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LWV League of Women Voters of California
Smart Voter
San Diego County, CA November 7, 2000 Election
Proposition C
Height Limitation, International Gateway of the Americas
City of San Diego

232,020 / 67.49% Yes votes ...... 111,754 / 32.51% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Information shown below: Fiscal Impact | Official Information | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text

MEASURE. Shall Ordinance O-18837 (New Series) be adopted amending People's Ordinance O-10960 (New Series) to: Modify existing height limitation for structures on approximately 66 acres located in San Ysidro for the International Gateway of the Americas Project, subject to City and Coastal Commission approval, provided that: No more than five acres may include structures up to 150 feet; No more than five acres may include structures up to 80 feet; On the remaining acreage, structures shall not exceed 50 feet?

Fiscal Impact from the City Manager:
The International Gateway of the Americas Project is a mixed use project consisting of 1.4 million square feet of retail, office and hotel uses to be built on a 66.17 acre site in the San Ysidro Redevelopment Project Area adjacent to the international border with the Republic of Mexico west of Interstate 5. The project includes the construction of a pedestrian bridge linking the development with Avenida de Revolucion in Tijuana. The first phase of the project consists of approximately 700,000 square feet of retail space and is anticipated to begin construction this winter. The second and subsequent phases (pedestrian bridge, federal inspection facilities, hotel, office and cultural center) require a waiver to the City's height ordinance, and are, therefore, contingent on the passage of this measure.

If this measure is approved, the annual revenues generated by the project are anticipated to include: $891,752 in tax increment to the Redevelopment Agency; $297,000 in housing set aside funds to the Redevelopment Agency; $1,581,000 in sales tax to the City; $1,012,000 in Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) to the City; $1,364,000 in Pedestrian Bridge Revenue to the City; and $297,000 in property tax to other public agencies (all expressed in 1998 dollars).

In addition, the project will generate 3,400 construction jobs, 2,200 permanent jobs with an annual salary and benefit value of $100,000,000.

If this measure is not approved by the voters, only the first phase of the project could be developed, reducing the annual revenues to: $388,000 in tax increment to the Redevelopment Agency; $129,300 in housing set aside to the Redevelopment Agency; no change ($ 1,581,000) in sales tax to the City; and $129,300 property tax to other public agencies. No TOT or Bridge Revenues would be generated if the second phase is not developed. The construction jobs generated by the first phase of the project would be limited to 1,700 and permanent jobs would be 1,100 with an annual salary and benefit value of $50,000,000.

Official Sources of Information
Impartial Analysis from the City Attorney
In 1972, the voters of the City of San Diego passed Proposition D. Proposition D was an initiative which adopted an ordinance limiting the height of buildings in the Coastal Zone to not more than 30 feet.

The Coastal Zone, as defined in Proposition D, includes the land and water area of the City of San Diego from the northern City limits, south to the border of Mexico, extending seaward to the outer limit of the City's jurisdiction and extending inland to the location of Interstate 5.

This Proposition would amend Proposition D to allow the construction of buildings or structures that exceed the 30-foot height limitation for the purpose of fulfilling the design proposed for the International Gateway of the Americas Project. This Proposition would apply only to approximately 66 acres of property in San Ysidro which is located about five miles inland from the Mean High Tide Line.

If passed by a majority of the electorate, this Proposition would allow: 1) the construction of buildings or structures or additions to buildings or structures measuring up to 150 feet in height on no more than a total of five acres of the property; 2) the construction of buildings or structures or additions to buildings or structures measuring up to eighty feet in height on no more than a total of five additional acres of the remaining portion of the property; and 3) the construction of buildings or structures or additions to buildings or structures measuring up to fifty feet in height on the remaining acreage. For the purpose of measuring the acreage available for each height category, the Proposition provides that the footprint of the entire building or structure will be used to calculate the five acres. Therefore, even if only a portion of the building or structure exceeds 150 feet in height, the entire acreage of the footprint of the building or structure will count against the five acre limit on buildings or structures which are allowed to exceed 150 feet or eighty feet in height.

