City of Chula Vista, CA
02/24/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 02/24/2026 17:54
ENGINEERING AND CAPITAL PROJECTS
The City of Chula Vista has appointed Luis Schaar as its new director of engineering and capital projects, bringing vast experience in infrastructure planning, design and construction to one of the City's most critical departments.
Schaar began his career with the City of San Diego as a student engineer and was hired full-time after graduating from San Diego State University. Over a 28-year career, he worked on the design and construction of major infrastructure projects, including water and sewer systems, transportation improvements, stormwater, parks and recreation facilities, pump stations and mega projects such as the West Mission Bay Bridge. Most recently, he served as assistant director for engineering and capital projects for the design branch, overseeing a team of more than 300 staff.
"What has always drawn me to civil engineering is the opportunity to solve complex problems with a team and deliver projects that serve communities long beyond my career," Schaar said. "Infrastructure is the backbone of a community and plays a vital role in supporting growth and long-term goals."
As director, Schaar will lead the delivery of capital improvement projects that support Chula Vista's neighborhoods, public safety facilities, parks, transportation networks and other critical infrastructure. His role includes overseeing planning, design and construction, as well as coordinating with City departments to ensure new assets are safely delivered and properly maintained.
Raising his family in Chula Vista, Schaar has seen firsthand how community investments improve quality of life. He also sees this moment as a pivotal time for Chula Vista, with major projects underway that will shape the City's future, including Bayfront development and continued growth in eastern Chula Vista.
Main priorities for Schaar are to support a strong engineering team and deliver long lasting and safe infrastructure. In addition, while not always top of mind, he emphasized the importance of maintaining aging infrastructure, including systems that are out of sight but essential to daily life, such as drainage and utility networks.
The community is encouraged to share early input on engineering and capital projects so that improvements reflect local needs and priorities.
For more information about the engineering and capital projects department, please visit chulavistaca.gov.
City of Chula Vista, CA published this content on February 24, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 24, 2026 at 23:54 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]