General Description
San Diego County is located in Califomia's southenmost corner, along the United States-Mexico border, and constitutes the California Department of Commerce Region 9. With a population of over 2.6 million, the County of San Diego encompasses the cities of Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Coronado, Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City, Oceanside, Poway, San Diego, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, Vista, and several unincorporated areas.

The City of San Diego is the second largest city in California, with a population of 1.2 million people. The southern portion of San Diego borders its sister city, Tijuana, Baja California, whose metropolitan area also contains approximately 1.2 million people. The two San Diego/ Tijuana international border crossings are, in fact, the most frequently used border crossings in the world. Implementation of the proposed North American Free Trade Agreement will very likely increase trade and manufacturing opportunities along this border area.

The existing transportation infrastructure in both the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego provides easy access to all parts of San Diego County and beyond. Four interstate highways, and a network of state highways and county routes, provide access to San Diego and Imperial Counties, the Los Angeles Basin, Arizona and Mexico. Rail transport is available north to Los Angeles or south to Mexico. San Diego County has four municipal airports and the San Diego International Airport at Lindbergh Field. In addition, the San Diego Unified Port District facilitates shipping via commercial shipping lines and charter vessels.

The San Diego region offers new and existing businesses an attractive business environment. San Diego forms the intersection of three distinct, though interdependent, markets: the United States, Mexico, and the Pacific-Rim. San Diego's many universities and junior-colleges also provide a skilled labor force. In addition, the economic development network that is in place provides further evidence of the region's great potential for successful recycling market development.

The San Diego Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) encompasses the south-easternmost portion of the City of San Diego and an adjacent unincorporated area of the County of San Diego. The area, referred to as Otay Mesa, is being developed specifically for industrial and commercial uses. The RMDZ has over 6,300 acres zoned for industrial purposes, making it one of the largest contiguous industrial development areas in the nation.

The San Diego RMDZ is connected to the San Diego freeway system through its main transportation route: State Highway 905/Otay Mesa Road. An additional route, Highway 125, is planned which will enter the San Diego RMDZ from the north, with construction scheduled to begin by the mid 1990's.

The City's portion of the application area encompasses the entire industrial area of the existing Otay Mesa Enterprise Zone. The Enterprise Zone has approximately 3,500 acres zoned for industrial use. All of the financial incentives and technical assistance extended to businesses in the Enterprise Zone will automatically be available to recycling businesses wishing to locate within the overlaying portion.