  News and Analysis

KPBS San Diego Public Broadcasting

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Arguments For Proposition C Arguments Against Proposition C
Passage of Proposition C would allow the redevelopment of 66 acres just west of the International Border crossing in San Ysidro. The project is called the International Gateway of the Americas and conforms to the goals of the San Ysidro Community Plan and the City of San Diego General Plan.

The proposed project is located five miles inland. No ocean views would be blocked or affected in any way. No wetlands would be affected. No City funds or taxpayer dollars will be used in the development or construction of the project. The project will have to be approved by the City Council and the Coastal Commission.

Proposition C would allow International Gateway of the Americas to:

  • Cleanup and revitalize a blighted area.
  • Develop a cultural center and shopping district on the U. S. side of the border.
  • Build an arched pedestrian suspension bridge and state-of-the-art border control facilities between the U. S. and Mexico, with a 150-foot high bridge support in the middle. The bridge design will be coordinated by the University of California, San Diego School of Engineering and will be a civic landmark.

To see proposed bridge designs and plans of the proposed project, visit our website at www. InternationalGatewayoftheAmericas. com The project would generate:
  • 3,400 construction jobs.
  • 2,200 permanent jobs.
  • $100 million in annual worker salaries and benefits.

The City of San Diego and the San Ysidro School District would receive revenues from the project to pay for needed services such as police, fire, sewers and schools. Annual sales from the project are estimated to be $150,000,000. The tax and fee revenues are estimated to be:
  • $33.7 million in sales tax revenue.
  • $14.8 million in property tax.
  • $39.7 million in transient occupancy taxes.
  • $55.4 million in other revenues.

Please vote YES on Proposition C.

BYRON WEAR, San Diego City Councilmember

JUAN VARGAS, San Diego City Councilmember

PAOLA AVILA, Homeowner and Parent

ANDREA SKOREPA, Chair, Concerned San Diegans for a Better Border Economy

JERRY SANDERS, Former San Diego Police Chief

No argument against the proposition was filed in the office of the City Clerk.

Text for Proposition C
ORDINANCE NO. O-18836 (NEW SERIES)

WHEREAS, the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Diego [Agency] and LandGrant Development, Inc. [Developer] propose to build the International Gateway of the Americas Project [Project] in San Ysidro to redevelop an approximately 66-acre site to include a pedestrian bridge across the Tijuana River to create a new international pedestrian border crossing with the Republic of Mexico, hotel, office building, cultural center, and other buildings or structures; and

WHEREAS, the western edge of the Project site is located inland approximately five miles from the Mean High Tide Line; and

WHEREAS, the Project is consistent with the goals of the adopted San Ysidro Community Plan and the San Ysidro Redevelopment Plan; and

WHEREAS, the Project will generate property tax and sales tax revenues for the City of San Diego and the San Ysidro Elementary School District; and

WHEREAS, the Project is expected to create construction and permanent jobs in the San Ysidro Community; and

WHEREAS, People's Ordinance No. 10960 (New Series) was enacted by the voters as Proposition D on November 7, 1972; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 23 of the San Diego City Charter and Section 27.2501 of the San Diego Municipal Code, the City Council may place any legislative act on the ballot to be considered at a Municipal Election; and

WHEREAS, San Diego Municipal Code section 27.2528 requires that any initiated legislative act adopted by a majority vote of the voters may be amended or repealed only by a vote of the majority of the voters or by Charter amendment; and

WHEREAS, on July 17, 2000, by Resolution No. R-293455, the City Council directed the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance placing the above-described measure on the ballot at a municipal election consolidated with the next general statewide election on November 7, 2000; and

WHEREAS, by Ordinance No. O-18833, adopted on July 31, 2000, the City Council is calling a municipal election to be consolidated with the Statewide General Election on November 7, 2000, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified voters of the City one or more ballot propositions; and

WHEREAS, the City Council desires to submit to the electorate at that Municipal Election one proposition relating to the above-described measure to amend People's Ordinance No. 10960 (New Series), as amended by vote of the People on November 8, 1988, as amended by vote of the People on November 3, 1998;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Council of The City of San Diego, as follows:

