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After more than a decade of planning and negotiation, National City has secured unanimous approval from the California Coastal Commission for a development plan that officials say will finally give residents access to their city’s waterfront.
The commission voted Dec. 10 to certify the Port Master Plan Amendment for the National City Balanced Plan, marking what Mayor Ron Morrison called a milestone for a city facing a unique coastal access problem.
“We’re the only city on the West Coast that either has bayfront or oceanfront that does not have one inch of access to its bayfront,” Morrison said in an interview following the approval.
All three miles of National City’s bayfront are controlled by either the Navy or the Port of San Diego, Morrison said, leaving the public with little access. The Balanced Plan development represents the closest thing to waterfront access the city will have.
What the plan includes
The National City Bayfront encompasses 273 acres of waterfront land and 167 acres of water, according to the Port of San Diego. The Balanced Plan focuses on the Marina District portion of this area.
The approved plan expands Pepper Park by 2.5 acres — nearly 50% — from 5.19 acres to 7.69 acres. The expansion will include additional park amenities, picnic areas and a community stage.
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