On July 13th, 1986, the Los Angeles Times published an article written by staff writer Armando Acuna that discussed the current situation of traffic in Coronado. I especially enjoyed Mr. Acuna's reporting of Coronado's "permanent population of 19,000" . . . I guess that back in 1986 no one ever dreamed that those "permanent" homesteads would be broken into 1/2, 1/3 and even 1/4 lots. Here's Mr. Acuna's article in its entirety:
Taking It to the Max in Coronado?: Newest Growth Spurt Could be Small City's Last as Land Vanishes
Perhaps the most dramatic illustration of this increase is that enough tolls were collected to retire the bridge's construction bonds 17 years earlier than anticipated.
Along with commuters who work at North Island, the bridge brings tourists, attracted by the Hotel del Coronado and the town's broad beach. At least 1.4 million tourists--not counting a substantial number of "day trippers"--visited Coronado last year, according to the Chamber of Commerce.
With numbers like that, it's not surprising that tourism is Coronado's No. 1 industry. The combination of commuters and tourists explains why the town's permanent population of 19,000 is easily doubled on most days, city officials say.
And while residents, even those most concerned with growth, acknowledge the bridge as a critical convenience enabling many to work in San Diego, they also say it has brought Coronado its public enemy No. 1: traffic.
The town's mayor, R.H. Dorman, says the noisy, dirty stream of cars and trucks coming off the bridge has ruined the quality of life on 3rd and 4th streets, the main thoroughfares linking the bridge to North Island.
Dorman, who wants the state and federal governments to build a tunnel from the bridge to the base, is relatively unconcerned about the traffic created by the new hotels, residential and commercial developments.
"They don't add enough to have that much of an impact," he said. "The real, real problem is the commuter traffic. We've got three (aircraft) carriers home ported here and I hear we might get a fourth. That's too much.
"We have a right to retain our residential character."
Traffic growth, however, is not confined to the two main streets leading to the Navy base. For example, Caltrans figures show that traffic volume on Orange Avenue has increased by about 16% since 1981.
Other residents say the cumulative effect of the developments and the increase in both tourist and commuter traffic "is going to choke the residential areas to death," in the words of Doris Pray, a Planning Commission member who has been involved in growth-related issues for many years.
"Unfortunately, there are elected officials who are accommodating the outsiders . . . at the expense of their residents," said Pray, who has lived in Coronado off and on since 1937. "I think what we're really doing now is moving the deck chairs on the Titanic.
"We want to be pleasing to everyone . . . that's what got us in trouble."
Tony Pena, Coronado's director of community development, who has worked for the city since 1972, said: "The main concern that citizens have over here is maintenance of quality of life. This is essentially a quiet, residential environment that is conducive to raising kids and recreational activities.
"Some see the spillover of traffic, noise and the inconvenience of getting from one place to another . . . and there's the feeling that things are happening that are starting to erode that quality of life."
The construction in the early 1970s of the 10, 15-story Coronado Shores condominium complexes on the beach just south of the Hotel del Coronado angered many residents, some of whom organized and helped push through the city's 40-foot building height limit law.
Thus galvanized, the city--which for years had attempted to remove the Port District's jurisdiction of the tidelands but to no avail--bargained hard with the Port District over development of the shoreline.
For many years the city and the Port District were at odds over what was to be built, principally on the vacant land immediately north of the Coronado Bridge, an important piece of property because it serves as the town's front door.
There were those who wanted no construction whatsoever and wanted the area preserved as open space; others supported creating a park, and then there was the Port District, which wanted to maximize its revenue by allowing development of a large hotel.
Scores of meetings and bitter arguments later, the city and the Port District reached a compromise that culminated in last week's ground breaking for a 22-acre public park and a 300-room luxury hotel, the Meridien.
Nearby and to the north, taking a crescent-shaped path, the city and the Port District reached another compromise on the Old Ferry Landing complex, which when completed will consist of a restaurant built out over the water, retail shops, a pier and a small park.
Next to it is yet another new building, The Landing condominium development, where the first units are now for sale.
Councilwoman Herron said, "The downside to this is that it will impact our traffic. The upside is there will be more park and recreation facilities . . . a bicycle path, playing fields and a fishing pier, and more (tax) revenue."
Mayor Dorman said, "It's my opinion the developments we've achieved are about as good as we can get.
"I know there are people who don't want anything at all, but we can't put up a gate at the bridge either. What you have to do is get the best deal you can, and I think we did."
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