On January  9, 2024, the City Council adopted Housing Action Package 2.0 (HAP 2.0), which implemented state law to allow the construction of more new homes near transit, provide protections to existing residents, increase the supply of land available for new homes, and incentivize new home opportunities in all communities that San Diegans of all income levels can afford. HAP 2.0 contained proposals focused on protecting San Diego's most vulnerable community members, which include people experiencing homelessness, students, seniors, and those in areas with very low, low, and moderate access to opportunity. HAP 2.0 also implemented Assembly Bill 2097 and removed parking minimums for new developments within transit priority areas. 

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: February 15, 2024
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: Not yet approved. Approval is anticipated to occur in 2025.
• O-21758: Homes for All of Us: Housing Action Plan 2.0 Land Development Code Amendment
• R-315290: CEQA Exemption for Housing Action Plan 2.0's ADU Home Density Bonus Program

On September 13, 2022, the City Council adopted Build Better SD, a citywide initiative to support San Diego's infrastructure, equity, climate, housing, quality of life, and conservation goals. Build Better SD created a more effective and equitable development impact fee funding system for public facilities such as libraries, streets, and pedestrian and bike facilities, enabling the City to prioritize public investments in areas with the greatest need and in a manner that ultimately enables the faster delivery of infrastructure projects to our residents. The project includes amendments to the Public Facilities, Services, and Safety Element of the City's General Plan, the SDMC, and the Land Development Manual to implement Build Better SD. Build Better SD also includes Citywide development impact fees for mobility, fire, and library assets, an update to the City's Regional Transportation Congestion Improvement Program, restoration of General Plan Maintenance Fees for Accessory Dwelling Units, and associated amendments to the SDMC. Also being presented with Build Better SD is the 2021 Annual Development Impact Fee Report, which is required pursuant to the Mitigation Fee Act.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: October 21, 2022
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: April 12, 2023
• O-21521: Amendment of SDMC Section 142.0640, relating to Build Better SD
• R-314266: General Plan Amendment: Public Facilities, Services, and Safety Element
• R-314267: General Plan Amendment: Public Facilities, Services, and Safety Element relating to Build Better SD
• R-314268: Amendment to the Land Development Manual, Appendix M, Trip Generation Manual, Appendix U, DIF Manual relating to Build Better SD
• R-314269: Amendment to the Regional Transportation Congestion Improvement Program (RTCIP) relating to Build Better SD
• R-314270: Reinstate General Plan Maintenance Fees for ADUs and JADUs
• R-314271: Fire-Rescue DIF
• R-314272: Library DIF
• R-314273: Mobility and Park DIF
• R-314274: Acceptance of DIF Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Report

On September 13, 2022, the City Council adopted the Climate Action Plan (CAP), which consisted of the City's California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Significance Thresholds for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a replacement of the existing CAP Consistency Checklist with new CAP Consistency Regulations, which applies to specified ministerial and discretionary projects. The updated Significance Thresholds for GHG emissions required amendments to the City's Land Development Manual (LDM), and the CAP Consistency Regulations amended the LDC by adding a new division to Chapter 14.

The CAP Update, revised GHG CEQA Significance Thresholds, CAP Consistency Regulations and associated Climate Resiliency Fund and Urban Tree Canopy Fee, and the Addendum to the CAP Environmental Impact Report are collectively referred to as the Climate Action Plan Update Package.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: October 21, 2022
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: June 8, 2023
• O-21528: Amendments to Climate Action Plan Consistency Regulations
• R-314299: Urban Tree Canopy Fee
• R-314300: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Threshold

On October 3, 2022, the City Council approved changes to Council Policies 600-09 and 600-24 and the SDMC that defined the roles, responsibilities, and standard operating procedures of Planning Groups. These changes focused on improving transparency, broadening community representation, and reflecting Planning Groups' legal status as independent organizations consistent with the City Charter. 

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: November 11, 2022
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: August 10, 2023
• O-21546: Amendments of SDMC Related to Community Planning Group Reform
• R-314337: Amendments of Council Policy 600-24 Related to Community Planning Group Reform
• Council Policy 600-09: Community Planners Committee
• Council Policy 600-24: Standard Operating Procedures and Responsibilities of Recognized Community Planning Groups

