents.
[2:46:26] Who's going to pay for the new signs?
[2:46:32] Thank you.
[2:46:33] This conversation was held with a transportation department and on August 7th of this past year
[2:46:40] we received confirmation from senior traffic engineer Gary Pence and the transportation department
[2:46:45] that once approved by council this would become an aimed ally like the rest of the city
[2:46:49] and there is no charge for the street sign installation to the applicants
[2:46:54] that transportation will issue work orders to the streets divisions for the signs
[2:46:58] and it will be funded from the general fund.
[2:47:00] Okay, I have to admit, I have a little hard burn even though it's like 3,500 bucks going forward.
[2:47:07] Given the very long needs list that we have City didn't identify this as a problem or something to be solved.
[2:47:17] And so I have a little bit of hard burn about doing that, especially with the military housing benefit from this.
[2:47:23] Apparently the military didn't offer to jump in on this conversation.
[2:47:29] I appreciate the comment about emergency response.
[2:47:32] I don't want anybody to think that an ADU or a house in the back of a property that
[2:47:38] fronts on the street and has an alley behind it is dangerous.
[2:47:43] I don't know why a 911 call wouldn't have identified where the problem was going for it.
[2:47:48] I don't want anybody to think that is dangerous, but I do have these terrible, terrible
[2:47:54] that we're having, even $3,500, that's kind of a big deal going forward.
[2:48:01] So I wish the 29 people that, or the 25 people that have signed it,
[2:48:05] would have been willing to pay up for that sign to their mutual benefit.
[2:48:10] But I just wanted to clear that up and bring that to everybody's attention.
[2:48:14] So seeing nobody else on the lights, we have a motion by Council Member Vol. Wilbert,
[2:48:18] and a second by Council Member Campbell to move the staff recommendation.
[2:48:25] I'm sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.
[2:48:35] That passes unanimously.
[2:48:37] To zero with Council Member Campio, absent.
[2:48:39] Thank you, Council President.
[2:48:41] All right, congratulations on getting this action and look forward to a
[2:48:44] Munich O change update to clarify some of those questions.
[2:48:49] With that, we will now take up non-agenda public comment.
[2:48:51] the council members respect and appreciate the public input and are fully committed to
[2:48:56] protecting every participants for speech rights at council and committee meetings.
[2:49:00] Clerk, please proceed with public comment.
[2:49:02] Thank you, per roll 2.7 on agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the
[2:49:07] public to comment on items that are not on the agenda but within the subject manager's
[2:49:10] section of the city council each week will have two minutes. Please note if there are any
[2:49:15] more speakers on a single topic the maximum time for the topic will be 16 minutes if you're
[2:49:19] Please submit a speaker's up to the front of the room in the clear box if you're participating remotely now
[2:49:23] So time to raise your hand by pressing star night with a raise your hand icon if I can have Christina
[2:49:28] Garrier by Taylor please come to the front and then Anthony Ralphs if you can also come to the yellow reserve seats
[2:49:36] You'll have two minutes. Please proceed
[2:49:39] If you can just begin to that microphone that my time that is your timer. I will start when you speak
[2:49:44] Hello, everybody, my name is Cristina Garibite Taylor, and I am here representing residents
[2:49:50] from the 1,000 block of Granger Street, 19154, Ms. Vigan Moreno, is our district rep, or
[2:50:00] sorry, our council member, and just to give you some brief history. In 2022, my husband
[2:50:08] was in connection with Ms. Moreno to repair resurface the street we live in for the PCI which
[2:50:17] is public record. Our street has been touched in over 30 years. I have pictures here, you know,
[2:50:26] this doesn't do justice. She's been there in three years ago or so. We've been anxiously
[2:50:33] waiting for repair, and just continue waiting.
[2:50:39] So I was proactive this year, the beginning of the year.
[2:50:42] I've emailed Mayor Todd Gloria for times,
[2:50:46] including Ms. Morano, the Department of Transportation.
[2:50:49] I am just here representing my community.
[2:50:54] And my husband and I, as well as every resident,
[2:50:57] has paid and continues to pay taxes.
