From: Ted Godshalk
To: Clerk
Subject: Public Comment from Mr. Ted Godshalk for City Council Item 9.2 on May 5, 2026:
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 10:39:31 AM
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Public Comment from Mr. Ted Godshalk for City Council Item 9.2 on May 5, 2026 I live less than .25 of a mile directly east of the Hafley Avenue site. Due to the fact that the City of National City has not taken seriously the important task of adopting the Implementation Plan of the Local Coastal Plan, a request to approve any project like the storage of Propane Gas in a 30,000 gallon tank should be postponed or denied outright.
The risks are too high, the analysis is too superficial, the goals are simply revenue oriented.
Today, National City should have better, safer development in all zones, but this application done under old Land Use Code continues the environmental racism that the City of National City and the Port of San Diego chose to impose on our community in earlier times. When will it end?
While the staff report states that “The City of National City maintains permit jurisdiction for the subject property, and therefore CAN approve a CDP,” this project and others have requested approval based on a dated, if not neglectful, plan. The staff admits that, “ Since the Implementation Plan of the LCP has not been formally updated, properties within the CZ are still regulated by the previous Land Use Code.” Simply, DO THE WORK. The community deserves, and legally requires, a current and modern adopted Implementation Plan that has been discussed in open hearings.
The fact that staff and this applicant are working around that fact, show the inappropriate power of staff discretion and a lack of concern for the community and legal policies. There have been earlier examples of this on your agendas. Ask: why does it continue?
The City Council can remedy this problem and set hearings for updating the Implementation Plan. The Coastal Commission requires it so stop using a loophole in the law.
Without an updated Plan and the thoughtful analysis it would bring to future development, you show that you are not forward looking leaders and that there will never be anything developed west of I-5 that does not pose some kind of risk to health or a action by City emergency responders.
Please deny item 9.2 tonight.
Ted Godshalk
Item 9.2