Border project revamp sought

Coalition worries about loss of private property

By Janine Zúñiga
2:00 a.m. June 13, 2009

SAN YSIDRO — A coalition of border-area businesses and community groups is organizing its response to a draft environmental report of what would be the largest border expansion project in U.S. history.

The Smart Border Coalition was formed several years ago after the federal government began planning what would now be a $577 million expansion of the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world's busiest land-border crossing.

The group's goal is to minimize the loss of private property because of the expansion. If property owners do lose land, the group wants to make sure the community and owners are justly compensated. Members vow to continue fighting for a port of entry that improves security and border-crossing times but does not harm San Ysidro in the process.

“We have to stop looking at San Ysidro like we have in the past and look at it like the world's busiest land-border crossing that it is,â€