Editordude: House Representative Scott Peters has come out in opposition to the infamous PB “Turquoise Tower”. In a public letter addressed to Mayor Todd Gloria, dated July 21, he urges the city to deny the application of Project Vela, and states, “It should not be built at the outrageous height currently proposed.” Here is the entire letter:
July 21, 2026
Dear Mayor Gloria
I urge the city of San Diego to finally deny the current application for Project Vela, commonly known as the Turquoise Tower, in Pacific Beach. It should not be built at the outrageous height currently proposed.
In my conversations with constituents over the past several months I have been struck by the unity and anger over this proposal. The thought of a 23-story tower in this location, I imagine, was likely what set off the same furor that drove the adoption of the 30-foot height limit more than 50 years ago. Apart from aesthetics, there are legitimate and serious concerns about the ability of such a small, two-lane street to handle the level of traffic that 214 units will generate there and about the viability of emergency response. This excessively high building just won’t work on Turquoise Street.
I understand that part of the problem was an unintended consequence of the adoption of a code provision that allowed units to be zoned as hotel rooms. That has been remedied, but only after this application was filed.
This project is indefensibly and inappropriately huge for this street and location. Under the state bonus density law, a project can receive only up to 100% bonus to the number of units that can be built on that site. If the parcel (within a 30-foot height limit) is appropriately zoned, then the density bonus law would allow at maximum a 60-foot building, or 5 or 6 stories, not 23 stories.
State law does not change City zoning rules that have been developed in a public process and enacted into law.
More broadly, allowing this building to continue at 23 stories at this unsuitable location will undermine support for building multi-unit housing in general. If this is what residents think is coming to their backyards, it is easy to see why they will say no. A constant chorus of opposition from neighborhoods will make it much harder to build the badly needed new housing stock our city requires.
We should absolutely redevelop unused or vacant properties in our neighborhoods with smart, sensible projects consistent with community planning and state law. Neighborhoods deserve to be improved by those developments, not insulted. And certainly, they should not have their traffic safety jeopardized. This proposal misses the mark, to say the least. I hope you will join me in opposing it.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Scott Peters
Member of Congress
Congressmember Peters, could you help your other constituents and speak out against Midway Rising and NAVWAR? This are added examples of political favors that will not help affordability, will not be sustainable, remove access to the airport, our beaches and bays and are completely out of scale for the surrounding communities. Let’s also add that these disastrous projects are based on Political Todd-foolery not fact.