This story came from notes taken by Alfredo Sanchez at a Imperial Beach City Council meeting last month The Documenters program trains and pays community members to document what happens at public meetings Outdoor pickleball may be coming to Imperial Beach Councilmembers voiced support for building new courts at Sports Park on Imperial Beach Boulevard near the Tijuana River Estuary The project would cost an estimated $750,000 to $1 million A funding source has not yet been identified Crews would need to potentially remove trees or existing walkways as well as build the courts and install fences “The merits of the sport itself cannot be overstated,” Mayor Paloma Aguirre said at a City Council meeting last month “It’s incredible how this type of sport has brought us the ability to not just recreate in a safe way for all ages The council considered multiple factors when recommending a location for the new courts including additional noise to nearby residences Councilmembers had also considered Veterans Park near the Imperial Beach Library Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association Sports Park’s recreation center already offers the option of indoor courts Several community members voiced support for the new courts saying that many find it difficult to play at the next-closest courts at Coronado Cays due to large crowds Imperial Beach resident Katy Turner said she signed up for a Saturday morning pickleball class at Southwestern College in Chula Vista for a place to play “I’m trying to be more active in my senior years and this is certainly a sport I can engage in wholeheartedly at this point,” she said at the council meeting Mayor Pro Tem Carol Seabury asked about the possibility of hosting tournaments to potentially generate revenue but city staff said the current design may be too small Aguirre also asked staff to look into a reservation system for the courts and any associated costs Staff will present construction plans to the council at a later date for final approval sometimes serves up 20-plus-foot waves that break up to a half-mile from shore Even as the surfing population has exploded, however, IB remains empty in comparison to the rest of San Diego, thanks to the pollution that plagues its waters. Surfers in IB don’t just check the surf cams and swell forecasts—they monitor the water data from the nearby International Boundary and Water Commission “It’s almost a science to go out for a surf and not get sick,” says resident Dwayne Fernandez “My wife hates that I still surf here; she gets worried I check the reports every day to see if it’s safe I may have to drive over an hour just to get in the ocean—and I live minutes from the beach in IB.” Anything that exceeds the limits of the SBIWTP comes out as raw sewage clearly visible in the water as a dark brown plume with an accompanying nasty smell The sewage flow can sometimes hit hundreds of millions of gallons in a single day “You don’t want to be out there when that happens and it can happen quickly,” says Adam Wraight But that hasn’t stopped some residents, despite mandates prohibiting surfing and swimming during beach closures when there are so many other good waves—with cleaner water—in the county It’s partly a point of local pride. The surf history in IB runs deep. Stories of the Tijuana Sloughs on its good days are the stuff of legend, discussed in hushed tones in the core San Diego surf community “The Sloughs was never a spot meant for everyone,” says Jeff Knox, a former lifeguard and lifelong IB surfer. “The paddle-out alone was enough of a deterrent for most. The shorebreak took care of the rest. It’s mostly locals out there; we like it that way. It’s one of the best waves around and We need all the help we can get—the more attention It’s also been part of the deal for decades [and] we’ve always had to deal with pollution,” Knox adds it’s never been as bad as the last 10 years The last five have been absolutely terrible.” Additionally, there’s the simple fact of convenience. While IB’s median rent cost of $3,000 is well under the staggering housing costs in other surf-adjacent ’hoods like Encinitas and Del Mar locals still pay a pretty penny to live a few blocks from the beach And they often pay a price for surfing there Scientists have identified 175 toxic pollutants in IB’s waters Surfers have contracted everything from diarrhea and bacterial infections like MRSA to neurological disorders and hepatitis A I check the flows daily and monitor the testing just to see if I can go for a surf during my break or after work There are plenty of people who don’t check anything—they just see waves and go out—but even they get spooked when they hit the water and everything feels and smells wrong,” Wraight says “Our responsibilities are definitely different from other [lifeguard] stations and so much of what we do revolves around the pollution and it takes a toll on morale and recruitment.” The problem has driven some local diehards from the water completely. Ramon Chairez, an activist and educator with the nonprofit Un Mar de Colores he “made a conscious decision to stop surfing IB,” he says “I saw too many people around me getting sick The last five to 10 years have really been pivotal in the consciousness of the population especially the kids—they know it’s polluted and unsafe.” can no longer take participants into the area’s waters They must head to other neighborhoods or stick to land-based activities “The biggest tragedy is the youth,” Wraight says “They’re growing up not being able to enjoy the ocean like we did—their whole life experience is affected by the pollution.” Chris Dodds has been falling in love with San Diego for the past 10 years He's passionate about the protection and preservation of our natural areas By clicking subscribe you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions Email: [email protected] By clicking Subscribe you’re confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions Email: [email protected] © Copyright 2023 San Diego Magazine 1230 Columbia Street (KGTV) — On Tuesday EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin pledged action on the South Bay Sewage crisis speaking exclusively with ABC 10News after seeing and smelling the problem firsthand ABC 10News went back to the South Bay to hear directly from residents on what they think will happen next A majority of the people who spoke with ABC 10News reporter Laura Acevedo said they don't feel this visit will have much of an impact now it's getting worse," said longtime resident Mike Sanchez Zeldin vowed to pressure Mexico into taking action to fix the problem on the south side of the border His visit included touring several locations in the South Bay He also met with his counterparts from Mexico "We're coming here with an incredible sense of urgency that can be executed to permanently end this," said