San Diegans Invited to City Council Hearing on General Plan Update and ‘Blue Print San Diego’ — 2 pm, Tuesday, July 23

University Community Plan Update Also on Docket

A number of grassroots and community groups are inviting their fellow San Diegans to an important hearing today by the City Council. The Council will hold a meeting on the General Plan Update including the controversial “Blue Print San Diego” and an update to the University Community Plan Update.

The hearing begins at 2 pm, today, Tuesday, July 23 in Council Chambers at the 12th floor of the City Administration Building, 202 C Street, San Diego, California 92101.

The strong, grassroots  group, Neighbors For A Better San Diego, will be giving a presentation on Agenda Item 333 (Blueprint SD), which is an update to the city’s General Plan.

Neighbors believes this is important, because the General Plan establishes the ground rules for Community Plan Updates for the next 20+ years. Plus, they feel much of Blueprint SD is based on computer models of transit usage and population growth that are out-of-date. The group states:

The assumption is that San Diego can upzone (densify) it’s way to affordability. Of course, we know this is not the case and the computer models are adding density to the wrong places.

Neighbors will also be allocating time ceders to Kate Sessions Commitment, who will present a quantified approach to tree planning in community plan updates using mapping data and platforms that weren’t previously available.

See instructions below in how to participate.

Here’s the Agenda

Also, the community group, UC PEEPS, is calling on folks to attend the hearing. They released a statement:

Conclusion on the Final Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR)

After thorough review and analysis by an attorney and various group leaders, it was determined that our best course of action prior to the July 23rd San Diego City Council hearing on the University Community Plan Update PEIR is to appeal for the Reduced Density Alternative Plan, which is close to the Community Preferred Plan, when council members make their final decision.

The Community Preferred Plan was submitted by the University City Planning Group (UCPG) and endorsed by UC PEEPS and other organizations as the best compromise to the City’s proposed plan. It is the result of a 5-1/2-year-long effort by the UCPG and has wide community support.

The Final PEIR states there are two plans that could be considered environmentally superior: The High Density Alternative and the Reduced Density Alternative. The Reduced Density Alternative is clearly the most superior as it relates to parks and recreation centers. With the Reduced Density Alternative, 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 are asking that residents attend the July 23rd meeting in person, if possible, to either make the below request or to cede your time to Neighbors for a Better San Diego, whose representatives will be making a presentation on Blueprint SD. Or you can participate via Zoom.

Request to Councilmember Lee and Councilmember LaCava:

This … is to ask you to vote to adopt the Reduced Density Alternative for the University Community Plan Update during the 2:00 p.m. City Council public hearing this Tuesday, July 23rd.

The Reduced Density Alternative is similar to the Community Preferred Plan that was submitted by the University City Planning Group (UCPG) and widely acknowledged as the best compromise to the City’s proposed plan. It is the result of a 5-1/2-year-long by the UCPG and has broad community support.

The Reduced Density Alternative is clearly the most superior plan as it relates to parks and recreation centers. With the Reduced Density Alternative, the park and recreation needs would be reduced, more attainable, and better matched to the park and recreation improvements that have been proposed.

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

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

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

Here’s the Agenda

and Instructions on How to Speak

UC PEEPS ares also asking supporters to mark Tuesday, July 30th on your calendar now. This is when the San Diego City Council will vote whether or not to adopt the University Community Plan Update. Their vote is final. This will be residents’ last opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions about the UC Plan Update and the process of getting here.