Bill Tippets of La Jolla has written to the San Diego Union-Tribune to express strong opposition to a proposed Topgolf development on public tidelands in San Diego Bay. The letter responds to a July 19 report regarding the project's progress toward approval.
Tippets argues that the facility has no place on these public lands. He notes that previous developments in the area have already transformed sandy shorelines into inaccessible riprap and concrete structures while filling in wetlands and degrading the bay's historical scenic character.
The proposed project would be located on the basin side of East Harbor Island, situated between the airport and the marina. According to the letter, the development would include a 4.5-acre driving range surrounded by 170-foot-tall netting, which Tippets describes as preventing public access or use of the land.
Tippets contends that the site should instead be dedicated as a large park with natural habitats, accessible to residents of all income levels. He characterizes the Topgolf proposal as an inappropriate high-end golf facility that would serve as a final insult to the remaining public trust lands in the North Bay.
The writer also criticizes the draft environmental impact report for the project. Tippets claims the report inaccurately assesses conflicts with the Public Trust Doctrine and the Coastal Act. He alleges the report uses selective locations to analyze scenic effects, thereby downplaying destructive impacts, fails to effectively evaluate effects on bird and wildlife populations, and minimizes traffic concerns.
