eNewsletter

week of Dec. 1, 2024

Survey finds 97%

of Foothill, Beryl residents

"extremely concerned"

about their safety

if Turquoise Tower is built

In a recent Union-Tribune article about making the city's dangerous streets safer, San Diego City Council member Stephen Whitburn got right to the heart of the matter. "Neighborhoods know the problems in their neighborhoods the best," he said.

So, Neighbors for a Better California went door-to-door asking residents on Beryl and Foothill - streets making up much of the already dangerous traffic corridor connecting Interstate 5 and Birdrock/La Jolla - one question: How concerned are you about your safety and the safety of your family and neighbors by the prospect of adding an additional 600 to 1,000 car trips each day if the Turquoise Tower project is built?

Here are the results:

• Extremely concerned - 97%
• Concerned - 3%
• Not concerned - 0%

A limited survey of residents on nearby Vickie Drive found similar results.

Why is this important?

One of several factors the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the city of San Diego are required to consider when approving or denying the application to build projects like the Turquoise Tower is public safety concerns that cannot be mitigated.

With its survey, Neighbors for a Better California has quantified extreme public safety concerns by those who know the problem best - the residents whose safety would be directly impacted if this project is approved. No mitigation, short of tearing down houses to add traffic lanes, is possible on Beryl, Foothill or Turquoise, which is a narrow 2-lane street.

Spotlight:

What members are saying

"The tradeoff – our safety for a developer’s opportunity to take advantage of state laws so he can make a fortune – is outrageous."

“It is a nightmare now trying to safely pull out of driveways on Foothill or cross the street because of the curves and elevation changes on the road, the speeds on the street, and the increase in traffic that already has happened. I cannot imagine what it would be like with 1,000 more cars coming up and down the road.

Yes, Foothill is a connector street linking Pacific Beach with La Jolla, but it also cuts through a single-family neighborhood. Coupled with Beryl, we have four schools (photo above), elderly residents, young families with kids, cyclists. All will be at significant additional risk of being injured or killed if this project is built. And all this for five low-income housing units in a high-rise with 213 units, most of which are hotel and luxury condo units? The tradeoff – our safety for a developer’s opportunity to take advantage of state laws so he can make a fortune – is outrageous." - Tom Coat, Neighbors for a Better California PR Chair and Foothill resident

"Additional traffic on Beryl Street is unsupportable and dangerous."

"Without a doubt the 23 story Turquoise Tower will have a devastating impact on traffic on residential streets that were not designed for the existing volume of traffic. It's already dangerous and difficult entering or exiting our driveway on Beryl Street because traffic is basically nonstop. There is no respite from motor vehicle noise or pollution because Beryl Street has become the major thoroughfare from La Jolla to Interstate 5. ... Additional traffic on Beryl Street is unsupportable and dangerous."  - Samantha Peters, Beryl Street resident

"We have already lost 4 cats and 3 vehicles"

"We have already lost 4 cats and 3 vehicles to the horrible traffic on Beryl Street. It would only get worse if this Tower is allowed to be built. The traffic is already overwhelming and dangerous." - Beryl Street resident

"Yes, I am extremely concerned"

"Yes, I am extremely concerned. This is not an area which can easily absorb 600-1000 new trips per day, not to mention the increase in waste management, deliveries, etc." - Beryl Street resident

"Our house and cars got hit 8 times"

"I used to live on Foothill and our house and cars got hit 8 times. I wrote to the city multiple times and nothing ever happened ... I now live on Castle Hills and have to navigate the turn from Vickie on to Foothill, which is a nightmare." - Chris Shay, former Foothill resident

Note: Had we specifically asked for comments during our survey, comments such as these could have filled pages. These are dangerous, overcrowded streets now. Public safety will be imperiled if this high-density project is approved. Residents are genuinely alarmed.

Ex-Senate leader, current gubernatorial candidate Toni Atkins

"It (this project) represents an extreme misuse of the State Density Bonus Law. This project is inconsistent with the State's housing goals, the intent of the State Density Bonus Law, and the character of the Pacific Beach community."

