CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
October 15, 2024 {{section.number}}b
PORT OF SAN DIEGO BALANCED CAPITAL PROGRAM PROJECTS
RECOMMENDATION:
Review the list of Coronado Port Tidelands capital project proposals for inclusion in the Port of San Diego Balanced Capital Program and provide direction on prioritization for submittal to the Port of San Diego.
BACKGROUND:
The Port of San Diego manages San Diego Bay and 34 miles of its waterfront for the people of California as established in 1962 under the Port Act. The Port's five member cities - Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego - work together to develop and promote commerce, navigation, recreation and fisheries on and around San Diego Bay on Port Tidelands.
The Port of San Diego owns and/or operates 22 parks on Port Tidelands in member cities, including the following in Coronado: Coronado Landing, Centennial Park, Glorietta Bay Park, Grand Caribe Park, and Tidelands Park.
In 2022, the Port of San Diego implemented the Balanced Capital Program, which sets aside surplus funds for investment in member cities’ tidelands. Funding is contingent upon the Port’s fiscal health and allocation within their annual budget which is determined by July 1 of each year.
Board Policy 120 guides the process for identifying projects eligible for funding and sets forth program objectives:
• To distribute the Port’s capital investments in a balanced and equitable manner throughout the Tidelands located in all the Member Cities.
• To reflect sound land use and capital improvement planning principles, as well as the strategic development, business and operational goals set by the BPC. • To advance projects that are consistent with the Port District Act and the Port’s numerous duties and state mandates.
ANALYSIS:
Through budget surplus set-asides for the past three fiscal years, $6 million is currently earmarked in the Balanced Capital Program for Coronado Tidelands capital projects. The City of Coronado has the opportunity to identify and submit project proposals to the Port that, if approved, would be constructed under this program. Projects proposed for Balanced Capital Funding would be evaluated under the following criteria:
• Contribution to the Port's strategic goals;
• Adherence to Port objectives and the Port District Act; • Capacity to provide public access and non-revenue generating public benefits; • To reflect sound land use and capital improvement planning principles, as well as the strategic development, business and operational goals set by the Board of Port Commissioners (BPC);
• To implement the appropriate and necessary sequencing of capital improvement projects based upon operational and business demands;
• To ensure projects given priority have a direct relationship to the establishment or improvement of capital assets needed to facilitate upcoming priority developments and pressing operational needs;
• Projects should focus on new improvements rather than maintenance; and • Funds can remain on account to save up for larger project costs.
City staff conducted a needs analysis of Coronado’s Tideland areas to develop eligible capital projects. A description of potential projects and estimated costs follows. Attachment 1 contains maps of the locations and projects.
Ferry Landing: Ferry Landing is in good condition with the exception of the landscaping fronting the bay which could benefit from a refresh, and a replacement of the turf overlaying the Transbay Pump Station. To reduce damaging water intrusion into the pump station from the turf irrigation, staff recommends prioritizing turf removal and replacement with artificial turf. Updates to the bayfronting landscaping would need to seek the approval of the Ferry Landing; however, the City could move forward independently on replacement of the turf at the pump station. The cost of this replacement project is estimated at $200,000.
Grand Caribe Park: Grand Caribe Park is in good condition; however, there are concerns about the long-term erosion of the shoreline. The Port of San Diego is currently conducting an erosion study of the park to determine areas that may benefit from investment to prevent further erosion and how that may best be achieved. The study is projected to be completed in late spring 2025.
Any proposed improvements to the park to stabilize erosion will require review and permitting by the California Coastal Commission, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the State Regional Water Quality Control Board before construction can commence. The Port of San Diego is also in the process of developing draft landscaping designs for the park that will be shared with the public in the coming months. Landscaping work is already funded within the Port budget. The cost of erosion management projects is not known.
Glorietta Bay Park: Glorietta Bay Park is one of the City’s oldest parks but most well-loved, receiving many visitors year-round and particularly during the summer months. Glorietta Bay Park has not had an update since 1986 and currently has a number of degraded conditions including lifted sidewalks and aged landscaping, turf areas and playground, which are all in need of replacement. In addition, there is an opportunity to expand usage of the existing cottage building near the boat ramp which is currently used for storage. The project would encompass new irrigation and sidewalks, a new inclusive playground, expanded concrete boat ramp, a new restroom building and a new building to serve as a public safety and recreation center. The estimated cost of these improvements is expected to exceed $6 million.
Tidelands Park: Tidelands Park is in good condition; however, there are areas that could benefit from additional investment such as the landscaping fronting the bay, replacing the restrooms in the center of the park, adding a restroom building by the skate park, improvements to the irrigation system, repair of the public art pieces located near the playground and replacement of refuse containers. Additional exercise stations around a circuit of the park could be considered as well.
The anticipated cost of these improvements is about $1.7 million. The Port of San Diego will be updating their signage within the park next year; however, no other notable projects are currently planned for the park.
Centennial Park (Port Owned Portion): Centennial Park is in good condition, with the exception of the planter seat walls which have aged since installation in the 1970’s and the landscaping facing the bay. The Port of San Diego is currently in the preliminary phases of an updated design for landscaping in this area. Staff plans to work with the Port to address the outstanding needs of this area through that separate process. There are no projects recommended for the Balanced Capital Program for Centennial Park at this time.
Project Prioritization and Funding Options
Staff seeks City Council direction on which projects to prioritize for the Balanced Capital funding available. City Council could choose to:
• allocate the entire balance to a single project;
• select partial funding of various projects across Coronado Port Tidelands; and/or, defer projects to a later date until additional funding is accrued from the Port of San Diego Staff see the largest impact by prioritizing the full balance of funding to Glorietta Bay Park. This investment would result in the complete rehabilitation of the park, which is one of the most used parks in the City.
If Council wishes to recommend a distribution of funding across several Tidelands areas, staff recommend:
• Turf replacement at the Ferry Landing
• Improvements at Tidelands Park to includes new restrooms and priority improvements identified by the City Council
• Soil erosion mitigation projects at Grand Caribe Isle (scope and cost to be determined) Improvements at Glorietta Bay Park to include new restrooms and a new playground and priority improvements identified by the City Council
Next Steps
Projects recommended by the City Council will be submitted to the City’s Port Commissioner for presentation to the full Board. The request will also be reviewed by Port of San Diego staff to determine if it meets the Port’s criteria as outlined above and will include a financial analysis of the estimated costs of the project, the potential availability of grant funding or other matching funds, a timeline for design and construction, and estimated life cycle costs. This is an iterative process that will require City staff to collaborate with Port staff to refine the project requests to best meet the goals of the Port Board of Directors and the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None. Funding will be budgeted, programmed and managed by the Port of San Diego.
ALTERNATIVE:
City Council could choose to not identify uses for Port Balanced Capital Program Projects or provide additional direction to staff on different potential options for utilization.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT:
Not Applicable.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
No notice required.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Map of Locations for Potential Port Balanced Capital Program Projects Submitted By: City Manager's Office / Tony Winney and Tina Friend