Show All Answers

1. What is the plan for addressing sewage coming from Mexico? – EPA has planned several projects to address cross-border sewage.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has developed a series of proposed projects that will help manage and treat raw sewage coming from Mexico into the Tijuana River and the Pacific Ocean. The EPA’s plan will include the following:

 Expanding the capacity of the International Wastewater Treatment Plant so that it can treat an additional 35 million gallons of sewage per day

 Constructing a “primary” level treatment plant and associated infrastructure to capture and treat up to 60 million gallons per day of flows from the Tijuana River

 Rebuilding the San Antonio de las Buenos Treatment Plant in Mexico

 Constructing new canyon collectors to convey sewage to the International Treatment Plant

 Constructing infrastructure to deliver recycled water from the International Treatment Plant to Mexico

 Construction of a trash boom and retention basins in the Tijuana River Valley to capture debris in the River

 Sewer system repairs in Mexico to prevent future spills

EPA is planning to begin construction on some of these projects before the end of the 2022 Calendar year. EPA is giving the highest priority to expanding the International Wastewater Treatment Plant.

2. What is the status of funding for the EPA’s plan? – $494 million committed, $130 million still needed.

The City of Coronado is engaged in an ongoing lobbying effort that began in 2018, to encourage the federal government to address cross-border sewage flows. To learn more, please visit this webpage: https://www.projectcoronado.org/cross-border-water-pollution 

3. Will EPA’s plan reduce sewage coming from the San Antonio de las Buenos treatment plant further south in Mexico? – Yes! By as much as 95%.

As noted above, discharges from the San Antonio de los Buenos Treatment Plant are the primary source of ocean pollution in Imperial Beach and Coronado during the summer months. The plant accepts untreated sewage from neighborhoods in western Tijuana as well as up to 28 million gallons per day of water from the Tijuana River.

EPA’s plan would reroute the Tijuana River water that currently goes to the San Antonio de las Buenos Plant to the expanded International Treatment Plant and to the new primary treatment plant that will be built on the U.S. side of the border. Instead of being discharged untreated into coastal waters, this water will be treated and either used as recycled water in Mexico or discharged 3 miles offshore from the South Bay Ocean Outfall.

The sewage from neighborhoods in western Tijuana that currently goes to the San Antonio de las Buenos Treatment Plant will continue to go to the plant, however, the plant will be reconstructed so that it can reliably treat up to 5 million gallons per day of raw sewage.

In combination, these projects will mean that raw sewage is no longer discharged directly into coastal waters from the San Antonio de las Buenos Plant. EPA estimates that these projects will reduce beach closures in Imperial Beach and Coronado by up to 95%.

4. Since the Spreckels Center does not have the word “senior” anywhere on the facility, does the City have a true “senior center” that addresses the needs of those 50 and older?

The City replaced the Coronado Senior Center with the John D. Spreckels Center in April of 2017. The City's Senior Center was operated by the Coronado Senior Association, which served about 450 members. Prior to the construction of the Spreckels Center, the City conducted a senior center needs assessment to identify community expectations and address the programming possibilities for the 8,000 adults, 50 and older, living in Coronado. In the survey, 51% of the collective respondents reported that the prior Senior Center was not designated for healthy active people; did not consider themselves a "senior" or would not go to a "senior center;" or felt it was for the very old or inactive. Prior activities were centered around table and card games. The Spreckels Center was designed to encompass a diverse community of adults and provide services with a focus on those 50 and older to include entertainment, technology, health and wellness, cultural and literary programs, as well as traditional activities. Growth in registration for programming at the facility has increased year over year, reaching a high of 1,551 in the winter of 2020, just prior to the pandemic and closure of the building. Spreckels Center staff is actively engaged with the Cultural Arts Commission and staff at the adjacent Coronado Public Library to expand programs and events, as were identified in the community, needs assessment.

5. Does the City’s affordable housing provider San Diego Interfaith Housing treat tenants in an arbitrary, unpredictable, discriminatory fashion and evict people without cause?