State Senator Catherine Blakespear

"Alongside Senator Atkins, Assemblymember Boerner, and Mayor Gloria, I agree that this project undermines state law. ... As the State Senator representing part of coastal San Diego County, I believe that we can do our part to increase the housing supply through density measures that enhance existing neighborhoods and preserve community character while avoiding high rises in our coastal neighborhoods."

Assemblymember Tasha Boerner

"This proposal is misusing state density bonus laws to effectively create a hotel rather than addressing the critical housing shortage we face. Instead of lowering housing costs, the influx of short-term accommodations will drive up the cost of living for our residents. I voted against the State Density Bonus Law last year due to concerns about potential exploitation of these regulations. If this project moves forward, it may necessitate a closer examination of our legislative approach to ensure that these laws truly benefit our communities."

Mayor Todd Gloria,

Councilmember Joe LaCava

(From September 16 letter to HCD)

"We must not allow pro-housing policies to be usurped for purposes that do not meet a public benefit or respond to the State's housing affordability crisis."

A sampling from the media

Adam Behar, S-Reporter

"Project Vela in PB is going to be a monstrosity and must be opposed. It's going to ruin the coast."

(Note: In an editorial posted on S-Reporter, Behar analyzes 8 reasons why the Turquoise Tower proposal is flawed and should be rejected. Among them is his concern over the state saying it can supersede local citizen initiatives, like Prop. D. Behar writes: "Even more disturbing: California's Department of Housing and Community Development cavalierly dismissed the 1972 voter initiative that set the height limit, declaring that the state law trumps the will of the people - the will of San Diegans - to protect their greatest asset, the coastline."

Access Behar's "Why Project Vela should be opposed



Thank you and let's keep growing

Thank you for the surge in memberships in recent days. Neighbors for a Better California is growing rapidly. But we need to grow even more to put the type of pressure on politicians and others that will bring about a reasonable solution to California's housing challenges that won't destroy communities. Please ask you friends/family across California to join us. Forward them this email. Just ask them to go to the link below, scroll down to the form that says "subscribe" and fill it in. It's that simple. They will get updates like this and future notices about how they can get involved. Here's the link and thank you:

neighborsforabettercalifornia.org

And what happens next?

Because the Vela project (aka Turquoise Tower) is so outrageously abusive, it is easy to forget that two battles are being waged here.

First, to the tower.

San Diego asked the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for "technical guidance" about the project on September 16. That guidance could come soon, really at any time. Once HCD sends its guidance to San Diego, a number of things could happen, including:

• HCD says the project does not meet state requirements.
• HCD says the project does meet state requirements.
• HCD says the project does not meet state requirements in its current form but invites the developer to revise it.
• San Diego receives HCD's guidance and Mayor Todd Gloria sends his recommendation to the city's Development Services Department (DSD), which makes a final decision.

But no matter what happens with the application of the Vela project, the larger fight will continue to amend state legislation that paved the way for the "unintended consequence" of the Turquoise Tower, and many other projects across the state.

When local input into planning decisions is outlawed, and when the will of voters is superseded by questionable state law, it makes "unintended consequences" arising from the abuse of state law all but inevitable.

Neighbors for a Better California is working very hard to convince legislators, the media, and the public that a reasonable compromise must be achieved to address the state's housing challenges so that everyone can benefit while communities are not destroyed in the process.

That's why your continued support is so important. Please ask your friends to join us at Neighbors for a Better California. Thank you.

... and Turquoise Street in Pacific Beach?

This type of extreme, mass upzoning could be approved for Vancouver this month if the city planner's recommendations to remove restrictions on the number of high-rise towers per block is approved. Says the Vancouver Sun, this extreme upzoning "mostly makes landowners and speculators richer. It doesn’t lead to lower housing prices." But, if the Turquoise Tower is approved, it also could be future of Turquoise Street's north side, which lies outside of the Coastal protection zone. See editorial.

Our mission:

To advocate for responsible zoning, legislation, and community planning that promotes sustainable growth and improves the quality of life for all Californians.

Our vision:

To collaborate with political leaders and stakeholders to create housing opportunities through policies that promote inclusive, balanced, and community-centered development.