SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Starting September 5, the City of San Diego is moving 14 Deco Bike kiosks away from popular beach locations.
Business leaders in Pacific Beach and Mission beach are calling it a win for small businesses.
"We never wanted this here," says John Vallas, the Executive Director of Beautiful Mission Beach.
Deco Bikes has about 180 kiosks around San Diego. The City Government partnered with the company as part of the Climate Action Plan. The bikes were installed in January of 2015.
But, business owners say it gave the company an unfair advantage.
"We definitely felt the pinch," says Jason McFadin, a manager at Cheap Rentals in Mission Beach. His store saw a sharp decline in bike rentals once the Deco Bikes program started.
"They came in without working with the community, without asking what people wanted and started encroaching on some really beautiful areas and places.," says Vallas.
Local groups like the Pacific Beach Town Council and Beautiful Mission Beach held rallies and protests for the past two years to get the bikes removed. They say, in addition to unfairly competing with local businesses, the Deco Bikes took away parking spots and spoiled boardwalk views of the ocean.
After two years, the city decided to move them. In an email to 10News, the city made no mention of the protests or businesses. Rather, it says the move is to refocus the Deco Bike program on commuters, instead of tourists.
The city also sent a list of the 14 locations that will be removed from September 5 to September 11:
Station # Station Location
13 4198 Mission Bay Dr (Mission Bay Boat Ramp)
52 1492 N Harbor Dr (W Ash St & N Harbor Dr)
68 1899 N Harbor Dr (W Grape St and N Harbor Dr)
92 4500 Ocean Blvd (PB Boardwalk)
103 780 Thomas Ave (Thomas Ave & Mission Blvd)
104 700 Grand Ave (PB Lifeguard Station)
105 760 Pacific Beach Dr (P.B. Dr & Mission Blvd)
108 1005 W Mission Bay Dr (Bonita Cove Park)
110 1098 W Mission Bay Dr (Ventura Cove Park)
111 Dana Landing Rd & W Mission Bay Dr
112 5800 Newport Ave (Newport Ave & Abbott Ave)
115 2100 Spray St (Spray St & Brighton Ave)
118 2727 De Anza Rd (N Mission Bay Dr & De Anza Rd)
131 2576 Laning Rd (USS Recruit, Liberty Station)
187 1240 East Mission Bay Dr (Fiesta Island Park)
The goal is to use the bikes to help people get to and from trolley and bus lines, or to use them instead of cars for short trips. The city will hold community meetings in North Park, Downtown, Uptown and near Balboa Park to get input for where the kiosks should go.
For business owners in beach communities, anywhere is fine, as long as it doesn't harm other local businesses.
"I think it just shows, even in small communities, when we pool together, we can affect big change," says McFadin.