Section 1. One proposition relating to an ordinance amending People's Ordinance No. 10960 (New Series), as amended by vote of the People on November 8, 1988, as amended by vote of the People on November 3, 1998, pertaining to the height of buildings in the Coastal Zone in the City of San Diego, is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of the City at the Municipal Election to be held November 7, 2000, the proposition to read as follows:

PROPOSITION

BE IT ORDAINED, by the People of the City of San Diego, as follows: The San Diego Municipal Code section enacted by the voters as Proposition D on November 7, 1972, as Ordinance No. 10960 (New Series), and amended by vote of the People on November 8, 1988, as Proposition L, and amended by vote of the People on November 3, 1998, as Proposition D, shall be amended as follows (amendment is in italic print underlined):

SAN DIEGO MUNICIPAL CODE

Limitation of Height of Buildings in the Coastal Zone

Section 1. Notwithstanding any section to the contrary, no building or addition to a building shall be constructed with a height in excess of thirty feet within the Coastal Zone of The City of San Diego. The words Coastal Zone as used within this Ordinance shall mean that land and water area of the City of San Diego from the northern city limits, south to the border of the Republic of Mexico, extending seaward to the outer limit of city jurisdiction and extending inland to the location of Interstate 5 on January 1, 1971. This limitation shall not apply to (i) that land area of the Coastal Zone bounded by National City on the south, San Diego Bay on the west and Laurel Street or the southwesterly projection of Laurel Street on the north or (ii) that land area of the Coastal Zone bounded by Ingraham Street on the west, Sea World Drive on the south, Mission Bay on the north and the boat ramp access road in South Shores Park on the east or (iii) that land area of the Coastal Zone approximately bounded on the north and west by Camino de la Plaza, on the south by the international border with the Republic of Mexico, and on the east by Virginia Avenue, including that adjacent strip of land of approximately forty by 520 feet which is located south of Camino de la Plaza and east of Virginia Avenue, all as more particularly described on Document No. 00-18836, a copy of which is on file with the City Clerk.

The base of measurement of the height shall be in accordance with the Uniform Building Code of 1970.

Section 2. Other than the restoration of the chimney and rooftop cupola as part of the historic restoration of the 1915 Agar/ Mission Brewery building located at Washington and Hancock Streets in San Diego, California, there shall be no exception to the provisions of this Ordinance.

Section 3.

A. No building or structure or addition to a building or structure within the land described in exception Section 1( ii), shall exceed one-half the height of the existing Sea World Sky Tower on that land using the base of measurement in accordance with the Uniform Building Code of 1970.

B. No taxpayer funds shall be spent for any improvements in connection with a building or structure or addition to a building or structure within the land described in exception Section 1( ii).

C. The exception set forth in Section 1( ii) shall remain in effect as long as the land described therein is used for recreational, exhibition, educational, research and scientific purposes. Section 4. No more than five acres of the approximately sixty-six acre site described in Section 1( iii) may contain buildings or structures, or additions to buildings or structures, measuring up to 150 feet in height. No more than five additional acres of the remaining portion of the property may contain buildings or structures, or additions to buildings or structures, measuring up to eighty feet in height. As to the remaining portion of the property, no buildings or structures, or additions to buildings or structures, shall exceed fifty feet in height. The footprint of the entire building or structure shall be used to calculate the five acres, whether or not the entire building or structure measures 150 feet or eighty feet in height. The measurement of height shall use the base of measurement in accordance with the Uniform Building Code of 1970.

Section 4. 5. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force on the day from and after its passage. The City Attorney and City Clerk are hereby authorized to publish this amendment in the appropriate section of the San Diego Municipal Code.

Section 5. 6. This ordinance may be amended, including an amendment to make an exception to the thirty-foot height limitation, only by a majority vote of the voters of the City of San Diego.

Section 6. 7. The provisions of this Initiative are severable. If any statement, section, subsection, phrase, or word herein, or the application thereof to any person, property or circumstance, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, either on its face or as applied, the remaining portions of this Initiative shall not be affected, and shall remain in full force and effect.


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