Midway Planning Group members, on Wednesday, voted to add their full support behind a state senate bill to allow the Midway Rising team’s development of the Sports Arena property to move forward, despite it exceeding the coastal height limit.
In its current form, Midway Rising’s proposal would demolish the Pechanga Arena and build 4,250 housing units, a new 16,000-seat arena, a multi-acre central urban park, and an entertainment, arts and cultural district.
The Midway Rising project has received mixed reviews, with community members in Midway largely in support, while those in the surrounding communities of Point Loma have opposed it.
The majority of San Diegans, however, showed their support to redevelop the aging Sports Arena property in 2020 and 2022 when they voted in favor of removing the 30-foot coastal height limit.
Armed with voter approval, the Midway Rising team proposed its massive redevelopment, with many of the buildings exceeding the previous 30-foot height restriction.
A local group, Save Our Access, sued the city over the environmental impacts of abolishing the height limit, alleging the environmental impacts were not fully analyzed before sending the measure on the ballot.
In 2025, a judge ruled in favor of Save Our Access. The city then lost its appeal, ending the legal battle and restoring the 30-foot-height limit.
With few options to keep the project alive, State Senator Akilah Weber Pierson introduced Senate Bill 958, which, in its current form, prohibits environmental impacts associated with a building’s height to be a significant factor in pausing the project.
Requirements like the building’s density and the presence of biological resources on the site are not considered significant impacts to the environment if it is covered in the environmental impact report, according to the bill.
The bill is now making its way through the state legislature.
On Wednesday, May 27, the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Planning Group looked to help push it through by approving a letter of general support to be considered by the legislature.
“Midway Rising is a transformational effort to increase affordable housing and update a tired, run-down area of San Diego. Midway Rising is a catalyst for redevelopment and desperately needed infrastructure improvements, reads a portion of the letter drafted by planning group member Cathy Kenton.
Added the letter, “While San Diegans have voted twice to remove the thirty-foot height limit for the entire community (including the City property), outside interests with no direct
investment or involvement in our community have taken action to block our efforts. Midway is not a coastal community and was arbitrarily included in Prop D more than 50 years ago. As a result, the community is rundown and unsafe today.”
The bill now heads to the assembly for approval.
