Until now, mixed-use projects have required a lengthy discretionary approval process in San Diego. That could change with a zoning change given preliminary approval by the City Council this week.
"The San Diego City Council Monday tentatively approved an amendment to the city’s municipal code to add a sixth development zone category aimed at spurring high-density housing developments near public transit and employment areas," reports Ken Stone.
The zoning code change adds a sixth category to the city's zoning code: "mixed-use." The new code designation joins open space, agricultural, residential, commercial, and industrial in the municipal code.
"Mixed-use zoning will be available for developments that are primarily residential or employment-based. Secondary uses for mixed-use developments include residential space, employment space, offices and retail units," according to Stone. "Mixed-use developments that face the public right-of-way or a private drive or plaza will also be required to include building-front additions like bay windows, balconies and awnings."
Stone quotes Councilmember Vivian Moreno in the article, who backs the potential of the zoning change to make it easier for developers to create walkable communities.
"For developers seeking to rezone their current projects into the mixed-use category, city staff said the wait time to process a rezone is roughly 12-18 months, based in part on the speed with which developers return required paperwork to the city," according to Stone. Meanwhile numerous developers have sought this kind of development in recent years, only to encounter this long discretionary approval process.
FULL STORY: High-Density Housing Near Public Transit Is Aim of San Diego Code Change
San Diego Planning Commission Rejects Voluntary State Density Law
The density-enabling mechanisms of the California law Senate Bill 10 are too much for San Diego’s citizen planners.
San Diego Expands Transit Oriented Zoning From a Half-Mile to a Mile
A recent package of code changes by the city of San Diego will make it possible to build high-rise residential buildings and accessory dwelling units in larger areas around public transit.
Boston Moves Zoning Reform Forward
The ‘Squares + Streets’ plan creates form-based zoning templates for neighborhoods that promote mixed use and denser housing near transit.
Seattle Legalizes Co-Living
A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
Central Florida’s SunRail Plans Major Expansion
The expanded train line will connect more destinations to the international airport and other important destinations.
Las Vegas Golf Course to Become Over 1,000 Units of Affordable Housing
The project is part of an initiative to build affordable housing on shuttered golf courses.
Plugging the Gap: Taxpayers Shoulder the Burden of Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells
Taxpayers, federal agencies, and tribal governments are working to address Arizona's orphaned oil and gas wells, which pose environmental and health risks, while advocates call for greater accountability from oil and gas companies.
Future Floods in Focus: Using AI and Physics to Visualize Disaster Risks
MIT researchers have developed a groundbreaking AI-powered tool that integrates physics-based models to generate realistic satellite images of future flooding, offering communities a powerful way to visualize and prepare for disasters.
Milwaukee Interstate Removal Would Create Space for Thousands of New Housing Units
A proposal to replace the elevated Interstate 794 with a boulevard could create over a billion dollars in new development along the corridor.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Los Alamos County
City of Culver City
Skagit Transit
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners