Continuing robust public outreach efforts for its Port Master Plan Update (PMPU) process, the Port of San Diego invites the public to review and provide feedback on the Revised Draft PMPU.
The PMPU has something for everyone who enjoys San Diego Bay. A major milestone, this latest draft considers and reflects extensive and valuable community input received on the Discussion Draft released in April 2019. At this step, the Port encourages and welcomes additional public feedback and looks forward to continued community engagement that is so essential to this process.
To review the Revised Draft and provide feedback, go to portofsandiego.org/pmpu. Feedback will be accepted through Tuesday, November 17, 2020.
Also available at the website is a summary of the changes made since the April 2019 draft.
In a general way, the Port Master Plan determines where port activities take place, where public access, including recreational amenities and view corridors are to be located, where commercial uses like hotels, restaurants and visitor-serving retail may be built, and helps to protect and restore the natural environment. The Port is updating its Port Master Plan to reflect changes in the needs and priorities of Californians and the region’s growth since the current plan was approved in 1981 – nearly 40 years ago.
Specifically, the PMPU includes and addresses allowable water and land uses and activities, future development, and management of water and land within the Port’s jurisdiction on and around San Diego Bay by providing a mix of goals, policies and standards supported by written narratives, figures and tables.
The Port’s objective for the PMPU process is to create a holistic, thoughtful, and balanced approach to future water and land uses on and around San Diego Bay for generations to come. Specifically, the goals are to:
- Balance the needs of development with those of valuable natural resources;
- Prioritize coastal-dependent developments and clearly define water and land uses for development;
- Protect opportunities for public access, including views and recreational areas on the waterfront for all Californians and visitors to enjoy; and
- Streamline the permitting process for developers, investors and Port staff to more effectively and efficiently process projects.
The Revised Draft PMPU is based on comprehensive analysis, all informed by community and stakeholder input over seven years of collective public outreach, including:
- Over 19 million points of contact (2017-current; not quantified before 2017)
- Over 6,300 respondents to two online surveys
- Nearly 3,000 comment letters on the PMPU Discussion Draft released in 2019
- Over 380 meetings with key stakeholders and partner agencies
- 39 public Board workshops/meetings
- 19 open houses and community meetings
There will be additional opportunities for public review and feedback as the PMPU process continues. For next steps, a public Board workshop will be held before the end of the year to present the feedback received and to obtain Board direction on the Revised Draft PMPU. Then, in mid-2021, the Port anticipates circulating the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report for public review. It will include analysis of impacts such as, but not limited to, traffic, climate change, air quality, noise, public services (e.g. fire and police protection), and natural resources. After completion of the environmental review process per the California Environmental Quality Act, the Port will begin processing the PMPU with the California Coastal Commission with the goal for certification by the Coastal Commission in 2022 as the final step.
The Port Master Plan Update effort began in 2013 and is being done through a process known as Integrated Planning. The Port is now in the third of five stages of that multifaceted and comprehensive approach for managing and planning the business of the Port in a balanced way. This five-phase planning process will culminate with an updated Port Master Plan:
- Vision Statement and Guiding Principles
- Framework Report
- Port Master Plan Update Discussion Draft and Revised Draft
- Environmental review pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
- California Coastal Commission Certification
Phase 1 and 2 make up the Integrated Planning Vision.
The Integrated Planning initiative has been recognized as innovative, forward-thinking and inclusive, winning notable awards from professional planning, environmental, public affairs and architectural organizations.
For more information about the PMPU process and to sign up to receive updates, go to portofsandiego.org/pmpu.
