The “Eastern Urban Center” (now called “Millenia”) was part of the original 1993 Plan for Otay Ranch. It was to be the “University Towne Centre” of south county. It was planned for up to 3.4 million square feet. That is almost four times the size of Horton Plaza. It was also approved for 15-story buildings, so it would be an important place for office-development.
And now it represented the last chance for a significant increase in our tax-base and our jobs-base.
For reasons I do not know, in 2009 it was felt that the plan also needed a minimum footage, too, so they approved a minimum of 800,000 square feet! That’s a bit smaller than Horton Plaza! That is bizarre! And we in Crossroads missed it entirely. But as of Tuesday morning, that was the official approved minimum!
So what the staff was recommending was a minimum of 1.6 million square feet. At the Planning Commission, Crossroads spoke for a 2.5 million minimum. In part, that recognizes that brick-and-mortar retail is no longer viable, but still a healthy tax and jobs base number. In a letter to the council members, Crossroads had recommended that same 2.5 million, and especially for office development.
The Planning Commission approved the 1.6 million a month ago and last night the Council also approved that 1.6 million number. So Chula Vista probably lost its last chance for a significant increase in its tax-base and jobs-base. Perhaps their success in their last two attempts to raise our taxes has encouraged them believe that any time they need more,
Chula Vistans will loyally approve tax-measures so we need not worry about increasing our tax-base or our jobs-base.
Peter Watry resides in Chula Vista.
