The City of San Diego’s Department of Development Services (DSD) recently offered to meet with representatives of the Whispering Palms Community Council to discuss the controversial two-story, 48,000 sq. ft. sports complex proposed by Surf Cup Sports (d.b.a. as Pioneer Sports and Entertainment) for the 24-acre parcel adjacent to the former polo fields. Before the meeting however, DSD requested that questions for the meeting be submitted in advance. Eight questions were duly sent over. The DSD then replied that the topics raised could not be discussed in person, and that instead, the DSD would respond in writing. That unhelpful document now can be viewed via this link.
Promises, promises
Eight years ago, a March 2016 article in the Del Mar Times by veteran local reporter, Karen Billing, announced that Surf Cup Sports had won the proposal from the City of San Diego to take over the lease of the San Diego Polo Fields. Jim Madaffer, a Surf Cup Sports representative, was quoted extensively throughout the piece as he outlined Surf’s plans for the property and the community.
Not all the facts and figures reported in the story were correct and few of the many promises made before the Carmel Valley Community Planning group have been kept; the most glaring of which was Surf Cup’s plans to “adhere” to the use limitations under the grant deed as well as the type of events permitted.
Although the article has been available on the Coalition website for some time, it represents the kind of misinformation the Coalition must constantly counter. And it’s worth reviewing today in light of what has happened over the past eight years, how the City of San Diego’s failure to enforce the lease and grant deed restrictions led to the complaint filed last April against the City, and why there now is a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds in support of that lawsuit. Click on this link to go to the annotated article.
Broader community funding sought to support lawsuit
Typical Friday afternoon practice for soccer and/or flag football teams on the back field, located in the northeast corner of the 114-acre property. The area is less visible but sees far greater use than the main fields throughout the year.
“Help Save our Rural River Valley” is the appeal for a GoFundMe campaign just launched to support the ongoing lawsuit against the City of San Diego and Surf Cup Sports. The ultimate goal of the suit, by limiting the use of the former polo fields to 25 days a year as stipulated by the grant deed that runs with the land, is to preserve the environmentally sensitive San Dieguito River Valley. Click on the link to view the GoFundMe page and/or to donate.
Petition against proposed sports complex gathers steam
A petition drafted in opposition to Surf Cup Sports’ permit application (d.b.a. Pioneer Sports and Entertainment) to build a sports complex has generated nearly 500 signatures and comments in the short time since it went online. The change.org petition urges the City of San Diego to deny permission to build a huge, two-story sports complex on the 24-acre parcel and designated wetlands adjacent to the former polo fields in the San Dieguito River Valley. You can read and/or sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/halt-the-approval-of-site-development-for-pioneer-sports-and-entertainment
Surf Sports Del Mar proposes two-story sports complex for vacant parcel
Despite the pending lawsuit and past environmental transgressions, on Nov. 21, 2023, Surf Cup Sports (d.b.a. as Pioneer Sports and Entertainment) applied to the City of San Diego for a permit to build a massive, 48,000 sq. ft. sports facility and parking area on the environmentally sensitive 24-acre parcel adjacent to the polo fields in the San Dieguito River Valley. According to HED, the firm tasked with designing the project, it “consists of full-sized soccer fields, pickle-ball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, player lounge, office space, and locker rooms in addition to over 350 parking stalls.”
HED Design’s rendering of the 48,000 sq. ft. facility along Via de la Valle
Surf files motion to intervene in lawsuit
On October 6, 2023, nearly six months after City of San Diego was sued for non-enforcement of grant deed, Surf Cup Sports filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit as a defendant, stating, among other things, that their business would be adversely affected if field use was limited to 25 days a year.
City of San Diego sued for failure to enforce grant deed restrictions
The Fairbanks Polo Club Homeowners’ Association, successors to the grant deed governing use of the former polo fields property, filed a lawsuit against the City of San Diego on April 13, 2023, for its failure to enforce grant deed restrictions that run with the land. The grant deed bars large assemblages of people and cars (currently some 2,500 cars a day come and go on event weekends) and limits use of the property to passive, non-commercial recreational uses such as picnicking, walking, hiking, and similar activities. Most importantly, the deed restrictions limit use of the property to 25 days a year.
Surf Cup cited for violation of Federal Clean Water Act
The San Diego Regional Water Qualty Control Board on March 16, 2023 served Surf Cup and its corporate shell entities with a notice of violating the Federal Clean Water Act, among others for draining ponded storm water runoff from their property into the San Dieguito River.
Stormwater in wetland areas of Surf Cup’s recently acquired property at 3975 Via de la Valle being pumped into swale (top of photo) that drains into the San Dieguito River
Surf served with civil penalty for illegal grading
The City of San Diego notified Surf Real Estate LLC it was in violation of unpermitted grading on and alteration of the 24-acre parcel adjacent to Polo Fields (3975 Via de la Valle). Violations included removal of native vegetation (southern coastal salt marsh) from wetland within the property. Surf was also cited for unauthorized use of vacant land as storage for multiple soccer goal posts without required permits.
Post-grading view of 24-acre parcel north of fields
Florida corporation purchases land next to polo fields
Surf Real Estate LLC, a Winter Garden, Florida, shell corporation, on April 1, 2022, purchased the 24-acre parcel just north of the polo fields at 3975 Via de la Valle, for $6.6 million. The vacant land, including portions of coastal wetland habitat, previously had been considered for Hacienda del Mar, a senior living community. The developers, Milan Capital Management, abandoned the project after eight years of trying to resolve environmental and water infrastructure obstacles.