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 […]
Local Government
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
Coronado City Council considers new irrigation system for golf course, turf reduction
Coronado’s municipal golf course needs a new irrigation system, according to city staff, but the expensive replacement is anticipated to save money on water bills and cut down on water usage. Tim Farmer, the director of recreation and golf services, told the City Council on March 4 that golf courses typically replace main irrigation lines […]
Posted inNews
Coronado officially declares local emergency for sewage crisis
The Coronado City Council officially declared a local emergency on March 4 in connection with the transborder flow of Tijuana sewage that has contaminated the local coastline and air. The council had previously declined to pursue a declaration of emergency, arguing that it would only be a symbolic move, rather than affecting any actual change. […]
Posted inNews
City Council passes single-use plastic ordinance
A polystyrene and single-use plastics ordinance is now in place throughout Coronado after a unanimous vote from the City Council at the Feb. 18 meeting. It will go into effect in 30 days and will be enforced 180 days after it takes effect. The final ordinance includes more than a dozen directives for the city, […]
Posted inNews
Coronado will sign an ordinance prohibiting polystyrene and single-use plastics
The Coronado City Council has given tentative approval to a new ordinance that would crack down on single-use plastic distribution by local restaurants and merchants. The ordinance, which was introduced at the City Council meeting on Feb. 4, includes amendments to the Municipal Code governing foam foodware and foam cooler distribution. It will be rewritten […]
Posted inNews
Coronado plans to declare a local emergency for sewage crisis
The Coronado City Council declared a local emergency over the cross-border sewage pollution crisis and instructed municipal staff to draft a resolution for official signing – potentially as soon as the next regular meeting. The council had previously declined to pursue a declaration of emergency, arguing that it would only be a symbolic move, rather […]
