Thank you for subscribing to the City of San Diego Development Services Department's (DSD) Construction Insider, a seasonal newsletter containing a collection of articles to keep you up to date on new department programs and other helpful industry news.

The City regularly updates its Land Development Code (part of the San Diego Municipal Code) to comply with new state statutes where required. Furthermore, until the updates are passed and adopted, interim guidance is used temporarily to resolve conflicts between the state law and the local Municipal Code. Finally, for areas located in the Coastal Zone, the California Coastal Commission also has to approve adopted updates to Land Development Code before they become effective in these areas.

This statute streamlines the process to build a duplex or subdivide an existing lot. SB-9 allows qualified housing development projects of no more than two dwelling units on a single-family zoned parcel to be permitted through a ministerial permit. The City Council recently adopted an ordinance to tailor and implement SB-9, which will go in effect mid-April.

This statute expedites California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) judicial review for small-scale housing developments. It requires that legal challenges to the projects be resolved within 270 days of filing of the certified record (“to the extent feasible”), at which time includes trial and appellate court CEQA lawsuits. To qualify, projects must meet stringent location, investment, size, use, environmental and labor criteria, including:

SB-7 does not alter other timelines that may apply to required environmental reviews, such as the City’s review process.

This statute waives square footage caps on small 3- to 10-unit apartment buildings located within multi-family and mixed-use zones. SB-478 sets minimum lot sizes and standards on floor area ratios (FAR). The statute requires minimum FAR ratios of 1.0 for projects of three to seven units and 1.25 for projects consisting of eight to 10 units. 

This statute makes it easier to apply for and construct charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) by streamlining review times and reducing parking requirements that may interfere with the EV charging installations.

This statute authorizes a local government to adopt an ordinance to zone any parcel for up to 10 units of residential density per parcel, at a height specified in the ordinance, if the parcel is located in a transit-rich area or an urban infill site. This measure also prohibits an ordinance adopted under these provisions from superseding a local restriction enacted or approved by a local initiative that designates publicly owned land as open-space land or for park or recreational purposes. The Planning Department is currently reviewing SB-10 requirements and will be preparing an ordinance for City Council consideration.

Formed earlier this year by employees in the City of San Diego's Engineering & Capital Projects Department, the group aims to provide guidance to handle obstacles and situations that women in construction face, and allows members to share stories and advice. 

Women in Construction (seen in photo above with Mayor Todd Gloria, celebrating National Women in Construction Week) meets virtually every other Thursday, with future special events planned for after-work hours.

Last year there were a number of important accomplishments for Pure Water San Diego, the City's phased, multi-year program that will provide more than 40% of San Diego's water supply locally by the end of 2035.

The recently released "2021 Annual Report: A Year in Review" includes a snapshot of the accomplishments. A Phase 1 kick-off event at the Pure Water Demonstration Facility (as seen in photo) and numerous presentations and informational meetings for community organizations were among the outreach activities. The Pure Water team also participated in water industry conferences to raise public awareness of the program and resumed school partnerships to distribute teacher toolkits and share educational information. View the entire 2021 Annual Report.

With so many new developments currently taking place in Downtown San Diego, the Urban Division of Development Services Department (DSD) is pleased to announce that an updated Downtown Development Status Log and Downtown San Diego Interactive Map are now available on the City's website. These resources allow the public to keep up to date on development status, including projects recently completed, those currently under construction and permits under review.

As Downtown continues to evolve into a thriving residential and employment hub filled with recreational, cultural and entertainment amenities be, San Diegans can stay up to date by visiting the Urban Division web page for Downtown-related resources and information.

Schedule your appointment here.

DSD has created a new Telecom and Utility Division with Manjit Singh as its Deputy Director. The new division will help speed up the deployment of wired and wireless broadband communications and emerging technologies equitably throughout the City. This includes the installation of wireless communications facilities, including antennas, support structures and other equipment or apparatus. Singh will also provide valuable industry insight as the City expands its fiber network and delivers digital equity to its citizens. Read more.

As part of the City of San Diego’s ongoing effort to support local businesses as they navigate the legal cannabis industry, the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) recently awarded the City's Cannabis Business Division a $764,261 grant to develop tools necessary to help businesses comply with local and state laws.

The DCC award will be used to:

Read more.

DSD has published a new mapping tool designed to assist business owners, customers and the public locate current and prospective cannabis businesses.  

