A Look Back and a Look Ahead

This is the time of year when many of us look back at the past and see what we've done right and how we can improve. It's also a time to thank those who made all of our hard work just a little bit easier. As I get ready to hand over my gavel to the very qualified Stephen Cushman, it gives me an opportunity to thank my colleagues on the Board of Port Commissioners. Each member has been instrumental in the Port's success this year. There were times when we disagreed on things and times where we really had to delve deep into issues to reach a consensus. Together, this Board has demonstrated a cohesive stance on the key issues that affect the Port of San Diego.

First and foremost is the defeat of Proposition B. As a public agency, our hands were tied and we couldn't do much in the way of campaigning against it. However, the Commissioners stuck together and vehemently opposed this initiative. I am deeply humbled by the passion that was demonstrated by the union workers and employees of the industrial businesses which would have been hurt if the ballot measure had passed. These workers spent countless hours going door to door and making phone calls to educate the public about what was really at issue. I am also grateful to our congressional delegation that solidly stood behind us.

A special acknowledgement must be given to the San Diego Port Tenants Association. It was this organization's hard work that led the coalition against Proposition B. The Port of San Diego is grateful for its efforts.

As we wind down this year, I am grateful to the staff of the Port, whose ingenuity has helped kept costs down, allowing the Port to remain fiscally sound. While many of our other local governments are suffering with budget shortfalls and a lackluster economy, we are still ahead of the game.

We made great progress on several of our large development projects and have seen dozens of environmental projects come to fruition. I am excited to see a multi-million dollar improvement in my city and I'm happy that I'll get to cut the ribbon at the Palm Avenue Street end project on January 3. We opened National City's first marina this year, dedicated a new public dock at the Coronado Ferry Landing, completed a great design for the future Broadway Pier Cruise Ship Terminal and survived some obstacles that were affecting the Lane Field project. We were awarded with a $3.5 million grant to build a spectacular park as part of the Old Police Headquarters project and received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to restore 160 acres of coastal wetlands in south San Diego Bay.

I look forward to seeing your new Chairman, Steve Cushman, get his shovel into the ground for the first phase of the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan, the Lane Field project and the Broadway Cruise Ship Terminal.

There is much to celebrate here as we continue to make this agency an example of great leadership.

Have a safe and prosperous New Year.

Also in this issue…

San Diego Port Tenants Association to Put on a Sky Show for San Diego

EPA Grant to Help Restore Coastal Wetlands

Ribbon cutting for Palm Avenue Street End Project and Dedication of "Spirit of Imperial Beach"

Expansion of San Diego Convention Center Advances

Lawsuit Challenging Lane Field Project Struck Down

30 Restrooms to be Remodeled

San Diego Port Tenants Association to Put on a Sky Show for San Diego

The San Diego Port Tenants Association will give San Diegans a special treat for New Year's Eve. The association will be putting on a spectacular fireworks display to ring in the New Year on San Diego Bay. At midnight, fireworks will be discharged from two barges in the bay. One barge will be located near the North Embarcadero area. The other barge will be located off of Embarcadero Marina Park North near Seaport Village.

Waterfront parks along the bay offer great viewing spots for the show. The best views are at Shelter Island, Harbor Island, Spanish Landing, Tuna Harbor and Embarcadero Marina Park North.

Parking for events around the waterfront is sometimes difficult, so the Port recommends arriving early and carpooling. Or, take the San Diego trolley, which is offering an extended schedule on New Year's Eve. To see the trolley lines and times, please visit the San Diego Metropolitan Transportation System website.

Among the sponsors of this year's show are Hornblower Cruises & Events, the Midway Museum, Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina, San Diego Marine Exchange, Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, Big Night San Diego, San Diego Harbor Excursions, Anthony's Seafood Group, Seaport Village, Tom Ham's Lighthouse and the Bali Hai Restaurant. Fireworks America matched the donations that the San Diego Port Tenants provided and R. E. Staite Engineering offered a generous discount on its barge service.

Fireworks light up San Diego Bay in a previous New Year's Eve display.

EPA Grant to Help Restore Coastal Wetlands

The Port's Environmental Department received a $ 1 million grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a wetlands restoration project. About 160 acres of coastal wetlands in South San Diego Bay will be restored, making this one of the Port's largest restoration endeavors.

At Emory Cove near Silver Strand in Coronado, invasive plants, ice plant and debris will be removed. Volunteers will then help plant native species to restore the area's shoreline.

The larger portion of the project is at the Chula Vista Wildlife Reserve. Here, 50,000 cubic yards of material will be excavated and then moved to an area near the South Bay Salt Works to raise elevation. Raising the elevation will allow the area to support cordgrass and native vegetation that will be planted. The excavation will also lower the elevation of the salt marsh near the Chula Vista Wildlife Reserve and add tidal channels to increase water flow. This will create an additional habitat for fish. The Port will begin work on the two areas in March 2009. It should take about two years to complete.

Emory Cove, near Silver Strand in Coronado, will be undergoing restoration work.

