City Council unanimously approves De Anza Natural amendment
Video: Coalition of environmentalists pressuring City Council to make amendments to De Anza Cove plan
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego City Council unanimously approved a long-term plan to revitalize De Anza Cove on Tuesday — the De Anza Natural amendment.
The city’s plan envisions a balance of land uses that serves local and regional recreational needs, while also restoring natural habitats and preparing for the impacts of climate change.
While city council was reviewing the proposed plan, a coalition of nearly 100 environmentalists on Tuesday said they are hoping to keep up the pressure on the council to increase environmental protections of the land with guarantees that the lands will be sustainably managed for years to come.
“Today the city council needs to be making hard decisions for what we know the challenges will be in the coming century,” said Andrew Meyers, director of the San Diego Audubon Society.
The debate over how to best use and preserve the land has been ongoing for several years.
The group, made up of The Audubon Society, Outdoor Outreach, Coastkeepers and the Sierra Club, among many more, applauds the city’s plan, but says it can still do more.
They are also saying the city needs to fund wetland restoration in the east corner of Mission Bay as a priority.
“We know we’ll have water quality problems in Mission Bay that we can solve with investing in wetland habitat, by restoring the northeast corner of Mission Bay,” Meyers continued.
The final Programmatic Environmental Impact Report – which includes a sea-level rise analysis – was also certified by the council on Tuesday.
“The unanimous approval of the De Anza Natural amendment marks a significant milestone in our years-long effort to preserve and enhance one of San Diego’s most beloved recreational areas,” Mayor Todd Gloria said. “This plan will not only restore vital wetland habitats, but also ensure that De Anza Cove remains a vibrant space for recreation, low-cost visitor accommodations and environmental education for generations to come.”
The Planning Commission considered the De Anza Cove amendment in December 2023 and it went before the Environment Committee in April of this year. City council says several changes were made in response to feedback, to better address boating, habitat and sensitive species protections, climate change resilience and public access, as well as future coordination with existing uses and tenants.
However, before the amendment goes fully into effect, it will need to be certified by the California Coastal Commission.
According to the city council, the plan will aim to enhance recreational activities in that area, like with a multi-use waterfront trail, a nature center and a small non-motorized boat area on the cove.
The plan is to also keep sports and recreation facilities, such as golf facilities, tennis courts and ball fields, in the area. It also includes space for camping and recreational vehicle facilities.
The City of San Diego will be holding public workshops and meetings through the General Development Plan process.
City council noted the amendment also provides opportunities to partner and collaborate with the Kumeyaay Nation on the planning and restoration of Mission Bay Park, in a way that would recognize their past and present traditional cultural.
The Mission Bay Park Master Plan, adopted in 1994, called for 80 acres of wetlands. The project area, in the northeast corner of Mission Bay Park, currently consists of 191 acres of open water.
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