On March 1, 2022, the City Council adopted the Housing Action Package 1.0 as part of the Homes for All of Us initiative. Through updates to the LDC, the Housing Action Package aims to incentivize and promote new housing opportunities throughout the city that San Diegans of all income levels can afford. Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), which is also known as the California Housing Opportunity & More Efficiency (HOME) Act, was signed into law in September 2021. SB 9 has the potential to provide new housing opportunities throughout the State by requiring each local jurisdiction to allow an urban lot split and construction of two units on each lot. SB 9 became effective statewide on January 1, 2022. SB 9 allows local agencies to tailor some aspects of its implementation, including setback requirements, parking, urban tree canopy and development impact fees. This Housing Action Package includes additions and amendments to the LDC to implement SB 9 and ensure the requirements align with the City's existing Accessory Dwelling Unit regulations.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: April 10, 2022
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: September 12, 2024
• O-21439: Homes for All of Us: Housing Action Package Code Update
• R-313896: Employee Housing Incentive Program Fee

On May 24, 2022, the City Council adopted the Housing Action Package-ADU Amendment, which amended the Accessory Dwelling Unit Bonus for Affordable Accessory Dwelling Units Program to reduce the length of the affordable deed restriction from 15 years to 10 years for low- and very low-income bonus Accessory Dwelling Unit homes subject to affordability requirements. The 15-year restriction for moderate-income Accessory Dwelling Units remained the same. The Accessory Dwelling Unit Bonus for Affordable Accessory Dwelling Units Program allows for a bonus unit for every deed-restricted affordable Accessory Dwelling Unit home provided.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: July 3, 2022
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: September 12, 2024 
• O-21461: Amendments to Residential Use Category--Separately Regulated Uses, Accessory Dwelling Units

In November 2022, Measure C was approved by the ballot initiative, which proposed to amend the LDC and People's Ordinance O-10960 to remove the 30-foot Coastal Height Limit Overlay Zone from the Midway-Pacific Community Planning Area. Enacting the initiative allowed for taller buildings to be built if they followed other governing laws. On December 12, 2022, the San Diego City Council enacted a resolution certifying the election results for the Nov. Election, in which the Measure C ballot initiative passed with a majority vote. The 30-foot height limit is still in effect throughout the remainder of the City of San Diego, as specified in Ordinance O-10960. 

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: December 12, 2022
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: March 14, 2024 
• O-21508: Measure Relating to Coastal Zone Height Limits in the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Plan Area
• R-314520:  Declaring the Results of the Municipal General Election held on November 8, 2022

On October 19, 2021, the City Council adopted the Airport Amendments, which repealed the current Airport Approach Overlay Zone (Section 132.0201) and the Airport Environs Overlay Zone (Section 132.0301) and added use tables within the Airport Land Use Compatibility Overlay Zone for consistency with the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans

The City Council also overruled the Airport Land Use Commission's determination of inconsistency via R-313754

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: November 28, 2021
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: July 13, 2022
• O-21380 Airport Amendments

On April 6, 2021, the City Council adopted the Short Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) Ordinance that requires all hosts and hosting platforms to comply, including the requirement that hosts obtain a license for all short-term residential occupancy within any part of a dwelling unit for less than one month. It is unlawful to operate a STRO without a STRO license on or after May 1, 2023. There are four (4) license types with varying requirements on the number of days and types of dwelling available for short-term residential occupancy. A host may only hold one license and operate one dwelling unit for STRO at a time; licenses are not transferrable between ownership or location/dwelling unit. All licenses will expire two (2) years from the date of issuance and may be renewed in accordance with the ordinance.

• Effective: May 1, 2023
• O-21305: Amendment of SDMC Sections Related to STRO Regulations
• O-21436: Amendment of Implementation Date for STRO Regulations
• O-21464: Amendment of SDMC Sections Related to Coastal Commission Modifications to STRO Regulations
• R-313742: Adopting Fees for STRO Applications and Licenses

On November 9, 2021, the City Council adopted Spaces as Places, the City of San Diego's program to transition temporary outdoor spaces, which were allowed to replace indoor capacity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that significantly restricted indoor operations, to permanent places that safely bring people together to dine, play, and gather. The Spaces as Places program offers a menu of options to allow for the creation of a variety of quality outdoor places for dining, walking, biking, public artwork, and other enjoyable public interaction for the post-pandemic world, in a manner that increases the safe and enjoyable use of public spaces throughout the City.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: December 23, 2021
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: August 10, 2023
• O-21391: Amendment of SDMC Sections Related to the Implementation of the Spaces as Places Program
• R-313761: Adoption of Spaces as Places Related Items are Exempt from CEQA
• R-313762: Adoption of the Spaces as Places Design Manual
• R-313763: Approval of the Spaces as Places Exclusive Use Fee for Streetaries in the Public Right-of-Way

