The San Diego Planning Commission unanimously sided with a Kearny Mesa neighborhood, rejecting the construction of a proposed Time Warner Cable (TWC) facility.
TWC proposed building a 6,200 square foot communication switching station on Convoy Street. The facility would be critical to offering faster internet services for businesses to connect with customers, planners say.
The project was supported by the San Diego City Council and city planners and a conditional use permit was granted.
However, the decision was appealed for several reasons.
Opponents felt the development was not consistent with the Community Plan, did not comply with city codes and would negatively impact the character of the neighborhood.
The Save Convoy Campaign collected more than 1,000 signatures opposing the project.
The asked the SD Planning Commission to uphold the appeal to give them a larger window to work with Time Warner to find a compromise proposal.
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"I think it’s unconscionable to see a project like this built in the middle of Little Italy or the Gaslamp District," said Vince Vasquez with Save Convoy Campaign.
"Just as folks in those communities would be up in arms and upset about a development project like this, we’re upset."
The planning commission upheld the appeal sending TWC back to drawing board.
Proponents argued TWC has been working with the community to change some aesthetics of the building and make it blend in with the area.
“If we continue to postpone it, nothing good will come from that vacant spot. That actually probably doesn’t have very much retail value at the moment anyway,” said Stefanie Benvenuto, Policy Manager, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“This is a good use of land that, right now, is sitting vacant that is blighted,” she added.
Time Warner Cable provided the following statement:
"We are working to provide faster internet speeds, increased reliability and improved service options to our customers in San Diego. This building is important to help us deliver these enhanced services in this area. We're disappointed in today's decision and will continue our efforts to bring the best service to our customers."