Zeldin on Tuesday during his exclusive interview with ABC 10News reporter Laura Acevedo Zeldin said he'd hold Mexico accountable for doing their part which was welcome news for people like longtime resident Louis Cormier "I don't know that anybody has ever really held them accountable but what's going to be the repercussions if they don't do anything," said Cormier didn't specify what accountability looks like which is leading to skepticism from some in Imperial Beach "We've had so many people just come and interview and talk and evaluate and then they go back to Washington and nothing gets done," said Elayne Cormier Only time will tell if this time around is different everyone 10News spoke to Wednesday expressed hope that this problem will finally get the attention they've been asking for Official website of the State of California What you need to know: Working alongside federal Governor Newsom helped secure an additional $250 million in critical funding to address cross-border pollution from the Tijuana River This funding allows for the full repair and expansion of the South Bay sewage treatment plant SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that President Biden has signed a federal funding bill allocating $250 million to fully repair and expand the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant near the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego secured in partnership with California’s congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration will reduce untreated sewage flows into California’s coastal waters and improve public health and environmental conditions in the region The sewage crisis is not only impacting public health and ecosystems and species in coastal communities but has also led to local beach closures for 1,000 consecutive days It has significantly impacted the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people Navy Seal special operation forces who train in those waters a long-standing environmental and public health issue communities in the Tijuana River Valley have borne the brunt of this cross-border pollution crisis Today’s funding marks a long-term turning point — we are delivering the resources needed to protect public health and give residents the clean air and water they deserve Governor Newsom has helped secure critical funding and support to address cross-border pollution from the Tijuana River while holding authorities accountable to expedited timelines Securing federal funding: In partnership with California’s congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration, Governor Newsom has now helped secure $703 million in federal funding — $353 million this year and $350 million last year— for critical upgrades to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant The upgrades will significantly reduce the flow of untreated sewage into California’s coastal waters Governor Newsom meets with Senior Advisor to the President John Podesta and other top White House officials to advocate for funding to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis State investments to clean up the area, provide air filters to communities: In October, the County announced plans to purchase and distribute $2.7 million worth of air purifiers for local residents California has allocated $35 million in state funding to address pollution in the Tijuana River Valley and support cleanup efforts: Expedited timelines: Federal authorities committed to expediting construction timelines to more quickly repair infrastructure to mitigate sewage flows Public health and air quality monitoring: California public health officials have been working closely with local authorities to monitor air quality and support public health efforts to protect the community. The state helped get the CDC to deploy resources on the ground and assess public health conditions The state has also supported the local air district on air monitoring and mitigation strategies to protect public health including replacing and installing additional pumps replacing a junction box and temporary influent pipe and rehabilitating all mechanical parts for sedimentation tanks the Governor met with White House officials to push for action to address this crisis Press Releases, Recent News News What you need to know: The Governor honored the contributions of fallen California law enforcement officers at the annual California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony California – Honoring the contributions of fallen California peace officers,.. News What you need to know: California applied to the federal government today to update the state's benchmark plan which would expand coverage requirements for essential health benefits (EHBs) like hearing aids and wheelchairs in the individual and small group.. News What you need to know: California remains the #1 state for tourism with record-high tourism spending reaching $157.3 billion in 2024 the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric are driving away tourists © Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page (KGTV) – The Mayor of Imperial Beach was not pleased with the response she got from the EPA I received this later from acting [EPA] regional administrator Cheree Peterson,” Mayor Paloma Aguirre said Her letter to new EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin had requested a reconsideration of a Superfund designation for the Tijuana River Valley amid the sewage crisis “While EPA has been involved in some of these proposed actions and plans to continue this engagement the report doesn’t contain new information that would warrant changing EPA’s Superfund-related decision as stated in our Jan 3 letter,” Aguirre read from the letter she received from the EPA “They were pointing back to their rejection last time we submitted the request.. That they didn’t find there was any new information that they could base a second look on,” she said.The EPA's letter denied Aguirre's request to Zeldin in which she asked him to reconsider designating the Tijuana River Valley as a superfund site “This is a public health ticking time bomb We cannot afford to continue to have empty promises or statements that say ‘We understand and we’re with you,’ but no real action,” Aguirre said The EPA’s Superfund program is tasked with cleaning up some of America’s most contaminated lands and responding to environmental emergencies This isn’t the first time local politicians have asked the EPA to step in ABC 10News was there last year when County Supervisor Terra Lawson Remer stood side by side with Aguirre and other leaders in the South Bay asking the site to receive a superfund designation leading to the later letter and request for reconsideration I’m tired of the empty promises,” Aguirre said as she ripped the letter in half during the interview Below you'll find the EPA's