The Imperial Beach City Council swore in Mitch McKay as the city’s new mayor at an Aug. 20 meeting, and his empty council seat will now be filled through an appointment and application process. The string of vacancies on Imperial Beach’s council started when Paloma Aguirre, the former mayor, was elected as the District 1 […]
Local Government
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Coronado to enforce plastic-free regulations beginning Sept. 16
Food service and retail facilities will be expected to comply with regulations for single-use plastics and polystyrene in September after the City of Coronado adopted new rules earlier this year. On Sept. 16, establishments that use polystyrene and single-use plastic foodware and utensils, beverage bottles, bags and balloons can face penalties from the city for […]
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Get to know your government leaders in Coronado and beyond
Have you ever wondered who makes the decisions that shape life in Coronado? This guide breaks down Coronado’s elected officials at the local, state and federal level. Whether you want to voice a concern or stay informed, it helps to know who represents you. Local government Coronado: Mayor and city council Coronado elected John Duncan […]
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Coronado once more raises developer fee for new units that don’t provide affordable housing
Coronado City Council members voted to increase the city’s affordable housing in-lieu fee beginning at $25 per square foot this year and in 2026, followed by $10 per square foot increases every year through 2029. Developers are required to pay a fee when they build in Coronado without setting aside 20% of the units for […]
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City Council OKs fencing around the Coronado Cays Dog Park
In response to public concerns about dog attacks, Coronado officials have decided to add fencing at least 42 inches tall to enclose the existing 1.5-acre green space of the Coronado Cays Dog Park, matching the height of the existing stone wall to the west of the area at the southern end of Cays Park. City […]
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Aguirre leads early election results for San Diego’s District 1 supervisor
Following elections for the District 1 empty seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre defeated Chula Vista Mayor John McCann with 53.9% of votes, compared to McCann’s 46.1%. McCann conceded on Wednesday morning. While the election was technically nonpartisan, Nora Vargas’ abrupt departure left a split board in […]
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Over $1 million distributed for Coronado’s community grant fund
Just over a million dollars was distributed in grant money to 23 organizations on the island after a 4½ hour deliberation by Coronado City Council on June 18. The top three recipients for 2025 were Safe Harbor Coronado at $125,000, a program that helps youth and families overcome drug use, suicide, mental illness and more […]
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South Beach boundary moved due to smoke from beach fires
The Coronado City Council has adopted new boundaries for beach fires near residential highrises on the city’s oceanfront. The council previously decided to limit fires at South Beach – outside the Coronado Shores apartments – to just propane fires due to complaints of smoke reaching residents at the complex. However, wood and charcoal fires were […]
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Coronado to rethink affordable housing in-lieu fees
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the current status of the in-lieu fee rate. The online story has been amended to reflect that at this time, the in-lieu fees have rolled back to $7,000 per unit and will stay at that rate at least until the item is brought to a future council […]
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Coronado City Council wants more federal action on Tijuana sewage crisis
The Coronado City Council is considering amending the city’s resolution on the sewage crisis, using language simlar to Imperial Beach’s recent call in urging the Trump administration to restrict border traffic and withhold water exports to Tijuana until Mexico takes action to stem the flow of sewage contaminating south San Diego beaches. At least some […]
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City raises fee for units that don’t provide affordable housing
Coronado has a rule that anyone building housing on the island would need to set aside 20% of the units for affordable housing. If they didn’t set aside those units, they’d pay the affordable housing in-lieu fee. That fee has been the same since 1993: a flat rate of $7,000 per unit that is not […]
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Algal bloom hits Southern California early, overwhelming marine rescuers
A toxic bloom of microscopic algae is once again turning Southern California’s coastal waters into a killing field for marine life — and this year, it arrived early. For the fourth consecutive year, domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by a fast-growing group of algae called Pseudo-nitzschia, is causing widespread poisonings. Sea lions, dolphins and seabirds […]
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Discover Coronado continues its hotel assessment into 2026
Local hotels have seen a decrease in staffing and tourism, but Discover Coronado plans to continue levying assessments on the Marriott, Hotel del Coronado, Loews and Glorietta Bay Inn as they have done in the past. A report presented at the March 18 City Council meeting by Todd Little, the executive director of the Coronado […]
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The free summer shuttle will be returning to Coronado this year — but the Island Express won’t
The Island Express will not be returning to Coronado this summer to provide on-demand electric shuttle services, but the free summer shuttle will be available. The Island Express pilot program ended in December and on March 18, the City Council unanimously voted to direct city staff to come up with a feasible financial proposal before […]
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Coronado reinstates Ad Hoc subcommittee to work on ocean water quality
The City of Coronado formed a temporary committee known as the Ad Hoc Ocean Water Quality subcommittee in April 2023 to address the cross-border sewage pollution, and on March 18, the council decided to revive the committee for another year. Starting April 1, Mayor John Duncan and Council member Mark Fleming will serve on the […]
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Are Coronado’s elected officials held to an ethics standard?
Coronado’s city attorney sought to tamp down a petition drive that calls for a code of ethics to govern the mayor and council members, arguing that California conflict-of-interest statutes and other laws already serve that purpose. The petition, spearheaded by 2024 City Council candidate Christine Mott, has about 300 signatures as of March 10. Mott […]