Part Three: General Plan Elements – Open Space and Agriculture Open Space and Agriculture (OS) A. Introduction State law requires the Open Space Element to provide plans and measures for the preservation and conservation of open-space lands, which can include open space for the preservation of natural resources; the managed production Refer to the Safety Element of resources (including agricultural lands); outdoor for Open Space recreation (including areas of historic and cultural value, related to Public areas suited for park and recreation purposes, access to Health and Safety. beaches, rivers and streams, and areas which serve as links Refer to the between major recreation and open-space reservations); Safety and Land open space for public health and safety; open space in Use Element for a support of the mission of military installations, and open discussion of space for Native American historical, cultural, or sacred military sites1. installations. Approximately five percent of the planning area is dedicated to open space, parks, and agricultural uses. Only 2.3 percent of land within the planning area remains vacant. Parks – Open Due to the highly developed nature of the community, the space lands whose City faces significant challenges in the provision of primary purpose is recreation additional open space and recreational facilities. (Institute for Local Despite a lack of vacant land, opportunities exist within the Government) urban fabric of the community to provide new recreational and open space areas. Possible solutions include: rooftop gardens; closing or converting a limited number of redundant streets for the purpose of creating mini parks, community gardens, and plazas; incorporating trail systems into utility corridors; turning vacant parcels into parks or community gardens; and the enhancement of public street rights-of-way for use as open space. 1 Gov. Code, § 65560; See also, State of California, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. (2003). General Plan Guidelines. City of National City 3-147 Part Three: General Plan Elements – Open Space The City has a desire to increase the production and Urban Agriculture distribution of locally grown food within the community, as a – The growing, means to improve access to healthy food and the quality of processing, and/or life for the City’s residents. To emphasize the importance distribution of of this concept in this urban environment, ‘Agriculture’ is food through part of the title of this Element and policies were included intensive plant which address urban agricultural resources. This Element cultivation in and around cities. examines creative ways to increase open space and (Community Food recreational areas within the developed environment, Security Coalition, presents mechanisms to preserve remaining natural open North American space areas and valuable cultural resources, and seeks Urban Agriculture solutions for integrating urban agriculture within the Committee (2003)) community. B. Existing Setting OPEN SPACE PRESERVES Open Space Preserves –Areas of environmental The planning area is almost completely developed with significance and predominantly urban land uses. Less than three percent of beauty. The dual land within the city remains vacant and most open space purpose of preserves is to areas have been disturbed from their natural condition. protect biological, Most of the waterways in the city have been channelized, or cultural, and located in underground pipes; and, as a result, offer little historical scenic value or wildlife habitat. However, the city has a few resources and to make these open space preserves for resource preservation, the resources managed production of resources, and limited passive available for public recreational/educational purposes. These areas include recreation Paradise Marsh, Bannister Marsh, Lovett Marsh, and the opportunities, South Bay Salt Lands. Additionally, scattered, isolated though typically only contain canyons supporting native vegetation remain in a few minimal locations within the planning area. Figure OS-1 illustrates the improvements. location of Open Space Preserves. Paradise Marsh is located where Paradise Creek flows into Sweetwater River, between I-5 and Bay Marina Way, south of Bay Marina Drive. The marsh has limited public access along its western and southern boundaries. There is pedestrian/bicycle access on Bay Marina Way, which includes an interpretive sign about the wetland habitat. The Sweetwater River Bikeway (and pedestrian walkway) is located along the Sweetwater River Flood Control Channel and runs along the south side of Paradise Marsh to the Marina. Adopted ------ 3-148 National City General Plan 40TH Legend OCEAN VIEW SKYLINE NATIONAL 47TH 32ND Open Space Preserve 58TH 15 OLVERA Base Layers 28TH 805 EUCLID S A N D I E G O