The long-term goals of Sunset Cliffs Natural Park are embodied in its master plan and vision statement, which calls for the “creation of a park where people can enjoy San Diego’s natural coastal environment as it once was, free from the effects of man and intended to inspire the user to reflect on the grandeur of the sea, and the beauty of the cliffs that are Point Loma.”

To accomplish keeping Sunset Cliffs Natural Park as pristine and natural as possible, these guidelines have been established for the future development of the oceanfront park:

– Do no harm; protect, conserve and enhance;

– Maintain focus on the unique coastal resources;

– Allow public access with minimal environmental impacts;

– Maintain planning integrity/strategy for resource preservation;

– Restore areas of neglect and damage to their previous condition and visual quality.

The Sunset Cliffs Master Plan recommends the implementation of a park protection policy for use in guiding all future proposals that might impact the park. That policy calls for all park natural resources to be protected from obtrusive, unnatural structures, and for native vegetation and wildlife to be protected from surrounding development. Near-shore waters are also to be safeguarded from pollution.

The master plan proposes corrective measures for past and present Sunset Cliffs abuse and neglect that may have degraded the park’s natural beauty. These corrective measures include the removal of man-made elements such as structures, construction debris, and excess pavement, as well as the implementation of a comprehensive on-site drainage system. Along with that has come the eradication of exotic invasive plants, and a re-vegetation program for restoring native vegetation.

Much of that restoration work, including re-introduction of native plants and re-establishment of trails and signs, a bridge, and new benches, has already been accomplished, according to Point Loman Leon Scales.

“The new native plantings, in the Hillside Improvement Project, a portion of the 50-acre Hillside Section below Point Loma Nazarene University and south of Ladera Street, was completed 22 months ago,” said Scales, who has been working with the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Community Recreation Group to help preserve the park.

“It now supports more than 23,000 healthy native plants, the same plants that grew and thrived right there from time immemorial. A restoration contractor will make sure plants are well established by watering and weeding them through their first five years.”

Scales added the re-introduction of native plant species has included more than 20 familiar species of Coastal Sage Scrub and Maritime Succulent Scrub, which cover 10 acres.

“They surround the demonstration garden of native plants established more than 15 years ago and lovingly maintained by David Kimball, who died last year,” said Scales. “David will be fondly remembered for his dedication to the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and the long hours he spent every week in the garden he created.”

A lifelong birder and once president of the San Diego Audubon Society, Kimball, according to Scales, “was inspired to re-establish the native plants in great part by his love of birds, which he found largely missing there.”

Scales added the demonstration garden was an extensive vegetable farm in the days of the Theosophical Society 100 years ago, that was regularly plowed and harvested until the water piped in from Old Town cost more than the vegetables could be sold for. “Since the farm’s abandonment, the area had been taken over by weeds and non-native shrubs and trees,” he said.

“Please visit Sunset Cliffs Natural Park to see both the demonstration garden and the Hillside Improvements Project, which serve as a partial implementation of the native habitat restoration and trails portion of the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Master Plan,” said Ann Swanson, chair of the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council’s Drainage Improvements Committee.

Designing drainage improvements is next at Sunset Cliffs

Design is underway on a project to provide drainage improvements in Sunset Cliffs Natural Park’s Hillside Section.

The 50-acre Hillside Section is part of the 68-acre resource-based park bordering the western edge of Point Loma. The park extends 1 ½ miles south to the Point Loma Navy Base. Its Hillside Section is a designated multiple species conservation area linking to the 640-acre Point Loma Ecological Reserve beginning at the Navy property.

Hillside drainage improvements will entail evaluation of the drainage within the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and the implementation of a complete drainage system.

“Concentrated and focused drainage resulting in erosion has occurred throughout the park and has resulted in ravines, piping, sinkholes, and the loss of valuable parkland,” said Ann Swanson, chair of the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council’s Drainage Improvements Committee. “Erosion and drainage needs in the natural park continue to be major concerns.”