Ribbon cutting for Palm Avenue Street End Project and Dedication of "Spirit of Imperial Beach"

A long-awaited project to improve the western end of Palm Avenue is now complete. The $2.8 million project added a public overlook to the street, with benches, landscaping, enhanced lighting and the remarkable artwork by the late A. Wasil, "Spirit of Imperial Beach." The bronze sculpture features a seven-foot-tall surfer and his longboard. The base of the sculpture includes two children playing in the sand. The entire artwork is 18 feet tall and epitomizes the surf culture of Imperial Beach.

One of the major components of this project was the addition of a new storm water pump station with a built-in pollution diversion system. This will help prevent pollution from running onto the beach. The project also included new ramps from the street end to the beach to allow year-round access for emergency vehicles and individuals with disabilities.

There should be a noticeable improvement in traffic and parking in the area. A new turnaround was included in the project, as was perpendicular parking on both sides of the street.

The Port of San Diego is grateful to the City of Imperial Beach for its help with this project. The City helped the Port attain money from the Proposition 50 Clean Beaches Grant Program through an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board.

The Port will be celebrating the completion of this project, along with the dedication of "Spirit of Imperial Beach," at 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2009. The public is welcome to attend the event, which will feature refreshments and surf music.

The completion of the Palm Avenue project coincides with the City of Imperial Beach's Old Palm Avenue Streetscape Project. The City's project will create an outdoor surf museum, wider sidewalks and enhanced lighting and landscaping. Together, these two projects will make the main thoroughfare to Imperial Beach a spectacular gateway to the ocean.

The "Spirit of Imperial Beach" was installed at the new Palm Avenue Street end on November 25. The sculpture will be dedicated on January 3, 2009.

Expansion of San Diego Convention Center Advances

At the December 2 Board of Port Commissioners meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was authorized between the Port, the San Diego Convention Center Corporation and Fifth Avenue Landing, LLC. The MOU will enable the parties to negotiate terms for a new lease and option agreement for a new hotel and the expansion of the San Diego Convention Center. The San Diego Convention Center is a Port tenant and in order to expand, it would need a piece of property just behind it that is currently being leased by Fifth Avenue Landing, LLC.

Fifth Avenue Landing, LLC was planning on building a 250 room hotel on the waterfront. Its option to develop the hotel was set to expire on July 31, 2009 but was extended to November 30, 2009. The extension will allow time for a one-year due diligence period during which the San Diego Convention Center Corporation will be able to study the feasibility of expanding and of taking over the development of the hotel. If the Port and the Convention Center agree to a new option agreement, then the Convention Center may purchase the lease from Fifth Avenue Landing.

The property in the option agreement includes 221,000 square feet of land and 360,899 square feet of water. The hotel project in the option consists of a 250-room, 23-story hotel. Also included is a water transportation center, a temporary docking area, parking for about 198 vehicles, a public park/plaza, public promenade and a pedestrian bridge.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders attended the meeting and encouraged the Board to support the expansion of the San Diego Convention Center. The Mayor said that an expansion is necessary to keep lucrative conventions in San Diego and to help the city remain competitive.

The San Diego Convention Center may expand and develop a new hotel on land adjacent to it.

Lawsuit Challenging Lane Field Project Struck Down

The Port of San Diego has overcome a potential obstacle to the $400 million development of Lane Field. On December 11, Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Prager denied a local labor union's challenge to the project that will be built across the street from the North Embarcadero, at the former home of the Pacific Coast League Padres. The project includes two hotels, one with 275 rooms and the other with 525 rooms and a combined 80,000 square feet of space for meeting rooms, restaurants and retail.

The lawsuit was filed by Unite-Here Local 30, a group comprised of airport, gaming and retail workers. The group claimed that the Port's environmental review of the Lane Field development was inadequate. Its lawsuit argued that the Port should prepare a new environmental impact report because of inadequacies in areas such as soil contamination and air quality. The challenge will now be heard at the January 8 California Coastal Commission hearing, which will be held in the City of Oceanside.

A rendering of the Lane Field development.

30 Restrooms to be Remodeled

Public restrooms in Port parks, at the piers and other public areas will get a facelift in the coming months. The Port began replacing the restrooms' plumbing, electrical components, piping and mechanical equipment. Floors, walls, skylights, rain gutters and other aging components will be redone or replaced. The improvements comply with Americans with Disabilities (ADA) requirements. This includes adjusting the heights of fixtures and equipment and modifying pavement areas to make them more accessible. The Port will provide portable restrooms for the public during construction.

Restroom work on Shelter Island, Harbor Island and Spanish Landing has already begun and will be finished in January. After that, the Port will start working on the central area of San Diego Bay. This includes a restroom on the embarcadero, the restrooms at Embarcadero Marina Parks North and South, the G Street Mole, Cesar Chavez Park and a public restroom at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

In April, work will begin on the southern areas of San Diego Bay. This includes the waterfront parks in Chula Vista, Coronado Tidelands Park and Imperial Beach. The remaining restrooms are at the National City Marine Terminal and construction will begin in June.

The Port had conducted a maintenance inspection in 2006 and found that the 30 restrooms were in need of upgrading. Most of the restrooms were built more than 40 years ago. The contractor on the project is Randall Construction, Inc. The total cost of the project is almost $2 million and all restrooms should be completed by late August 2009.