Held at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center on June 18, Chula Vista Mayor began his 2024 State of the City Adress by saying, “This is Chula Vista’s decade.”
McCann said it is an honor to serve as the city’s mayor and be part of the transformation in improving the quality of life for its residents.
“Serving in local government for the past 20 years we have taken the small town of Chula Vista to a vibrant city that is a regional leader,” he said. “As a husband and father, I am committed to putting public safety first, getting homeless off the streets, investing in road maintenance, and most importantly, improving the quality of life for the citizens of Chula Vista. I will continue to uphold that commitment.”
Leading the city means having a big vision, said McCann. But also includes doing the daily hard business of local government.
“The example of this vision is unfolding right before our eyes,” he said. “The bayfront, the University City library, and the recruiting efforts for a four-year university. But what else is part of the big vision? It is a cop on the street at 3 a.m. It is a firefighter on 24/7 duty. It is an emergency dispatcher helping a frantic parent. It is Public Works clearing storm drains months in advance of the storm. It is park rangers keeping our parks safe and clean. A well-run city. A livable city, and a desirable city can do big things and the basic services. Building a future and keeping families safe, both are necessary.”
McCann said the most dramatic example of Chula Vista’s progress is the construction of the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center on the bayfront.
“Gaylord Pacific is on time, on budget, and ready to open in May 2025,” he said. “Once completed, it will have 1,600 guest rooms and stand 22 stories high. This $1.3 billion project will create 2,900 jobs and has already created 7,000 construction jobs. With 500,000 room nights already booked, it is clear this will have a huge impact on our local economy.”
McCann said further improvements on the bayfront is the groundbreaking of the 21-acre bayfront Sweetwater Park, and a June groundbreaking for Pacifica’s 35-acre Amara Bay community, with residential condominiums, retail, office, and hotel space.
McCann said he is a “fierce advocate” for affordable home ownership.
“I want to ensure that the younger generation has the opportunity to purchase a home in Chula Vista,” he said. “This is why I worked with Sunbow to approve a new masterplan community for entry-level, for sale homes in Otay Ranch. The new Sunbow community will include 722 home ownership residences.”
McCann said the old Sears property will be transformed into a “thriving home ownership community,” with 244 for sale residences, named Citrus Bay.
McCann said the city is building a new library for the first time since 1995.
“Our university library, located in Millenia, will be a four-story state-of-the-art library. It will lay the foundation for our four-year university,” he said.
On the city’s budget, McCann said the city is fiscally responsible.
“We are good stewards of taxpayer’s money,” he said. “This year we have a balanced budget with fully funded rainy day funds,” he said.
The city has been an innovator for getting homeless off the streets, said McCann, thanking the Homeless Outreach Team for going out every week to meet those living on the streets, offering them resources and shelter, adding that the city recently added two additional positions for the HOT team.
“It is my priority to get homeless off the streets and to prevent homeless encampments in the city of Chula Vista,” he said.
The mayor said he was especially happy to bring back the Starlight Parade last year.
“After several years of a hiatus, that was one of my major roles as mayor. As a child I was able to walk the parade as a member of the safety patrol. The Starlight Parade truly unites our community. With nearly 70,000 attendees last December, it was the largest attendance ever,” he said.
McCann said he is proud that the Loma Verde Community Center is remodeled and now open for the next generation. He said he continues to work on his “passion project,” the Filipino-American Veterans Memorial Park in honoring the community’s large Filipino veteran population.
“This will be the first park that commemorates their service,” he said. “I was also proud to work with the community members to open Hilltop Park for dogs. I am also happy to announce that Harborside Park is finally reopening. I have continuously fought with residents to get Harborside Park reopened as there are limited parks in District 4. The park will have new amenities and programs. As mayor, I will not allow public space to be taken over by homelessness and drug use. We are limited by state and federal laws, but I assure you that I will do everything I can to make sure the city is cleaner, safer, and better.”
McCann said public safety is his highest priority.
“The fire department responded to more than 29,000 calls for service last year. And ambulances transported nearly 20,000 patients,” he said. “We are making a substantial investment in our fire department. Fire Station 1 was built in 1947 and is now being fully remodeled. This is our oldest and busiest fire station in the city of Chula Vista, and one of the busiest in the U.S. and the state of California. Last year we graduated 22 graduates from the fire academy and are now working throughout the city in the fire department. This year we will have another fire academy with 22 new recruits who are tracked to graduate in August. Soon we will have two new additional fire stations. Fire Station 11 in Otay Ranch, scheduled to open in early 2025, and Fire Station 12 on the bayfront, expected to be operational in May 2025.”
McCann said the city continues to be one of the safest cities in the county, the state, and the U.S.
“Our police department continues to receive national recognition for the innovative drone as first responder program. We now have a live 9-1-1, allowing police officers to listen in on calls received by the dispatcher, so that they gain situational awareness before arriving at the scene.”
