Summary
Appeal by Commissioners Sanchez and Bochco of a CDP of a decision by National City to grant a ‘temporary waiver’ of a permit condition that restricted occupancy of the first floor of a commercial recreation building owned by the Sycuan tribe to high-priority visitor serving uses in order to allow a private, for-profit college to lease the space.
Why You Should Care
A primary purpose of the Coastal Act is to encourage local communities to implement Local Coastal Plans (LCP) that support municipal planning goals. The approval of this project weakens the LCP goal of increasing recreation and tourism in a city that has been dominated by heavy industrial use.
Outcome
Pro-Coast Vote
Anti-Coast Vote
Commissioners found a Substantial Issue and approved the CDP with additional conditions that limited the non-visitor serving use to 10 years and provided $25,000 to fund an environmental education plan and making the space by making an event center available when the college is not using the space. Some Commissioners felt that the appropriate process would have been for the City to submit an LCP amendment.
Organizations Opposed
Decision Type
CDP Appeal
Staff Recommendation
Uphold the appeal and deny the de novo permit.