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.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research