OCEANSIDE PLANNERS OK ARTIFICIAL SURF LAGOON RESORT
Ocean Kamp to include 232-room hotel, up to 700 condos and apartments
Ocean Kamp, an adventurethemed hotel and community built around an artificial surf lagoon, received the Oceanside Planning Commission’s unanimous approval Monday for construction in the San Luis Rey River Valley.
The project brings a new era to the 92-acre site of a former drive-in theater and swap meet just off state
Route 76 and Mission Avenue at Foussat Road.
Opponents said the resort will waste water and increase traffic congestion, while supporters said it will be “a gem” in Oceanside’s crown, boosting the city’s reputation as a surfing destination and bringing millions of dollars annually in tax revenue.
Plans include a four-story hotel with 232 rooms, eight “villa” buildings with a total of 18 rooms, 16 “casitas” with a total of 20 rooms, and a park-like group of permanently parked Airstream trailers that constitute 30 rooms.
All the guest lodging will be centered on a 3.5-acre surf lagoon that will generate waves of varying sizes. When the wave machine is off, the lagoon will be available for swimming, stand-up paddle-boarding and other aquatic activities.
Also in the plans are 11 separate commercial, retail and office buildings, an 18,000-square-foot conference building, and up to 700 dwellings divided into areas of forsale condominiums and rental apartments. Among other amenities are about 1.5 miles of trails for walking, running and biking.
“The center of gravity for the whole development is the wave lagoon,” said Jon Corn, an attorney and partner in the project.
The lagoon will have consistent waves and warm water year round, unlike the ocean, he said. As a result, the resort will draw people from around the country and the world.
The developer is projecting $81 million in tax revenue for the city from the project during its first 10 years, Corn said.
About 5.2 million gallons of water will be required to fill the wave lagoon and about 4 million gallons will be lost annually to evaporation, he said. An 18-hole golf course in California uses about 90 million gallons annually, according to the California Alliance for Golf.
The Oceanside Chamber of
said Caltrans District 11 Director Gustavo Dallarda. “Now, we are ready to build the actual Otay Mesa East port of entry.”
Prep-work on the U.S. side will begin next month with the goal of completing construction by September 2024, or sooner, if possible.
The new port of entry, also known as Otay II, will have 10 lanes for passenger vehicles and commercial trucks, with the option for these lanes to be interchangeable depending on time and demand.
Unlike other border crossings, such as San Ysidro or the existing one in Otay Mesa, the new port of entry will require a toll that will be collected upon exiting the inspection point on the U.S. side. Revenue will be divided between the U.S. and Mexico.
Toll price will vary depending on demand, and it will guarantee an average waiting time of 20 minutes or less, Dallarda said.
On the Mexican side, the project is also moving forward to deliver within the timeframe agreed by both countries, said Carlos González Gutiérrez, the Consul General of Mexico in San Diego.
“The Mexican government is doing its part, aware that here in the U.S. construction is slated to begin next month,” he said.
Rep. Juan Vargas (D-San Diego) praised the binational collaboration. “It’s incredible to see what can be achieved when both of our countries come together on a united front.
“The Otay Mesa East port of entry will help achieve the bold new vision for transforming the way people and goods move throughout our region by improving regional mobility, bolstering binational trade, and fueling economic growth for both the U.S. and Mexico,” Vargas said.