rejection letter that Aguirre tore up in our interview: Earlier, Zeldin did acknowledge the need to get involved. On March 8, he wrote on X “I was just briefed that Mexico is dumping large amounts of raw sewage into the Tijuana River “We need to make sure we are protecting the health of South County residents I don’t feel like I can trust neither the county nor the EPA to do that,” Aguirre said An EPA spokesperson sent ABC 10News the following statement on Tuesday after we asked if there was any more context on the reconsideration request in Aguirre’s letter: “EPA found that the Tijuana River Valley was not eligible under the law EPA continues to collaborate with all other involved agencies on both sides of the border to actively monitor of the situation We are gravely concerned by the situation and appreciate the Mayor contacting us.” I was just briefed that Mexico is dumping large amounts of raw sewage into the Tijuana River and it’s now seeping into the U.S.This is unacceptable Mexico MUST honor its commitments to control this pollution and sewage Most of the shoreline at Imperial Beach is open Monday following three years of nearly continuous closure from sewage and pollution at the South Bay city's beaches San Diego County's Department of Environmental Health and Quality lifted the beach closures in Imperial Beach for Cortez Avenue and the end of Seacoast Drive less than two miles from the International Border the majority of the Imperial Beach shoreline is now open and safe for public use," said San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas "With water from Seacoast Drive north meeting state health standards residents and visitors can once again enjoy our beautiful coastline having our beaches open and safe should be the norm There is still more work to be done to reopen the remaining shoreline and I remain committed to pushing for comprehensive solutions to this long-standing environmental issue because our families deserve clean for several meetings with federal and Mexican officials on environmental issues such as the Tijuana River Valley pollution She is now in New York City for Climate Week NYC where she "will join global leaders to discuss climate change strategies and explore partnerships that support local efforts to address climate-related issues." the county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to continue a local emergency declaration due to U.S.-Mexico transboundary pollution following reports of noxious gases near the border The board first approved an emergency proclamation in June 2023 in response pollution and sewage flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border The board's vote followed a news conference in which Vargas said the air quality in the area does not pose a public health threat despite foul odors from the Tijuana River Valley and elevated levels of gases "I want to reassure everyone that this is not an imminent threat and it's safe to be outside and attend school," Vargas said "Our county experts are actively gathering public health data and conducting research to provide the most accurate information "It's unacceptable that South County residents have to worry about whether it's safe to go outside," she added "I'm fighting every day to address the root of this issue you can trust the data — we've got your back." said there are dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide in the air "This is the single-most public health and environmental justice emergency in the county right now," said Davidson who added an urgent response from the county is needed "We implore all of you on the board and all of us in this room to find the courage to ask ourselves what more we can do A key to improving environmental conditions is to fix the Punta Bandera wastewater treatment plant The shoreline from the border to the southern reach of Seacoast Drive - - the Tijuana Slough — remains closed to the public as bacteria levels there remain high Joshua Lopez is putting up his Christmas lights early this year Lopez and Perez decorated their tiny kitchen with lights and tinsel in hopes of cheering him up an elementary school special ed technician in Chula Vista is rushing to figure out whether this will be his family's last Christmas in that apartment was ordering them to move out by the end of January The company had issued a mass eviction notice to everyone at the 64-unit apartment complex The notice said San Diego-based F&F was planning significant renovations to the building — a legal reason for landlords to evict their tenants in California The company attached permits outlining its plans to add new floors a company spokesperson said F&F had taken steps to make the eviction process easier for their tenants including giving everyone three months’ notice and not charging the final month’s rent The company also said it will return everyone's full security deposit "F&F Properties is going above and beyond what the law requires to ensure the smoothest of transitions," said a company spokesperson and several other Hawaiian Gardens residents said the evictions would upend their lives and force dozens of young families older retirees and longtime Imperial Beach residents out into an unforgiving housing market they’re urging city leaders to intervene by passing a local tenant protection law that would halt their evictions before the end of January but says he and many of his neighbors are holding out hope you won't be faced with a similar situation — whether it’s months or years down the line," he said "We’re hoping to be able to make some kind of difference." Hawaiian Gardens isn’t the only building in the city bracing for this kind of eviction retired bus driver Sherman Qualls is preparing to receive his own notice illuminating their DVD collection and two decades of family photographs The building is a special place for Qualls particularly because its original owner was Guamanian He always suspected that the owner cut them a deal on their rent because of that In May, Qualls’ apartment building was purchased by two private equity investment companies: San Diego-based DMJ Equity and another company registered at the same address It told residents how to reach them and where to send their rent checks It also mentioned plans for significant renovations these renovations will require you to vacate the property permanently," the owners wrote He and Marie were already dealing with a flurry of other bills including medical expenses for her diabetes a broken foot and other medical conditions Qualls was also spending most of his time caretaking for her helping her eat and move around the apartment they decided to have Marie move up to Ramona to stay with her granddaughter while Qualls prepared to pack up their things Qualls and two other residents said their property manager had tried to reassure everyone that no one would be