The City of San Diego in its infinite wisdom, has just announced it is lifting the “Summer Construction Moratorium” at the beaches and in coastal neighborhoods in order to speed up “street repair”, to “save taxpayer dollars” and to “complete projects faster.”
The “moratorium” has been enacted at the beaches during the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day for decades because of the impact of construction in coastal zones at the height of the tourist season with the general popularity of the beaches. It was mainly a way to relieve congestion for coastal residents, businesses and tourists because of prior years of complaints from the beaches about street repairs and construction projects blocking streets, rights-of-way, traffic and making it more difficult for merchants to keep their doors open.
So, today, July 14th, Mayor Gloria announced:
“For decades, projects were stalled during the summer, delaying improvements for residents. Now we can get streets paved and infrastructure improvements completed faster. The removal of this restriction is one way we’re cutting red tape and finding creative solutions across City departments to improve service to residents.”
Well, there ya go. Todd is really just helping out residents and cutting red tape in order to improve city services.
Yet, we really know why this is happening. It’s all about the money. In Todd’s cash-strapped city, it’s just another ploy to get more green rushing into city coffers. You know, like increasing parking fees, the trash fee and like every other trick he’s willing to employ to avoid laying off dozens of middle managers he’s hired who all make 6-figures to run his city. Like, you know, the 12 managers who run the successful bike lane empire the city has installed.
And don’t get us started on how the so-called “street repairs” are not really repairs at all. Just a top-off with the ol’ slurry.
Just so you can read the city’s actual wording of this announcement, here is the rest of it:
To speed construction projects and ensure they stay on budget, the City of San Diego has lifted the annual moratorium on public and private construction activity in beach communities during the summer months. Lifting the moratorium removes a longtime practice of halting construction activity in the public right of way during the busy tourist season between Memorial Day and Labor Day. …
In his 2025 State of the City address, the Mayor questioned the benefits of the longstanding prohibition on street resurfacing during summer months and suggested that lifting the prohibition could save taxpayers money.
Removing the restriction on construction during summer will allow for more timely completion of projects and increase efficiency for both private companies and City crews by minimizing disruptions.The City will evaluate projects within the beach areas to incorporate additional mitigation measures, such as splitting work into smaller phases to reduce impacts to street traffic, parking lots, and sidewalks.
The City will also work to expand community outreach for local businesses, residents, and visitors during construction.
The City will work with entities that currently have projects underway to waive the summer construction moratorium requirement, if deemed appropriate by the construction deputy city engineer. Similarly, for private projects, the moratorium will no longer be routinely enforced as part of the traffic control permitting process.
Projects within the California Coastal Commission jurisdiction will still be required to comply with the commission’s permitting conditions, and the City’s actions do not supersede them. This may include summer construction restrictions distinct from those previously imposed by the City. In those cases, the public project manager and/or private applicant are encouraged to request a waiver from the Coastal Commission for any potential restrictions, as applicable, to achieve the desired efficiency in construction completion.
There ya have it. And no more complaints, either. If you do, use that ol “Get It Done” app, why don’t ya.
When tourism is the only industry SD proper has going for it, it makes ALL the COMMON SENSE in the world, for the questionable sanity of the mayor, to make it more difficult for tourists to get around, park and spend their money. NOT!!! He’ll have reason to whine about the tourism industry didn’t produce enough revenue to do his pet projects, so the tax increase will be on the ballot again. Seems he has joy in putting SD deeper in a financial swamp with his unconscionable dictates. He’s mandating $65M for new trash cans and the Council is going along with it?!?!?!?!? A 32 gallon, just like the current City can, at Home Depot, black, is $75.00. A 96 gallon, is $137.00. My guess is for the City to attach one to your property taxes, it will be twice that, at least, because Toddles desperately needs the revenue to cover up his other budget foolishness mess. Council members who voted to force the public to buy new cans are: LaCava, Elo-rivera, Lee, Campbell, Whitburn and Moreno. Just remember their names when they run for their next political stepping stone. They are NOT the constituents friend. They’ve voted FOR a lot of the financial mandates and they’re going to continue to spend your money.
The city’s reasons for doing this make no sense unless it has to do with the city having gotten into the paving business and needing to keep a workforce busy. The city needs to get out of the construction business because it is costing us all much more than contracting the work out. When you use contractors, there is no problem with the moratorium. The ways this administration is costing us money is mind-boggling. Summer businesses will suffer so Todd can keep the crews busy.