California Construction News staff writer
The City of San Diego will no longer enforce its annual summer construction moratorium in beach areas, city officials announced this week.
That means that projects like the undergrounding of power lines in La Jolla Shores would be allowed to continue past Memorial Day this year (Monday, May 26).
Historically, the city prohibited construction in the public right-of-way near beaches between Memorial Day and Labor Day to minimize disruptions during the busy tourist season. Effective immediately, that seasonal restriction will be eliminated, according to the City Engineer.
The decision is intended to improve project timelines and boost efficiency in construction within areas previously subject to the ban. City officials emphasized that while restrictions are being lifted, contractors are expected to implement mitigation measures and enhance outreach efforts to reduce potential impacts on nearby businesses, residents and visitors.
“This policy change reflects a broader effort to streamline project delivery within city rights-of-way while minimizing community disruption,” the city said in a statement.
Going forward, public projects will no longer include the summer restriction in construction contracts by default. The Construction Deputy City Engineer will have the authority to waive existing moratorium clauses in current contracts on a case-by-case basis. For private developments, the city will also stop routinely applying the restriction during the traffic control permitting process.
However, construction projects within the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission must still comply with the Commission’s permitting requirements, which may include separate seasonal limits. Applicants affected by such restrictions are encouraged to seek waivers directly from the Commission to maintain project timelines.
