San Diego has successfully concluded a clean-up operation at a former homeless encampment near Torrey Pines Gliderport, removing around four tons of waste. The city's Environmental Services Department, with assistance from local fire, police, and park ranger departments, engaged in the clean-up beginning on Monday. According to the City of San Diego, the multi-department effort faced the challenging terrain of the cliffside and canyon area, impeding the use of heavy machinery.
City Council President Joe LaCava extolled the teamwork exhibited, saying, "In an extraordinary example of collaboration across City departments, Environmental Services and SDFD worked together to clean this abandoned encampment in the steep open space between the Torrey Pines Gliderport and golf course." The operation also provided training for the San Diego Fire-Rescue air crews, who must update their flight training annually. Deputy Fire Chief of Special Operations with SDFD, Steven Lozano, told the City of San Diego, "It seems like they're just slinging loads in and out of the canyon, but really they're getting situational awareness, they're looking at the environment, how the winds operate during this time of year, working with the winds off the ocean as well as in the canyon – it’s just great experience."
Before the clean-up, city code officers visited the location to ensure it was no longer inhabited. As part of their procedure, they posted 24-hour notices before the abatement process, and offers of assistance were extended to anyone who might be residing there, though no inhabitants were encountered during this period. ESD Deputy Director Franklin Coopersmith emphasized the ecological importance of the task, stating, "This is a very sensitive habitat over here. We've got the cliffs, we’ve got the waterway going right into the ocean – so we really wanted to get the waste out of there."