In response to a post on social media reflecting negatively on the City and its affordable housing manager, no, San Diego Interfaith Housing does not discriminate or evict people without cause. The City of Coronado has an inventory of 171 deed-restricted affordable housing units scattered throughout Coronado. The City has had a long-term agreement with San Diego Interfaith Housing since 2018 to renovate and manage a majority of the City's affordable housing units. Most recently, the City and San Diego Interfaith Housing celebrated the completion of work in September 2019 to rehabilitate 35 units at four facilities. The City believes Interfaith Housing, who has worked with Coronado over the past 10 years, is fair with its management of the City's low-income housing stock. San Diego Interfaith Housing Foundation is a nonprofit agency established in 1968 whose mission is to enrich the lives of low and moderate-income families, seniors and persons with disabilities through the provision of affordable housing. Interfaith has developed more than 1,500 affordable apartment homes in San Diego County. Coronado is a desirable community and many people want to live here. Other than the City's affordable housing inventory, there is a dearth of housing for low-income households. Qualifying to live in the Interfaith Housing-managed units here is important and the rules are inflexible. As with most property managers, and perhaps more so with state and federal regulations to follow, Interfaith is strict with those qualifying. Residency is based upon income limits. Failure to disclose income is one of the main reasons for evictions and future application rejections. In fact, if the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, which allocates federal and state tax credits to developers of affordable housing, discovers and reports a tenant whose household income is above the required qualification, Interfaith would be held liable for the loss of the tax credits for that unit in perpetuity. This would come in the form of an IRS penalty. Interfaith's strict approach has caused some to accuse the operator of having a discourteous demeanor. However, the City has never seen Interfaith attempt to discriminate on the basis of race or religion. Interfaith deals with income nondisclosure every year and all are treated in the same fair, professional and impartial manner. There are no exceptions. These types of complaints are rare in Coronado.

6. Are the current asphalt repairs simply “make-work” and unnecessary?

The roads we drive on are structures, much like buildings. Drivers and cyclists are primarily concerned with the condition of the top layer of the structure, but it takes the entire system to make it function properly. For asphalt concrete roads, as opposed to Portland cement concrete roads, the structural layers of the road, starting at the bottom and building up, are:

• Soil sub base
• Aggregate base (compacted stone)
• Asphalt base course (larger aggregate in the mix)
• Asphalt wearing course, fine aggregate in the mix for smoothness and to prevent moisture penetration

In the case of the 700 to 1100 blocks of Orange Avenue, there are areas where the road's aggregate base course is failing. This weakness in the pavement structure's foundation results in distressed pavement at the surface; evidenced by potholes, ruts, and depressions in the pavement.

The current work repairing the potholes, being performed by the Public Services team, addresses immediate safety and quality of service concerns, but it does not resolve the underlying issue. Until the structure's foundation is repaired, potholes and cracks will continue to arise.

The City worked with the California Department of Transportation over the past four years to schedule and fund a pavement structure rehabilitation project for Orange Avenue. This project was included in Caltrans' current fiscal year budget and has been designed, completed, and awarded. Due to seasonal traffic concerns, the work is planned to begin in late September 2018. In the interim, the current surface patches will provide the residents and guests of Coronado with a safe driving experience.

7. Does refinancing the former redevelopment agency’s bonds and loans create more density in Coronado?

The short answer is no.

The refinancing of these bonds and loans - otherwise known as the outstanding debt of Coronado's former redevelopment agency - by its governing body, the Successor Agency, cannot possibly affect the density of the town. There is no correlation. No new development is needed to pay off the outstanding debt, which was the result of funds used over the past 15 years to build City facilities and Coronado Unified School District schools. What is currently paying off that outstanding debt is tax increment revenue from the School District's share of property taxes and there is more than enough collected annually to pay off the bonds and loans, and then some.

Property taxes in Coronado have risen steadily over the years due to a very strong real estate market. Many of these homes pay today's tax rates because they were sold after 1978. But there are many homes in Coronado that continue to pay a property tax rate that is more than 40 years old. Approximately 82% of all single-family homes are assessed below the May 2018 median sales price. Proposition 13, which voters approved in 1978, rolled back most real estate assessments to 1975 market value levels, limited the property tax rate to 1%, and limited future property tax increases. Under Proposition 13, properties are reassessed only upon a change of ownership or the completion of new construction. Eventually, homes will be reassessed once sold, which will continue to increase the City's property tax revenues.

The refinancing of the outstanding debt of the former Coronado Development Agency, an entity separate from the City of Coronado, by the Successor Agency has been misconstrued by some in the community. The Successor Agency acted to refinance the outstanding debt solely to help the Coronado Unified School District. The Successor Agency could have continued paying the outstanding debt with the current tax increment revenue. The City is not benefitting nor is it harmed in any way from the refinancing action. It stands to gain nothing from the early payoff of the outstanding obligations of its former redevelopment agency. However, the School District will realize substantial benefits once the bonds and loans are paid off early, and for this reason, it is a benefit to the community. The sooner the debt is refinanced and paid off, the more revenue the School District will receive. The School District will receive the full amount of its allotted property tax revenues, or 32.46%, instead of it going to the former agency's debt.

