October 27th, 2025October 27th, 2025 was a long day at the San Diego City Council. It turns out that the City of San Diego owns a tract of land known locally as the "Polo Fields". That tract had been deeded to the City of San Diego via a land grant in September of 1983 (attached below) for the following stated purposes:
(i) All agricultural uses related to the growing, harvesting, processing or selling of field grain crops, fruits and vegetables;
(ii) Passive non-commercial recreational uses (e.g. picnicking, walking, hiking, and similar activities), and reasonable support facilities, including any restrooms and parking facilities as may be reasonably required for such uses;
(iii) Active non-commercial recreational uses not involving large assemblages of people or automobiles, nor involving the use of motor-driven machines or vehicles (e.g., equestrian activities, jogging, frisbee, and similar activities).
The land grant explicitly excluded a fairly long list of other uses including:
(ix) Establishments or enterprises involving large assemblies of people or automobiles, including, but not limited to, recreational facilities publicly or privately operated;
(x) Fairgrounds;
(xii) Racetracks;
However, it appears that a private business (Surf Cup Sports, LLC) had been leasing the property for many years to hold a supposedly "limited" number of youth soccer events. Now Surf Cub Sports was asking the San Diego City Council to terminate the lease restrictions mentioned above.
According to the residents, the Surf Cup Sports events were a nuisance. They blocked traffic for hours, and they were violating the spirit of the land grant with their large events. The residents were not trying to evict the Surf Cup Sports business, but they were opposed to terminating the deed restrictions. It appears that the issue is also in court, but the City of San Diego held their own hearing on whether to terminate the lease restrictions.
The Surf Cup Sports business gave a slick, well-polished presentation, and they cited over a hundred letters of support (which all seemed to be carbon copies bearing different names). The citizens of the area spoke out against the growing commercialization of their park.
Here are a few videos from citizens opposed to terminating the deed restrictions:
As Council President and the Councilmember for that District, Joe LaCava led the meeting. He started off asking tough questions of the Surf Cup Sports representatives, as if he might vote against it. But then he gradually softened his tone until he ended up voting with the business and to terminate the deed restrictions. Most of the other Councilmembers went along with it as well:
After the vote, the Original used her non-agenda comment to call out the San Diego City Council:
Good job to all the citizens who took their time to speak. Shame on Joe LaCava and the City Council for ignoring them.
During non-agenda comment, Ernie spoke about the Gliderport, and he did another good job:
I also spoke about the Gliderport, but I had enough time to rewrite my speech to show the City's pattern of backing private business interests over citizen's interests.
Note that I have attached the 1983 Grant Deed below.
