Save Our Heritage Organisation v. County of San Diego CA4/1

I.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. The Project

The EIR analyzes a proposed mixed-use development, referred to as the "Cedar

and Kettner Development Project" (the Project), on County-owned property in downtown

San Diego. The property is bounded on the north by Cedar Street, on the east by Kettner

Boulevard, on the south by Beech Street, and on the west by railroad and trolley rights-

of-way. As of June 2012, the parcel contained a parking lot over the northern two-thirds

of the project site, and the southern one-third contained two structures, the three-story

Star Builders Supply Company office building (Star Building) and a warehouse.

The Star Building is a city-designated historical structure. It was built in 1911 to

serve as a warehouse to store goods delivered via the railroad line at the west edge of the

Project site. An oil company occupied the site from 1948 to 1973, during which time

petroleum hydrocarbons contaminated the site. The greatest concentrations of

Subsequent undesignated section references are to the Public Resources Code.

2 contaminants were found in the southwest portion of the Project site, including directly

under the Star…