The new Cannabis Mapping Tool: 

The mapping tool is for information only, and all results should be verified before acting on the resulting data. While all sensitive uses may not be displayed on this map, the research tool is a valuable resource for citizens and business owners in the City of San Diego. Read more.

DSD recently presented new enhancements to the online permitting service during a virtual TAC Ad-Hoc subcommittee meeting.

#DigitalDSD is a department initiative to modernize workplace systems, leverage technology to improve service delivery and help reduce permitting processing times. #DigitalDSD services include all new permits being processed online, virtual over-the-counter appointments, an online portal to provide small business and restaurant assistance and virtual inspections for construction projects.  

View video recording of the meeting and other trainings here.

The City Council recently approved amendments to the City's 2019 inclusionary housing law that requires market-rate housing developers to build affordable housing or face greater costs.

Two-Year 'Spaces as Places' Permit Applications Now Being Accepted

Local eating and drinking establishments can submit applications to receive a two-year permit to expand their operations outdoors into the public right of way under the first-of-its-kind Spaces as Places program.

Unanimously approved by the City Council in October 2021, Spaces as Places provides creative ways for people to enjoy outdoor activities such as dining, walking and biking. Spaces as Places permits will allow eating and drinking establishments to pay for the exclusive use of outdoor spaces in the public right of way, including sidewalks and parking spaces.

For more information about permitting and access design guides, click here.

"This change removes a hurdle for property owners and makes it easier for them to do business in San Diego, while upholding our commitment to water conservation," said Juan Guerreiro, interim Director of the City’s Public Utilities Department. Read more.

The City of San Diego is looking for dedicated individuals to serve on environmental advisory boards, including the Wetlands Advisory Board, Sustainable Energy Advisory Board and Community Forest Advisory Board. All are tasked with providing advice and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on key environmental issues. Learn more.

As part of his efforts to produce more homes that are affordable for all San Diegans, Mayor Todd Gloria recently announced seven proposed affordable housing projects that have been recommended for funding under a new program called “Bridge to Home” that will help create more affordable housing throughout the city. Read more.

The City of San Diego's DSD is currently looking for talented individuals to join a diverse team of professionals who are eager to assist in the development of a world-class City for all. Positions for Engineers, Project Managers and Zoning Investigators are among the openings. To see a list of job opportunities, click here.

Fulfilling a promise he made during his 2022 State of the City address to deliver infrastructure improvements faster and more equitably across San Diego, Mayor Todd Gloria recently announced his new Build Better SD initiative, which will do away with old, inequitable planning policies that restrict incoming public infrastructure fees to a single community and instead create a more efficient and sensible citywide funding program. Read more.

Resolving code enforcement violations can be time-consuming and costly. The City’s Code Enforcement Division (CED) must exhibit patience, determination and tenacity when working a case, especially when there are unsafe and/or unsanitary conditions.

A citizen complaint about a house on Balmoral Drive in Encanto in 2017 is one of many such cases: couches, cabinets and random items scattered around the property; excessive dogs making too much noise; multiple inoperable vehicles with people living in them; homeless individuals camped out; and buckets of hazardous waste in the yard.

When CED officers visited the property, they also noted a hoarding situation inside the house, with rodent feces and flies and an excessive accumulation of items blocking egress. The water heater, gas and electricity had all been disconnected. The stairs leading to the unit above the garage were in disrepair, and the water heater in the garage was leaking and flowing into the street.

A Civil Penalty Notice and Order was issued and the majority of outdoor waste was cleaned up. Because people were still living in the vehicles, mobile home and tents, a Notice and Order to Vacate and Repair Substandard Building and Abate Public Nuisance was issued so the rest of the yard could be cleared.

Compliance was still not achieved, so the court appointed a conservator to take over the property. Everyone including the property owner was removed from the property, which was boarded and secured.

Finally, a contractor was hired and all of the necessary repairs were conducted. The inside of the house, garage, unit above garage and yard areas were cleared. A fresh coat of paint was applied to the interior and exterior of the house, garage and unit above.

The cost for cleanup and repairs was more than $200,000 and the entire process took about three years.

DSD hosts free informational webinars that demonstrate new program features and help customers learn how to apply step-by-step for permits online. Please visit our Training Video and Webinars page to view recordings of past webinars.