De Anza Peninsula
For decades the inappropriate use of the De Anza peninsula area has denied locals and visitors to Mission Bay Park proper access and use. It is now time to select a plan that balances the needs for increased natural habitat, recreation, and education.
Mission Bay Gateway (MBG) Plan was developed over 10 years ago from meetings and surveys with representatives of those who play and recreate in the area including but not limited to: golfers, tennis club leaders, youth sports committee members, campers, local schools parents, clubs and groups, and citizens at large. MBG has been shown to over 8,000 individuals at community meetings and events with near universal support.
Golf Course
Proponents of alternative plans to MBG suggest that the golf course should go. MBG disagrees.
For the last few years some people (including the city's consultant) have pointed out that "we just can't fit everything in so we have to make some choices." For over 10 years MBG has demonstrated that we actually can "fit it all in." In fact one of the guiding principles of MBG states: "The plan should include and improve all appropriate existing uses." However, for some, adding another 60 acres of marsh to the over 100 acres planned in MBG is their highest priority.
All current uses and many new recreational and educational uses do fit if the plan doesn't take away 40-60 acres of parkland and make it marsh. That strategy requires a reduction in public access and prioritizing and eliminating several important potential public facilities and uses.
Should the golf course stay or go?
Up to 60 acres of guest housing is included in the Mission Bay Park master plan for this area. However, the golf course is not a requirement and marsh advocates argue that if the golf course was removed guest housing could be moved away from the water up against Grand Avenue. There are many problems with this thinking:
This is an imbalanced approach that prioritizes marsh over people, parks, and public access.
Taking away that many acres of park for marsh expansion means several uses and facilities have to be reduced or eliminated. The most likely to be eliminated will be the golf course.
The creation of marsh at De Anza Peninsula is not sound engineering (see attached letter to the city from Marathon Construction).
Moving guest housing away from the water is not environmentally friendly. The MBG plan utilizes existing infrastructure including roads. MBG requires no movement of land and the least amount of new road or infrastructure of any of the proposed plans.
Moving guest housing away from the water is going to make staying there much less interesting or popular and is not going to be as financially viable. Not as many guests will be interested in staying at the "Campground at Grand Avenue."
Why the golf course should stay
According to the city staff, MB Golf Course is an integral part of the San Diego City Park and Rec Golf system and needs to stay.
MB Golf Course is where residents from 6 to 96 years of age can learn and play. As golfers age they can continue to play at MB when it would not be possible for them to continue on a full length course.
About 20 high school girls and boys teams practice and play on this course.
The course accommodates golfers, soccer golfers and disc golfers.
At nearly anytime of the day or evening 7 days a week the golf course will have more people and cars in the parking lot per acre than any other part of Mission Bay Park (other than Campland).
This course is the only course with lights so the park is useful to people after work and into the evening.
KEEPING THE GOLF COURSE IS A PRIORITY OF MBG