Rally to Support Responsible Growth and Oppose High-Rise Tower on Columbia Street in Middletown — Saturday, August 2

Neighbors support responsible development, which this is NOT. The developer needs to formally withdraw this project and start over.

  • Fire Safety. City is playing politics with our fire safety, using waivers and exceptions to bypass international fire codes; nor will they allow the SDFD to do
    a full risk assessment.
  • Earthquake Safety. Located directly over an active and accurately located fault, per the California Geological Survey. State law does not permit this construction.
  • Airspace Interference. Exceeds airport elevation limits by more than 120 feet; yet the FAA uses an exception to approve the high-rise when nothing else has been
    built in this area for decades because of these restrictions. There is no evaluation of helicopter flight safety either.
  • Affordable Housing. Not here – only 6 units required (out of 161) which will likely be legally red-lined to an offsite location. Expect small studio and 1-bedroom units at market rates.
  • Traffic Congestion and Parking. Only provides ~70 spots for 161 units. Also, Fire Department will remove all 15-16 parking spots along Columbia for an exclusive
    fire lane. Negatively impacts the entire neighborhood: businesses and residents.
  • Destroys Historic Community Character. 172’ tall building does not fit into community with 40’ height restrictions and lot setbacks.

Watch this NBC7 News report (7/3/25) about community opposition to the Columbia Street High Rise.

Go to group’s website here for more info and petition.

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3 thoughts on “Rally to Support Responsible Growth and Oppose High-Rise Tower on Columbia Street in Middletown — Saturday, August 2

  1. I am curious about this one bullet point:

    * Affordable Housing. Not here – only 6 units required (out of 161) which will likely be legally red-lined to an offsite location. Expect small studio and 1-bedroom units at market rates.

    What does “red-lined to an offsite location” mean?

    1. “red-lined to an offsite location”
      Refers to a separate property or location not within the main project boundary.

  2. Developers are not required by law, AT ALL, to possesss, nor purchase “off-site” land to build deferred “off-sited “affordable housing, and they are under no legal obligation to build anything affordable; at the onsite location, nor offsite either thanks to Sean Evil-Rivera’s legislation.

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