The City of San Diego is working to fix a zoning mistake in Barrio Logan that reclassified two parks, including Chicano Park, for commercial use.
In 2021, the City Council approved Barrio Logan’s community plan to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood and approved the project to build a park on the empty lot located on Boston Avenue near the on-ramp to Interstate 5 South.
Construction was slated to start in 2029. However, the lot was sold by Caltrans to a car wash company in December 2025.
“For many years, we’ve been trying to improve this area for residents,” said Julia Corrales, president of the Barrio Logan Community Planning Group.
The error occurred during the plan’s adoption by the Coastal Commission in 2023, when the property and Chicano Park were incorrectly classified for commercial use.
“I think the issue is that where that property is, there’s a community that was deeply harmed by environmental racism,” Corrales said, warning that increased traffic and commercial activity could worsen environmental conditions in the area.
Caltrans, for its part, said in a statement that state law requires the sale of surplus land that is no longer needed for operational purposes or transportation projects, a process carried out through auctions to the highest bidder.
Councilmember Vivian Moreno, who represents Barrio Logan, called the situation an example of why many people distrust government.
“These are mistakes that shouldn’t happen in decisions with such a significant impact on communities,” she said.
In response to the controversy, the San Diego City Council voted Tuesday to unanimously correct both errors and reclassify the lands as park space, in line with the original community plan. The next step is to get approval from the coastal commission.
This story was translated from Spanish with the help of a generative AI tool. An NBC 7 journalist edited the article for publication.