Hillcrest’s Most Popular Website with Oodles of Urban San Diego Information

“WOW! I want to steal $435,000.00 and pay it back @ that rate. My life expectancy is 12-15 years so I would only pay $14-18,000 before I die. Now that’s an investment strategy for me!”

— Will Dawson commenting on the SEDC felons’ financial deal

Height limits extended for another two years

The City Council listened to residents and business owners from Uptown on Tuesday evening as they considered an extension of the Interim Height Ordinance (IHO) for Hillcrest and Mission Hills. (The meeting began at 2pm, but the Uptown item wasn’t discussed until after 6pm.) The original IHO was adopted in 2008 with two extensions. The final one expired January 23. The IHO places firm building heights of 65 feet north in Hillcrest and 50 feet in Mission Hills until the outdated community plan is revised.

Staff’s recommendation was to extend the IHO until the city-delayed community plan update is adopted. However, a group calling itself “IH No” lobbied the Hillcrest Business Association (HBA) to change the ordinance to a discretionary process. The HBA and “IH No” recruited several people from the development industry to join them at Tuesday’s council meeting carrying red pennants and wearing lapel stickers promoting “Grow Hillcrest”. Uptown community members from the Hillcrest Town Council, Hillcrest History Guild, Mission Hills Heritage, Neighborhood Historic Preservation Coalition, University Heights CDC and other residents presented their support. The council agreed unanimously.

Councilmember Kevin Faulconer made a motion to extend the original height limit ordinance with an expiration of January 24, 2014. He also asked city staff to provide a written progress report of the community plan update every 180 days. In addition, staff will provide a report at the March 7 Land Use & Housing committee meeting with a “time certain” date for completion. Faulconer hopes the plan update will be complete within the two years, and it will essentially be co-terminus.

Councilmember Gloria seconded the motion, offering that he could not support the HBA position and is committed as the Budget Committee chair to make sure the update process remains funded until its completion. Before a vote could take place, the assistant city attorney expressed concerns over the “substantative change” in the ordinance and its possible violation of the Brown Act. Todd Gloria stood firm that the council needed to take a vote and would not leave the issue unresolved.

It was agreed that the vote would be taken, and the city attorney will work with staff to bring back the modified ordinance for another reading on Tuesday, January 31. Councilmembers expressed concerns that the original ordinance had expired, and they did not want the required process of 45 days to create a “window of opportunity” for taller buildings. The vote was 7-0 with Marti Emerald absent.

Does Hillcrest need a westbound exit from 163N?

Perhaps it should have been designed when the other Washington Street ramps were built, but currently ambulances exit at Robinson Avenue and must use their sirens at seven stop lights through the usually congested Hillcrest business district before reaching Scripps Mercy (11 traffic signals if trying to quickly get to UCSD Medical Center’s emergency room).

This new ramp could be built on city/state land, and we believe that community benefits would be great. What do you think?