San Diego, CA
Michael Smolens: Could push to change fire ratings spur development in hazardous areas?
For years, California policies have sought to limit or at least discourage new construction in areas designated as high fire hazard zones.
When that hasn’t worked, the courts have stepped in. In San Diego, legal action and county reversals have stopped thousands of previously approved homes targeted for the region’s rural areas characterized by highly flammable chaparral and grasslands.
Just last week, a court again blocked the 3,000-home Fanita Ranch project in Santee. The judge concluded the city didn’t follow the proper procedure in greenlighting the proposal. But the larger context of whether the development would threaten habitat and put residents in the path of wildfires was motivation for the lawsuit.
When a bill to revamp fire-hazard designations surfaced in Sacramento this summer, critics said it could increase development in fire-prone areas, according to Hayley Smith of the Los Angeles Times.
Senate Bill 610 initially was an unrelated measure regarding the California Energy Commission that passed the state Senate and then was gutted and amended in June to become the fire-zone bill in the Assembly. Eventually, the bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, which means it’s dead for this year. However, advocates suggest the measure or a version of it will be back next year.
The main thrust of SB 610 is to do away with state rules that classify areas as “moderate,” “high” and “very high” fire-risk zones. That can influence development patterns and building safety standards.
Those categories would be replaced by a single “wildfire mitigation area” designation, which advocates say would lead to a uniform set of precautions rather than various levels that match the severity of threat under the current classifications.
The legislation also would shift responsibilities for maintaining fire safety standards from the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to the California fire marshal. The fire marshal would be required to review fire safety laws and update fire hazard and safety standards every five years.
State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant said the legislation will make communities safer and the process more clear, and that the single state designation would likely result in more areas falling under a fire hazard designation, not fewer, according to the Times.
Opponents disagreed.
SB 610 “will fundamentally reshape California fire and housing policy and make Californians more vulnerable to wildfire,” dozens of environmental and housing groups and local governments said in a July 25 letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders.
Among other things, they contend the measure would shift authority away from local governments and give it to the state — a common criticism of past state legislation aimed at boosting housing development.
While some supporters of the bill said it’s about fire safety, not expanding development, the short list of supporters on the bill analysis seems telling: California Building Industry Association, Housing Action Coalition and the pro-housing group YIMBY (“Yes, In My Backyard”) Action.
Environmental groups, the California Farm Bureau and city and county associations are among the 19 opponents listed.
The amended SB 610 was authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who has carried some of the state’s most aggressive housing development bills in recent years.
The bill has become emblematic of the push-pull over development in Sacramento. Legislation also was introduced this year to limit housing construction in fire- and flood-prone areas.
Meanwhile, bills aimed at allowing more dense development along the coast — including bills by Assemblymember David Alvarez, D-San Diego, and Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas — did not succeed this year.
Restricting development at the coast and on the urban fringe builds pressure to increase density in communities in between, where many planning experts say growth should be targeted to cut down on vehicle congestion and tailpipe emissions that contribute to global-warming greenhouse gases.
But in reality, residents in those less-restricted areas typically don’t want more development, and building enough housing to meet demand has proved difficult throughout the state.
Officials in some communities, particularly along the coast, welcome development limits. But others, like those in Santee, say restrictions make it more difficult to meet state housing goals.
Legislation to spur development comes amid an affordable housing crisis in California and skyrocketing prices of market-rate homes. In 2022, Matthew Adams, then-vice president of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County, gave his take on the consequences of actions that blocked developments in East County.
“Let me be clear,” Adams told The San Diego Union-Tribune. “This is going to have a devastating impact on our ability to produce middle-income or market-rate housing in vast portions of the unincorporated area.”
Some pro-development groups say advances in planning, evacuation strategies, fire-retardant building materials, landscaping and buffer zones have made some higher fire-risk areas safer for development.
Nevertheless, the increasing intensity of wildfires and the human and property destruction they have caused resulted in discussions going in the other direction. Should development be limited? Should homes be allowed to be rebuilt? Should a methodical retreat of existing communities from high-risk fire areas be considered?
In the end, what can be built and where increasingly may depend on whether state policies align with practices acceptable to insurance companies, which have been leaving California, in part because of increased wildfire risk.
San Diego County will be the center of NASCAR nation this weekend, with fans flocking to Naval Base Coronado for three days of events.
This is the first-ever Cup race held in San Diego County and the NASCAR community is also presenting it as its way of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy.
Tickets are completely sold out, but locals can still get in on the fun at various event and activities taking place across the region.
Here’s what to know about this one-of-a-kind weekend in San Diego. Full coverage of NASCAR San Diego Weekend can be found at sandiegouniontribune.com/tag/nascar.
What is NASCAR San Diego Weekend?
The three-day event begins with Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race, continues with an O’Reilly Auto Parts series race on Saturday and wraps Sunday with the Anduril 250.
Grandstands with a capacity for 40,000 fans have been erected, with another 10,000 spectators expected to occupy standing areas around the grounds.
Here’s a turn-by-turn look at Naval Base Coronado’s race circuit
When is it taking place?
Parking lots, which are on base, open each day at 7 a.m. and gates open at 9 a.m.
