By Lynne Miller
All over the finest city, we can see the destruction of the Todd Gloria and City Council policies.
Now, instead of distinct neighborhoods, fine in design and unique in character, we see block towers – apartment after apartment. The tall ugly towers placed in residential neighborhoods block the sun and congest streets.
The horror of Complete Communities that removes environmental and coastal zone laws is rising up all over the city.
THE GOOD NEWS, the people of San Diego are rising up in protest!
There is a south, north, east, west building swell rolling over the City of San Diego. The people can end this nightmare by joining forces and demanding responsible building.
The meeting at Portuguese Hall last night, standing room only, convinced me that we have a whole city movement determined to reinsert “FINE” into San Diego. The first and most obvious step is to vote for Larry Turner! Let’s do this San Diego!
I appreciate this Lynn, and the folks coming out to an event like that, but it seems like people aren’t listening to us. For instance in the latest UT poll (which weirdly wasn’t posted here), Gloria had a 16 point lead, up from a 4 point lead previously. It also showed Turner losing support! I feel like we’re on an island out here and everyone else seems to be OK with more homes, which we obviously do not need.
Personally, I place NO WEIGHT on a poll done by the UT.
We need to continue this type of effort that the residents in Clairemont started, this is the only way to get the city to listen to the very people they lord over. They don’t care, I know they say they do, but they don’t. That been proven time and time again.
They won’t listen to any reasoning whatsoever for fear of losing – something – it’s gotta be money. Or they can not own up to admitting they made a horrible mistake in allowing the ADU/JADU craze.
I know Cindy, I hear you. It does make me worried though. Do you think LT can win? Even if that poll is way off I’m really worried about the fact that the same outfit found him losing support even after all that wonderful money from a real hero came in. Seems grim.
The City Council adopted Complete Communities when Kevin Faulconer was in office.
Yeah, it was in early November 2020 when the San Diego City Council approved Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s “Complete Communities” plan, which incentivizes housing near transit and is intended to connect San Diegans with safe and convenient mobility options. This was near the end of Faulconer’s reign.
Half the plan was to increase infrastructure — which never happened — look at this January’s flooding.
Vote your conscience. Defeat Todd Gloria! Save the neighborhoods
How do other communities engage in a larger city-wide campaign, where we can: (a) expose the high rises planned in our neighborhoods; (b) start an online petition to stop the CC policy; (c) integrate social media to the larger “mailing list” to maintain presence and pressure that forces print and broadcast media to highlight the issues; (d) raise minimal funds to support our opposition effort; (e) organize visible peaceful protests; etc. As stated this affects all our neighborhoods. If not now, it’s on its way soon. And I think the entire Council and Municipal Directors need to hear the increasing protest volume.
Scott, when our small group, Coastal CareTakers, was leading the charge against 4705 Pt Loma Ave I said many times that I could be useful in the beginning stages, but I announced and knew that I was not the leader for the next phases. I saw at Portugese Hall a few nights ago the ’emerging’ leaders who could save cottage communities. I suggest that we call a meeting, very soon, of all the neighborhoods emerging leaders who are fighting the take over of our city. Every point you made above is right on!
My best contribution forward is ‘writing’ to encourage action, and to educate and help unify our cause.
Excellent piece. I agree with your comment. Thank you
Just to say that Neighbors For A Better San Diego has been working all over San Diego since early 2021 educating San Diego’s residents about the negative impact that recent zoning changes will have on their neighborhoods. By bringing homeowners back into the discussion of urban development, we seek the creation of policies that benefit homeowners, renters, small businesses and other stakeholders.
We have over 5,000 people on our mailing list and we have worked over the years to amend or abolish both the Bonus ADU Program and Complete Communities. I encourage you to visit our website: https://www.neighborsforabettersandiego.org/about-nfabsd. Please read about our work and consider signing up for our mailing list (it is free) and joining our ranks.
We are engaged in a lawsuit against the City having to do with the illegal expansion of programs like the Bonus ADU code and Complete Communities to a mile from transit through adoption of the Sustainable Development Area – a San Diego construct that was never submitted to an environmental Impact Study.
One of our board members, Christine Smith, lives on the peninsula and was on the panel at your meeting at Portuguese Hall. We provide technical support to groups like yours all over San Diego, including the people in PB currently dealing with the 23 story “Pencil Tower” on Turquoise Street and the Chollas Valley CPG dealing with “Footnote 7.” We have also been and are involved with Community Plan Updates throughout the City, including those in Mira Mesa, University City, Mid-Cities, College Area, etc.
Please visit our website to see the work we have done and continue doing. We have 26 recommendations in for 2025 changes to the City’s zoning codes, many having to do with Complete Communities and the ADU code.
Thank you for the information and thank you for your efforts.
Great questions, Scott. There are a number of organizations already out there — I’m thinking Neighbors for a Better San Diego for one — but none are truly city-wide. There does need to be a wider coalition of neighborhood groups, yet obviously it’s too late for this election cycle, but there needs to be a growing and constant pressure from the grassroots on our electeds.
In addition to our city government we need to work at the state level. Newsom also pushed high density housing with almost non-existent parking accommodation. If there were infrastructure and environmental studies performed, there could be growth. But that’s been eliminated in order to push this through. The developers have a strong say on the building requirements (or lack there of). We need to unify our voices.
This morning’s Union-Tribune tells us, “… that translates to about 5 million square feet of space waiting to be occupied …” The topic? “S.D.’s life science building vacancies at an all-time high.” If that can be converted (similar to the homeless barracks plan), let’s convert this to 12,500 of these to the 400 sq. ft. living accommodations coming soon in 8 to 23 stories next door to us. What does the city Planning Department do, anyhow? Plan?
Several months past I was contacted by the representative of Elda Developments, he was seeking permission to drill tieback anchors under my property for new building they intend to erect on two adjacent lots at 3677 and 3685 Columbia St. San Diego, tiebacks are used to stabilize wooden forms when pouring concrete retaining walls. Both lots are on the hillside behind El Indio, Shakespeare Pub, Gelato Vero and other restaurants on India Street. With further investigation I discovered the developer intends to construct an apartment building on both lots, featuring below ground parking and here’s the killer, a massive TEN story, 90 unit apartment building. This is like plunking the monolith in 2001in the middle of a fabulous neighborhood, unfortunately without benefit of potential enlightenment.
The project will block views, create further parking problems in the neighborhood and as mentioned above it simply does not have any redeeming visual, aesthetic or enlightening value, in fact it ruins what is a classic cul de sac community which has been doing just fine for decades. I’m not opposed to the 3677 -85 being developed as long as the new construction is reasonable and adhere to previous city guide lines of 30 foot height limit, which would not block views for we living in the hood and not create crazy parking issues.
Regarding the articles topic, I feel new buildings, going up helter skelter throughout the city are misplaced, like what’s planned above, they are literally ruining neighborhoods, after all who wants to life next door to a monolith? I believe the city planning department should consider limiting hi-rise construction to specific corridors and not just anywhere.
Raul – you’re right — thanks for sharing your story and hopefully we’ll all connect one day.