[2:51:00] So I think we need to make our voice heard and we will do what it takes to make some noise and get everybody's attention.
[2:51:11] With that being said, and let me see, hopefully I'm not missing anything in these two minutes.
[2:51:17] I did. I would like to end with something from the mayor.
[2:51:22] 2026 state of the city address.
[2:51:25] The voices of residents on the $1,000 block of Granger Street, and 1,400 block of E-Boy Avenue
[2:51:32] have gone unheard, request for a resurfacing in our neighborhood has been ignored for decades,
[2:51:38] and then the mayor in his recent, and that means, roads are smooth sidewalks without trip hazard
[2:51:45] three life that word. Anyway, you know, if if thank you, thank you for your time and hopefully
[2:51:52] we thank you for that including comment. Anthony?
[2:52:02] Hello, City Council. I wanted to start today
[2:52:05] by thanking Shawnee LeRovero for the proposed empty homes tax and I wanted to thank everybody
[2:52:11] else on the board that voted in favor of that including Kent Lee including Mr. Whipper and I
[2:52:21] and rebel compil who's not here today.
[2:52:24] But I wanted to start by thanking y'all for pushing that legislation forward.
[2:52:27] That means a lot to the people of San Diego that will go a long way in making housing affordable for everyone here in San Diego so thank you very much for doing that.
[2:52:37] Part of the reason why I'm here today is because I wanted to talk about flock, which is meant a lot to me and my safety or my feeling of lack of safety and I wanted to talk about how everything from a human being down to the smallest
[2:52:51] Electron changes its behavior when it knows that it's being observed and this
[2:52:56] issue is to me a violation of the Fourth Amendment and I'm very concerned that
[2:53:02] activists like myself will no longer feel comfortable and safe doing the work
[2:53:08] in trying to keep everyone in our town safe for the issues that we love when we
[2:53:13] find out about issues like a Operation Road Flair which just surfaced which we
[2:53:18] Now, no is a project which ISIS engaged with along with the DHS in targeting activists, specifically
[2:53:26] Gene Wong and Arturo Gonzalez, who are both friends of mine.
[2:53:32] And these documents were revealed in Gene Wong's court appearance down at the Superior
[2:53:37] Court a couple of weeks ago.
[2:53:39] And this is what exactly what we were fearing a couple of months ago when we were having
[2:53:43] discussion about flock in these chambers was that this technology could and would be utilized
[2:53:50] to begin going after activists. And so now I'm asking y'all to please reconsider your position
[2:53:56] on flock. And please don't continue casting this master bail and strike on activists like myself
[2:54:03] and my friends. Thank you. Thank you for that concluding comment. I'm sorry the five minute time
[2:54:07] we're going to those participating remotely. We currently have eight speakers with their hands raised
[2:54:12] starting with Terri Anne Skelleys. Please unmute after that. Will be Francine Maxwell. Terri Anne, please
[2:54:17] proceed.
[2:54:21] Good afternoon, San Diego City Council. My name is Terri Anne Skelleys. I'm a planning group member,
[2:54:27] a parent, and a public health educator. Last week, KPBS interviewed Radies Children's Hospital,
[2:54:35] pediatrician Dr. Natalie Law, regarding the increase of 600 adolescents to its emergency room
[2:54:42] in 2025 because they need to treatment of some kind for their cannabis use.
[2:54:48] She said that, and I quote,
[2:54:50] prior to 2020,
[2:54:52] we were only seeing a handful of adolescents a year,
[2:54:55] maybe 20 or 30.
[2:54:58] Cannabis products are far more pregnant today
[2:55:00] than what previous generations were exposed to, and quote.
[2:55:05] PBS interview Dr. Lobby in response to the new research published
[2:55:10] in the Journal of American Medical Association regarding cannabis use with increased risk
[2:55:16] per serious mental health conditions. The strongest associations the study found was for
[2:55:22] psychotic and bipolar disorders where the risk was about doubled. And importantly, teens reported
[2:55:30] on their cannabis use about one to two years before their mental health diagnosis.
[2:55:36] Again, Dr. Log is loud, is quoted in a quote.
[2:55:41] We see this public of crisis emerging in children and young adults with early initiation of cannabis use and quote.
