Officials with the Port of San Diego and the city of Chula Vista have granted final local approvals necessary for planned development of the Chula Vista bay front. Plans will next be reviewed by state agencies.
At a joint meeting May 18, members of the port’s Board of Commissioners, Chula Vista City Council and the city’s redevelopment corporation certified a 12,000-page environmental impact report and adopted amendments to the port and city general plans for coastal development.
For the past decade, authorities have discussed redevelopment of 556 acres along the city’s waterfront, which will eventually include a 1,500 to 2,000-room resort and conference center, three smaller hotels ranging from 250 to 750 rooms and 1,500 residential condominiums, including affordable units. Also planned are a mix of office and commercial spaces, scenic gathering and walking spaces near the harbor, as well as parks and bike trails.
The bay front development is projected to generate $1.3 billion for the regional economy over a 20-year period, including more than $11.5 million in annual tax revenues. Officials have said the resort hotel and conference center could create more than 2,000 permanent jobs and more than 6,500 construction jobs.
Local authorities and developer Pacifica Cos. must next gain approval from both the California Lands Commission and the California Coastal Commission. Construction is not expected to begin until 2013 at the earliest.
Approval of the environmental impact report followed an agreement reached between government authorities and local environmental and community groups, assuring green building practices and protection of sensitive wildlife habitats as construction proceeds.
— Lou Hirsh
