Summary
A 740,000 sq. ft. expansion of the San Diego Convention Center with a 5-acre rooftop park and construction of a new Hilton Hotel Tower with 500 rooms, 55,000 sq. ft. of meeting-ballroom space.
Why You Should Care
This vote allowed the shoreline to be “walled off” forever from the public. The Center was allowed to build on top of the very park that was mitigation for the last expansion. All this while there was available, viable space right across the street.
Outcome
Pro-Coast Vote
Anti-Coast Vote
Unanimous vote for approval. Commissioner Cox argued that the previously agreed to mitigation that reduced the size of the expansion and preserved a portion of the viewshed was unnecessary and could be deleted. A majority of the Commission disagreed and the “notch” remained. In response to concerns expressed by Commission Garcia and others over the lack of visibility of the rooftop park, the Port agreed to provide an additional $500,000 for better signage and design.
Organizations Opposed
Opponents argued that there was a lack of transparency in the local process, and that non-contiguous alternatives should have been considered that would have minimized the negative impacts to public access, viewshed and recreational areas.
Decision Type
Coastal Development Permit
Staff Recommendation
Denial of project due to significant impacts to visual quality and public access; substantial loss of limited waterfront open space, removal of existing waterfront park that was mitigation for a prior expansion, and encroachment into existing viewshed.