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Long-Range Planning Efforts

Historic Preservation Planning Section

Overview

The General Plan, comprehensively updated in 2008, is the foundation upon which all land use decisions in the City are based. It expresses a citywide vision and provides a comprehensive policy framework for how the City should grow and develop, provide public services, and maintain the qualities that define the City of San Diego. The General Plan update did not include land use designation or zoning changes, which is the purview of the City's community plans.

The City of San Diego has a history of basing its land use policy plans on the individuality of its communities, which are represented by more than 50 community planning areas. Community plans are written to refine the General Plan's citywide policies, designate land uses and housing densities and include additional site-specific recommendations as needed. Together, the General Plan and the community plans seek to guide future growth and development to achieve citywide and community level goals.

The General Plan and all community plans adopted after the comprehensive update in 2008 include a Historic Preservation Element that guides the identification, preservation protection, restoration and rehabilitation of historical and cultural resources within the City and its community planning areas. The Historic Preservation Planning section is responsible for the preparation and maintenance of the Historic Preservation Element of all long-range planning documents produced by the City Planning Department.

Current Work Efforts

There are currently a number of community plan updates in process. Detailed information on those updates is available on the City Planning Department’s Community Plan Updates webpage.

Clairemont Mesa Community Plan Update

The Clairemont Community Plan Update is a comprehensive outreach and planning project to help create the Clairemont of tomorrow. The Community Plan Update will result in a plan for future growth and development that is specific to the Clairemont community and identifies a vision and strategies to support community character. The Community Plan Update will be developed through close collaboration between the City and the public.

  • The Clairemont Mesa Community Plan Update webpage provides information regarding the CPU process and relevant documents. Drafts of the updated Clairemont Mesa Community Plan, which includes a Historic Preservation Element that was informed by the Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis and the the Historic Context Statement, can be found on the CPU webpage.
  • On Thursday, May 27, 2021 the Historical Resources Board heard an Informational Item on the drafts of the Clairemont Mesa Community Plan Update Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis, the Clairemont Mesa Community Plan Update Historic Context Statement, and the Historic Preservation Element of the Clairemont Mesa Community Plan Update.

Clairemont Mesa Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis

The draft Clairemont Mesa Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis provides a discussion of the environmental and cultural setting; defines archaeological and tribal cultural resources; summarizes the results of archival research and outreach to the Native American Heritage Commission and local tribal representatives; analyzes the cultural sensitivity levels within the community; and provides recommendations to best address archaeological and tribal cultural resources in the Clairemont Mesa Community. This document is used to inform the Land Use and Historic Preservation elements of the plan, as well as the Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR).

  • The current daft is included as an attachment to the Staff Memo for the Informational Item presented to the HRB on May 27, 2021.

Clairemont Mesa Historic Context Statement

The draft Clairemont Mesa Historic Context Statement presents an overview of the history of the Clairemont Mesa community, with a specific emphasis on describing the historic themes and patterns that have contributed to the community’s physical development. It presents the history of the community’s built environment from the Spanish Period to the present in order to support and guide the identification and evaluation of historic properties throughout the community. This document is used to inform the Land Use and Historic Preservation elements of the plan, as well as the Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR).

  • The current daft is included as an attachment to the Staff Memo for the Informational Item presented to the HRB on May 27, 2021.

Hillcrest Focused Plan Amendment

The Hillcrest Focused Plan Amendment is a two-year comprehensive planning effort to enhance Hillcrest in partnership with the community by focusing additional housing near transit, improving pedestrian and bicycle mobility, providing public and recreational space, and celebrating and protecting Hillcrest's unique LGBTQ+ history and heritage. Please visit the PlanHillcrest website for more information of the Focused Plan Amendment.

As part of this comprehensive planning effort, the City of San Diego is documenting LGBTQ+ history and current cultural heritage in Hillcrest and the buildings, structures and sites important to that history. Building upon the 2016 Uptown Community Plan Update and the 2016 Citywide LGBTQ Historic Context Statement the City City Planning Department is partnering with the community to develop a multi-faceted historic preservation strategy for Hillcrest that will include the following:

  • A historic context statement specific to LGBTQ+ history and resources in Hillcrest that will guide the evaluation and historic designation of buildings, structures and sites important to Hillcrest’s LGBTQ+ community.
  • A Multiple Property Listing that will facilitate designation of individual properties within Hillcrest that have a significant association to the community’s LGBTQ+ history and heritage.
  • An evaluation of the Hillcrest Potential Historic District to determine if the potential district (or a modified boundary) is eligible for designation for its association with Hillcrest’s LGBTQ+ history.
  • If the Hillcrest Potential Historic District is determined eligible and designated, the City will work with the LGBTQ+ community to develop design guidelines for the designated historic district in order to successfully balance preservation of Hillcrest’s LGBTQ+ history with the continued economic vitality of the community.

  • An interpretive plan developed in partnership with the LGBTQ+ community that will honor and celebrate the people, events, buildings and sites (both existing and lost) important to Hillcrest’s LGBTQ+ community. The interpretive plan will provide an exciting opportunity for cultural resource history to interface with urban design, park planning, and transportation planning to create an urban environment that informs and celebrates through way-finding signage, public art, and the like.

This effort marks the first such comprehensive Historic Preservation Planning effort to recognize and protect LGBTQ+ resources in San Diego, and may well be the first such effort in the entire state of California. For more information on this exciting effort, please review the brief video below.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

The success of this effort will depend in no small part to the information gathered from knowledgeable members of the community. If you have information regarding the people, events and places important to Hillcrest's LGBTQ+ history, please share it with us through one of the following:

  • You may share information with us at anytime using our online form.

