The City of San Diego Planning Department continues to recommend the exclusion of all new individual designations and historic districts after January 1, 2023 from historic protection.

This specifically would exclude all historic sites and districts that have been in the queue, some for as many as 30 years, as the city has inexcusably and wantonly sat on them not allowing them to go forward. Thus, creating significant harm to property owners and the community at large. Much like SB 10, it is seen as a punitive action to these residents.

However, there is good news for our city leaders to take to heart with a significant development since the Planning Commission's last meeting on June 1!

The Office of the Independent Budget Analyst (IBA) submitted its findings to Council President Elo-Rivera who requested an IBA report be done due to concern about the 45-year review process for historic properties, fearing it might cause delays in obtaining building permits and impede overall development progress.

Instead, the July 18 report strongly advocates for the establishment of historic districts, which contrasts with opponents' claims and fear mongering that the historic designation process delays decision-making.

The IBA report validated SOHO's long-held position and emphasized the positive impact of historic districts on communities and for developers alike! The claim that historic designation negatively impacts building and development is entirely unfounded and has been consistently propagated by planning commissioners and opponents of historic preservation, which has adversely impacted decision-making processes.

The IBA found no evidence that historic designation holds up the process.

According to the IBA REPORT'S RECOMMENDATIONS, creating more historic districts would be highly beneficial.

Along with Councilman Elo-Rivera’s IBA investigation request, the planning commission also requested that the Planning Department study and bring back various alternatives to SB 10, which the chairman described to them as a fatally flawed plan.

However, unlike the IBA who clearly took their task to heart, the Planning Department failed in theirs and instead have provided three unacceptable options, none of which respond to the concerns of several commissioners, or the over 800 stakeholders who provided public testimony in staunch opposition.

SB 10 is irreversible! No future council can change it. It is an undemocratic mandate.

Instead, the three options presented by the planning department completely fail to address the fundamental flaws associated with the proposed bill and ignore completely the IBA Report. They fail to constructively respond to commissioners’ concerns, and ignore and dismiss the public's wishes.

SB 10 is irreversible!

All three options predominantly affect and impact adversely San Diego’s historic neighborhoods. Take a look HERE.

SB 10's primary potential and the planning department's apparent marching orders seems to be in increasing revenue for developers and investors, not providing affordable housing. Nowhere in SB 10 does it call for affordable housing! Instead, SB 10 will lead directly to higher rents and home prices, making homeownership even less attainable.

The Planning Commission will reconsider SB 10 this Thursday, August 3 at 9am.

View the agenda

RIGHT NOW! PLEASE DON’T WAIT

Use the PUBLIC COMMENT WEBFORM to get your opinion into the Planning Commission record. Make sure to do this no later than the evening of Wednesday, August 2 so your comments are counted.

At the last meeting over 800 of you commented in opposition to SB 10. We need every one of you again and more! Please ask everyone in your household and circle of friends to do the same. Let them know this is important to you.

The Housing Action Package includes many other land use changes, so please start your statement with: Remove SB 10.

To use the public comment webform

Click HERE to go to the WEBFORM

• Choose the meeting date: August 3, 2023
• Check "Agenda Comment," then add: "Item 2 - HAP 2.0"
• Check: "In Opposition to Item"
• Check box if you would like to speak on the item during public testimony.
• Type your comment (200 words or less) in the comment box—You can copy and paste our TALKING POINT(S) below if you wish.
• Then Submit

THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, Show up via Zoom OR in person at 9am

To attend by Zoom: https://sandiego.zoomgov.com/j/1612210047

To attend in person

City Administration Building

202 C Street, 12th Floor

San Diego, California 92101

PLEASE NOTE: If you plan to cede (yield) time to another speaker, you must attend the meeting in person. Several organized presentations will need people to cede time and to speak.

Talking points that can be used at will

The Housing Action Package includes many other land use changes, so please start your statement with: Remove SB 10.

• REMOVE SB 10 because it fails to safeguard new historic districts. I concur with the IBA report submitted to Council President Elo-Rivera highlighting the advantages of historic districts. These districts can maximize existing infrastructure, reduce environmental impact, and preserve historical resources, thereby avoiding unnecessary landfill waste resulting from demolition.

• REMOVE SB 10 because it does not protect new historic districts. I agree with the IBA report that was submitted to Council President Elo-Rivera on July 18, 2023, Recommendation 2: A robust historical survey and historical district program should be developed to provide greater certainty to future development and help streamline permit review process.

• SB 10 does not provide equitable housing for San Diegans who require affordable and middle-class homes. Historic neighborhoods do! SB 10 is irreversible!

• SB 10 silences the voice of local communities, as it limits their participation in decisions concerning their neighborhoods. Community input is crucial. SB 10 is irreversible!

• Historic preservation aligns with sustainable development principles, promoting reuse and minimizing waste. SB 10 disregards environmental impact and loss of embodied energy associated with demolishing historic structures. SB 10 is irreversible!

• Remove SB 10 because it does not protect new historic districts. All the historic districts in the pipeline should get the same due process that developers get. Many historic neighborhoods are already in the process of becoming designated, and it is not fair to retroactively shut them out from the benefit of SB 10 exclusion.

• Once SB 10 is implemented it becomes irreversible, 100% irrevocable with no turning back. No future council or vote of the people can reverse the flawed plan.

• SB 10 is reckless and irresponsible. The measure, which eliminates single-family zoning is untested, unproven, and detrimental, representing a significant departure from established practices and it is irreversible!

• The implementation of SB 10 in San Diego ignores accepted design principles for the "Missing Middle" housing. The current plan allows building in residential neighborhoods that exceed three times the lot size, up to 14 units, with minimal setbacks, up to 40 feet high, and density that surpasses most of San Diego's apartment zones. SB 10 is irreversible!

• The preservation of San Diego's historic buildings and districts is crucial. SB 10, as currently proposed, poses a significant threat to the city's architectural heritage and cultural identity. SB 10 is irreversible!

• The years and decades of investment that residents have put into community plan updates and resulting historic districts should not be lost nor carelessly and casually tossed aside. SB 10 is designed with complete disregard for the community's needs or desires. SB 10 is irreversible!

• Preserving historic areas is vital for maintaining affordable housing options for the middle class. SB 10 will only drive-up prices further hindering the American dream of building generational wealth for all residents. SB 10 is irreversible!

Planning Commission Agenda

Planning Department Memo HAP 2.0