Re “After years of silence, plan for polarizing Topgolf venue on San Diego Bay on path to approval” (July 19): The Topgolf project has no place on our public tidelands.
Prior developments have converted sandy shorelines to inaccessible riprap and concrete bulwarks, filled in wetlands and degraded the bay’s historical scenic character.
Topgolf would be the crowning insult by erecting an inappropriate high-end golf facility with 170-foot-tall (17 stories!) netting surrounding a 4.5-acre driving range, preventing public access or use.
This should be an unthinkable use for one of the last portions of public trust lands in North Bay that could be dedicated as a large park with natural habitats, accessible to San Diegans of all incomes.
The draft environmental impact report does not accurately assess Topgolf’s direct conflicts with the Public Trust Doctrine and Coastal Act. It uses selective locations to analyze scenic effects, downplaying Topgolf’s destructive impacts; fails to effectively evaluate its impacts on our bird and wildlife populations; and minimizes traffic concerns.
— Bill Tippets, La Jolla