Written Communications – PC
Garcia – Received 1/14/2026
From: David Garcia
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2026 7:53 AM
To: CityClerk <[email protected]>
Cc: Mayor <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment 1/14 | Modernizing the UID – A Proposal for Sustainable AI Infrastructure and Fire Safety
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To the Honorable Mayor and City Council Members,
I am writing to express my concerns regarding the current trajectory of the University Innovation District (UID) and to propose a more resilient, economically viable alternative for the 380-acre site.
While the goal of bringing higher education to South County is noble, the traditional large- scale university model faces two major hurdles on this specific site: Redundancy and Public Safety. With several major universities already serving the San Diego region, and the site’s location in a High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, we must ask if bringing 20,000 daily commuters and residents into a wildland-interface area is the most responsible use of land.
Instead, I urge the Council to pivot toward an AI Data Center & Clean Energy Manufacturing Hub. This "Modern UID" would offer several superior benefits:
• Public Safety & Fire Mitigation: A data center is a low-occupancy facility. In a wildfire event, evacuating a small skeleton crew of technicians is significantly safer and faster than attempting to evacuate a massive university campus.
• Economic Engine: High-tier data centers generate massive property and sales tax revenue from the specialized hardware inside. This provides the city with a consistent "innovation" tax base without the heavy burden on local traffic and transit infrastructure.
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Garcia – Received 1/14/2026
• Synergy with Clean Energy: Chula Vista has the opportunity to lead in "Green AI. " By requiring these facilities to be powered by on-site solar and battery storage, we can catalyze the clean energy manufacturing sector right here in the South Bay. • Workforce of the Future: We can still partner with SDSU or UCSD to create a "Satellite Research Lab" on-site, where students gain hands-on experience with the AI infrastructure powering the global economy, without needing the footprint of a full traditional campus.
Let’s not build for the 20th century. Let’s make Chula Vista the "Compute Capital" of the San Diego region while prioritizing the safety of our residents and the preservation of our land.
Respectfully,
David Garcia Ozua, PhD
Development Economist