On December 7, 2021, the City Council adopted the Transit Priority Area Parking Reform to align the City's parking policies with its climate and long-range mobility goals. This amendment included eliminating minimum parking requirements for a majority of non-residential land uses within transit priority areas (TPA's), as well as neighborhood-serving commercial land uses citywide. This effort complemented many of the City's previous efforts, including the effort to reduce parking requirements for multi-family residential developments within TPA's, as well as the City's Climate Action Plan and Complete Communities-Mobility Choices Initiative. Overall, the project aimed to help reduce reliance on vehicles, which reduces vehicle-generated greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion. The project also aimed to help streamline the non-residential development process by removing parking requirements and giving business operators, employers, and developers flexibility to choose how much parking is needed for their customers and employees. This project included amendments to parking regulations outside of TPA's and in other zones. It also included the cleanup of parking regulations for Planned Districts and some bicycle parking regulations.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: January 16, 2022
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: Not yet approved. Approval is anticipated to occur in 2024.
• O-21401: Amendment of SDMC Sections Related to Citywide Parking Reform Including Non-Residential Uses in TPA and Neighborhood Commercial Zones and Other Parking Related Amendments
• R-313796: Determining that Amendments to the SDMC Sections Related to Citywide Parking Reform Including Non-Residential Uses in TPA and Neighborhood Commercial Zones and Other Parking Regulations are Exempt from CEQA

On October 27, 2020, the City Council adopted the 2019 Housing Legislation Code Update that addressed California State housing law requirements, including several bills passed at the end of 2019. These included changes to State Density Bonus Law, housing for the homeless, accessory dwelling unit laws, and other miscellaneous housing laws. The 2019 Housing Legislation Code Package amended LDC to implement and comply with State law and included additional local amendments tailored to San Diego's specific housing needs.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: November 29, 2020
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: September 7, 2022
• O-21254: 2020 Housing Legislation Code Update

On January 28, 2020, the City Council adopted Cannabis Advertising Billboards, which amends the Municipal Code to regulate the advertising of cannabis on billboards to help prevent the illegal consumption and purchase of cannabis or cannabis products by youth as well as have the ability to enforce regulations at the local level. 

• Effective: February 29, 2020
• O-21174: Cannabis Advertising Billboards

On November 9, 2020, the City Council adopted the Complete Communities Housing Solutions and Mobility Choices, which amended the SDMC to incentivize housing production and improve the mobility network around existing transit and development. The initiative removes regulatory barriers to producing homes and invests in walking, biking, and transit infrastructure. It also invests in neighborhood and mobility amenities; such as street trees, bicycle facilities, and promenades.

These types of investments increase the quality of neighborhoods where new housing is proposed by creating more active, pedestrian-oriented spaces and supporting the shift to non-vehicular modes of travel. This, in turn, helps the City meet its Climate Action Plan (CAP) goals. Prioritizing these investments in areas where they are needed most is also a central intent of the Complete Communities initiative. Complete Communities Housing Solutions and Mobility Choices were approved as two separate ordinances.

The Mobility Choices package included the Mobility Choices Regulation Ordinance, a Resolution to Adopt the Active Transportation In Lieu Fee, and a Resolution to Amend the Land Development Manual (LDM). The following appendices were amended: an updated Appendix A: CEQA Significance Determination Threshold for Transportation, a new Appendix R: Transportation Study Manual, and a new Appendix T: Mobility Choices Implementation Guidelines.

The LDM, Appendix R, The Transportation Study Manual (TSM) is an update to the City's current Transportation Impact Study Manual, last updated in 1998. The TSM provides detailed CEQA transportation analysis guidelines using Vehicular Miles Traveled (VMT)-based metrics to determine a development's environmental impacts. Additionally, the TSM ensures that best planning practices for a development are incorporated through a Local Mobility Analysis (LMA). The LMA evaluates the effects of a development on mobility, access, circulation, and related safety elements in the proximate area of the development for all modes. The LMA includes guidance for analyzing and accommodating non-single occupancy modes: pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit. The TSM focuses on VMT-reducing measures.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: January 8, 2021
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: September 7, 2022
• O-21274: Amendments to Sections in the SDMC Related to Mobility Choices Regulations
• O-21275: Amendments to Sections in the SDMC Related to Complete Communities: Housing Solutions Regulations
• O-21276: Amendment to Section 142.0640 Related to DIF
• R-313829:  Approval and Adoption of the Age-Friendly  San Diego Action Plan
• R-313280: Mobility Choices Regulations: Implementation Guidelines Related to the Complete Communities: Mobility Choices Program
• R-313281: Approval of an Active Transportation in Lieu Fee
• R-313282: Approval of the Neighborhood Enhancement in Lieu Fee

