A local community group based in Pacific Beach is leading a campaign against Senate Bill 79 which has to do with Transit-Oriented Zoning Mandates. Neighbors for a Better California urges fellow residents to support their effort and have sent the California Senate an open public letter.
They believe projects like the proposed Turquoise Tower in Pacific Beach, with its high-density design, already challenge the unique character of San Diego neighborhoods.
They state: “SB 79 could push even further, allowing more ‘bonus density’ that risks overwhelming our communities, clogging streets, and straining local resources. If you value the charm and livability of places like North Park, Pacific Beach, or Clairemont, please read our letter and join us in advocating for development that respects what makes San Diego special.”
Here is their letter to members of the California Senate, and is signed by Marcella Bothwell, MD, the chair of the group.
Dear Honorable Members of the California State Legislature,
As San Diego residents and board of Neighbors For A Better California (NFABC), we are deeply concerned about Senate Bill 79 (SB79), which proposes sweeping state-imposed zoning changes near high-frequency transit routes. While increasing housing near transit is a worthy goal, SB79’s provisions threaten San Diego’s ability to plan thoughtfully for our neighborhoods, straining our infrastructure and sidelining community voices in areas like Downtown, North Park, and along trolley corridors.
SB79 mandates dramatic zoning changes within a half-mile of high- and medium-frequency transit stops, such as San Diego’s trolley lines and select bus routes with 15-minute intervals or better. It allows buildings up to 75 feet tall, densities of 120 units per acre, and a floor area ratio (FAR) of 3.5 within a quarter-mile of high-frequency rail, with even greater allowances near transit agency property—up to 95 feet, 160 units/acre, and 4.5 FAR.
These projects would receive ministerial approval, bypassing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), public hearings, and local review. Disturbingly, the bill’s scope could extend to unfunded routes planned by SANDAG, affecting even more San Diego communities without clear timelines or infrastructure support.
San Diego faces unique challenges that SB79 fails to address:
1. Strain on Local Infrastructure: San Diego’s aging water, sewer, and transportation systems, particularly in central city areas like City Heights and Barrio Logan, are ill-equipped for such intense development. SB79 offers no requirement for developers to fund infrastructure upgrades, risking service disruptions and safety hazards.
2. Loss of Community Control: By eliminating public notice and hearings, SB79 silences San Diego residents who deserve a say in how neighborhoods like Hillcrest or Logan Heights evolve. Local planning groups, critical to our city’s participatory process, would be rendered powerless.
3. No Affordable Housing Guarantee: San Diego struggles with housing affordability, yet SB79 grants developers massive entitlements without mandating affordable units or community benefits. This risks displacing long-time residents in areas like Southeast San Diego while prioritizing high-end projects.
4. Threat to Neighborhood Character: The bill’s one-size-fits-all zoning—allowing 95-foot towers in areas zoned for lower heights—could transform San Diego’s historic and culturally vibrant neighborhoods, such as Old Town, Pacific Beach and Normal Heights, into unrecognizable high-rise corridors.
5. Vague Terms and Loopholes: The undefined “residential project” could allow developers to skirt housing goals, potentially prioritizing commercial uses or minimal housing in San Diego’s transit corridors, undermining the bill’s intent.
6. Disproportionate Harm to Vulnerable Areas: In San Diego’s low-income communities, like those near Euclid Avenue’s trolley stops, strict denial protections make it nearly impossible to reject projects that exacerbate existing inequities, such as inadequate parks or public services.
7. SB79’s additional concessions, stacked atop California’s generous Density Bonus Law, further erode San Diego’s ability to enforce local standards. By making maximum allowances effectively minimum, the bill risks overwhelming our city’s capacity to grow sustainably.
We urge the Legislature to reconsider SB79 or amend it to:
• Restore San Diego’s ability to conduct public reviews and require community input.
• Mandate affordable housing and infrastructure contributions to support neighborhoods like Chollas View and Encanto.
• Clarify “residential project” to ensure true housing production.
• Allow flexibility for San Diego’s unique topography, infrastructure limits, and safety concerns, such as flood risks in Mission Valley.
NFABC supports smart growth, but SB79’s approach threatens our city’s livability and equity. Please ensure that housing policies respect our local context and prioritize the needs of San Diegans over developer windfalls.
Thank you for your attention to these critical issues. I respectfully request your action to protect San Diego’s neighborhoods and planning authority by sending your letter in opposition to SB 79.
Sincerely,
Marcella Bothwell, MD, MBA
Chair, NeighborsFor A Better California
San Diego, CA
Are there any members other than Bothwell?