The San Diego Planning Department wants to change the system that currently funds improvements to public amenities, facing considerations about the implementation and legality of the proposed alternative.
The San Diego planning department hopes to get rid of a development impact fee system that currently funds such public amenities as parks, libraries, and streets, reports MacKenzie Elmer. Under the system, newer and more affluent neighborhoods get more improvements than their less lavish counterparts. Under the fee system, developers pay a different (often outdated) fee in each neighborhood based on the cost of the improvements and the expected amount of development.
The fees vary dramatically neighborhood to neighborhood. "The highest fees in the county are in Del Mar Mesa, $122,048 per home. They’re lowest in San Pasqual Valley, home to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, at $2,054," says Elmer. The city wants to share the development fees citywide, bringing up questions about which projects would be prioritized and whether it's legal to spend fees in a neighborhood that was collected somewhere else. The ultimate power lies with the mayor who controls the development impact fees as .01% of the annual budget.
FULL STORY: If Your Local Park Sucks, This Is Probably Why
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.