Announcements

Dear Coronado Cays Homeowners and Residents,

Happy Holidays! Hopefully you have had the opportunity to get into the holiday spirit with the many celebrations and events occurring in Coronado and San Diego. If not, venture forth and find good cheer. Enjoy one of the many holiday productions at the playhouses, walk around the Cays or Village with a hot beverage and enjoy the lights, venture across the bridge and see the lights at Balboa Park or start a holiday tradition of your own that meets your tastes/interests. Giving back is another way to get in the spirit with donations of toys for the many sponsored drives, donating gently used clothing for others to use, contributing food and other essentials, or volunteering to serve at a location that provides for others.

Cays Park Master Plan: The Coronado City Council met on December 5th and received a presentation from City Staff and the Schmidt Design Group in a well-attended five-hour long meeting. Comments were received from the community that spanned the spectrum of options from retaining 25% of the current active field space to keeping the park the way it is (retaining 100% of current active field space). After much deliberation the City Council approved a minimum of 75% of current active field space and various amenities with direction to Staff and the architect to further develop the plan to include the amenities while maximizing unprogrammed field space. Mayor Bailey stated that unprogrammed open space was a passive amenity. The CCHOA Board discussed the outcome at the December 7th meeting and plans to provide additional feedback to the City on their decision. The design process will include additional opportunities for public input. The cost of park improvements was also a major theme at the meeting. The base cost of replacing the irrigation system and turf and renovating existing amenities is estimated at $13-15 million. The cost of implementing the 75% option with approved amenities is estimated at $30-35 million. Thus, the timeline for implementing amenities may be spread over multiple years or individual amenities may be considered too costly and eliminated as the plan is finalized. Much more to follow on this important but controversial subject.

Caulerpa Prolifera Update: No new surveys have been conducted, nor has any additional Caulerpa Porlifera infestations been noted since my last update on this subject. All infestations in Port waters, east of Antigua, have been covered and are being eradicated. Significant uncovered algae infestations remain around the Antigua north docks and in the channel between Antigua and Green Turtle. The City of Coronado declared a local state of emergency and granted a Coastal Development Permit to allow the eradication of the invasive algae. The Port also declared a local state of emergency contributing to the efforts to obtain a grant from the State Water Board for Cleanup and Abatement (CAA) funds and a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Invasive Species Eradication Fund. Each grant could provide up to $500,000 to allow the Southern California Caulerpa Action Team to execute a Rapid Response Eradication Plan to address the algae. If all goes smoothly, the SCCAT projects that the eradication effort could commence as early as mid to late January 2024. In the meantime, boat owners are asked to not use their boat, not have their boat cleaned, or gently depart/transit the area at high tide to minimize the risk of disturbing the algae and causing it to spread. Dock projects in Antigua, Kingston, Bahama, and Jamaica have been cleared of Caulerpa concerns and can proceed as planned depending on their permitting and construction status.

Cottages at the Cays/Port Master Plan Update: The Port of San Diego and Coronado Boat Storage leaseholder, Keith Mishkin, recently finalized a non-disclosure agreement. They are scheduled to begin discussing a practical valuation of the leasehold based on revenue generation, purchase price, and investments into developing the leasehold on December 15, 2023. In the meantime, Port Staff has announced the completion of the Port Master Plan Update and Programmatic Environmental Impact Report. Two public outreach events are planned for this week before Port Staff presents the PMPU and PEIR to the Board of Port Commissioners for a vote on February 28, 2024.

Landscape Maintenance: The turf is looking healthy and green after the fall renovation and winter fertilizing. Continuing to monitor and add grass seed in problem areas. Irrigation is being managed to take advantage of the infrequent rains. Winter trimming of day lilies, fortnight lilies, grasses, Mexican sage, and other plants is in progress throughout the community. Hard trimming these types of plants allows for new growth and improved blooms. Enhancement crews installed new plant material adjacent to drainage project and to replace struggling plants and performed irrigation upgrades in Antigua Village, performed a drainage project and added new plants in Jamaica Village, renovated the Bahama/Antigua pool area, replaced warranty plants at 67-69 Catspaw Cape and installed new plant material at the monument in Bahama Village, mulched in Trinidad Village, installed new plant material and completed a drainage project along the west side of Tunapuna Lane, installed new color at the Admin Complex, and replaced inoperable/leaking irrigation control valves and quick couplers throughout the community. Tree trimming was completed for Mardi Gras deciduous trees, Antigua Village trees, and Common area deciduous trees. Common area palm trees are scheduled for January 2024.

Reserve Projects:
Completed projects since my last newsletter include:
- Renovation of the Cays Entrance Rear Wall
- Trim painting cycle in Port Royale Village and complete painting cycle in Jamaica Village
- Administrative Building wood pillar repairs and A/C unit replacement
- Stucco and weep screed repairs along the southern portion of Tunapuna Lane
- Jamaica Trex shower platform

Projects already approved and in progress include:

- Painting in Trinidad (trim, 80% done)
- Tile roof underlayment replacement on Tunapuna Lane
- Antigua wood repairs/painting (fences, stairways, railings, pergolas, 60% complete)
- Montego Parking Structure Rebuild (Final Construction Drawing submitted to the City for permitting and the pre-construction contractor is collecting bids for the project)
- Dock piling replacements in Jamaica Village (In permitting phase, pilings already manufactured and in storage with Bellingham Marine)
- Dock finger and headwalk replacements in Kingston Village (In permitting/manufacturing phase with Bellingham Marine)
- Dock finger and headwalk replacements in Antigua Village (In manufacturing phase with Swift Docks, waiver for Caulerpa approved