Story poles to outline the footprint for Solana Beach’s new Marine Safety Center will be installed the week of Sept. 23, the city announced, marking the start of a view assessment process.

Nearby property owners will also be notified about the timeline of the project and how to submit their feedback.

The new center, which will be located in the same place as the existing one, would have about 3,200 square feet of office, operational and observational public safety space, according to the city, in addition to about 1,900 square feet of parking and storage for Marine Safety vehicles and equipment.

“Please note that the primary purpose of placing the story poles is to introduce this design option to the community and to receive feedback,” according to the city. “The City is still at the preliminary phase of this project. Additional design, public participation, permitting and City Council meetings will be necessary before the project is fully authorized for construction. Lastly, please note that, while this is a priority project for the City Council, no construction funding has been identified yet.”

According to a city staff report, the current Marine Safety Center has been around since the 1940s. In recent years, it has required “constant repairs and maintenance.”

The city has been working with domusstudio architecture since 2018 on the design. Story poles were previously installed in 2022, prompting concerns about the size. In a February 2023 meeting, City Council members gave direction to city staff that they wanted to explore possible reductions in size, particularly with the size of the observation tower.

The timeline and funding for the project are uncertain. It will be discussed at future City Council meetings and possibly additional public workshops, although nothing is currently scheduled.

For more information, visit the city’s Marine Safety Center upgrade webpage.