Judge orders San Diego to allow Blackwater training site to open

By Tanya Mannes
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
12:44 p.m. June 4, 2008

OTAY MESA – A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Blackwater Worldwide may open its Navy training center in Otay Mesa immediately, despite Mayor Jerry Sanders' attempt to first require public hearings on the controversial project.

Blackwater vice president Brian Bonfiglio said that in light of the ruling the facility will begin holding training sessions on Thursday.

“We all really felt that since we followed the rules from the very beginning, this was what would be decided,” Bonfiglio said.

The military training contractor has leased a 61,600-square-foot warehouse in a business park three blocks from the U.S.-Mexico border near Brown Field. It is installing a shooting range, a simulated Navy ship and classrooms.

The plans have sparked protests in which opponents cited a lack of public notice, and noted that Blackwater's permit applications were made not by Blackwater but under the names of affiliated companies like Southwest Law Enforcement.

On May 19, Sanders said that Blackwater's project needed approval by the City Council and Planning Commission. The city had already issued some permits for the project, but Sanders cited a legal opinion by City Attorney Mike Aguirre in requiring the additional public review.

Blackwater then sought a temporary restraining order against the city of San Diego, saying it was entitled to open with its existing permits. The company said its due process rights had been violated, and that failure to open on time would jeopardize its contract with the Navy.

U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Huff granted the motion on Wednesday, saying in the ruling that there is “a strong likelihood of success on the merits of that claim.”

Raymond Lutz, an anti-Blackwater activist who successfully ran in Tuesday's Democratic primary for the 77th Assembly, said he is disappointed but not surprised by the ruling.

Lutz said he will continue working to challenge Blackwater's permits and called on Sanders to complete the city's internal investigation into whetherthey were awarded properly.

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