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San Diego City Council Approves Updated Vision for City’s Growth and Development Framework

July 23, 2024 | City News Team

Blueprint SD Passed at City Council

Today, the San Diego City Council approved Blueprint SD, a refresh of the City’s General Plan, which helps guide where more new homes and jobs near transit, parks, and services should be located to help meet the City’s equity, climate, and housing goals. Blueprint SD updates the existing framework and creates new policies in the General Plan, which serves as the City’s guide for community plan updates and the long-term future growth and development of the City.

“Blueprint SD is a bold step forward in creating an equitable and sustainable future for all San Diegans,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “The plan will help us address our housing needs, support economic growth, and make significant progress toward our climate goals. This updated framework ensures that our city grows in a way that benefits everyone, now and in the future."

The General Plan policies focus on reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions in the future by creating opportunities for more homes to be built closer to jobs, schools and other daily needs and to encourage new development near existing and planned public transit. In doing so, the General Plan calls for prioritized infrastructure investments where they are needed most and for the development of new homes for people of all incomes in all communities, particularly in high-resource areas with access to good jobs, schools and a lower exposure to environmental hazards and pollutants.

This refresh of the General Plan helps to further meet the City’s Climate Action Plan goals and takes into account the need for more homes to help address our housing crisis. It also takes into consideration the San Diego Association of Governments’ new vision for the region’s transportation system, also known as the 5 Big Moves. 

“As we plan for the future growth of our City and work to make San Diego a healthier place to live, it’s important new homes and jobs are located in the areas that have the greatest likelihood of supporting walking, biking and public transit usage. Today’s City Council vote confirms that,” said City Planning Director Heidi Vonblum. “The revisions to the General Plan also highlight the importance of ensuring that new homes for people of all incomes are available in the City’s high-resource areas providing the best opportunities for all San Diegans, and overall creating an improved planning approach toward meeting our City’s housing and climate goals.”

The specific identification of future locations for new homes and jobs will be applied through future community plan updates based on community needs and additional feedback from the public.

Next Tuesday, the City Council will consider the University Community Plan Update and the Hillcrest Focused Plan Amendment.

The University Community Plan Update will provide guidance for how the community will be planned over the next 20 to 30 years, taking into consideration land use, housing, mobility, infrastructure, urban design, public facilities and services, natural resources, historic and cultural resources, and economic development. 

The Hillcrest Focused Plan Amendment, also known as Plan Hillcrest, is an amendment to the Uptown Community Plan, which was adopted in 2016. It will address place-making, connectivity, housing and the neighborhood’s unique identity to ensure Hillcrest remains a thriving community in the future. It also celebrates the neighborhood’s unique LGBTQ+ history and culture.

An environmental impact report, which analyzed the environmental impacts of Blueprint SD, the University Community Plan Update and the Hillcrest Focused Plan Amendment, was also certified by the City Council today. The final Environmental Impact Report can be reviewed on the City’s California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Final Environmental Documents webpage. 

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