South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement & Green Infrastructure

Background

South Mission Beach is located within the larger community of Mission Beach, which is situated along the Pacific Ocean between Grand Avenue and the Mission Bay Jetty. The existing storm drain infrastructure within South Mission Beach dates to the 1940s in some areas and is inadequately sized or lacking in main locations. This has resulted in regular flooding throughout the developed areas and exposure of the storm drain outfalls within the beach areas of Mariners Basin.

Project Overview

Anticipated work will include, but is not limited to:

• Replacing or upgrading existing drainage systems to meet current drainage design requirements and reduce flooding.
• Installing a new storm drain backbone and inlets along Mission Boulevard, water quality basins at the northern and southern ends of the project to treat existing parking lot areas, and low-flow diversion systems to divert portions of the runoff to the existing sewer within the developed areas. To install the water quality basins and ensure the project's success, the contractor will remove 46 existing trees and relocate eight trees. Once the installation is complete, 43 new trees will be planted, along with new landscaping and irrigation.
• Grinding and overlaying Mission Boulevard to provide additional runoff capacity within the street and reduce flooding of developed properties.
• Completing shoreline restoration and eelgrass planting.

Anticipated Schedule & Projected Budget

An anticipated schedule and projected budget for these bundled projects are available on the designated CIP project look up pages (South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement and South Mission Beach Storm Green Infrastructure). Addtional details can be found below.

Completed work September 2025 - May 2026:

• South Mission Beach Green Infrastructure: Installation of 7 of 8 water quality basins.

Anticipated work Memorial Day 2026 – Labor Day 2026:

• Construction activities are temporarily on hold due to the California Coastal Commission summer moratorium. While work is paused, construction vehicles, heavy equipment, and staging operations have been removed from the Bonita Cove Parking Lot, San Fernando Place, and surrounding public areas to restore public access and parking for residents and visitors through the summer.
• The two cofferdams currently in use for storm drain infrastructure installation must remain in place throughout the summer until construction resumes after Labor Day. The cofferdams will be protected by perimeter safety fencing and additional public safety measures through the summer.
• Bayside Walk will remain open for walking, running and biking during the summer.
• Beach visitors and water users are advised to remain aware of the cofferdams, fencing, buoys, lighting and other safety features that will remain in place throughout the summer. For public safety, access into fenced construction areas and onto the cofferdams is prohibited at all times. Individuals entering the water near the project area should use caution and remain clear of all marked construction and restricted areas.
• To maintain public safety while the facilities remain in place, the following measures have been taken:
  • Security fencing was installed around the cofferdam and basin areas.
  • Hazard signage was installed along fencing and restricted areas.
  • Hazard lighting was installed on the cofferdams for nighttime visibility.
  • In-water safety buoys were installed surrounding the cofferdams to notify swimmers, paddleboarders, kayakers, boaters and other water users of the restricted areas.
  • Security cameras were installed and the site is monitored 24/7.
  • Routine inspections and maintenance of all safety features.
  • Public access is maintained along Bayside Walk and the surrounding beach areas.
  • Parking areas reopened to the public during the summer.
• While San Fernando Place and the temporary construction staging area within the Bonita Cove parking lot will remain open for public use during the summer moratorium period, these areas will be closed to the public following Labor Day to allow construction activities to resume.

Anticipated work September 2026 – May 2027:

• South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement (System 1 and System 9): Continued storm drain installation along San Fernando Place and Mission Boulevard, low-flow diversion structure replacement and new meter pedestal, outfall grading, and eel grass mitigation.
• South Mission Beach Green Infrastructure: Continued installation of the final water quality basin will occur in a future season.
  • To install the water quality basins and ensure the project's success, the contractor will remove 46 existing trees and relocate eight trees. Once the installation is complete, 43 new trees will be planted, along with new landscaping and irrigation.

Anticipated work September 2027 – May 2028:

• South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement (System 2 and System 3): Storm drain installation along Mission Boulevard and Capistrano Place, storm drain abandonment along existing outfalls, low-flow diversion structure replacement and new meter pedestal, outfall grading, and eelgrass mitigation.

Anticipated work September 2028 – May 2029:

• South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement (System 5): Storm drain installation along Mission Boulevard, San Gabriel Place, Balboa Court, Cohasset Court, and along the shoreline, storm drain abandonment along Deal Court, low-flow diversion structure and meter pedestal installation along Bayside Lane, outfall grading, and eelgrass mitigation.

Anticipated work September 2029 – May 2030:

• South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement (System 6): Storm drain installation along San Luis Ray Place, low-flow diversion structure installation, outfall grading, and eelgrass mitigation.
• South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement (System 7): Storm drain and outfall replacement south of N Jetty Road.
• Pavement restoration and bike lane striping along Mission Boulevard.
• Miscellaneous work, including curb ramp and cross gutter installation.

Please refer to this exhibit to see all the systems shown.

Community Outreach

• Jan. 21, 2020 - Meeting minutes from Mission Beach Precise Planning Board presentation
• March 3, 2020 - Meeting minutes from Mission Bay Park Committee presentation
• June 2022 - Construction notice letter sent to properties within a 300-foot radius of the project.
• August 2025 - Construction notice letter sent to properties within a 300-foot radius of the project.
• Aug. 5, 2025 - Meeting minutes from Mission Bay Park Committee presentation
• Oct. 7, 2025 - Construction update at Mission Bay Park Committee

Project Documents

• South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement & Green Infrastructure plans
• Safety and Monitoring Plan May 2026

Additional Community Impacts

While the South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement & Green Infrastructure projects are in process, there are additional community impacts to be aware of. For more information, please see the designated CIP project look up pages for Mission Beach Water & Sewer Repl (W) and Mission Beach Water & Sewer Repl (S).

Contact Us

For questions about this project, contact community liaison Reema Boccia from Two River Strategies at 619-726-2179 or email Reema@TwoRiversPR.com. Please reference "South Mission Beach Storm Drain Replacement & Green Infrastructure" in your inquiry.