1-Minute Comment Script Samples

Choose one sample below that best fits your perspective, fill in the bracketed info, and add your own voice! Every comment should start with the "Bottom Line".

Sample 1: The Safety & Vision Zero Angle

Bottom Line: Good evening, Councilmembers. My name is [Your Name], and I support the San Diego River Park Foundation's request to allocate developer fees for the West Valley River Crossing.

The San Diego River Trail is a premier recreational asset, but it is also a vital Class 1 mobility trail. Right now, there is a dangerous "missing link" in Mission Valley that forces cyclists, walkers, and rollers into high-stress traffic conflict points. This gap is a proven hazard: over the a four years span, we have seen 54 bicycle and pedestrian injuries and 6 tragic fatalities within one quarter mile of this gap.

Building this bridge transforms a known hazard into a safe asset and aligns perfectly with the City's Vision Zero goals. Please unlock this important street and public safety project. Thank you.

Sample 2: The Fiscal Responsibility Angle

Bottom Line: Good evening. My name is [Your Name], and I urge you to restore the West Valley River Crossing to the budget.

As a San Diego taxpayer, I want to emphasize that this is a highly strategic, fiscally responsible safety intervention. This funding request utilizes restricted Developer Impact Fees (DIF)—meaning it does not compete with the General Fund, public safety staffing, or essential library and park programming.

Investing in the 30% Design Study is the exact step required to make San Diego eligible for millions of dollars in outside state and federal infrastructure grants. Best of all, this project requires zero land acquisition and won't remove a single parking spot. It is a smart, self-funded project that unlocks massive outside revenue. Please support it. Thank you.

Sample 3: The Neighborhood Commuter Angle

Bottom Line: Good evening, Councilmembers. My name is [Your Name], and I live/work near Mission Valley. I strongly support funding the West Valley River Crossing.

[Describe your daily commute or a specific stress point, e.g., "I moved to this area for its transit-oriented living, but the 2-mile trail gap cuts my journey short. Every week, I have to navigate the frontage road near the I-5, where I feel completely exposed to high-speed traffic"].

Completing this segment links City Council Districts 2, 3, 7, and 9. It gives us safe, non-vehicular access to coastal areas, employment centers, transit, and local businesses. Residents want to swap driving for carbon-free, multimodal commutes, but we don't feel safe to do so until this link is established. Please help us make sustainable travel a reality. Thank you.

Sample 4: The 52-Mile Regional Vision Angle

Bottom Line: Good evening. My name is [Your Name], and I support the request to restore the West Valley River Crossing to ensure this vital link doesn't get further stalled.

The San Diego River Trail is a 52-mile regional treasure with massive potential to connect our communities. However, that regional vision currently hits a frustrating dead-end in Mission Valley. For anyone walking or riding from east of the I-5, the "coastal connection" is incredibly confusing and relies on a stressful maze of frontage roads.

The West Valley River Crossing is the exact key needed to unlock this long-awaited connection. I also want to express my strong support for the City's Multimodal Team, which provides the vital technical expertise needed to prioritize safety at complex intersections like this one. Let's move this project from a line on a map into a reality. Thank you.