[2:55:50] I think we as residents of San Diego need to ask ourselves what this early use marijuana means for the long-term well-being of our younger residents and the many who care about them.
[2:56:03] and take responsibility for reducing visibility and promotions
[2:56:07] that come with selling marijuana here in our city.
[2:56:11] Thank you for hearing me this afternoon.
[2:56:14] Thank you, next is Francine Maxwell, if you can please unmute.
[2:56:18] After that, it's medicine.
[2:56:20] Francine Maxwell, South Eastern, San Diego resident.
[2:56:24] I think I heard from the diocese today that we want the community to feel safer.
[2:56:29] And so, this council should be asking why they're not getting more updates from the CPP.
[2:56:36] We are extremely excited to have an executive director, but you haven't shared with the community
[2:56:41] why we don't have our attorney.
[2:56:43] We have been in meeting conferred for almost three years, so that also erodes the trust.
[2:56:48] We completely understand that we will be in meeting conferred for a while, but again, any opportunity
[2:56:55] the share information with the community on where we are because the CPP does not have their own
[2:57:02] attorney and that's what we voted for. And so, again, we want to build trust and not having
[2:57:11] an attorney doesn't do that, but what could build trust and what should open up the communication
[2:57:16] with the council along with the community is that post is in town, March 3rd, 4th and 5th.
[2:57:23] And some of our San Diego PD may be in those particular conversations and in those presentations.
[2:57:30] And so we need to be educated and make sure that if people have the time,
[2:57:36] can go on March 3rd, 4th and 5th down to the post meeting, which is going to be down at CalTrans,
[2:57:42] very important opportunity to find out about other officers that may help educate people
[2:57:49] and get them to file more complaints against some of our officers so that we can change
[2:57:55] some of the training. Love the direction that we're going in for training, but sometimes training
[2:58:01] is just not enough. There's an undergrad and there's a lot of private conversations, there's
[2:58:07] a lot of backdoor conversations going on, but you're not holding a hearing with the constituents
[2:58:12] and you're not holding town halls on public safety. So, again, let's, let's, let's dive in and let's build trust and have hard conversations in safe places.
[2:58:25] Madison, if you can please unmute, after that is Andrea Ebbing. Madison, please unmute.
[2:58:32] Okay, thank you. Good afternoon, City Council members. I am here this afternoon as a community member concerned about an issue affecting young people in San Diego,
[2:58:41] which is the rise in use of inhalants, including nitrous oxide products commonly known as
[2:58:48] wippets. These products are inexpensive, widely available, and often perceived by teens as harmless
[2:58:55] because they're sold legally for culinary purposes. But when misused, inhaling nitrous oxide
[2:59:01] can deprive the brain of oxygen in seconds. That can lead to a loss of consciousness, seizures,
[2:59:08] traumatic falls and in some cases sudden death. Repeated use carries longer term risks.
[2:59:16] Medical professionals have documented nerve damage, spinal cord injury, vitamin B12
[2:59:21] depletion, cognitive impairment, depression and psychosis all linked to heavy
[2:59:27] nitrous oxide exposure. Because it acts so quickly on the brain, it can also be
[2:59:32] psychologically reinforcing for adolescents whose brains are still developing. What
[2:59:38] makes this especially concerning is how accessible these products are. In many
[2:59:42] neighborhoods they are sold in smoke shops alongside other intoxicating
[2:59:46] substances. We are normalizing retail environments that cluster mind-all
[2:59:51] throwing products together and our youth are paying attention. As a city we often
[2:59:57] talk about mental health and equity.
[3:00:00] And preventing youth access to harmful inhalants fits squarely within those goals. I encourage the council to examine enforcement, retailer, education, and whether additional safeguards might be needed to limit youth access and reduce bulk sales that clearly signal misuse.
[3:00:17] Brain development continues into the mid 20s. The decisions we make about retail environments and public health protections matter.
[3:00:25] Thank you.
[3:00:26] Thank you. If the five minutes I wanted to conclude during her comment, there were eight people in the
[3:00:30] Q&A, additional speakers will be taken after those eight. Next is Andrea.