evicted immediately But that did little to quell the anxiety spreading throughout the building I can’t afford to unless I take a big portion out of my savings." DMJ did not respond to requests for comment These types of evictions have become a regular occurrence not just in Imperial Beach but across the state in recent years. That’s according to the Legal Aid Society of San Diego a nonprofit law firm that offers free legal services Legal Aid senior attorney Gilberto Vera told Imperial Beach City Council members that the firm is fielding more frequent questions about evictions for remodeling "We’re seeing substantial remodel being a reason that’s displacing tenants not just in your community but countywide," Vera said Substantial remodel evictions are partly the result of a state law that was meant to shield renters from unjust treatment That law, the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 landlords in California were free to order their tenants to leave at any time The act created new protections for renters by requiring most landlords to justify evicting someone But it did leave the door open for certain types of evictions including when a property owner wants to do significant renovations to the building That gap in the law has drawn growing criticism from many tenants’ rights groups across the state. They say some landlords can exploit it by purchasing older buildings kicking the old tenants out and putting the remodeled apartments back on the market at a higher price we're losing more and more of the naturally affordable housing," said Jose Lopez San Diego director of the tenants’ rights group Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment "It's just making it more difficult for people to make ends meet." California lawmakers agreed with that diagnosis. Last year, the state legislature voted to pass the Homelessness Prevention Act before moving forward with a remodeling-related eviction Just last month, the Los Angeles City Council voted to ban substantial remodel evictions entirely but they are now required to temporarily relocate their tenants and allow them to return after the remodeling is finished Imperial Beach officials are set to discuss these evictions for the first time Mayor Paloma Aguirre told KPBS she plans to bring the topic of substantial remodel evictions forward for an initial discussion in the first week of December "It doesn't benefit anybody putting people on the streets "I look forward to having a robust conversation on the matter with my colleagues on the council." The IB City Council has granted emergency protections to renters before. In 2022, they temporarily halted all evictions and imposed a rent cap in mobile home parks after property managers tried to exploit a loophole in state protections But a law like Los Angeles’ would be the first of its kind in San Diego County, according to Vera. Two cities, San Diego and Chula Vista have taken some steps to blunt the impact of substantial remodel evictions for renters But no cities in the area have voted to end them completely At a City Council meeting earlier this month some Imperial Beach residents also pushed back against the idea John Decker pointed out during the meeting’s public comment portion that a ballot measure that would have opened the door for cities to vote on local rent control failed earlier this month He insisted that any move by the Council in favor of tenant protections would be opposing the will of California voters "The California state rent control proposition in 2018 and in 2020 and again yesterday … have all been voted down," Decker said Residents of Hawaiian Gardens and Sussex Gardens urged the City Council to take that further step and end substantial remodel evictions outright could prevent the building’s tenants from losing their housing and potentially falling into homelessness "It's kind of like our Hail Mary," said Lopez "It's that chance that we're kind of holding on to." It’s unclear whether city officials stand on that discussion KPBS reached out to Councilmembers Mitch McKay Matthew Leyba-González and Carol Seabury for comment Sherman Qualls has begun to pack up 18 years of his life with Marie as he waits for news from the City Council The neat rows of family photographs on his living room walls are now divided by nail-studded gaps where some frames have already gone into boxes Qualls isn’t letting the circumstances get him down their medical costs will fall and they will be able to afford a better place He’s worried about what the eviction will mean for him and his mom if the City Council does not intervene He’s not sure how they will afford to move on just his salary working for the school district "Because you hear about or even you see what the markets like out there for rentals and you can't even consider purchasing He points out that Los Angeles and other cities in Northern California have done more to restrict evictions he hopes to push San Diego County to do the same "It feels like San Diego has some catching up to do," he said (KGTV) – One person was arrested and a young girl was injured after a brief pursuit in Imperial Beach ended in a crash late Tuesday night The incident unfolded just before 11:55 p.m A sheriff’s sergeant told ABC 10News a deputy began following an SUV after seeing the vehicle run a stop sign The deputy caught up to the SUV just after it crashed into a parked pickup truck on 3rd Street and Elkwood Avenue a young girl jumped out of the SUV but sustained unspecified injuries She was taken to the hospital for treatment The driver was treated by paramedics at the scene and then taken into custody Sheriff’s officials did not release any further information on the incident (CNS) - Three people suffered major injuries in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 in Imperial Beach The California Highway Patrol received an automated notification from an iPhone at 11:52 p.m Sunday about the crash north of Highway 75 The circumstances of the crash were not available but paramedics took three people to a hospital by ambulance Southbound traffic was held at Imperial Avenue while the wreckage was removed (CNS) - Crews began replacing deck planks of the Imperial Beach pier Wednesday morning part of an $2.6 million project to improve the landmark's functionality The pier will stay open during construction according to a statement from the Port of San Diego as Reyes Construction crews replace 154 of the pier's 1,500 deck planks Construction will take place on weekdays between 7 a.m "To ensure safety at and around the active work zone pedestrian traffic will be redirected around and sometimes stopped for several minutes at a time," the port statement reads with additional improvements such as electric utility upgrades to follow Work on the project began in November 2024 when crews replaced two pilings to maintain the