National City Planning Area Boundary LOGAN 75 National City Boundary SAMPSON VALENCIA Freeways PLAZA MAIN Roads Railroad RIGEL 43RD WABASH Source: City of National City (City Boundary,2009), SANDAG (Railroad, 2008; Streams,2003). San Diego LAFCO (Planning Area Boundary,2009), 5 PARADISE VALLEY SanGIS (Lakes,2006; Open Space, 2009; Roads,2008) *Portions of this derived product contains geographic information copyrighted by SanGIS. All Rights Reserved. DIVISION HARBOR The information on this map was derived from various digital databases, sourced above. Care was taken in the creation of this map but it is provided "as is". PDC cannot accept any responsibility for any OLIVE errors, omissions, or positional accuracy, and therefore, there are no warranties which accompany this product. Users are cautioned to LA POLETA CREEK WOODMAN field verify information on this product before making any decisions. 8TH S A N D I E G O REO NATIONAL CITY POTOMAC PLAZA HIGHLAND 54 CIVIC CENTER NATIONAL CITY 18TH VALLEY 24TH PARADISE CREEK SWEETWATER REO SAN DIEGO BAY WILLOW 30TH BAY MARINA BONITA Bannister Marsh Paradise Creek Marsh 54 C SWEETWATER RIVER 4TH 805 Lovett Marsh E ST CORONADO LRT-BLUE LINE BROADWAY CHULA VISTA South Bay Salt Lands Figure OS-1 SILVER STRAND Open Space Preserves 0 0.25 0.5 1 HILLTOP 5 3RD Miles MARINA H TELEGRAPH CANYON National City Southern Boundary 3-149 BACK SIDE OF FIGURE Part Three: General Plan Elements – Open Space and Agriculture Paradise Marsh is part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge (SDBNWR - Sweetwater Marsh Unit), which is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The SDBNWR protects a rich diversity of endangered, threatened, migratory, and native species and their habitats in the midst of a highly urbanized coastal environment2. Paradise Marsh supports salt marsh, freshwater marsh, salt-pan, and channel and mud flat habitats, which are valuable and sensitive biological resources.3 Bannister Marsh is located between I-5 and Hoover Avenue, south of West 30th Street. This area, characterized by Southern Coastal Salt Marsh, and has no public access4. Lovett Marsh lies between I-5 and National City Boulevard and between West 35th Street and Sea Vale Street. Located along the historic channel of the Sweetwater River, Lovett Marsh was restored to compensate for bay coverage and filling of the bay associated with the permanent berthing of the USS Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego Bay as the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum. The restored marsh consists of open water habitat created by a main marsh channel running across the site and three permanent tidally flushed basins as well as low, middle, and high marsh habitat. Marshlands and open water tidal ponds were created by the excavation of disturbed uplands along the channel edge to expand existing wetlands and create more open water habitat. The Lovett Marsh mitigation site will be maintained in perpetuity. Long-term maintenance will consist of trash removal, signage, fence repair, and invasive species removal. The Spring Valley Sewer Outfall pipeline easement traverses across the southern half of the site. The South Bay Salt Lands are part of the SDBNWR (South San Diego Bay Unit) and lie within the Unified Port of San Diego Planning District 9. The South Bay Salt Lands comprise the land and water areas at the extreme southerly end of San Diego Bay. The lands are generally comprised of wetlands, estuary, and salt ponds5. The salt ponds are currently in active salt production by a commercial solar salt operation, which is permitted to operate within the refuge. 2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2006). San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sweetwater Marsh and South San Diego Bay Units, Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. 3 National City. (1988). Local Coastal Program Land Use Plan. 4 Scheidt. (2009). Biological Resources Report 5 San Diego Unified Port District. (January 2010). Port Master Plan. City of National City 3-151 Part Three: General Plan Elements – Open Space BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES Although most of the planning area is fully developed with residential, commercial, industrial, and military uses, various natural areas are found scattered throughout the planning area. However, the majority of these have been altered from their original state, including the channelization of many watercourses. Natural and/or undeveloped areas present within the planning area consist mainly of canyons, undeveloped slopes, several drainages, a portion of the Sweetwater River, Paradise Marsh, and Paradise Creek. Habitat types that exist within the planning area are described below. Urban/Developed and Disturbed Habitat Most of the planning area is fully developed