The initial repayment schedule would have had the redevelopment agency's obligations paid by 2036. However, by restructuring the agency's obligations - a process similar to refinancing a home mortgage to take advantage of lower interest rates - the debt will be paid off seven years sooner. The steady rise in Coronado property values and lower interest rates are the means by which the debt will be paid off sooner. Once the restructured obligations have been paid off, the School District can remove itself from the California School Funding formula and achieve the financially preferred "basic aid" status. The School District will then receive its entire allocation of property taxes from the San Diego County Auditor-Controller.

Understanding how the refinancing works will help people understand the Successor Agency's reasons for taking this action and the School District's full support. For a full breakdown of Coronado's tax increment please view the Coronado Tax Increment Breakdown (DOCX).

8. Does the City’s affordable housing provider San Diego Interfaith Housing treat tenants in an arbitrary, unpredictable, discriminatory fashion and evict people without cause?

In response to a post on social media reflecting negatively on the City and its affordable housing manager, no, San Diego Interfaith Housing does not discriminate or evict people without cause. The City of Coronado has an inventory of 171 deed-restricted affordable housing units scattered throughout Coronado. The City has had a long-term agreement with San Diego Interfaith Housing since 2018 to renovate and manage a majority of the City's affordable housing units. Most recently, the City and San Diego Interfaith Housing celebrated the completion of work in September 2019 to rehabilitate 35 units at four facilities. The City believes Interfaith Housing, who has worked with Coronado over the past 10 years, is fair with its management of the City's low-income housing stock. San Diego Interfaith Housing Foundation is a nonprofit agency established in 1968 whose mission is to enrich the lives of low and moderate-income families, seniors and persons with disabilities through the provision of affordable housing. Interfaith has developed more than 1,500 affordable apartment homes in San Diego County. Coronado is a desirable community and many people want to live here. Other than the City's affordable housing inventory, there is a dearth of housing for low-income households. Qualifying to live in the Interfaith Housing-managed units here is important and the rules are inflexible. As with most property managers, and perhaps more so with state and federal regulations to follow, Interfaith is strict with those qualifying. Residency is based upon income limits. Failure to disclose income is one of the main reasons for evictions and future application rejections. In fact, if the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, which allocates federal and state tax credits to developers of affordable housing, discovers and reports a tenant whose household income is above the required qualification, Interfaith would be held liable for the loss of the tax credits for that unit in perpetuity. This would come in the form of an IRS penalty. Interfaith's strict approach has caused some to accuse the operator of having a discourteous demeanor. However, the City has never seen Interfaith attempt to discriminate on the basis of race or religion. Interfaith deals with income nondisclosure every year and all are treated in the same fair, professional and impartial manner. There are no exceptions. These types of complaints are rare in Coronado.

9. Is the City going to make changes at Coronado Cays Park?

Coronado Cays Park is the City's largest park at about 15 acres. It is home to the City's most highly used joint-use sports fields. Over time, the grass has become uneven and shows signs of stress and wear due to increased use. The original design of Cays Park does not reflect its current intense use. The irrigation system is old and insufficient and needs to be replaced. Replacing the irrigation system will disturb the entire park.

In seeking to address these issues and evaluate the amenities provided within the park, the City Council agreed to seek landscape architecture consulting firms in January 2019 to help assess Cays Park. The Council asked that the consultant hold one or more public workshops to develop a list of possible improvements. The list would then be used to develop designs for public review.

In July, the City Council retained Van Dyke Landscape Architects at a not to exceed amount of $107,000 to help with the park review. Van Dyke's proposal includes a total of four public workshops to help obtain and respond to resident input. The first two public workshops would be oriented toward listening and information gathering and would be held at different times of the week to encourage participation (one weeknight and one weekend day). The second two workshops would be held to present schematic designs for the park and obtain public comments and opinion on each; again, these workshops would take place at different times of the week to encourage participation. Additional public participation would be available via attendance at Parks and Recreation Commission meetings and at a presentation to the Coronado Cays Homeowners Association.

The City invites the community to participate in the first two planned public workshops, October 16 and 19, to help identify desired improvements for Coronado Cays Park. This is the beginning of a process to confirm what the public wants and explore possible changes.

