As part of ongoing and robust public outreach efforts for the Port Master Plan Update (PMPU) process, the Port of San Diego invites the public to an upcoming Board Workshop during which staff will present feedback received on the Revised Draft PMPU during the October 20-November 17 public review and comment period and obtain Board direction on next steps, which could include directing staff to make further changes to the draft.
The Board workshop is scheduled to begin at 10 am on Monday, December 7, 2020 and will be held virtually – the Board of Port Commissioners will participate remotely, and the Board Chambers will be closed to the public. See below for a link to the agenda website and information on how the public can view and/or participate in the workshop.
The PMPU has something for everyone who enjoys San Diego Bay and is often referred to as “the future of the Port.” The intention of an updated Port Master Plan is to serve as the primary tool for balancing environmental, economic, and community interests along the San Diego Bay waterfront for the next 30 years.
A major milestone, this latest draft considers and reflects extensive and valuable community input received on the Discussion Draft released in April 2019. For more information about the PMPU process, to review the Revised Draft as well as a summary of changes since the Discussion Draft, and/or to sign up to receive updates, go to portofsandiego.org/pmpu.
There will be additional opportunities for public review and feedback as the PMPU process continues. 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 (CEQA), 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.
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 initially certified 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.
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 (Current Phase)
- Environmental review pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (2021/2022)
- California Coastal Commission Certification (2021/2022)
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.
Information for public participation during the December 7 PMPU Revised Draft Board Workshop:
Due to COVID-19 public health orders that restrict public meetings, the Board of Port Commissioners will attend the meeting and participate remotely. Additionally, the Board Chambers will be closed to the public. Members of the public may view the meeting via livestream at https://portofsandiego.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx (meeting agenda will be published at this link on Thursday, December 3.) Members of the public may comment remotely by doing one of the following no later than 8 am on Monday, December 7, 2020:
- Call 619.736.2155 and leave a brief voicemail message (no longer than three minutes) that will be played during the meeting.*
- Email a request to provide live comment to [email protected] to receive a link to participate in the meeting to provide live comments.**
- Submit written comments to [email protected] which will be forwarded to the Board and included in the agenda-related materials record for the meeting.
*Please note that depending on the number of public comments received at the meeting, it may be necessary to reduce the time allowed to 1-2 minutes for each comment. Members of the public who leave voicemail messages should anticipate the possibility that only the first 1-2 minutes will be played at the meeting.
**The Port of San Diego is not responsible for the member of the public’s internet connections or technical ability to participate in the meeting. It is highly recommended that you use voicemail rather than provide live comment.
