Camping so close to the water is an amazing and unique activity at Mission Bay. We should not lose it.
Public access to tent and RV camping near the water of Mission Bay has been a staple activity 1960s. There have been some calls to greatly reduce or remove camping from the area by some groups. That is a mistake. Here are 9 reasons why we should keep camping (and even expand it) in the area and why Mission Bay Gateway is the best way to accomplish this.
1. The Gateway Plan preserves the beloved tradition of waterfront RV camping on Mission Bay. Waterfront RV camping has been a treasured San Diego tradition since the 1960s, spanning multiple generations. It represents the most accessible form of coastal access at a time when most people simply cannot afford any other type of waterfront accommodations.
2. The Gateway Plan is fully consistent with the Mission Bay Park Master Plan’s recommendations regarding RV camping. The Mission Bay Park Master Plan underscores the importance of RV camping as an integral component of the park’s recreational amenities. It specifically identifies the De Anza peninsula as an ideal location for RV camping due to the waterfront location. The Master Plan recommends that up 60 acres of the peninsula could be used for RV camping. Both Campland’s existing site and the De Anza peninsula were originally developed to provide waterfront visitor accommodations in the form of RV camping. There are currently 820 campsites in Northeast Mission Bay; 560 campsites at Campland and 260 at the Mission Bay RV resort in De Anza Cove.
3. The Gateway Plan is fully consistent with the priorities of the California Coastal Act. Preserving all that Campland offers today is critical to keeping our coasts accessible for all, no matter your income. The California Coastal Act aims to “preserve and retain” affordable accommodations with waterfront access.
4. The Gateway Plan enables the city to continue attracting both visitors and San Diego residents alike. Campland’s waterfront location and diverse recreational amenities attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Unlike many other RV campgrounds, more than 80% of Campland’s guests are return customers and approximately half are San Diego residents for whom Campland is their favorite staycation destination.
5. The Gateway Plan helps to preserve important city revenue. RV camping on Mission Bay is an important economic driver for Mission Bay Park and the city. Campland alone generates approx. $3 million per year for the city in rent and tax revenue. The Mission Bay RV resort generates approx. $1.5 million.
6. The Gateway Plan efficiently and ecologically repurposes existing city infrastructure. The abandoned mobile home infrastructure (streets, electric, water, sewer, gas, etc.) at De Anza could be efficiently and inexpensively repurposed to support RV and tent camping. It would be economically wasteful and environmentally insensitive to demolish and remove that infrastructure only to build a new campground in a less desirable location.
7. The Gateway Plan preserves and expands beloved recreational amenities. In order to operate successfully, campgrounds require more than just acreage for campsites – they require maintenance and storage facilities, offices, recreational amenities and activity areas for the guests, etc. Campland is more than just an RV park – it operates like a waterfront resort. It offers year-round activities and live entertainment, a beachfront, skate park, sports field, pools and hot tubs, and more that should be preserved under any revitalization plan.
8. The Gateway Plan addresses growing market demand for waterfront camping. RV camping continues to grow in popularity, RV sales continue to rise, and demand for waterfront campsites continues to escalate, year after year. During the summer months and other busy weekends, there are times when both campgrounds at Campland and De Anza have virtually no vacancy. Many of Campland’s guests reserve their campsites two years in advance.
9. The Gateway Plan preserves the highly beneficial, symbiotic relationship between camping and wetlands. San Diego does not need to choose between camping and wetlands – we can and should have both. Campland has proactively supported and harmoniously coexisted with the Kendall-Frost marsh for fifty years and has introduced generations of campers to the importance of protecting our environment and natural resources.