Largely hidden within the sprawling Paradise Point resort on Mission Bay are inviting sandy beaches and hundreds of public parking spaces that many locals and visitors are unaware they are free to use.
The California Coastal Commission, which last September fined Paradise Point $1 million for years of unpermitted development that interfered with public access, is close to g off on a sweeping new plan aimed at ensuring that the public will be able to easily stroll along the shoreline, sunbathe on the beach and park free of charge at Mission Bay — all within the vacation resort.
The hotel’s ownership — a Maryland real estate investment trust — already has paid the fine and has since been in months-long discussions with the commission’s enforcement staff on a 46-page draft plan outlining the steps it will take to put in new signs, remove obstructions to walkways, and build new public restrooms near the beach.
The document is not yet finalized, and there remain a few sticking points — like how to best implement a requirement of the Coastal Commission for dozens of additional EV charging stations and where exactly to add additional walkways to make it easy for visitors to walk around the waterfront — said Rob Moddelmog, statewide enforcement analyst for the commission.
Moddelmog said he wants to make sure every little detail is covered in the plan. That is no easy task given the enormity of the agreement that was worked out to settle multiple violations dating back years, some of which predated the current ownership. Paradise Point, which began life as Vacation Village, has been a fixture on Mission Bay for six decades.
“This is a big resort with miles of public access pathways and hundreds of parking spaces, and this will be the biggest expansion of public access in the resort’s history because there were hardly any signs before and now there will be over a hundred,” Moddelmog said.
“This is a huge increase in public access and amenities that will hopefully be used by folks from all over Southern California so we want to make sure all the signs are perfect, and all the public access pathways are optimal and parking is easy to find. It takes a little bit of back and forth work but we are very happy with how it’s looking and are working as fast as we can to get this implemented as quickly as possible, perhaps within the next month or two.”
The “consent cease and desist order” approved last year by Coastal Commissioners was valued at more than $3 million, which includes a requirement to fund an educational outreach program to bring lower-income students and their families to the resort for free overnight stays. That alone is expected to cost $500,000. The hotel’s plan for that should be submitted to the commission by the end of the month and implemented shortly thereafter, Moddelmog said.
The proceeds from the $1 million penalty will go into a special statewide reserved for such initiatives as improving public coastal access, acquiring open space, and completing regional trails.
In addition, Paradise Point owner Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, on its own, plans to replace an older wooden pier — in part, because, depending on the tide, the walkway can become fairly steep and unsafe for anyone with mobility issues, Moddelmog said. The cost for just that is expected to exceed $1 million, according to Paradise Point.
What the Coastal Commission is especially excited about, though, are the new signs that it believes will entice more people to come inside the resort grounds to not only take advantage of the free parking but also enjoy the coastal paths and walkways.
Pebblebrook’s team already has provided examples of some of the many signs it plans to install, among them: “Free public parking is available in this lot” and “Public beaches and pathways are available at Paradise Point.” Moddledog said Paradise Point will even be placing “coastal access” signs in the middle of the street median on Ingraham, just before the turn-off into the resort.
“You’re sitting at the light and you’ll be able see that oh, you can turn here and you can go to the coast,” he said.
There will also be similar signs attached to the resort’s own entrance signage stating, “Paradise Point Beaches are open to the public. Free parking available.”
Not only that, but the resort has proposed several 4-foot-wide informational signs, including one that explains the sea level rise challenges facing Mission Bay and another identifying the various birds local to Mission Bay, from the great blue heron to the snowy egret.
“Honestly, we are really excited,” Moddlemog said of the future sign installation. “You’re going to be able to see all these signs, and we just want to make sure we spend the time now to make sure it’s as easy as possible for the public to access this area because once these signs are up they’ll be up forever. Signs are critical to folks being able to know and access these incredible amenities.”
Raymond Martz, chief financial officer for Pebblebrook, said he’s pleased with the progress made in crafting a public access plan and is eager to complete the process so that the ownership can return to its plans to redevelop Paradise Point as a Margaritaville-branded resort.
First announced in 2019, the transition to the Jimmy Buffett hotel and restaurant brand was expected to happen within a year, but between the pandemic and the unresolved, years-long violations, the then-$35 million project was sidelined.
“Regarding our project with the Coastal Commission, we are diligently working through each requirement and detail,” Martz said. “Once these are addressed, we’ll move forward with the plans for the Margaritaville enhancements. We’re excited about these plans and confident they’ll enhance Mission Bay’s appeal as a leisure destination.”
While he’s hopeful that a submission to the Coastal Commission could happen this year, Martz can’t say for sure.
“In of a timeline, we’re guided by the commission’s process,” he said. “While we hope to submit our plans this year, the exact timing is out of our control. Nonetheless, we’re committed to working cooperatively with the commission. It’s a lengthy journey, but we’re optimistic about the eventual outcome.”
