San Diego’s port district seeking feedback on revised Port Master Plan Update

SAN DIEGO—The San Diego Unified Port District continues to keep an eye on the future, as plans to make wholesale changes to the region’s waterfront continue to come into focus. District leaders and officials are specifically working on updating the Port Master Plan, which hasn’t been changed since 1981.

The latest draft of the port district’s Port Master Plan Update, which would establish the direction of the port’s redevelopment, was made available to the public for review and comment. Port district staff is asking the public to provide feedback on the draft document; the draft PMPU will be available for public feedback through Nov. 17.

“In a general way, the Port Master Plan Update determines where port activities take place, where public access – including recreational amenities and view corridors – are to be located, where commercial uses like hotels, restaurants and visitor-serving retail may be built, and helps to protect and restore the natural the natural environment,” port district staff said in a released statement.

The Port Master Plan, according to the draft update document, is a “comprehensive vision” for the Port of San Diego.

“This plan governs the use, design, and improvement of these public trust lands. Since its original adoption in 1964, the Plan has demonstrated continued progress towards the district’s mission to protect and promote coastal-dependent uses, protect the environment, and provide and ensure coastal access around San Diego Bay,” the draft update document stated. “The plan establishes specific goals, objectives, policies, and standards to direct future development, facilitate a diverse range of uses and activities, and provide a broad range of proposed public improvements.”

There are six elements in the PMPU: water and land use; mobility; ecology; safety and resiliency; environmental justice; and, economics.

The Port Master Plan has been updated four times since it was initially adopted in January 1964; those updates took place in 1972, 1975, 1976 and 1981.

The port district’s member cities – Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego – each managed segments of San Diego Bay prior to the formation of the San Diego Unified Port District.

Port district staff stated they have been gathering community and stakeholder input for the past seven years. Public outreach efforts included 19 million-plus points of contact since 2017, more than 6,300 responses to two online surveys, 380-plus meetings with stakeholders and partner agencies, 39 public board workshops and meetings, and 19 open houses and meetings.

“There will be additional opportunities for public review and feedback as the PMPU process continues,” according to port district staff.

The port district plans to have a board workshop on the PMPU draft before the end of the year. Board members will provide direction on the revised draft at this workshop. A draft Environmental Impact Report on the PMPU will be made available to the public in mid-2021. The finalized PMPU could be presented in front of the California Coastal Commission at some point in 2022. Coastal Commission certification is the final step of the PMPU process.

The draft update was based upon community input provided to the port district in April 2019.

Visit portofsandiego.org/pmpu to view the revised draft and provide feedback.