Is the South Bay Neglected, or Absent

We’ve all heard it, said it or felt it at one time of the other.  South Bay cities do seem to be the step-children of the county.  

There is no major University south of the 8.  HOV lanes are added in the North County only.  Regional resources seem to concentrate everywhere but the South Bay.

But an event this week made me rethink the premise of neglect .... maybe we are absent from the table when decisions are being made, funding is being given, and when advocacy is needed.

On Wednesday, September 15th, the San Diego Foundation held a workshop for their “Our Greater San Diego Vision”  at the Chula Vista Golf Course. 

This is a historic civic engagement initiative, where citizens in the region are able to create our own 50-100 year strategic plan.  

Participants learned about what other residents in the region identified as priorities and were surveyed on their priorities. Afterwards, they participated in a hands-on activity where small groups gathered around 7 ft. maps and planned the ideal development of the region in preparation for the 1+ million residents that will make this county their home in the future. 

Workshops were held around the county and drew over 100 participants --- except at the South Bay workshop, where at the highest count, had 40 participants.  Some came from the East County and other areas, putting South Bay representation even lower.

Here’s the deal.  I realized that hundreds of residents who were not familiar with the South Bay were creating maps that created a vision for development in our community. 

In fact, the facilitator shared that our priority survey results significantly differed from the other groups on only one question. The group in the South Bay rated the development of vacant land lower in priority than other groups.  Could it be because we have a great portion of the vacant land in the region? Land that has sensitive wild life and plant species. Land that we would like to see preserved.  

I wonder how the maps from the other groups looked --- did they cluster new housing developments in the South Bay? Did they laden us with the bulk of industrial development?  

Out of the hundreds of individuals to participate in this stage of the visioning ---- South Bay was absent from the table.  Less than 40 participants to the average 100.

But we will get another chance to redeem ourselves!  

The feedback and maps from all the groups will soon be posted on the Show Your Love SD website. Here you will be able to complete a survey on what you do or don’t agree with, and the results will set the stage for a strategic plan for the entire region.

I will share that link when it is available - so that you, me and our fellow South Bay residents can make our voice heard.  

And I urge you to make every effort to stay informed, engaged and active participants so that no one can disregard the South Bay as absent or irrelevant.  

And our collective voices will ensure that South Bay is not neglected in the important regional decisions that impact our communities.