28th Street Canyon

A Canyon at Risk—and a Chance to Save It

Our Goal:

Preserve open space and prevent the construction of five 3,000 sq. ft. luxury homes in this sensitive canyon area.

What’s Happened So Far:

Architect Paul Benton and contractor Louis Beacham are co-investors and developers of the 28th canyon [include picture of the location from slide 2]
They propose to develop 5, 3,000sq/ft homes with the chance of more ADUs [include picture of the homes from slides 3 and 4]
The developers presented to the community at a workshop, covered by local news here and here
Preserve Greater Golden Hill talked with the developers who are in the process of buying the land. TThey have agreed to give the neighborhood a chance to buy it island turn it into protected open space. We don’t yet know the purchase price.

Importance of maintaining open space

The canyon’s relationship to our wellbeing: Access to nature and greenery has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve overall mental well-being.: Trails, parks, and open hillsides offer residents places to walk, run, bike, and play—especially important in urban areas with limited private yards. This open space helps bridge recreational disparities in in our community where access to nature is otherwise limited.
The canyon’s open space is critical to health: Vegetation and trees help reduce the heat island effect in dense neighborhoods, such as South Park.Open spaces filter pollutants from the air and stormwater, contributing to cleaner runoff into local watersheds.
Development increases flooding and harms the natural watershed: South Park is part of the Pueblo San Diego watershed, a heavily built-up area where about 55% of the land is covered by streets, buildings, and driveways. These hard surfaces don’t let water soak into the ground, so when it rains, dirty water runs off into storm drains and nearby creeks. This water often carries harmful things like metals (such as copper, lead, and zinc), bacteria, and dirt. The neighborhood's old sewer and drainage systems make the problem worse during big storms. In 2024, heavy rain caused major flooding in 28th Street Canyon, showing how serious the issue can be. Include neighbor videos here and here.

What’s Next:

We’re mobilizing to raise funds and protect this land for good. Here's how you can help: