Shipping industry moves to rescind Barrio Logan community plan

San Diego's shipping industry wants to reshape the land-use changes that the city council approved for Barrio Logan, located adjacent to the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

The industrial businesses hope to do so (as reported by NBC 7) by submitting over 53,000 signatures to the City Clerk's Office in an attempt to force council to reconsider or put the issue on the ballot for voters to decide.

The "Protect Our Jobs Coalition," sponsored by the Port of San Diego Ship Repair Association, paid a pretty penny to get the signatures. According to an October 31, disclosure, the association paid $140,000 to post petition workers outside of local hardware stores and other big-box outlets.

Those in the industry oppose tighter environmental regulations included in Barrio Logan's Community Plan Update. The major sticking point is a buffer zone aimed at keeping industrial businesses out of residential zones. If the plan makes it to implementation, the opposition believes suppliers in the area will have to relocate, thus jacking up the price of doing business.

One important detail is missing from the October 31 disclosure: who paid for the signature drive? The disclosure shows that the Protect Our Jobs Coalition has spent $156,613 but has only collected $15,025 in contributions, $15,000 of which from National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO).

James Sutton, the treasurer for the Protect Our Jobs Coalition, did not respond in time for publication regarding how the committee spent money it did not have.