Chula Vista Bayfront Plans Approved

After nearly 15 years of planning and one key vote, the transformation of Chula Vista's bayfront was finally approved.

The California Coastal Commission unanimously approved the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan, a land-use plan that will add parks, open space and habitat protection in place of the defunct South Bay Power Plant.

The 556-acre plan will bring in an estimated $1.3 billion to the local economy in its first 20 years. It will create about 2,200 permanent jobs, and almost 7,000 construction jobs, according to a statement from the Port District.

Over 200 acres of the area will be kept open -- a key selling point for environmental groups who support the plan, such as the Environmental Health Coalition.

“This project is proof of what an empowered community taking strategic action can accomplish,” said EHC’s Laura Hunter. “We are so proud of our committed EHC Chula Vista members. They worked for over 10 years driven by a fierce sense of duty to the generations of the future—of all species—and drove the project in the right direction. They are simply amazing.”

Click here for more information on the plan.

The Port and Chula Vista will now look for a developer to begin the initial phase of the project. By 2016, Port officials expect to begin building a resort conference center, public parks, a new fire station, an RV park and a mixed-use residential development.

The four phases in total will spread over 24 years.

We now have an economically and environmentally sound foundation that will bring thousands of new jobs to our region and increase public access to our waterfront,” said Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox in a statement.