July 30 City Council Vote on University Community Plan Update — Residents Urged to Speak Up

From UC PEEPS

This is it: On Tuesday, July 30, beginning at 1:00 p.m., the San Diego City Council will vote whether or not to adopt the University Community Plan Update. This will be residents’ last opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions about the UC Plan Update and the process of getting here.

It is critically important for all University Community residents to appeal for the Reduced Density Alternative, which is close to the Community Preferred Plan. It calls for 22,000 additional housing units as opposed to 30,500 additional units, as the City’s Higher Density Alternative proposes. The Reduced Density Alternative is preferable for myriad reasons, the primary one being that the park and recreation needs would be reduced, more attainable, and better matched to the park and recreation improvements that have been proposed.

UC PEEPS is still looking for more people to volunteer to attend the July 30th City Council hearing in person to make comments or cede time. We have nearly a half dozen speakers so far, but would like to have more since we can expect pro-development special interest groups to turn out in large numbers and we don’t want to be drowned out by them.

We have further refined the Talking Points for you to borrow from that convey our six priority messages — the first four being the strongest. You may review the Refined Talking Points HERE.

Please let us know if you would be willing to give a one-minute comment or more by emailing us at universitycitypeeps@gmail.com Thank you so much!

Your Participation in the Final July 30th City Council Hearing is Urgently Needed

City Administration Building
City Council Chambers, 12th Floor
202 C Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Virtual participation: https://sandiego.zoomgov.com/j/1607807743

To join by telephone: Dial 1-669-254 5252 + input Webinar ID: 160 780 7743

Agenda

Full Instructions on How to Participate are HERE

TUESDAY, JULY 30th, 2024, at 1:00 PM

(Note that meeting was moved up one hour from previously scheduled time)

Here’s How to Participate:

1. ATTEND THE MEETING TO SPEAK IN PERSON. Sign up to be a speaker prior to the start of the meeting by filling out a Speakers Slip, indicating you want to speak to Item No. 601. Please be sure your comments support the reason(s) why the city council members should vote for the Reduced Density Alternative.

We’ve made it easy for you by creating a list of eight short speeches you might want to choose from that directly support the Reduced Density Alternative. You will find that list HERE.

2. ATTEND THE MEETING VIRTUALLY TO COMMENT. Speakers who wish to provide virtual public comment must enter the virtual queue by raising their virtual hands before the queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever happens first. Each speaker will likely only be given one minute to speak. Please refer to the list of recommended comments HERE.

3. SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS VIA THE CITY’S WEBFORM. Whether you speak or not, we urge you to also submit your comments by filling out the webform with your name, address, phone number, meeting date (7/30/2024), comment type (City Council Comment), and Item Number (601). Comments received by 11:00 a.m. the day of the meeting will be distributed to the City Council and posted online with the meeting materials. All webform comments are limited to 500 words but may include attachments. Comments received after 11:00 a.m. the day of the meeting but before the item is called will be submitted into the written record for the relevant item. Choose from the recommended comments HERE that support the Reduced Density Alternative and personalize/augment as you wish.

4. EMAIL COUNCILMEMBER KENT LEE AND COUNCILMEMBER JOE LACAVA prior to 10:00 p.m. on July 29th and ask them to adopt the Reduced Density Alternative to the UC Plan Update. Recommended verbiage and emails are below:

To: KentLee@sandiego.gov, JoeLaCava@sandiego.gov

bcc: universitycitypeeps@gmail.com

Subject: Please Vote to Adopt the Reduced Density Alternative to the UC Plan Update at July 30th Hearing

Dear Councilmember Lee and Councilmember LaCava:

This email is to ask you to vote to adopt the Reduced Density Alternative for the University Community Plan Update during the 1:00 p.m. City Council public hearing this Tuesday, July 30th. The Reduced Density Alternative is the best compromise to the City’s proposed plan and has broad community support.

The Reduced Density Alternative would: 1) Reduce the park and recreation center needs; 2) lower GHG emissions from vehicle traffic; 3) help mitigate the negative impacts of over up-zoning; 4) lower impacts on the flora and fauna and allow for greater setbacks from the canyon edges; 5) reduce the need to drastically up-zone the south UC commercial areas where high-density is entirely out of scale with the surrounding residential community; and 6) lessen critical need for more fire/safety coverage.

I strongly urge you to act in the best interest of University City residents and vote to adopt the Reduced Density Alternative for the University City Plan Update.

Thank you,
(Your Name, Residence)

Opposition to the UC Plan Update is Getting A LOT of Media Coverage!

If you haven’t seen them already, we strongly urge you to read just a few of the many news articles and commentaries that have run in the local press lately:

The San Diego Reader, July 24-31, 2024 — “Todd Gloria and developers to University City: It Sucks to be You” By: Adam Behar

Times of San Diego, July 20, 2024 — “City Contradicts its Own Stated Objectives” By: Bonnie Kutch

OB Rag, July 20, 2024 — “Update Process to University Community Plan Was Deceptive” By: Bonnie Kutch