There is some misinformation being widely disseminated that the City wants to eliminate or change features of the park. The City would like to clarify that there are no pre-determined plans for any changes other than the need to replace the aging irrigation system.

The City wants to keep the focus on ways to improve the park without putting forth any specific plans. The City is hosting the workshops to hear from the community, including how to deal with the difficulty with growing trees in that coastal location, underused areas, parking and the orientation of facilities such as the restroom. The landscape architect can help answer some of the questions. For more information, contact Jim Newton at 619-522-7313 or send an email to us.

10. What are the white cones along the Silver Strand State Highway?

Many residents and commuters ask about the many small cones along the Silver Strand State Highway. They are part of the Navy's Dune Restoration Project. The Navy recently updated the community about the project. Here is a synopsis: The project is a requirement of the Silver Strand Training Complex Environmental Impact Statement and supports Navy training in this area. The project provides nesting habitat for two federally protected birds, the California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover. The two-phase project will restore native coastal dune plants. The Navy began planting for phase 1 in the winter of 2012 and all plant protectors for this phase were removed in the spring of 2015. Planting for phase 2 was completed in January 2016 and the protective cones may need to be in place for up to 30 months; however, the cones will be removed as soon as plants can withstand the intense herbivory.

11. What was the odor in Coronado on Easter Sunday?

On Sunday, April 16, the City received multiple reports of a possible "noxious odor" in the Village area at about 6:30 pm Coronado and San Diego Fire crews responded to various locations to locate and identify the source of the odor. While investigating the odor, Fire officials discovered that there also were multiple reports of a similar odor at North Island Naval Air Station. Prevailing winds appeared to push the odor through the cities of San Diego and National City. No significant findings were found on detectors and monitors. A total of 20 reports were received but no source or identification of the odor was determined. The City has the personnel, training and equipment for just such potential emergencies and wants the community to know that it responded immediately, sending units out in the field with detectors and monitors to reach the source. Since there was no hazardous material detected, no further action could be taken. The health and well-being of the community is the Number 1 concern for public safety officials. No one in the community was in any danger. If the City's equipment had detected a source and identified the odor, actions would have been taken immediately to secure the threat, including notifications, public announcements, community outreach and local evacuations, if required. Coronado residents acted properly in calling the City and public safety officials encourage residents and visitors to call 911 if they smell, hear or see something that could pose a danger to the community. The City thanks you for your involvement.

12. Why is the City ending its participation in the Rotary Santa program?

For more than 60 years, the Coronado Fire Department has assisted members of the Rotary Club of Coronado with a program that enlisted its staff and firefighters, and at times a City fire engine, to deliver Christmas presents to local children on Christmas Eve.

Rotary Santa has been a tradition for many generations of Coronado residents and the City of Coronado has been pleased to be a part. However, over the years, laws, regulations, rules, expectations, and conditions have changed. The fashion in which the Rotary Santa program has evolved required City employees to collect, catalog, secure, store, and account for wrapped Christmas presents. Although most employees performed these tasks willingly, the duties associated with the Rotary Santa program were above and beyond the scope of work for Fire Department employees and are not included in any Civil Service Commission-approved job description. While collecting and housing the gifts, the Fire Station became the temporary home to wrapped packages of unknown origin, raising security and liability concerns. On Christmas Eve, the alarm can ring at any time requiring the Fire Department to jump into action and forcing the volunteer Santas to exit the Fire Station and wait until the on-duty firefighters returned before resuming loading the presents for delivery.

To allow the Fire Department and its firefighter/paramedics to focus on their core mission, Rotary was advised a year ago that other arrangements would need to be made. The City offered free space in the Golf Course parking lot to house a storage container and the City also made available at no cost the Boathouse Club Room before Christmas to sort and load the presents for delivery. However, Rotary found a better alternative. The City is pleased that Rotary will continue the tradition of dressing up as Santa Claus and delivering gifts to Coronado families on December 24.

Coronado continues to support many community Christmas programs. The Fire Department and other City facilities will receive unwrapped presents in bins for several Christmas-related causes. In these cases, the gifts are unwrapped, staff involvement is minimal, and the expectation of custodial care is very low.

13. Why were two palms recently removed from the beach?

The City removed two small palms from the beach recently, including one this week, due to safety reasons. Both trees were not planted by the City and appear to have been "volunteer" trees, which usually spring up on their own from seeds placed on the ground naturally. The first tree was infested with bees and its base was rotted. The second palm leaned and was in danger of falling over.