On July 28, 2020, the City Council adopted Moderate Income Housing Regulations to amend the SDMC and the City's Local Coastal Program to add regulations to incentivize the construction of moderate income housing. The amendments include regulations on pre-density bonus units, terms of affordability, and the findings for denial of waivers and incentives. It also utilizes Parking Standards Transit Priority Area Regulations, if applicable.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: August 29, 2020
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: August 10, 2022
• O-21222: Moderate Income Housing Regulations
• R-312603: Analyzation of Environmental Documents Related to the Moderate Income Housing Regulations

On August 4, 2020, the City Council adopted Movable Tiny Homes to add movable tiny houses as a separately regulated residential use within the existing companion unit and junior unit regulations in the SDMC to encourage housing supply, choices, and affordability. A movable tiny house would be subject to additional restrictions. Movable tiny houses are an alternate type of housing structure that falls under the State’s definition of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Movable tiny houses provide a lower-cost option when building an ADU, and provide flexible housing options for families, friends, students, the elderly, in-home health care providers, people with disabilities, and others.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: September 11, 2020
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: September 7, 2022
• O-21223: Amendments to the SDMC Sections Related to Movable Tiny Homes
• O-21477: Amendments to the SDMC Sections Related to Movable Tiny Homes in the Coastal Overlay Zone

On June 17, 2019, the City Council adopted the Fiesta Island Amendment. The Fiesta Island Amendment is an update to the Mission Bay Park Master Plan that was adopted in 1994 and last amended in 2002. Mission Bay Park is a Regional Park that provides recreational amenities to all residents of the City of San Diego, as well as visitors to the San Diego area. The Fiesta Island Amendment to the Mission Bay Park Master Plan updates the land uses and vision for Fiesta Island. The Amendment includes maps, diagrams, and supporting policy recommendations in the Master Plan to guide future uses and improvements to the approximately 470-acre planning area in four subareas. The Amendment includes recommendations for Island-wide improvements to recreation facilities and uses, access and circulation, parking, soft-surface trails and paved multi-use paths, grading and landscaping, habitat areas, water quality, eelgrass bed plantings, and enhancements to directional signs, and utility upgrades.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: July 21, 2019
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: March 9, 2022
• R-312519: Certified EIR for the Amendment to the General Plan and Mission Bay Park Master Plan Related to Fiesta Island Option B
• R-312520: Approval of Amendment to the General Plan and Mission Bay Park Master Plan Related to Fiesta Island
• R-313780: Approval of California Coastal Commission Modifications to the Fiesta Island Amendment to the Mission Bay Park Master Plan and Local Coastal Program

On December 10, 2019, the City Council adopted the Inclusionary Affordable Housing (Inclusionary) regulations as amendments to the Municipal Code and Local Coastal Program. Regulations pertaining to the Inclusionary policy are incorporated in Chapter 14, Article 2, Division 13 of the Land Development Code (LDC) which is also part of the Local Coastal Program. On August 13, 2021, the CCC took action to conditionally certify the code amendments with three modifications to the regulations.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: July 1, 2020
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: August 10, 2022
• R-313865: Amendments to the SDMC Relating to the Coastal Commission Modifications to the Inclusionary Affordable Housing Regulations
• O-21167: Amendment to SDMC Sections Related to Inclusionary Affordable Housing Regulations
• O-21432: Amendments to SDMC Sections Related to the Coastal Commission Modifications to the Inclusionary Affordable Housing Regulations

On September 10, 2019, the City Council adopted Mixed Use Zones. The amendments added new mixed-use base zones and accompanying regulations to the Land Development Code.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: October 12, 2019
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: March 12, 2020
• O-21118: Mixed-Use Base Zones

On March 19, 2019, the City Council adopted Transit Priority Area Multifamily Residential Parking Standards that reduced parking requirements and provided transportation amenities for multifamily residential development within Transit Priority Areas (TPAs). Also, any parking that is provided for a multifamily residential development within a TPA should be unbundled parking. Unbundled parking requires that the onsite parking spaces must be decoupled from the cost of the purchase or rental of the residential unit, separating the cost of parking from the cost of housing. This allows for residents to weigh the cost of reducing to one or zero parking spaces, when transit options, employment, and lifestyle choices can reduce the vehicle reliance for a household or individual. Developments providing at least 20% on-site affordable units or developments with four or fewer dwelling units would not be required to provide unbundled parking. In addition, the Proposed Regulations supersede any overlay zones, such as the Transit Area Overlay Zone or the Beach or Campus Parking Impact Overlay Zone that lie within a TPA.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: April 24, 2019
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: October 16, 2019
• O-21057: Transit Priority Area Parking Regulations
• R-312234: CEQA Exemption for Parking Regulations for Multiple Dwelling Unit Residential Development and Appendix Q of the Land Development Manual