pier's structural integrity For information and updates on this project, visit portofsandiego.org/IBPierProject The Imperial Beach City Council Wednesday proposed a set of new tenant protections in response to a mass eviction at the Hawaiian Gardens apartment complex in October The ordinance, introduced during the Council’s regular meeting, would restrict substantial remodel evictions — a specific type of eviction that many tenants and their advocates say is enabling the displacement of longtime residents It would also require landlords to report eviction data to the city The ordinance would not ban substantial remodel evictions outright It also does not include an emergency halt on any ongoing eviction cases That means dozens of renters at the 64-unit Hawaiian Gardens building are still facing eviction Many have already been forced to move out and seek housing elsewhere In the weeks since city leaders began considering protections which used to be called Sussex Gardens and is now called The Swell also began issuing eviction notices for remodeling Swell resident Brenda Bautista had sounded alarms for months that the new owner of their building, a San Diego-based private equity investor called DMJ Capital she received her own notice to move out by March “It’s like our elected officials turned their backs on us,” Bautista told KPBS in an interview after Wednesday’s meeting Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre apologized to residents of both buildings She said a stronger ordinance might not have had enough support among councilmembers “I think it’s clear that we got as far as we could for this particular ordinance,” Aguirre said “It’s not what many of you for months have asked for or needed The threat of mass evictions at the two neighboring apartment complexes has gripped public meetings in Imperial Beach since late October Landlords and several real estate industry groups like the California Apartment Association and the Southern California Rental Housing Association have shown up to council meetings and argued fiercely against new protections Speakers said most property owners were well-meaning and that stricter regulations would make it harder for them to improve aging buildings and keep rents low the Legal Aid Society of San Diego and the mayor of Lemon Grove have urged Imperial Beach’s elected officials to consider the disruption and trauma evictions can cause for working families They said councilmembers should ban substantial remodel evictions completely Even the limited ordinance divided the City Council on Wednesday The proposed law would tighten the definition of substantial remodels and raise the amount of rental assistance that landlords of large apartment buildings need to provide Councilmember Mitch McKay argued that state legislators should be the ones to set the standard for tenant protections Councilmember Carol Seabury said she thought property owners were being unfairly criticized “Generational wealth is not a bad thing,” Seabury said Several councilmembers have also repeatedly voiced concerns that the city could be sued by major real estate companies Imperial Beach has faced at least one legal threat from a property owner. In a letter to the city manager last month, Dan Feder, the new owner of the Hawaiian Gardens apartments, warned that his company was prepared to take legal action “We will vigorously defend our rights and reputation But councilmembers pointed out that state law explicitly allows local jurisdictions to adopt their own stronger protections “We are absolutely within our legal ability per the state law,” Aguirre said on Wednesday Councilmembers Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez and Jack Fisher joined the mayor in supporting the proposed protections The debate has also raised bigger questions about the city’s identity Imperial Beach has long stood out as a diverse and largely working-class community beachfront city has a median household income of just over $79,000 and almost half of all residents identify as Latino which has remained relatively affordable even as it rose in other communities in the San Diego area Tenants at Hawaiian Gardens and The Swell said their buildings were prime examples But the purchase of those complexes by real estate investors and the ensuing evictions have left many longtime Imperial Beach residents wondering whether they still have a place in the city "Our community’s fabric is unraveling," Hawaiian Gardens resident Joshua Lopez told the City Council in December told implicitly that we no longer belong because we don’t belong to a certain economic status or class." Lopez has since moved out of the building ahead of his eviction deadline but is still living in Imperial Beach Fisher suggested that rising rental prices are inevitable and that poorer residents may have to move elsewhere “We know that there’s many places in this country that are much cheaper to live than Southern California,” he said Wednesday But advocates said they were prepared to keep pushing for stronger tenant protections “I just think it means we need to keep fighting,” said José Lopez Aguino San Diego director of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment “Empower people so they have the courage to come out and speak up.” The City Council will vote on the proposed protections in the coming weeks (KGTV) – Progress is underway on the Imperial Beach Pier and surrounding areas as efforts continue to draw visitors despite ongoing sewage issues that have closed nearby beaches "IB Pier is one of the Port of San Diego's piers we own it we maintain it and we basically want to make it the nicest pier in San Diego We’ve been doing a lot of work on it the last couple of years," Dan Malcolm The Port Commissioner said looking up the coast past San Diego and down to Mexico is what makes this pier special Fishing has been a common attraction here throughout the years we’ll redo planking and look at other projects to make the pier attractive to people," Malcolm said the port hopes to bring a splash pad to the area at the base of the pier That project is estimated to cost another $1.5 million (KGTV) — Residents in Imperial Beach were able to enter the water for the first time in years on Sunday after closures were lifted The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality announced Saturday that water at the Imperial Beach Pier and Silver Strand met state health standards following recent tests The waters had been closed for more than 1,000 days due to contamination from the Tijuana River advisories remain in effect for Glorietta Bay Park Shoreline were eager to return to their home beach after spending the summer surfing elsewhere "We check every morning hoping to see green on the County’s website and today was finally one of those days," Broach said Locals have faced years of beach closures due to