Bayfront Plan Up to Port District

The Centre City Planning Committee on Thursday approved a set of design principles to guide development along San Diego’s downtown bayfront by imposing constraints on the size of buildings while attempting to preserve views and create a 10-acre park at the foot of Broadway.

The key to the plan’s success is the San Diego Unified Port District, which controls about 80% of the land in question.

At a meeting Thursday afternoon, the Board of Port Commissioners indicated that it generally supports the major elements of the plan and expects to vote on the matter at its Dec. 5 meeting.

The city of San Diego, which appointed the Centre City Planning Committee, is seeking a “memorandum of understanding” with the Port District to implement the bayfront development plan.

Key points of the plan, created by the Broadway Complex Coordinating Committee, include adoption of building setbacks to preserve views; closing Broadway to allow construction of a 10-acre public square on land owned by the Navy and the Port District; payment to the Navy for use of the land and a link between Balboa Park and the bay via 5th and 6th avenues.