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BIA San Diego News You Should Know
City Council Approves College Area and Clairemont Community Plan Updates
On December 16th, the San Diego City Council approved the College Area and Clairemont Community Plan Updates, both by a 7–1 vote, though the vote composition differed for each item.
The BIA was present to speak in support of both plans and provided nuanced comments reflecting the perspectives of our membership.
In the College Area, we supported the plan’s significant increase in density. We emphasized that the infrastructure and community amenities sought by residents are only possible through the investment in new housing and the fees contributed by builders. The final plan included tenant protection language modeled after the Barrio Logan plan, added at the request of Councilmember Elo-Rivera. Councilmember Raul Campillo ultimately voted against the plan, citing community concerns.
In Clairemont, the BIA expressed support, with two caveated concerns, based on member feedback. We encouraged the City to moderately and thoughtfully upzone transit corridors along Clairemont Drive and Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, consistent with the City’s approach in other community plans. We also raised concerns about the inclusion of the Rose Canyon Operations site, which presents challenges unless it is formally designated surplus land or has a realistic path to that designation—raising questions about whether those housing units should count toward the plan’s total.
Despite these concerns, the Clairemont Plan was approved without revisions. The BIA looks forward to continued collaboration with Neighborhood Homes for All to identify and advance more appropriate homebuilding opportunities in the area.
We also appreciate Councilmember Vivian Moreno for directing staff in the Land Use & Housing Committee to respond to BIA’s inquiries, and Councilmember Joe LaCava for highlighting the disparities in density between the College Area and Clairemont plans.
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