contamination from sewage flows in the Tijuana River Health officials warned that contact with the water during contamination periods can cause illness Surfer Frankie Poag noticed improvements in the water quality It doesn’t have that usual smell," Poag said The County cautioned that water quality could change depending on sewage flows The Imperial Beach City Council established a special committee on Wednesday that will work through the holidays to study how the city could provide stronger protections for renters The Council’s action comes as scores of tenants at Hawaiian Gardens, a 64-unit apartment building on Imperial Beach Boulevard, are facing eviction at the end of January Dozens of residents from the building and surrounding neighborhood have urged the Council to intervene for weeks It remains unclear whether city leaders will actually block those evictions The Council discussed temporarily freezing evictions on Wednesday but did not reach a final decision a Chula Vista Elementary School District technician who has lived at Hawaiian Gardens for 11 years was grateful that the Council was taking some action But he wished they had been more clear about what they might do in January "I think with the amount of time that we have I can't really hang my hat on that," Lopez told KPBS Wednesday’s discussion came after the owners of Hawaiian Gardens issued a mass eviction notice in late October had owned the building for about a year and a half when they sent out the notices meaning none of the tenants had done anything wrong the company said they were kicking everyone out so they could completely renovate the apartments Under California law, that’s a legal reason to evict someone But it's one that has drawn strong criticism from tenants’ rights advocates along with some housing attorneys and state lawmakers They argue that real estate investors can exploit these "substantial remodel evictions" by buying up older buildings Advocates say that’s what is currently unfolding at Hawaiian Gardens the company said it had gone "above and beyond" by giving residents three months’ notice and waiving some rent charges and other fees The news of the mass eviction has rocked Imperial Beach, where close to 70% of people rent their homes rather than owning them Many at Hawaiian Gardens said the decision had upended the lives of dozens of working class families and would force them out onto an unforgiving rental market dozens of renters from the building and surrounding neighborhood marched to City Hall along with organizers from the tenants rights group Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment They urged the City Council to pass an emergency freeze on evictions in the city and ban substantial remodel evictions altogether Other cities in California have implemented similar bans, including Los Angeles and South Pasadena No other cities have taken those steps yet in San Diego County Imperial Beach City Council members discussed options for stronger tenant protections Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre began the discussion arguing for a solution that would benefit both renters and property owners without displacing people during the winter holidays I think there’s a window of opportunity," she said "It’s a real concern that we may have people out on the streets.” Representatives from several landlord industry groups urged council members to proceed with caution George Ching with the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors said changes in tenant protections could hurt small landlords who are already contending with expensive construction materials and labor costs "If a property owner needs to do that and … they’ve been charging rent that’s under market value they’ll have a tough time doing that," Ching said during the public comment portion of the meeting He added that more small landlords might end up selling their properties to larger real estate investors Other property managers said they supported stronger protections deputy director of the nonprofit law clinic Legal Aid Society of San Diego told the City Council that his parents were also small landlords in Imperial Beach and that he helped them manage their properties Vera said he strongly supported reinforcing the city’s tenant protection laws "what you’re telling institutional investors is that there is open season on your naturally affordable-occurring housing." Lopez said he understood landlords’ concerns about their profits But he pointed out that he and other renters are trying to keep the only home they have "Our community’s fabric is unraveling," he said during public comment Councilmembers spent nearly an hour debating how to respond Several councilmembers said they were worried policies like an eviction freeze and a ban on substantial remodel evictions would expose Imperial Beach to expensive lawsuits that could bankrupt the city Some also blamed County of San Diego leaders and lawmakers in Sacramento for not taking more decisive action on substantial remodel evictions and other housing policy the council unanimously supported the forming of the special committee we implemented several different measures — including moratoriums — with legal liability," said Aguirre "But we did it because we cared about our community members." The Council plans to discuss the committee’s findings at their next regular meeting in January There’s new pressure to fix the cross-border sewage problem A lawsuit was filed Tuesday against the operator of the International Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Ysidro The lawsuit was filed by some Imperial Beach residents to force that operator, Veolia Water North America, to fix the problems at their plant. It’s not a class action, but a mass action lawsuit — meaning residents of Imperial Beach who have been impacted by the sewage are banding together One of those activists is a longtime body surfer Baron Partlow "I just feel that I have been assaulted and criminally trespassed on when I cannot take my grandson to the beach," said Partlow at a Tuesday afternoon news conference The law firm Singleton Schreiber is bringing the suit under California’s public nuisance law which says if someone or a company is causing a nuisance that prevents a person from normal enjoyment of their property Brett Schreiber is the lead attorney on the case there have been more than 500 incidents of raw sewage being dumped from the Veolia plant into the ocean "We believe that this environmental catastrophe could have and should have been prevented if Veolia had just simply done their job. If any of us had done our jobs as poorly as Veolia has San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer also spoke at the news conference She said she’s going to bring this issue before the County Board of Supervisors next week to explore a public lawsuit against the company "We are currently reviewing this complaint but we can already state that these allegations are meritless Veolia North America has done its best to help operate the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in the face of increasingly challenging circumstances "The overwhelming cause of the odors and pollution affecting Imperial Beach is the excessive and uncontrolled sewage flows from Tijuana much of which never even enters the South Bay plant." Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre Named Community Power Chair County of San Diego Interim Board of Supervisors Chair Terra Lawson-Remer selected to continue Vice Chair duties SAN DIEGO — With the unanimous support of seven representatives from Encinitas to the South Bay Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and the County of San Diego’s Interim Vice Chair Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer were selected on Thursday to lead the San Diego Community Power 2025 Board of Directors “Community Power is transforming how communities across the region access renewable energy while driving local economic growth and keeping costs competitive for working families,” Mayor Aguirre said “I look forward to working alongside Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer our Board and staff to build a more sustainable and affordable future for the people we serve.” Aguirre began her board service at Community Power in 2023 shortly after she was elected Mayor of Imperial Beach During the public meeting where Aguirre was selected her fellow board members commended her on her commitment to the organization’s mission to provide cleaner cost-competitive electricity to nearly one million customers across six cities and the unincorporated communities of San Diego County Supervisor Lawson-Remer was unanimously elected to continue serving as Community Power’s vice chair “Mayor Aguirre is a dedicated servant leader whose leadership will ensure Community Power continues to put the people of the greater San Diego region at the heart of its decision making,” Supervisor Lawson-Remer said “It’s an honor to support her and Community Power as we aim to bring 100% clean power to all.” it has made steady progress on its goal to provide 100% renewable energy to its customers by 2035 while reinvesting in the communities it serves Some of the significant milestones include: “Mayor Aguirre has been a dedicated board member whose actions have always put her constituents and the people of the greater San Diego region first,” Community Power Chief Executive Officer Karin Burns said “Mayor Aguirre and Supervisor Lawson-Remer are sustainability champions whose work with the Community Power team will further our goal to bring clean competitively-priced power to our customers for decades to come.” Community Power serves nearly a million municipal business and residential power customers in the cities of San Diego as well as the unincorporated communities in the County of San Diego The California Community Choice Association’s mission is to create a legislative and regulatory environment that supports the development and long-term sustainability of locally-run Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) electricity providers in California We serve our members and strengthen our collective voice through education technical guidance and regulatory and legislative advocacy Sign up for our mailing list to stay current on CCA in California Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre is calling on the county government to delay the reopening of the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park Campground citing health concerns from the adjacent river's sewage crisis "The county should be focused on cleaning up the sewage not putting a campground in it," Aguirre said "I've heard from too many residents and workers getting sick — headaches "Reopening this campground while the air and water remain compromised is dangerous to rangers and campers and a waste of our tax dollars We need the county to do its part to fix the sewage crisis a San Diego County supervisorial candidate for the April 8 special election spoke on behalf of the union for San Diego County Park Rangers That union on Thursday filed a formal cease-and-desist with the county calling for the delay of the scheduled April 1 reopening date The county says soil-testing data shows acceptable levels of pollutants while the rangers say more testing is needed "This is a safety issue — plain and simple," said Crystal Irving "County workers were never consulted about the risks of returning to the site and the county is ignoring the sewage crisis' health impacts "There are serious concerns about air quality Our members love serving the public and the outdoors but we can't responsibly welcome anyone to this campground until the sewage contamination is fixed." The campground opened in 2021 but closed in January 2024 after that month's high flooding ball fields and connects to a 22-mile trail system Aguirre called on the county to help fund additional infrastructure upgrades sewage clean-ups and push the federal government to declare a state of emergency on the sewage crisis This story came from notes taken by Thomas Vedder at a Imperial Beach City Council meeting earlier this month A cycling infrastructure project between the San Ysidro international border crossing and the Bayshore Bikeway in Imperial Beach is nearing completion and should be open for use this summer will run parallel to the trolley from the San Ysidro Port of Entry before heading west to connect to 13th Street and the bikeway The project includes new infrastructure and upgrades to bike facilities aimed at improving safety officials with the San Diego Association of Governments told the Imperial Beach City Council at a recent meeting The additional infrastructure will primarily be added at intersections with some portions having barriers separating bicycles from vehicles Intersections along the bikeway will receive curb extensions where additional foliage will be placed between sidewalks and roadways These extensions aim to create more separation between cars and pedestrians and to create a wider turning radius for cars at intersections The curb extensions will also have “bend outs” – a feature which will bring the bike path away from the street closer to pedestrian walkways at intersections The project also includes adding speed lumps to reduce vehicle speed water drainage gaps in the curbs for areas with shrubbery as well as new road signage Construction crews have been working on the project since 2023 in an effort to create safer infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians near intersections “That is the goal of this city: to make our streets safe and family-friendly,” Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre said at the meeting Construction