The Sierra Club has filed a lawsuit in response to the City of San Diego’s unconscionable October 2025 vote to remove open-space protections on the former polo fields and exempt their long-term tenant, Surf Cup Sports, from any environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The lawsuit, filed Dec. 5, 2025, challenges the City Council’s actions affecting the lands in the San Dieguito River Valley and sets out numerous reasons for strict environmental review including impacts on natural resources, public safety, and equitable access. Addressing the latter concern in a Dec. 8 press release, Sierra Club San Diego Chair Lisa Ross stated: “Every child deserves access to publicly owned open space, trails, and passive recreational opportunities, not just those who play organized sports or families who can afford the fees.”

Click here to read the full press release.