[3:00:34] Every and after that is November, and in 87, and then 7499. Please proceed.
[3:00:40] Andrea?
[3:00:41] I am a mother of three beautiful girls who were all adapted from San Diego.
[3:00:50] They're in two separate states, with two felony charge perpetrators of domestic violence, with me as their name victim.
[3:00:58] So my daughters were ripped out of their home away from each other, taken thousands of miles away from me and each other.
[3:01:09] On a permanently suspended license by somebody who just had strangled me on video.
[3:01:13] So my other acts, the one who paid for their shared attorney, whose name is Ben Embrey,
[3:01:20] who was also in attorney in another case in which some are stepping protected and defended
[3:01:27] only her husband and perpetrator, who is the richest and fade doctor.
[3:01:31] This woman was pushed to suicide.
[3:01:33] Her name is Alexander Venton, Alexander Venton, she survived, but she was abandoned too.
[3:01:39] So we are traumatized, and I need to get these emails, and I want to know, like, it is you people sitting up there did not take my children. You didn't sell my children.
[3:01:51] Judge Paula Rosenstein did, some are stuff and did, hurled all over did, even until you wanted Billy driver did.
[3:02:01] Callie Tamaskin did, Holland to FOIA did, right?
[3:02:06] So, but when I'm reporting stuff like my ex's partner is an opioid dealer who had written
[3:02:13] 78,000 scripts and dead people in prisoners' names and had rehab patients and homeless people
[3:02:18] picked them up and distribute those drugs and he only got 18 months for it after his sixth medical
[3:02:23] life's interrogation, as well as per Kashfatia, who's a psychiatrist, summer stuff and used
[3:02:29] committee assessment is also an opioid dealer and then these people continue to get contracts.
[3:02:34] I'm begging you guys to hold these people accountable. I don't know if you have the power to
[3:02:39] do it, but I am begging you to hear my voice because we need each other. Thank you.
[3:02:45] Thank you. Next is 8700. If you can please unmute after that is 7499. 8700. There you go.
[3:02:53] I thank you, I tell you I send you out of CD3 a couple of things before I make my point.
[3:03:00] President LaCava, thank you for what you said regarding the budget on that alley naming item.
[3:03:08] I really really appreciated that. That was just a little thing but it was a great statement.
[3:03:15] Thank you. Now I want to say this before I get to my main point.
[3:03:19] I'm probably getting a lot out of time City Clerk,
[3:03:21] great anyway, so we'll be at Sandy A. Go County Water Authority.
[3:03:28] When are we going to wake up to them?
[3:03:32] Now, I'm going to research this later, but do they have a vested interest
[3:03:38] in our legally obligated to do what they make us do with the 50% or if it's a new thing,
[3:03:46] they don't pay for it or whatever, what are they doing? Are they putting ourselves? Are they just,
[3:03:53] I don't get what's going on here. We have a great city attorney's office. Why don't they know,
[3:04:00] legally obligated to do with these people? And it's not, you know, uh,
[3:04:07] listening to the people, it's systems that they work with that they condone, that make me so angry.
[3:04:13] So I'll have to wait and speak later, but I'll say something briefly.
[3:04:18] I'll speak on that Colorado River Crisis article probably tomorrow, but I just want to
[3:04:26] say that if you go before the water comes to the dams, that's at the San Vicentue Reservoir
[3:04:33] with just 15 miles north east of the city, and then you go north in a canoe backwards.
[3:04:39] Look at that network. Start with the snow in the mountains and follow our water down.
[3:04:46] You won't believe what's happening. It's not nice. And we've got to do something about it.
[3:04:51] Thank you, love to all.
[3:04:54] Thank you next to 7499. If you can please unmute. After that is Becky Rapp.
[3:05:01] I've noticed that more and more city departments are using constant contact to send marketing email to citizens.
[3:05:08] So I did a search on constant contact abuses.
[3:05:12] Here's what an AI summary that I got back said, quote,
[3:05:15] constant contact has been associated with various abuses,
[3:05:18] including credential fishing attacks,
[3:05:21] where threat actors compromise accounts to send malicious email.
