To speed construction projects and ensure they stay on budget, the City of San Diego has lifted the annual moratorium on public and private construction activity in beach communities during the summer months. Lifting the moratorium removes a longtime practice of halting construction activity in the public right of way during the busy tourist season between Memorial Day and Labor Day.  

“For decades, projects were stalled during the summer, delaying improvements for residents. Now we can get streets paved and infrastructure improvements completed faster,“ said Mayor Todd Gloria. “The removal of this restriction is one way we’re cutting red tape and finding creative solutions across City departments to improve service to residents.” 

In his 2025 State of the City address, the Mayor questioned the benefits of the longstanding prohibition on street resurfacing during summer months and suggested that lifting the prohibition could save taxpayers money. 

Removing the restriction on construction during summer will allow for more timely completion of projects and increase efficiency for both private companies and City crews by minimizing disruptions. The City will evaluate projects within the beach areas to incorporate additional mitigation measures, such as splitting work into smaller phases to reduce impacts to street traffic, parking lots, and sidewalks.  

The City will also work to expand community outreach for local businesses, residents, and visitors during construction.   

The City will work with entities that currently have projects underway to waive the summer construction moratorium requirement, if deemed appropriate by the construction deputy city engineer.  Similarly, for private projects, the moratorium will no longer be routinely enforced as part of the traffic control permitting process.   

Projects within the California Coastal Commission jurisdiction will still be required to comply with the commission’s permitting conditions, and the City’s actions do not supersede them. This may include summer construction restrictions distinct from those previously imposed by the City. In those cases, the public project manager and/or private applicant are encouraged to request a waiver from the Coastal Commission for any potential restrictions, as applicable, to achieve the desired efficiency in construction completion. 

Additional details can be found in this public notice, directed to the local construction industry.