After the San Diego Chargers announced their transfer to Los Angeles in January 2017, the City of San Diego has needed a use for the Mission Valley and Murphy Canyon properties that were inhabited by the Chargers. The California Midterm Elections are taking place on Nov. 6, in order to decide the future of Qualcomm Stadium. San Diego County ballots include two measures; Measure E-SoccerCity initiative, and Measure G-SDSU West initiative. Both measures include plans for a river walk.
Measure G-the SDSU West initiative plans to sell 132 acres of land in Mission Valley to SDSU, or “any SDSU auxiliary organization, entity, or affiliate,” states Voter’s Edge website. “If approved by voters, this measure would amend the San Diego Municipal Code 22.0907 to establish a process for the City to sell the property to SDSU or the other listed entities. This measure includes terms and conditions the sale must meet. The sale would not be subject to existing Municipal Code provisions regarding the sale of City property…This measure states that the sale shall provide for development of various educational, residential, commercial, and recreational uses, including a joint use stadium and a river park. If the property is sold, the City would not be responsible for the costs of demolishing the stadium or building a new stadium.”
Measure G includes the same plans for a river walk, however the land that will be used is not included in the land that will be sold to SDSU. The land will be used as “a new joint use stadium with approximately 35,000 seats; public trails and open space; recreation space and parks; practice and recreation fields; and facilities for educational, research, entrepreneurial and technology programs constructed in phases and comprised of: academic and administrative buildings and classrooms; commercial, technology, and office space; retail uses; hotels; faculty and staff housing; graduate and undergraduate student housing; apartment-style homes for the local community; other market-rate, workforce and affordable homes; and trolley and other public transportation uses and improvements.”
The financial impacts of Measure G cannot be quantified, as it allows for future negotiations over the property in the future. “The precise sale price is subject to future negotiation and is currently unknown. A portion of sale revenue would go to the City’s Public Utilities Department, which owns a portion of the property. Other potential direct impacts include City staff time and resources to permit and approve developments, remediate environmental contamination, and to build, operate, and maintain the river park. The measure does not specify who will build the river park or any funding for the river park. It does not allow the City’s General Fund to fund the river park, but it does not prohibit any other funding source.”
For more information, check out the San Diego Taxpayers Association Cross-Comparison of Options for Mission Valley City, published in June.
