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Scott Peters on Turquoise Tower: From Pacific Beach to YIMBY Democrats At the August 26 Pacific Beach Town Hall hosted by the Pacific Beach Town Council and Pacific Beach Planning Group, Congressman Scott Peters made clear that he supports building more housing, but does not believe Turquoise Tower, or Project Vela, represents the kind of housing policy San Diego should be pursuing. Peters said San Diego has to do two things at once: build enough housing for workers, students, families and people experiencing homelessness, while making sure new development is “a credit to our neighborhood, not a detriment.” On Turquoise Tower, he was unequivocal: “This project doesn’t meet our standards.” He criticized the project’s use of visitor accommodations alongside housing incentives and called the proposal “a charade.” He also described the broader political momentum behind state housing mandates as a “sledgehammer approach” that can lack nuance. Peters said he would be willing to help facilitate discussions with the California Coastal Commission about how housing laws should operate in coastal communities. On public safety, Peters said he was particularly concerned about fire safety at the project because of the narrowness of Turquoise Street and the project’s height, calling that concern legitimate. Peters also challenged Pacific Beach residents not simply to oppose development, but to define what kind of growth the community does want. He urged residents to take a leadership role in updating the Community Plan, while later adding an important caveat: before undertaking that work, the community should have concrete assurance from both the City and Coastal Commission that the resulting plan will actually be respected. One Month Later: A Very Different Audience In September, Peters joined the San Diego YIMBY Democrats for a discussion specifically about Project Vela. The event announcement noted that the organization’s Law & Policy Team had written to the City arguing that delays in processing the project were illegal under state housing law. According to a report shared with NFABC following the meeting, Peters again argued against the project, this time emphasizing a broader political concern. His point was that projects like Vela could erode public support for housing production by alienating people who are otherwise supportive of, or open to, building more housing. The discussion reportedly became contentious. A representative associated with the developer and a member of the YIMBY Law & Policy Team strongly challenged Peters’ position. There was no formal organizational vote, but during an informal show of hands, most attendees reportedly indicated support for the project, with only three opposed. That makes the comparison noteworthy. Peters expressed his opposition to Vela in two very different rooms: first before a Pacific Beach community deeply concerned about the project, and then before a housing advocacy group where the reported sentiment in the room was largely supportive of it. For anyone who wants to hear the full August 26 discussion, including Peters’ views on Turquoise Tower, housing supply, Proposition D, infrastructure, fire safety, environmental review and community planning, the entire PBTC/PBPG Town Hall proceedings are available here: Watch the full PBTC/PBPG Town Hall with Congressman Scott Peters
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