EAST OTAY MESA RECYCLING COLLECTION CENTER AND LANDFILL 

EAST OTAY MESA, SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

The Solid Waste Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a new recycling collection center and class III solid waste landfill located in East Otay Mesa in southern San Diego County. The EIR is being prepared in accordance with all applicable requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, including the California Code of Regulations Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 6.3).

On June 8, 2010 the voters of San Diego County approved county-wide initiative Proposition A. Proposition A amended the County General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and other ordinances and policies of the County of San Diego to allow for the construction and operation of a recycling collection center and class III solid waste landfill on the project site. Proposition A also amended the Siting Element of the County-wide Integrated Waste Management Plan to list the project site as a recycling and disposal site and to conform the siting element text to provide for the proposed project. 

The proposed recycling collection center and class III solid waste landfill would occupy approximately 340 acres of the 450-acre site. The remaining 110 acres would remain undeveloped. The proposed project would be located in the unincorporated area of south San Diego County, approximately two miles east of the Siempre Viva Road exit from Interstate 905, one-quarter mile from Loop Road/Paseo De La Fuente and east of planned State Route 11. The proposed project site would be located approximately one and one-half miles from the City of San Diego, two and one-half miles from the City of Chula Vista, and one-quarter mile from the United States/Mexico border. The project area can be found on Thomas Brothers Guide page 1352 Grid D-F1, F2.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires government agencies to inform decision makers and the public about the potential environmental impacts of proposed projects, and to reduce any environmental impacts to the extent feasible. In 2011, LEA published a Notice of Preparation with an accompanied Initial Study to inform the public about the project and the planned Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

The flowchart shown here briefly summarizes the steps to prepare an EIR and the project’s current status. Each project’s timeline is variable and there are no predetermined deadlines for completion. Some projects may take a year, others may take years depending on the scope, scale, complexity of the project, and speed at which an environmental technical analysis is completed by the Applicant and submitted to the Lead Agency for review. 

6/20/2023: To learn more, view the youtube presentation.

** Recording created to provide information in an audio/visual format. No audience was in attendance. 

Project Contact: Catherine Dean | Catherine.Dean@sdcounty.ca.gov | (619) 204-0702

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Initial Study – September 12, 2011
Notice of Preparation – September 12, 2011

Applicant is actively working on Environmental Review Process – Last updated April 25, 2025