Why is the Hillside Section drainage so poor?

“Sunset Cliffs Natural Park has been experiencing erosion issues over the years from various sources of overflow and runoff across a steep terrain,” said City spokesperson Tyler Becker. “Things like human activities, adjacent impervious land uses, and loss of vegetation have contributed to the erosion damages in the park. Shoreline and bluff erosion, erosion gullies, and sinkholes can be observed in the park.”

Becker noted the Hillside Drainage Improvements Project is estimated to take 18 to 24 months to complete the design and environmental permitting process, with an estimated construction duration of 12 months. That does not account for the summer moratorium or other construction restrictions that may be discovered during the permitting phase.

“The project is no longer on hold. Engineering and Capital Projects Department staff has restarted the design phase with consultant negotiations,” Becker said, adding the estimated cost for hillside drainage improvements is $5.68 million, which is subject to change.

Becker added the drainage project includes extensive environmental permitting while pointing out that when construction begins on the project “depends on when a funding source is identified, and when the design and permitting phase is completed.”

The purpose of the drainage improvements, according to Becker, is “to preserve and protect the coastal bluffs from stormwater runoff and soil erosion by designing and installing a comprehensive drainage system that minimizes surface and subsurface erosion, groundwater seepage, and pollutant discharge using best-management practices.”

A priority of this drainage-improvement project is to follow recommendations from the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Master Plan, added Becker.

Pointing out that a comprehensive drainage plan was one of the main goals of the approved Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Master Plan, Swanson noted that planning for the design of the drainage project for the Hillside Section has been in the works for five years. The project was put on hold due to a lack of funding, not the pandemic.

“We’ve been looking forward to starting the project, but the funds were not there,” said Swanson. “So the staff of the City’s Park and Recreation Department recommended that funding be taken from the San Diego Regional Parks Improvement Fund for the hillside drainage project, and that would include finishing the drainage design.”

Earlier this year, Peninsula Community Planning Board sent a letter to the City requesting officials support the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council in its bid for a share of the fiscal year 2023 budget money allocated to regional parks. Mission Bay Park Improvements Funds were not eligible to be used for this park project.

“Since 2016, Sunset Cliffs has been trying to get funds for design work to channel runoff appropriately and curtail severe erosion problems at both the hillside and lateral portions of the park,” said Fred Kosmo, chair of Peninsula Community Planning Board chair.

“The erosion threatens public use of the park and [the potential] collapse of both Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and seaside parking lots used by residents and visitors. With an ample share of the revenues, it is believed that the design work can be completed. The next step will be actual construction, probably in a future budget,” Kosmo said.

City to remove four houses in Sunset Cliffs Natural Park 

The Sunset Cliffs Park Drainage Improvements Project’s first phase will involve the removal of four existing houses in Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. The City said the existing houses on parkland are in the way of the land restoration project.

“There will be demolition and removal of three houses along Loma Land Drive, and a house at 4515 Ladera St., which are on parkland and owned by the City,” said City spokesperson Tyler Becker. “The restoration of that land is to allow water percolation and reduce surface runoff with site-appropriate drainage devices.”

The plan for the structures to be demolished is for them “to remain in place because the construction phase has not started yet,” said Becker. “The City owns the land, and the house located on Ladera Street is occupied by tenants.

“This project was on hold due to lack of funding, however, the Parks and Recreation Department recently funded the parent project (which covers the house removal and drainage projects) with $1.09 million to restart the design phase. Engineering and Capital Projects Department staff has restarted the design phase with consultant negotiations,” said Becker.

“The design and permitting phase is estimated to take 18 to 24 months. Following that, construction is estimated to take nine months, not accounting for the summer moratorium, or other construction restrictions that may be discovered during the permitting phase,” Becker said. “Funding has not yet been identified for the construction phase.”

Becker said the total cost for ultimate demolition of the Loma Land structures has been estimated at $2.07 million.