Project Near Otay River Rejected by Coastal Panel

Concerned that approval of a 7.1-acre industrial park in the flood plain of the Otay River might set a precedent, the California Coastal Commission on Thursday voted the project down and ordered a study to determine the impact of development along the South Bay waterway.

At stake was a proposal by H.G. Fenton Materials Co. to create six industrial lots on land between 19th Street and Interstate 5. Fenton representatives agreed to restore natural river habitat on a separate 12 acres of their property in the river’s floodway.

Ruth Schneider, president of the Otay-Nestor community planning group, protested that the industrial development would violate the area’s adopted community plan and would further endanger residents who were flooded out last year. Schneider explained that upstream development along the river had narrowed the stream, causing floodwaters to continue down to the Interstate 5 area and San Diego Bay instead of spreading out into undeveloped areas. Each development allowed within the river’s flood plain contributes to flooding somewhere else, she said.

Commissioners, in a split vote, approved a staff recommendation that delays any flood plain development until a hydrological study determines if further flooding will be caused by development in the area. Diana Dugan, San Diego’s deputy city planning director, urged the Coastal Commission to approve the Fenton project before imposing the requirement for an areawide study of development impacts.

She called the Fenton proposal to restore sensitive river habitat in exchange for development rights “about the only way that the city is going to get the river banks restored,” because there are no municipal funds for the purpose.