Torrey Pines gliderport, take two

After a false start last summer, the city has launched another attempt to find an operator for its sometimes controversial 6.74-acre Torrey Pines Gliderport on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean adjacent to UCSD. Arrests by San Diego police have marked clashes over safety at the site, but there’s no mention of that turmoil in the February 22 request for proposals.

“The Property is a San Diego designated historical resource and is on the National Register of Historic Places, the State Register of Historic Sites, and is a dedicated National Soaring Landmark,” notes the document. “Each proposal should reflect the City’s desire to have an operator who provides a high level of service to the public while operating, managing and maintaining the Property and related activities in a fiscally responsible manner that preserves and improves the Property as a cultural resource for the benefit of the community.”

As before, use will be “limited to the operation and maintenance of a gliderport; use by non-powered aircraft and radio-controlled models (take-off and over-flight); sale of hang gliding, paragliding, and sailplane parts and accessories; sale of related merchandise; operation of a small food retail site (café); and incidental purposes.”

Annual rent seems cheap at $3,412.50, but there currently isn’t any on-site power, water, or sewer, the cost of which would have to be picked up by the tenant. A specialty in the hang-gliding business is a must: “The Proposer should have at a minimum three years’ experience in the past five years conducting similar operations” and lease terms of only ten years or more will be considered. In addition, the operator “shall not provide to its customers any prepared, takeout, or supplied/resale food in polystyrene foam packaging, nor shall the selected Proposer obtain or keep any such customer food packaging at or on the Property.”

A site inspection for those interested is set for 10 a.m. March 15, with all questions and comments due by March 21. The latest final deadline for submissions is April 10.