Pepper Park expansion anchors National City waterfront overhaul – NBC 7 San Diego

National City and the Port of San Diego have reached an agreement on a long-awaited plan to improve the city’s access to the San Diego Bayfront.

The National City Balanced Plan is an agreement that expands Pepper Park, adds hotels, and increases public access without adding new land.

“We did something magical,” said Mayor Ron Morrison.

National City, home to roughly 58,000 people, has about three miles of land along San Diego Bay. Morrison said none of it provides direct public access.

“We’re the only city on the West coast that has either bayfront or oceanfront that does not have one inch of public access,” Morrison said.

100% of National City land along San Diego bay is used by maritime industries or the U.S. Navy. The only way for the public to connect to the bay is through the Sweetwater River flood control channel.

Pepper Park, which has been closed for more than a year during phase one of construction, is expected to reopen in the next few weeks. Crews have been testing new sprinklers, polishing picnic tables, and preparing the playground ahead of its return.

Under the Balanced Plan, Pepper Park will expand by more than a couple of acres. The plan also includes two new hotels, an RV park, and commercial opportunities along the waterfront.

“We’re going to end up with more land, and they’re going to end up with more land. It’s new math, but it works,” Morrison said.

The “new math” refers to a creative reconfiguration of roads along the bay. By closing and relocating certain roadways, both the city and maritime operations gain usable space, balancing public access with the needs of the maritime industry and the U.S. Navy.

The plan also creates a more symbiotic relationship with Chula Vista’s Bayfront, including the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center.

Morrison said the idea behind the plan is more than a decade in the making.

“I presented it to the Port a little over 11 years ago, in the exact same form that we just got approved. It took 11 years,” Morrison said.

Morrison said bids for the two new hotels should go out in the next two months. In the meantime, National City and the Port of San Diego will focus on implementation and funding plans to move the project forward.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.