Two New Commissioners at Port of San Diego

After a three month tussle over whether their appointments could be vetoed by the city’s mayor, two new commissioners have finally been sworn in at the Port of San Diego. Rafael Castellanos and Marshall Merrifield took the oath of office Mon., April 15, 2013 at the port’s Administration Building.

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner had vetoed the City Council’s appointments of the two on Jan. 8; he had objected to the process used to make the selections, and said a city policy on the waterfront should be adopted first. But earlier this month, City Attorney Jan Goldsmith ruled the veto invalid, which allowed for Castellanos and Merrifield to be sworn in.

The Port of San Diego is governed by a seven-member board, three of whom are appointed by the City of San Diego, and one each is appointed by the cities of Coronado, Chula Vista, National City and Imperial Beach. Castellanos and Merrifield both represent San Diego.

“They will provide valuable expertise and perspective as we continue to pursue integrated planning for public access, commerce, development and other activities taking place along our waterfront,” POSD Board Chair Ann Moore, who represents Chula Vista, said.

Merrifield is the President/CEO and majority shareholder for Bluewave Security, which manufactures high-tech equipment for video and door-access surveillance. He previously was President/CEO and majority shareholder for the security company General Lock and Clark Security Products, the largest privately held security hardware business in the U.S., until 2010. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Princeton University.

Castellanos is a partner with the San Diego law firm Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP, where he specializes in commercial real estate and business transactional law. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Arizona State University, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School as a Cornerstone Scholar.

Castellanos and Merrifield replace former commissioners Scott Peters, who was elected to Congress in November 2012, and Lee Burdick, who resigned to become Filner’s director of special projects and legal affairs.

New San Diego Port Chair Outlines Agenda

Land-use attorney Ann Moore, who represents the city of Chula Vista on the San Diego Board of Port Commissioners, has been sworn in as Chair of the Board of Port Commissioners for 2013.

The swearing-in took place Jan. 8 at a luncheon event at the Kona Kai Resort, Spa & Marina in San Diego. Along with Moore, Commissioner Bob Nelson, one of three San Diego representatives on the seven-member board, was sworn in as Vice Chair. Commissioner Dan Malcolm, who represents Imperial Beach, was sworn in as Secretary.

Moore said that her theme for 2013 is “A Port for All,” which she said encompasses both integrated planning – a philosophy that approaches planning in context with surrounding areas – and inclusive decision making with stakeholder participation.

The port will undertake several integrated planning initiatives this year, Moore said, including a deepwater berthing study of the port’s maritime assets.

“Integrated planning will be an important focus this year,” Moore said. “To me, that means making decisions in context. It means looking beyond our boundaries and seeing how our activities fit in the bigger picture.”

In the speech, Moore presented to the audience of elected officials, business leaders and stakeholders a video presentation titled “The Synergy of San Diego Bay,” showcasing the integrated planning concept, using the metaphor of a jigsaw puzzle to show how various activities fit together.

Moore’s speech focused in large part on the 500-acre Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan, a land-use proposal that was approved by the California Coastal Commission in August 2012. This year, the port plans to showcase the plan to financiers and developers.

“The Chula Vista Bayfront is a true diamond in the rough. It’s the largest undeveloped waterfront parcel on the West Coast,” Moore said.

The planning process for Chula Vista will serve as a model going forward as the port makes plans for other areas, Moore said.

Public Meeting Scheduled on San Diego Port Ordinances

The Port of San Diego plans to have a public meeting next week regarding potential changes to ordinances regulating entertainment and commercial activities on lands administered by the port.

The meeting is planned for 5 pm Mon., March 26 at the training room of the port’s administration building, 3165 Pacific Highway. This is the second of two meetings planned on the topic. The first was Thurs., March 22 at the admin building. The meetings’ purpose is to review proposed changes to the ordinances and to continue gathering input from stakeholders regarding sales of merchandise and services.

The regulations need to be updated due to a number of changes that have occurred along the waterfront and adjacent land, so that the rules accurately reflect the activities that now take place, according to Jim Hutzelman, the manager of community services in the port’s Business Development & Marketing department.

Specifically, the changes would affect sections 8.02, 8.04 and 8.05 of the Port District Code, which govern business and commercial activities on port lands.

Drafts of the proposed ordinances are scheduled to be presented to San Diego’s Board of Port Commissioners in May. The ordinances would take effect 30 days after board approval.