Fwd: Midway Rising and SB-958
Katheryn Rhodes
Katheryn Rhodes
From: Katheryn Rhodes <laplaya...@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jun 18, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Subject: Midway Rising and SB-958
To: <jennifer...@sduniontribune.com>, Garrick, David <david....@sduniontribune.com>, Katheryn Rhodes <laplaya...@gmail.com>
The solution is to ask Senator Weber Pierson to remove her bill from consideration because it will do nothing to help Midway Rising. But will make major changes to CEQA statewide.
Great news that Midway Rising has stalled. Probably because Senate Bill SB-958 just changed and the project will now have to have CEQA level analysis for transportation, traffic, and now Geology, Hydrology and deep foundation designs that will substantially increase construction and mitigation costs for Midway Rising.
A few weeks ago, at our request, State Senator Weber Pierson stated she would change her Senate Bill SB-958 to take out the words “or geotechnical or hydrological effect.”
We told Senator Weber Pierson that she was being set up by the Midway Rising developers and Mayor Todd Gloria to take the hit for construction defect litigation by allowing high rise structures on short mat foundations on liquefiable soils with a low water table, without CEQA level review or deep foundations down to formational materials.
Shallow Mat Foundations that are inexpensive and quick to install are perfectly fine for 1- to 3-story buildings on liquefiable soils. Like buildings within the 30 foot coastal height limit. But not for high rise structures, such as Midway Rising with need deep foundations and/or bathtub foundations like at the Navy Broadway Complex (NBC), now IQHQ.
NBC's bathtub foundations that I recommended is the perfect solution for Midway Rising. Bathtub foundations like NY World Trade Center (WTC) get rid of the seismic hazard of liquefaction, provides space for underground parking, and future-proofs bulidings against Sea Level Rise (SLR). Similar to the existing Sports Arena in the Midway area that has the same bathtub foundation.
Thank you very much to Senator Weber Pierson for making the change on SB-958 we requested on 06/15/2026. This is a big deal to first take out transportation from the bill due to public pressure, and now geotechnical and water issues. Which will also change the foundation design from cheap to very expensive.
The updated SB-958 bill for High-Rise structures is now to get rid of CEQA review and mitigation for:
“air circulation, noise and light refraction or reflection, or the potential to attract wildlife”
Midway Rising is located on reclaimed tidelands, near the San Diego River and Mission Bay. The San Diego coast is part of the Pacific Flyway for migratory birds. Not analyzing “light refraction or reflection, or the potential to attract wildlife” will result in unnecessary bird strikes and bird deaths due to new high rise buildings in the Pacific Flyway.
That means that statewide issues related to noise, light, air, and wildlife will no longer be subject to CEQA. This SB-958 bill is still insane and should be stopped. It will be heard again at the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources. Please give information for the public to send in comments to stop the unnecessary bill with statewide implications to destroy parts of CEQA in general.
The San Diego Birding Alliance and wildlife experts should opine on this dangerous law of statewide significance.
Attached is my prior opposition letter to SB-958 regarding cheap mat foundations versus expensive deep foundations and bathtub foundations. And problems associated with high rise structures on liquefiable soils, with a low water table.
Thank you for your time.
Regards,
Katheryn Rhodes
SECTION 1.
Section 21080.82 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:21080.82.
(a) For purposes of this division, the environmental impacts of a project that are associated with increased building height alone, including, but not limited to, air circulation, noise and light refraction or reflection, or the potential to attract wildlife,Katheryn Rhodes
Please submit a position letter to oppose SB-958, which would eliminate statewide CEQA protection for “air circulation, noise and light refraction or reflection, or the potential to attract wildlife.”
https://antr.assembly.ca.gov/