On March 20, 2018, the City Council adopted the Affordable Housing Density Bonus Regulations, which implemented Assembly Bill 2501, Assembly Bill 2556, Assembly Bill 2442, and Assembly Bill 1934 and provided additional affordable housing incentives. The amendments are intended to increase the production of subsidized and market-rate housing citywide.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: April 21, 2018
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: August 8, 2018
• O-20916: Affordable Housing Regulations Amendments

On September 11, 2018, the City Council adopted Live-Work Quarters Regulations to expand the Live-Work Quarters use to two additional zones (CO-1 and CV-1); reduced the minimum floor area from 750 square feet to 500 square feet; increased the residential floor area ratio from 33% to 49 %; no longer limited the use to artists or artisans; allowed commercial uses, offices, and the presence of employees provided they are overseen by the resident; and clarified that no additional parking is required.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: October 18, 2018
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: June 13, 2019
• O-20985: Live-Work Quarters Regulations

On May 15, 2018, the City Council adopted Placemaking Regulations, which established clear regulations for "placemaking." Placemaking is a planning concept that refers to creating spaces that serve the needs of neighborhoods by enhancing streetscapes and allowing creative uses of public right-of-way or private property, particularly of unused or underused land, to create more vibrant and livable communities.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: June 21, 2018
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: February 14, 2020
• O-20928: Placemaking in the Public Right-of-Way and on Private Property
• O-21142: Coastal Commission Modifications for Placemaking in the Public Right-of-Way and on Private Property

On October 24, 2017, the City Council adopted Administrative Appeal Procedures to clarify that when an appeal of a permit approval is withdrawn, a public hearing on the appeal is no longer required.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: November 24, 2017
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: July 10, 2019
• O-20863: Administrative Appeal Procedures

On September 12, 2017, the City Council adopted the Affordable Housing/In-Fill Projects and Sustainable Development to revise the City's Expedite Program to incorporate new City initiatives, goals and strategies, which included increased and improved (1) housing affordability; (2) development in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods; (3) development near public transit; (4) sustainable development; (5) reduced permit and review process timelines; and (6) consistency with the Climate Action Plan.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: October 15, 2017
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: February 8, 2018
• O-20856: Affordable Housing/In-Fill Projects and Sustainable Development Amendments

On September 12, 2017, the City Council adopted Companion Unit/Junior Unit Regulations, which implemented Senate Bill 1069, Assembly Bill 2299, and Assembly Bill 2406. These bills allow homeowners to construct Companion Units on their residential property with reduced requirements for parking, zoning setbacks, fire sprinklers, public utilities, and fees.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: October 15, 2017
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: February 8, 2018
• O-20857: Companion Unit/Junior Unit Regulations Amendments

On February 14, 2017, the City Council adopted Marijuana Regulations that updated the medical marijuana consumer cooperative land use regulations in accordance with Proposition 215 to apply to the retain or all marijuana. These amendments to the LDC and the Local Coastal Program added a new retail sales use, marijuana outlet, which permits the outlets to sell recreational and medicinal marijuana with a Conditional Use Permit. 

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: March 24, 2017
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: October 12, 2017
• O-20793: Marijuana Regulations Amendments

On October 3, 2017, the City Council adopted Testing and Marijuana Production Facilities to amend the SDMC allow for the issuance of conditional use permits for the commercial cultivation, distribution, storage, and production of medical and recreational marijuana and marijuana products. It also allows for testing labs for medical and recreational marijuana products by right in accordance with Proposition 64.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: November 17, 2017
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: February 8, 2018
• O-20859: Testing and Marijuana Production Facilities Amendments
• O-20858: Marijuana Production Facilities Amendments

On July 12, 2016, the City Council adopted Affordable Density Bonus Regulations, which further incentivized the construction of affordable housing through the Affordable Housing Density Bonus Regulations by (1) increasing the maximum density bonus available; (2) increasing the maximum number of incentives; (3) reducing the decision process level when a Planned District Ordinance permit is required; (4) reducing the parking ratio in high transit frequency areas, consistent with AB 744; and (5) allowing the affordable units to be located off-site, subject to certain criteria.

• Effective outside the Coastal Zone: August 18, 2016
• Effective within the Coastal Zone: March 8, 2017
• O-20673: Affordable Density Bonus Regulations Amendments