San Diego River Park Master Plan Flows On

Following passage of the plan, Sherman, who represents the vast majority of communities along the San Diego River, thanked his colleagues for their support.

“It’s a great example of what can be accomplished when community groups, the business community, and government work together to achieve a common goal,” he said.

Anthony Wagner, chair of Navajo Community Planners, Inc. (NCPI), which makes land-use recommendations to the city for Allied Gardens, Del Cerro, San Carlos and Grantville, hailed passage of the San Diego River Park Master Plan, describing it as having “limitless potential.”

“Because of the San Diego River Park Master Plan, the San Diego River will be seen as San Diego’s historical living treasure for decades to come,” Wagner said adding, “I believe our greatest civic accomplishments on the San Diego River have yet to be realized.”

Wagner recalled as a child looking out over the Grantville portion of the Friars Road Bridge and thinking the San Diego River was just the small portion below.

“It wasn’t until I was much older did I learn that the San Diego River was part of a much larger ecosystem that traveled 52 miles from just north of Santa Ysabel to Ocean Beach,” he said.

Pointing out the San Diego River’s rich history, Wagner noted, “It could be labeled America’s first river because of its fresh water use dating back to San Diego’s first Spanish explorers in 1542.”   

“The San Diego River Park Master Plan, ratified by the City Council this week, goes a long way to validate and cherish the River’s long history, not only with Spanish explorers, but San Diego’s rich Native-American roots,” Wagner added.

The Draft 2013 San Diego River Park Master Plan (Master Plan) is a planning policy document that encompasses the length of the San Diego River within the limits of the City of San Diego. The Master Plan begins at the east boundary of the city and the City of Santee, winding its way through Mission Trails Regional Park, past the historic Mission de Alcala, through Mission Valley and finally to the mouth of the river at the Pacific Ocean within in Mission Bay Park.

The river park policy document provides guidance for land-use decisions along the San Diego River for property owners, elected officials and citizens engaged in the development of the river valley through establishment of a vision, principles, recommendations, design guidelines, implementation strategies and a regulatory framework.

The San Diego River Master Plan is closely aligned with the city’s General Plan goals for land use, mobility, urban design, economic prosperity, public facilities, recreation, conservation and historic preservation. Implementation of the plan will rely on both private and public investment in the river valley and includes implementation tools such as maintenance, management and security strategies, and public outreach/education methods to make the river park a success.

The Master Plan is the result of grassroots efforts begun by the San Diego River Park Alliance (2001) and the San Diego River Park Foundation working in partnership with the city of San Diego, community planning groups and advisory bodies.

“Their continued involvement will be important to its successful implementation,” said Sherman.