crews are currently working at 13th and Imperial Beach Boulevard they will then move to the final intersection Mayor Pro Tem Carol Seabury asked SANDAG staff about the usage rates of bike paths in the area saying she rarely sees people using the current paths SANDAG Project Manager Madai Parra said that while they have not conducted a study to track current cyclist usage on the bike paths they did consider numerous factors on where to implement the infrastructure upgrades and that the primary aim of the project was the safety of all road users From 2015 to 2022, there were 46 accidents involving cyclists in Imperial Beach, according to data from SANDAG Many of these accidents occurred on Palm Avenue where additional bike infrastructure is not planned to be implemented Recent water quality standards meet the state’s threshold for safety The stretch of sand along the Silver Strand Peninsula down to the Imperial Beach Pier is now open “While this is a positive step forward not the exception,” said Nora Vargas chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Imperial Beach marked 1,000 days of beach closures last month due to the ongoing Tijuana sewage crisis The 1,000-day milestone is often cited when discussing the crisis but it can be confusing: The Tijuana Slough shoreline which is the southernmost stretch of IB’s coastline That’s 1,021 days ago (at time of publication) Mexico is working to repair its long-failing infrastructure; the last available progress update is here The United States also processes some of Mexico’s wastewater predominantly through the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant which is managed by the US Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission US infrastructure has also been failing due to increased capacity needs and years without sufficient budget for its maintenance. Read about current progress on repair efforts here Last month, researchers said they found unhealthy levels of hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide in the air due to contamination in the Tijuana River Valley. In response, the county sent a hazmat team to investigate “There is still more work to be done to reopen the remaining shoreline and I remain committed to pushing for comprehensive solutions to this long-standing environmental issue,” Vargas said The Coronado Times newspaper provides in-depth coverage of Coronado, CA. Our online publication has been Coronado's trusted news source for over 20 years. Our staff is local and committed to quality coverage of our Coronado community. Learn more about our publication. Send Us News Tips & Story Ideas: [email protected] Content may not be re-published online or offline without permission From Tubes To Turns, Jai Glindeman's Surfing is a Treat to Behold Gerry Lopez Goes Deep With Justin Jay On The Plug Podcast Spot Guide: Rincon Queen, of the Coast NewsAll News Events Big Wave News World Surf League Environmental Industry Wave PoolsPosts List Winners of SURFER's Emerging Brands Grant Announced New Water Quality Regulations in New York Won’t Necessarily Make Water Any Cleaner Undercover at Imperial BeachBefore his son was a rookie on the 2025 Championship Tour Cleland was an underground tube hound of the highest order he's going to be fun to watch when the Lexus Pipe Pro eventually kicks off the underground charger was just going about his business in the water when he linked up with surf photographer legend Rob Gilley “I didn't really think much of it at the time,” Al explained from the back deck of the Quiksilver house on the North Shore “Back on the beach he said he thought he got a shot of me and asked me for my info it took a couple months for Al to realize the fruits of his labor “I was with a friend of mine and he asked me to come out to his car with him So we went out to the parking lot and he pulled out this issue of SURFER Magazine “Somewhere along the way the slide was lost Nearly 40 years down the track since Gilley snapped that fateful frame and now Al has the distinct pleasure of watching his son step onto the world's stage SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre announced Monday she will run for the San Diego Board of Supervisors District 1 seat being vacated by Supervisor Nora Vargas Aguirre stated: “Whether it’s our long-neglected sewage crisis or working people’s financial struggles our communities are calling out for real leadership and change I’ve fought for change when our communities have been ignored and taken on inaction in both parties I’m ready to take that fight to the County level.” Since being elected as IB’s mayor in Nov. 2022, Aguirre has tackled numerous issues in her community – most notably the ongoing cross-border sewage crisis in the South Bay Aguirre said she intended to focus on the following issues if she’s elected to serve on the Board of Supervisors: “Stopping the sewage crisis poisoning South County’s air water and future; standing up for South County’s fair share for housing public safety and more; taking on special interests making life too expensive for working people.” Some of Aguirre’s initial endorsers include former Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina State Senators Steve Padilla and Catherine Blakespear and State Controller Malia Cohen On Dec. 20, Vargas announced she would step down from her District 1 Supervisor position in January She cited “personal safety and security reasons” for her decision to end her tenure Vargas was reelected to a second term in November (KGTV) — The sound of the ocean and people gathering outside around the Thanksgiving table can be heard at Marvel Harrison's home in Imperial Beach "It's always a challenge to know being able to have company over Because I have to be completely geared to be able to host it inside,” Harrison said The reason isn't the crisp air from the beach; it's the stench from the ongoing sewage crisis Harrison said it’s something she always has to disclose to guests and the odor had been pungent two days ago It can be a shock for those who aren't from the South Bay Outside and even inside the house at night when the odor and the gas smell is just really suffocating,” Temple said The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District issued an odor advisory for the communities near the Tijuana River Valley The air pollution control district said monitors in Nestor showed hydrogen sulfide levels were above state standards The district's dashboard shows the latest levels have dropped But Taylor and Temple may've hit a breaking point They told ABC 10News they'd have to think about coming down to IB next year because of it you don't even feel safe walking in the water." Thanksgiving was filled with the smell of turkey and not rotten eggs "It just keeps coming back to; it's just wastewater and sewage we've been dealing with this around the planet