Hanalei Hotel Expansion Into Floodplain

Hanalei Hotel in Mission Valley plans on a 10,000 square foot "exhibit hall/convention center") closer to the San Diego River--and its sometimes volatile flooding. In this post-Hurricanes Katrina and Ike world, one would think local decision makers would "just say no" to such floodplain plans--which City Council Policy 600-14 calls "unwise." However, on October 6, 2008, City Council denied the CEQA appeal (of the Mitigated Negative Declaration) of RVPP, Sierra Club (SD), Audubon (SD), and the Mission Valley Community Council. The appeal points included unmitigated impacts to water quality (lack of stormwater runoff filtering prior to discharge into San Diego river--to the "maximum extent practicable" as local code requires), lack of required wetlands buffer, lack of required parking in structures, and lack of adjacent 100 year flood channel as "anticipated" by the Atlas Specific Plan--the governing legal document for the property. At the hearing, Mr. Dan Weber, Hanalei Hotel owner, testified that he did not think any wetlands buffer requirement applied to his land. Councilmember Frye did not challenge him on this point and made the motion to approve the CEQA document (Mitigated Negative Declaration--which means any impacts have been mitigated). It is not clear whether she was misled by his inaccurate belief or whether she knows a buffer is required and did not think her Council members would support her enforcing the buffer requirement. It is known that both she and Council member Faulconer have publicly stated they oppose floodplain development and signed a pledge to ecological designer Jim Bell--in return for his endorsement of their Council candidacies. However, this was not expressed in their votes to approve this floodplain project. Below are 2 pages from the Atlas Specific Plan which show that appeal points are valid--that a wetlands buffer is required, and that 75% of parking is required in stuctures whereas none exists or is planned.

The Mitigated Negative Declaration omitted discussion of the aformentioned appeal points--continuing the Development Services "approve by omission" tactics. In reply to public comments (MND Reply 76), Development Services stated that any Future expansion would require removal of parking spaces (at least 60) from the wetlands buffer; and placing it in parking structures. In other words, the owner was allowed to get away without the required buffer--as a cost cutting measure. The San Diego River Wetlands Management Plan requires a vegetative buffer. The Atlas Specific Plan requires compliance with the Wetlands Management Plan; and that the buffer be 30 to 50 feet wide. Instead, City Council approved a 10 foot wide, cement, bike/walking path; and at least 60 parking spaces in the buffer--which is contrary to the Wetlands Management Plan which allows only trails and passive recreation.

The appeal did bring about positive changes in the project: a new stormwater filtering system which allegedly would filter 75% of parking lot; and moving the planned bike trail out of wetlands and into what is now asphalt parking lot.

Page 5-95 from Atlas Specific Plan/Hanalei Hotel section:


Page 4-1 from Atlas Specific Plan:


Figure 48 from Atlas Specific Plan/Hanalei Hotel section:

STARDUST GOLF COURSE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT EXPIRES: READER STORY