NATIONAL CITY, Calif. (KGTV) — Pepper Park is officially back open with new amenities, marking the completion of phase one of the National City Balanced Plan.
The Plan is a vision shared between the Port of San Diego and the city of National City to create more access to the waterfront for both locals and tourists, while also generating economic growth.
While Pepper Park is in National City, the Port of San Diego owns the property because it sits on the bayfront. The Port funded the renovations with millions of dollars from federal and state funds, plus donations from stakeholders.
Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, the Port unveiled the park's new features, which include the first and only splash pad in the Port's park portfolio.
"I love the splash pad, because like, it's been really hot," Aria Gomez, who says she's grown up playing at the park with her dad. "And I like the park because it's like a pirate theme."
Lesley Nishihira, Vice President of Planning and Development for the Port of San Diego, led the park renovations after years of community input. She said the community's feedback was clear: the community wanted space for families.
With families coming first in phase one, officials are now moving on to phase two, which will move towards commercial development.
National City Mayor Ron Morrison said he introduced the National City Balanced Plan in December of 2014, and it was recently approved by the Port and the California Coastal Commission.
Nishihira said the plan allows for a future RV park and two future hotels.
"So we're focusing our efforts on the infrastructure that's needed to support that commercial development," Nishihira said.
Morrison said the landscape for economic development has recently changed, moving away from retail, which used to be the biggest driver.
"One of the best ways now to have municipal revenue hotels," Morrison said.
While city leaders are excited about the park's reopening, generating tax revenue for National City remains a major goal, as the City is among the lowest-income in San Diego County.
"I am in love with it," National City Planning Commissioner Randi Castle-Salgado said. "But we've seen Chula Vista get expansive. We've seen San Diego get expansive. So I would like to see some additional TOT tax and the same for National City," Castle-Salgado said.
National City Planning Commissioner Liliana Armenta said she wants more options on the bayfront for the Navy base in National City to use.
"Everybody wants to come out and just get off the ship. They want to just have a day off," Armenta said.
National City Council Member Jose Rodriguez said that seeing the reopening of Pepper Park gives him confidence that this is a step toward giving residents full access to their own bayfront.
"We need to make better use of our public tidelands, to help support the businesses that are here, and at the same time allow for additional development to continue to bring in additional jobs and revenue that our city deserves," Rodriguez said. "We don't have additional land, so we must constantly look at redevelopment, and this is the best land that is publicly available in the city, it's 150 acres, and it's currently used as a parking lot, so we need to make better use of it."
Morrison said requests for proposals for additional hotels are expected to begin in the next couple of months.
Nishihira said the Port's new focus will be on getting its design plans and then working to negotiate a lease with GB Capital.
