The Audubon Society’s plan to restore a large chunk of wetlands in the northeastern part of San Diego’s Mission Bay gets a public viewing on Thursday.
The extensively researched document offers three suggestions to city planners who are reshaping the area. Each offer different levels of wetlands restoration.
The middle alternative is most closely aligned with the land use plan for the area that was approved by the Mission Bay Planning Committee.
San Diego is considering changing the northeast corner of the bay in part to improve public access. Campland on the Bay could move to De Anza Point, freeing up a large plot of land that will likely become wetlands.
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The society’s conservation director Jim Peugh says that new wetland area will create habitat for wildlife and add value to the area.
“The campground now, apparently the sites that rent for the most money are the one’s that have views over the wetlands. And so, restoration will have an effect on the economic value of what the city puts on De Anza Point as well,” said Jim Peugh, the Audubon Society’s conservation director.
The alternatives suggested by the Audobon Society include projections about what would happen with sea level rise.
Peugh said says the city has already agreed to close the RV resort Campland on the Bay and that creates a large swath of wetlands. It also allows Rose Creek to return to a more natural form.
“And that would allow Rose Creek to connect with Kendall Frost marsh which is a big benefit. And another alternative, both Campland and the De Anza Point would be converted to wetlands, as well as De Anza Cove but that’s the extreme alternative,” Peugh said.
The Audubon Society hopes city planners will consider their suggestions and incorporate the ideas into any proposal put before the city council.
City officials say they hope to have the Environmental Impact Report on the project ready by spring.
The city council could get a plan to review by summer.
