In May, Pacific Beach Planning Group got a pitch from Campland on the Bay advocating its being granted a short-term lease to do clean-up and asbestos removal at the now-abandoned De Anza RV area.
The board also received a presentation from the San Diego Association of Governments on turning the future Balboa Avenue/Pacific Beach Trolley Station into a mobility hub.
“I’m here to present an information item about a short-term clean-up and improvement project for De Anza Cove,” said Jacob Gelfand, vice president of operations for Campland, a year-round, 40-acre Mission Bay destination RV resort with 500-plus RV sites. “The former mobile home park area is in disrepair. The City faces serious challenges there that Campland, hopefully, will be able to play a role in addressing.”
Added Gelfand: “Asbestos there poses a public health threat and an environmental hazard. Campland, on an interim basis, would take over operation of the Mission Bay RV resort. We would work with a specialist contractor to remove all the asbestos in the mobile homes and make them safe.”
If Campland’s proposal is granted, Gelfand vowed to reopen and repaint the bike path that goes around the peninsula of the former mobile home park. “For the first time, we would make connection to the bike paths go all around the park,” he said. “We’d also make repairs to the pool and the clubhouse area, as well as provide a free shuttle. We’re the only ones who have the special expertise to manage this property. We’re in a unique position to be part of the solution.”
Gelfand concluded Campland’s being awarded a short-term lease to manage the abandoned mobile home park would be a “win-win for the community and a good balance between the need for protecting the environment, and cleaning up the site and abating asbestos.”
PBPG chair Karl Rand noted Gelfand’s proposal will be heard Tuesday, June 4 at the Mission Bay Park Committee. 
Marisa Mangan of SANDAG and consultant Matt Gordon filled community planners in on the concept of turning the new trolley station into a mobility hub accommodating multiple travel modes, everything from bikes and electric scooters to ride share and mass transit.
“A mobility hub is defined as a place of connectivity where travel modes converge where people live, work and play, extending the reach of mass transit beyond the first and last mile using technology to make that happen,” said Mangan. “We want local people to be able to walk, bike or shuttle ride to and from the transit station.”
“We’re envisioning lots of different types of alternative travel services at the transit stop,” said Gordon. “One improvement that’s important is separating these multi-model vehicles from the very heavy auto congestion through this corridor. That could be done with a pool vehicle lane, or by dedicated rights of way. It’s also important to enhance bikeways throughout the community. All these working together would make for a fully functional community neighborhood mobility hub.” In other action:
• Pete D’Ablaing, construction manager for the Balboa-Pacific Beach Trolley Station, updated the plan group on progress being made on the Mid-Coast Trolley Extension. He noted the project just passed the halfway mark in construction. The Balboa Avenue Trolley Stop is one of nine planned to extend trolley service from Santa Fe Depot downtown to University City. The extension will end at UTC and serve major activity centers including Old Town and UC San Diego. Project construction began in fall 2016 and service is expected to begin in 2021.