The Turquoise Tower Threatens Pacific Beach and Sets a Dangerous Coastal Precedent.

A 23-story high-rise that violates local zoning and threatens livability could reshape San Diego’s coast — unless we act.

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Why it matters

Not Anti-Housing — Just Pro-Community

Neighbors for a Better California (NFABC) supports responsible, community-centered housing development. The proposed 23-story high-rise at 970 Turquoise Street would tower 238 feet into the sky—violating local height limits and threatening the character of Pacific Beach. This project isn't about solving the housing crisis—it’s about developer profit at the community’s expense.

The latest

The Turquoise Tower, a proposed high-rise development in Pacific Beach, continues to raise community concerns as it moves through the permitting process. While specific updates on the project’s status are not yet available, NFABC is vigilantly monitoring developments to ensure the project aligns with Pacific Beach’s coastal character and community needs, particularly regarding traffic, parking, and views. Senate Bill 79 (SB 79), passed on the Senate floor last week, could amplify concerns about Turquoise Tower.

In 2025, the California legislature introduced over 160 housing bills, with more than 60 placeholder “spot bills” that could increase this count, undermining local control over development in our neighborhoods. It appears legislators prioritize attaching their names to bills over crafting effective policy. The volume of new laws and their complex interactions with existing and emerging legislation create uncertainty about their impacts. This lack of clarity and experience with these laws risks harming our communities by reducing local oversight and input. Notably, Senate Bill 79 (SB 79), passed on the Senate floor last week, streamlines housing development within a half-mile of current and future transit-oriented development (TOD) sites, even overriding single-family zoning (see last week’s newsletter for details). By expanding ministerial (by-right) approvals for projects meeting affordability and zoning criteria, SB 79 could enable unscrupulous developers to bypass community input, threatening neighborhood character. Key provisions include:

• Streamlined Approvals: Projects with affordable housing units can skip discretionary reviews, limiting public hearings.

• Density Bonuses: Developers including deed-restricted affordable units may gain increased height or density allowances, potentially intensifying projects like Turquoise Tower.

• CEQA Exemptions: Qualifying urban infill projects may avoid extensive California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reviews, speeding up timelines.

If Turquoise Tower qualifies under SB 79, it could proceed with reduced oversight, limiting NFABC’s ability to advocate for mitigations addressing Pacific Beach’s unique coastal concerns, such as traffic congestion or impacts on public access to the coast.

Join the Pacific Beach Planning Group meeting on June 11, 2025, at 6:30 PM to discuss new Bonus ADU regulations and any Turquoise Tower updates.

What’s Wrong with the Turquoise Tower?

  • Exceeds the 30-foot Prop D coastal limit and local 60-foot zoning for this area.

  • Just 10 out of 74 residential units are affordable—while 139 hotel units dominate the building.

  • Due to state housing mandates, the City of San Diego has little authority to stop it—even if it breaks local rules.

  • Built on a narrow street operating 400% over traffic capacity and used as an evacuation route.

  • If allowed, this will open the door to more high-rises along San Diego’s beloved coastline.

If this tower moves forward, it will embolden similar developments across California’s coastal cities. NFABC believes that state laws should support—not steamroll—community needs. The future of our neighborhoods should be shaped by the people who live in them, not dictated by Sacramento.

Public Opposition to Turquoise Tower.

  • "The Proposed Project does not comply with the State Density Bonus Law, and require the Applicant to revise its application to conform with State and Municipal laws. "

    Read More
  • Senator Toni Atkins

    "This project is inconsistent with the State’s housing goals, the intent of the State Density Bonus Law, and the character of the Pacific Beach community."

    Read Her Letter

  • "This proposal is misusing state density bonus laws to effectively create a hotel rather than addressing the critical housing shortage we face."

    Read More

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  • Attend the next City hearing (calendar link)

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