Nearly 200 San Diego residents — mostly from Pacific Beach — gathered Saturday morning, Nov. 23, to protest the 22-story “pencil tower” being planned for 970 Turquoise Street in north PB.
The controversial project has garnered a wall of opposition — not only residents but a number of high-profile politicians have come out publicly against the tower.
It is supposed to have 139 hotel rooms on 9 floors and 74 housing units on the other floors, including a whooping 10 units as affordable (5 very low income and 5 moderate income). It proposes 7 floors (2 below ground) of parking alone. If built, Project “Vela” would be a little over 238 feet.
The developer, Kalonymus, told CBS 8 it would have 213 units total, with market-rate units, 10 affordable rent-restricted units and visitor accommodation units. Kalonymus said there would be 300 on-site parking spots.
A long list of issues and concerns have mounted against the project, especially the issue of the tower violating the 30-foot height limit. Other concerns are traffic, overcrowding, safety and the absolute abuse of community character.
Councilmember Joe LaCava, Mayor Gloria — who has “concerns”, State Senators Tony Atkins and Catherine Blakespear, as well as State Assemblymember Tasha Boerner have come out against it.
At the protest, Marcella Bothwell, Chair of the Pacific Beach Planning Group, told CBS8, “We’re really afraid that it’s going to be a safety issue for all of our community pedestrians.”
And Bird Rock resident Steve Lord said, “To have the state of California mandating that cities can no longer control their own growth is outrageous, and that’s got to change.”
California’s density bonus law can allow waivers on certain restrictions if a proposal meets affordable housing requirements. Some interpret this to mean that it includes the 30-foot height limit in San Diego’s Coastal Zone. “When you give away waivers of a 30-foot height limit or 60-foot height limit, the height limit is unlimited,” Scott Chipman, one of the leaders of San Diegans for Responsible.
If the project is fully approved, the group said it has a strong case to take legal action.
The project has not only outraged local residents in PB and La Jolla, but residents all over San Diego as they see it as a test case by developers to break through the 30-foot limit and take the city back to the 1960s when the coast was subjected to unbridled over-development.
Residents are also somewhat wary of the politicians pilling on the opposition side, as Gloria has “concerns” about the project but people think that if he really opposed it, he wouldn’t let it happen. Plus Atkins is seen by many as helping to cause the problem in the first place with her housing directives that nullify local decision-making in regards to housing developments.
Thanks for the update on this important issue.
Atkins and Gloria are both responsible for projects like this. They support YIMBY housing policies that deregulate the building industry. They support putting special interest groups above the citizens of San Diego.