Hillcrest Focused Plan Amendment Historic Context Statement

The Hillcrest LGBTQ+ Historic Context Statement will guide the evaluation and historic designation of buildings, structures and sites important to Hillcrest’s LGBTQ+ community.

  • The document is currently in development and will be posted here once a draft is available.

Hillcrest LGBTQ+ Multiple Property Listing

The Hillcrest LGBTQ+ Multiple Property Listing will facilitate designation of individual properties within Hillcrest that have a significant association to the community’s LGBTQ+ history and heritage.

  • The document is currently in development and will be posted here once a draft is available.

Hillcrest Potential Historic District

The Hillcrest Potential Historic District Intensive Level Survey will determine if the potential district (or a modified boundary) is eligible for designation for its association with Hillcrest’s LGBTQ+ history.

  • The document is currently in development and will be posted here once a draft is available.

Hillcrest LGBTQ+ Interpretive PLan

The Hillcrest LGBTQ+ Interpretive Plan, which will be developed in partnership with the LGBTQ+ community, will honor and celebrate the people, events, buildings and sites (both existing and lost) important to Hillcrest’s LGBTQ+ community. The interpretive plan will provide an exciting opportunity for cultural resource history to interface with urban design, park planning, and transportation planning to create an urban environment that informs and celebrates through way-finding signage, public art, and the like.

  • The document is currently in development and will be posted here once a draft is available.

Mira Mesa Community Plan Update

The updated Mira Mesa Community Plan will take into account current conditions, Citywide goals in the Climate Action Plan and the General Plan, and community specific goals to provide direction for the long-term development of the community. The Mira Mesa Community Plan Update will be a collaborative process with ongoing opportunities for public input. During the update process, City Planning Department staff will work with the Mira Mesa community and the public to identify and consider important questions, issues, and opportunities including: How will Mira Mesa grow over the next 20-30 years? How can the community best plan for residential and employment growth? What services, infrastructure or facilities are needed to meet this growth? How can we build on the positive economic effect of Mira Mesa?

  • The Mira Mesa Community Plan Update webpage provides information regarding the CPU process and relevant documents. Drafts of the updated Mira Mesa Community Plan, which includes a Historic Preservation Element that will be informed by the Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis and the the Historic Context Statement, will be posted on the CPU webpage.
  • On Thursday, August 25, 2022 the Historical Resources Board will hear an Informational Item on the current drafts of the Mira Mesa Community Plan Update Cultural Resources Constraints and Sensitivity Analysis, the Mira Mesa Community Plan Update Historic Context Statement, the Mira Mesa Community Plan Update Focused Reconnaissance Survey, the Historic Preservation Element of the Mira Mesa Community Plan Update, and amendments to the Historical Resources Guidelines of the Land Development Manual that would exempt specified master planned residential communities from the potential historic review process under SDMC Section 143.0212.

Mira Mesa Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis

The Mira Mesa Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis will provide a discussion of the environmental and cultural setting; defines archaeological and tribal cultural resources; summarize the results of archival research and outreach to the Native American Heritage Commission and local tribal representatives; analyze the cultural sensitivity levels within the community; and provide recommendations to best address archaeological and tribal cultural resources in the Mira Mesa Community. This document is used to inform the Land Use and Historic Preservation elements of the plan, as well as the Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR).

Mira Mesa Historic Context Statement and Focused Reconnaissance Survey

The Mira Mesa Historic Context Statement and Focused Reconnaissance Survey will present an overview of the history of the Mira Mesa community, with a specific emphasis on describing the historic themes and patterns that have contributed to the community’s physical development. It will present the history of the community’s built environment from the Spanish Period to the present in order to support and guide the identification and evaluation of historic properties throughout the community, and will include a focused reconnaissance survey of the community's master-planned residential neighborhoods. This document is used to inform the Land Use and Historic Preservation elements of the plan, as well as the Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR).

University Community Plan Update

The updated University Community Plan will consider current conditions, Citywide goals in the Climate Action Plan and the General Plan, and community specific goals to provide direction for the long-term development of the community. The University Community Plan Update will be a collaborative process with ongoing opportunities for public input. During the update process, City Planning Department staff will work with the University community and the public to identify and consider important questions, issues, and opportunities.

  • The University Community Plan Update webpage provides information regarding the CPU process and relevant documents. Drafts of the updated University Community Plan, which includes a Historic Preservation Element that will be informed by the Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis and the the Historic Context Statement, will be posted on the CPU webpage.

University Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis

The University Cultural Resources Constraints Analysis will provide a discussion of the environmental and cultural setting; defines archaeological and tribal cultural resources; summarize the results of archival research and outreach to the Native American Heritage Commission and local tribal representatives; analyze the cultural sensitivity levels within the community; and provide recommendations to best address archaeological and tribal cultural resources in the University Community. This document is used to inform the Land Use and Historic Preservation elements of the plan, as well as the Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR).

  • The document is currently in development and will be posted here once a draft is available.

University Historic Context Statement and Focused Reconnaissance Survey

The University Historic Context Statement and Focused Reconnaissance Survey will present an overview of the history of the University community, with a specific emphasis on describing the historic themes and patterns that have contributed to the community’s physical development. It will present the history of the community’s built environment from the Spanish Period to the present in order to support and guide the identification and evaluation of historic properties throughout the community, and will include a focused reconnaissance survey of the community's master-planned residential neighborhoods. This document is used to inform the Land Use and Historic Preservation elements of the plan, as well as the Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR).

  • The document is currently in development and will be posted here once a draft is available.

(Updated August 2022)

Initiatives & Ongoing Work

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