The Craftsman Truck Series takes place Friday at 4 p.m. The O’Reilly Auto Parts series race blasts off at 2 p.m. Saturday. The main event, NASCAR Cup Series Race, happens Sunday at 1 p.m.
A race-by-race look at NASCAR’s San Diego Weekend
Each day will also feature entertainment, driver Q&As and other activities.
Where is it?
Naval Base Coronado will host the weekend’s activities. All fans in attendance must carry a valid government-issued photo ID at all times.
Going to this weekend’s NASCAR races in Coronado? Here’s what you need to know
All event parking will be located on Naval Base Coronado. There is no event parking available within the city of Coronado.
Who is racing?
Shane Van Gisbergen, Tyler Reddick, Mike McDowell, Chase Elliott and Ty Gibbs are just a few of the names to expect this weekend. A full lineup can be found at nascarsandiego.com/nascar-san-diego-mission-lineup.
These 13 Cup racers could all win Sunday’s Anduril 250 in Coronado
How to watch on TV:
Craftsman Trucks Series race: 4 p.m. Friday on Fox Sports 1
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race: 2 p.m. Saturday on The CW
NASCAR Cup race: Sunday at 1 p.m. on Prime Video
Local events:
San Diegans have a range of options for getting in on the fun of NASCAR weekend in Coronado, including meet and greets with drivers, watch parties and fan zones.
Your guide to fan events during NASCAR San Diego Weekend
More coverage:
CORONADO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Final preparations are underway for NASCAR’s historic race weekend at Naval Base Coronado, where stock cars will compete on an active military installation for the first time in the sport’s history.
Crews, race teams, military personnel, first responders and event staff spent Thursday putting the finishing touches on the temporary road course as thousands of fans prepare to descend on the base for the inaugural event.
“The countdown is on,” as organizers work to transform portions of the installation into a race venue unlike any NASCAR has hosted before.
“It’s a very proud moment for NASCAR and myself and my company for being part of it,” said Jordan Litchko, a NASCAR production partner with ignition production. “It’s the America 250, so what a year to celebrate and be here on the naval base.”
Officials say the event marks the first time a NASCAR national series race has been held on a military base, bringing one of America’s most recognizable motorsports directly onto a working military installation.
Unlike traditional oval tracks, competitors will tackle a temporary road course built specifically for the event.
“It’s a road course race, which adds way more excitement, so it’s going to be ultra challenging,” Litchko said.
Thursday’s preparations included long lines of team members, vendors, staff and emergency personnel picking up credentials and completing security and base access requirements ahead of race weekend.
Meanwhile, drivers and crews got their first close look at the unique layout, which winds through portions of the base and presents a challenge far different from a conventional speedway.
With large crowds expected throughout the weekend, organizers are encouraging fans to plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Traffic delays are anticipated around Naval Base Coronado and nearby access points as spectators arrive for the event.
After months of planning and construction, the wait is nearly over.
On Friday, engines will roar to life aboard Naval Base Coronado, marking a milestone moment for NASCAR and creating a new chapter in the sport’s history. By the weekend’s end, fans will witness a race unlike any ever held before — stock cars competing on a military base in the heart of San Diego.
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – The City of San Diego is beginning to install 286 metered parking spaces this week in downtown San Ysidro in an effort to increase parking turnover, it was announced Thursday.
To develop the plan, city leaders worked with the San Ysidro business community. Revenue collected from the meters is reserved for transportation, parking and safety improvements in San Ysidro.
“Feeding parking meters feeds neighborhood repairs, and we can’t wait to get to work for the San Ysidro community,” said Naomi Chavez, interim director of the city’s Transportation Department. “This new parking zone will bring long overdue change that will help support local business activity and generate revenue that will be reinvested directly into improving neighborhood quality of life in San Ysidro.”
Crews began preparing the bases for the meters last week and installation work is expected to last through June. According to the city, these will be multi-space meter kiosks and drivers should be aware that they will need to go to the nearest kiosk to pay for parking since there won’t be a meter at each space.
Metered parking goes into effect on July 1 and will be enforced 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays. The parking rate is $2.50 an hour, with a maximum time limit of four hours.
City-led parking studies determined vehicles were parking on the streets of the neighborhood for hours or days at a time, making street parking for the area’s businesses scarce.
Drivers who customarily use free street parking when traveling across the border to Mexico are encouraged to use “one of the many paid off-street parking lots in the area,” a city statement read.
“The findings [of the parking study] clearly demonstrate the need for action. High parking occupancy on unregulated segments, along with data showing that 37% of vehicles exceed the existing two-hour limit and an average parking duration of over five hours, indicate that current conditions reduce turnover and limit access for local businesses and visitors,” wrote Alfredo Ripa, president of the San Ysidro Community Economic Development Corporation. “The proposed introduction of approximately 286 metered spaces, along with better signage, clearer designations and continued enforcement, represents a thoughtful and data-driven approach to improving parking availability and supporting economic activity in the community.”
Areas where the meter kiosks will be installed include:
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Border Village Road to Camino De La Plaza (both sides);
— Border Village Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard (north) to East San Ysidro Boulevard (south), (both sides);
— Front Street between Border Village Road to end of cul-de-sac (south side);
— Bolton Hall Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (south side);
— Louisiana Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to end of cul-de- sac (south side);
— Virginia Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (both sides); and
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Willow Road and East Park Avenue (south side).
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