The Mission Bay Park Committee (MBPC) reviewed the latest revision of the Fiesta Island redevelopment plan at its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, April 10, and also welcomed Councilwoman Donna Frye, who weighed in on lapsed committee appointments and the controversial Sunroad development.
The committee’s Council District 6 representative, Rick Bussell, presided in place of Bob Ottilie, who was on vacation and plans to continue in his role as acting chairperson.
There was some speculation that Ottilie had resigned. He has recently expressed frustration with Mayor Jerry Sanders’ inaction on expired committee appointments, half of which expired more than a year ago. That frustration came to a head at last month’s MBPC meeting, which lacked the necessary quorum to vote on permit requests and other action items.
“There seems to be an expectation that people will continue to give freely of their time without so much as a thank you,” Ottilie said following that meeting.
Frye said she sent a memo to Sanders requesting that he address the expired appointments, including the chairperson seat vacated by Councilman Kevin Faulconer “many moons ago.”
Part of the problem also lies with planning groups in the beach areas and Clairemont, who meet in April. Appointments expire in March. “There’s a bit of a lag there,” Frye said.
She may bring the issue to the Natural Resources and Culture Committee and revise the bylaws.
Once the planning groups have met, Frye said she and Faulconer will work together to fill those vacancies.
Frye has requested that Sunroad Enterprises stop working on the controversial Kearney Mesa office tower near Montgomery Field that City Attorney Mike Aguirre is investigating. The Federal Aviation Administration has said that at a planned height of 180 feet, the office tower is two stories too high. The additional levels could be hazardous to pilots who use the nearby airport as well as building occupants, Frye said.
Turning its attention to the Fiesta Island redevelopment plan, committee members had nothing but praise for the latest proposal.
“You’ve done a masterful job,” member at large Mike Pallamary told lead architect Mike Singleton of KTU+A, the firm the city hired to complete the project.
“After working on the Master Plan, I feel sorry for you,” joked Ted Jardine, representing lessees other than hotel.
The most recent proposal for Fiesta Island, Alternative 4E, is a radical departure from the vision outlined in the Mission Bay Park Master Plan, a guideline for park development approved by City Council and the California Coastal Commission in 1994.
The Master Plan calls for, among other things, increased parkland on the sandy, barren island.
At a public workshop in August 2006, however, an overwhelming majority of participants indicated they wanted Fiesta Island left alone.
Dog owners were particularly adamant that the island, which is home to one of the largest fenced leash-free areas in the country, remain untouched.
The Master Plan, however, does not even include designated areas for dogs.
The feedback from the workshop resulted in a revised plan, Alternative 4D.
At a March 22 public workshop, many dog owners expressed frustration with the plan’s 25 percent reduction in the leash-free area as well as additional fencing surrounding picnic areas.
Feedback from dog owners, paddlers and other park users, including hundreds of surveys and more than 1,000 comments, was used in creating 4E.
“I think we’ve done everything we can from a compromise standpoint,” Singleton said. “The vast majority of the island is staying exactly as it is.”
“I feel like you guys are listening to us,” said one attendee, a dog owner who moved to San Diego from Virginia. “I think you guys have really moved this plan in a good direction.”
Major changes in the most recent proposal include shortening and removing multi-use trails from most of the leash-free area.
A proposed beach has been made deeper based on the existing slope. Dogs and people will share the beach.
An area west of the floating dock would be exclusively for swimmers and non-motorized watercraft. The dock itself would be available for dog jumping, competitions and training.
Regional parkland has been reconfigured so that it would be a continuous area, uninterrupted by roadways.
A restriction on swimming and wading in the Hidden Anchorage area of the island has been changed to a recommendation.
Many trails would be soft-surface rather than concrete.
Marginal habitat areas have been converted to natural parkland.
For additional changes, visit www.fiestaislandgdp.com.
Before any changes are made, the Coastal Commission must review the proposed changes. Frye has also requested that the Natural Resources and Culture Committee and City Council review the plan.
The committee narrowly approved the Kai Elua Outrigger Canoe Club’s request to “grandfather in” the Iron Championship, held annually in June, after considering impact on lessees and traffic in the peak summer months.
They agreed to allow the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to use an announcer but not play music at their May 19 Great Strides event at DeAnza Cove.
The Vaya Tet Festival was denied a permit to hold its event at Ski Beach in February 2008. Citing carnival rides, more than 100 vendors and a nightclub-like atmosphere, Mission Bay Park Manager Susan Gonzales said, “It’s a great event, but not appropriate for Ski Beach.”