[3:05:24] These incidents highlight the risks of using shared email marketing platforms
[3:05:29] as compromise accounts can lead to widespread fishing attempts.
[3:05:33] Leveraging the platforms trusted reputation to deceive recipient,
[3:05:37] Cybercriminals have also abused constant contact infrastructure to create malicious
[3:05:42] links leading to credential theft and quote.
[3:05:45] So why is the city using constant contact to communicate with citizens?
[3:05:49] For example, the city clerks website has a button that says quote, sign up for city council
[3:05:53] agenda and update distribution list quote.
[3:05:56] But that link goes to constant contact pages.com.
[3:05:59] The city's parking recreation department has a link titled quote, sign up for to receive
[3:06:03] meeting agendas, news and updates and quote.
[3:06:06] But their sign-up link also goes to constantcontact.com.
[3:06:10] Why can't the city send its own email messages to citizens without involving a third-party
[3:06:14] business?
[3:06:15] Similarly, why are the city council agenda archives maintained by Highland Cloud?
[3:06:20] If you go to the city clerk's website, City Clerk official docs, legislature docs,
[3:06:24] Brown Act, you'll find that the current agenda in PDF format is there.
[3:06:28] It's beautiful.
[3:06:29] Thank you, City Clerk.
[3:06:30] But none of the archive to genders are there.
[3:06:33] Instead, there's a link to quote past Agenda's and minutes, and that link, of course,
[3:06:38] redirects to HighlandCloud.com.
[3:06:40] Why is it that the City Clerk can post the current Agenda to the City's own website, but
[3:06:44] can't just leave it there as an archive?
[3:06:47] Why is the City paying private businesses to deliver public content?
[3:06:51] As we've learned from Tory Pine Flyderport, the mixture of government monopoly and private
[3:06:55] greed is never good.
[3:06:57] Please stop selling your citizens to private businesses.
[3:07:01] Thank you.
[3:07:02] Thank you. Next is Becky Rapp. If you can please unmute. Also, if you raised your hand after the five minute timer, we will not be able to take you today, but you can definitely email your comments in the city clerk at San Diego.gov and those will be distributed. Please proceed by key.
[3:07:18] Thank you. And good afternoon, council president council members. My name is Becky Rapp and today I'd like to draw your attention to a major new brain imaging study published in JAMA by researchers at the University of Colorado.
[3:07:31] So, this was the largest MRI study ever conducted on marijuana and cognition, testing more than
[3:07:38] a thousand young adults between the ages of 22 and 36.
[3:07:42] The findings are very concerning.
[3:07:44] Heavy marijuana use was associated with significantly reduced brain activity, 63% of users
[3:07:51] showed diminished neural response.
[3:07:55] The reduced activity was seen in parts of the brain responsible for executive control,
[3:07:59] attention and emotional processing. These are the very areas we rely on for judgment, impulse
[3:08:05] control, and safe decision-making. Young adulthood is a critical time for brain development,
[3:08:12] an exposure to high-potency marijuana, which is being sold in our city's pot shops,
[3:08:17] has serious consequences. I urge this council to ensure that public education and prevention
[3:08:23] become a top priority.
[3:08:26] San Diego has an opportunity to lead with evidence-based studies, so I urge this council
[3:08:32] to consider what will the future look like if they look like in San Diego if younger generations
[3:08:38] are suffering from preventable cognitive impairment.
[3:08:42] Thank you.
[3:08:44] Thank you, next is John Stump if you can please unmute.
[3:08:51] Thank you.
[3:08:53] Be quick.
[3:08:57] I want to talk to particularly the President of the Council about the format and content
[3:09:05] of staff reports.
[3:09:08] The format and content of staff reports needs to be seriously reviewed to consider what's
[3:09:18] not in there.
[3:09:19] And what's not in there is the free lunches and hidden subsidy.
[3:09:25] The council president made a good point about the street sign and it's cost.
[3:09:31] But of course those costs didn't include the cost and stall and the cost to have it on the agenda today.
[3:09:41] hidden subsidies, many organizations who do great things get a free lunch, they get support
[3:09:51] from the council for their lease or their activity, but the council never considers what
[3:09:59] it costs to maintain that facility or the activity.
