SAN DIEGO —
A 'Yes' vote on Measure C
This would mean the City of San Diego would exclude the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Plan area from the 30-foot height limit for development in the Coastal Zone.
A 'No' vote on Measure C
This would mean the City of San Diego wouldn't exclude the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Plan area from the 30-foot height limit for development in the Coastal Zone.
Measure C heads to the ballot box
The battle over the best way to develop San Diego's Midway District played out at a public forum Monday night.
While supporters say this is critical to creating more housing and revitalizing the community, opponents argue it will create congestion and block coastal access.
Last month, San Diego City Council voted to greenlight an ambitious plan called Midway Rising to re-develop the 48-acre Sports Arena property. However, if voters don't pass Measure C next month, those plans, which include more than 4,000 new homes, won't be able to move forward.
What supporters of Measure C say
"It's critical for Measure C to pass," said Dike Anyiwo, Chair of the Midway/Pacific Highway Planning Group.
He said that lifting the current 30-foot height restriction for buildings, which is what Measure C would do, would revitalize the Midway Area by tackling San Diego's most pressing issue: housing:
About 2000 of the units under the Midway Rising plan would be earmarked as affordable housing.
"It is insanely expensive and there is not enough of it," Anyiwo told CBS 8. "We want to do what we can as the Midway community to provide not only for ourselves and our future neighbors, but for San Diegans in general."
What opponents of Measure C say
At a forum on Measure C Monday night in Point Loma, the measure's opponents made their case
They argue that getting rid of the height restriction in the Midway area will block coastal views and access, and unfairly benefit developers at the expense of taxpayers.
"A concern of ours is that we may even end up like Shanghai," said Margaret Virissimo of the group Save Our Access. She added that the infrastructure is not in place to support the increased population.
Community activist Don Sevrens agreed. "This will bring much higher density to this area," he said. "It will create incredible traffic congestion."
Opponents of Measure C also argue this could open the flood gates to unfettered development throughout San Diego.
"It doesn't just affect Point Loma and Ocean Beach," said Virissimo.
Anyiwo, though, doesn't buy that.
"With respect to the slippery slope argument we hear," Anyiwo said. "Look: it has been this hard to fight for this measure in the Midway District. I can't tell you if there's anyone in the actual coastal community who is willing to do what we have been doing for the last few years. It is certainly not on our agenda."
"We don't have eyes for any community other than Midway," he added.
For more information on Measure C, click here.
WATCH RELATED: City Council to vote on massive Midway District redevelopment (Sep. 2022).
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