[3:10:05] In the case, and I'll give you an example, the Lake Hodges thing is a clear example.
[3:10:09] One group says, we don't need light couches, and we don't want to subsidize, that's a sound decision.
[3:10:20] At the city, we have C-World, which has a contract which provides reimbursement to the city of the city's cost associated with C-World activities.
[3:10:34] but the other venues operate like the zoo, my favorite, and they don't reimburse the city for its cost.
[3:10:45] Just because they say we're going to bring in revenues.
[3:10:49] Really is not financial analysis.
[3:10:53] That's betting on a come.
[3:10:55] Okay, thank you very much.
[3:10:57] Thank you.
[3:10:58] Next is Judy Stranger.
[3:10:59] If you can please let me in.
[3:11:04] Good afternoon, City Council. Thank you for this opportunity to share some thoughts I've had.
[3:11:10] We are planning our after school program for mentoring and touring of
[3:11:15] by teens for elementary school students. As such, I receive a lot of information about research
[3:11:21] going on for teens. A lot of information regarding the challenges they face and since I work with them
[3:11:28] every day I get to see it first and a previous speaker mentioned a research that's just
[3:11:35] come out and reported in the Journal of American Medical Association and I'd like to
[3:11:40] tell you a little bit more about it because it gets to the heart of some of the questions
[3:11:44] that we've had regarding marijuana use and mental health issues which causes what.
[3:11:51] This is a research using Kaiser Permanente Health System in Northern California.
[3:11:58] 460,000 teenagers were followed until they were 25 years old. They were asked about their
[3:12:05] marijuana use and then later if they had mental health issues. They were trying to understand
[3:12:12] what came first so they did not include in the study anyone who was already showing signs of mental
[3:12:18] health issues. They could just want to make the connection between cannabis use and mental health
[3:12:24] So they found that there was a high number of teens who began cannabis use as young teens who later manifest in mental health issues.
[3:12:36] And particularly the two they noticed were the psychotic disorders like schizophrenia, as well as bipolar.
[3:12:45] These two particular diseases are extremely expensive to treat and debilitating for everyone around them.
[3:12:53] I think it becomes ever more important for us to understand the role of marijuana in the role of our young people as they travel this journey to adulthood. Thank you.
[3:13:05] Next is Barbara Gordon. If you can please unmute. Barbara, your final speaker.
[3:13:12] Good afternoon, I am here today to urge you to address the alarming rise in tobacco pouches
[3:13:20] such as Zen, and their impact on our youth.
[3:13:24] These products are marketed by the tobacco industry as tobacco free contained, but they contain
[3:13:30] nicotine, are often perceived as harmless, particularly by younger people.
[3:13:36] Our high school and college campuses are littered with these pouches.
[3:13:41] These, the low risk of perception has led to the increase of experimentation and addiction
[3:13:48] among adolescents jeopardizing their health and future.
[3:13:51] Dicotine pouches during adolescents can cause significant cognitive impairment and negatively
[3:13:59] affecting attention, learning, and impulse control.
[3:14:02] Furthermore, young people who used tobacco pouches or more likely to transition to traditional
[3:14:09] cigarettes, marijuana, and perpetuating the cycle of addiction and health risk.
[3:14:15] The flavored varieties of these products further entice youth masking the harshness of
[3:14:21] tobacco, making it easier for them to start using.
[3:14:25] I am asking the City Council to consider a public service campaign or initiative to raise
[3:14:31] awareness about the dangers of these tobacco pouches. By working together, we can foster a health
[3:14:38] environment for our youth, protecting them from the benefit tactics of the tobacco industry,
[3:14:45] and ultimately reducing the prevalence of tobacco use in our community. Thank you for
[3:14:52] letting me speak. Thank you. That doesn't include knowledge in a public comment for this meeting.
[3:14:58] All right, thank you, City Clerk.
[3:15:01] Does the city attorney have anything report out in close session?
[3:15:04] There is nothing to report out from close session.
[3:15:07] All right, thank you for confirming that.
[3:15:09] We will now adjourn council to the regularly scheduled council meeting on Tuesday, March 3rd,
[3:15:13] 2026 at 10am.