For Immediate Release:

Contact: Leo Wilson, Uptown Planners Chair. 619-231-4495

Janet O’Dea, Uptown Planners Vice-Chair, 619-794-2781

Where Have All of the Old Buildings Gone?

Recently, there has been considerable effort by City Staff and neighborhood groups to review demolition permits in the older areas of San Diego, especially considering that these areas are the embodiment of our heritage. This is referred to as the 45-year rule, since buildings over 45-years old are analyzed to determine if they are eligible as historic landmarks.

Intentional manipulations of the existing system, lax review and some processes that obscure public involvement point to a variety of loopholes that bypass the analysis, which otherwise has the potential to preserve our heritage. Additionally, manipulation of these processes deprives community-planning groups the opportunity to weigh in.

When the demolition permits are issued in these cases historic resources are lost and the only surviving documentation may be insufficient. The community often cries foul but it is seldom in time to reverse the process or to retain the resource. So, residents, business owners and builders who play by the rules have all lost confidence in the effectiveness of our planning processes.

The Uptown Planners Community Planning Group has studied this issue over the course of several years and has proposed recommendations to specifically close the loopholes and add checks and balances into the current system. The Uptown Planners board adopted the proposals unanimously. “The end result will be better compliance of the existing review processes,” said Leo Wilson, Chair of the Uptown Planers, “This will better enable preservation of San Diego’s historic architecture and cultural heritage; decrease discarding high quality materials such as old growth lumber; and ultimately result in a clear and more consistent review process that benefits everyone.”

Some of the proposals that the Uptown Planners approved pertain to the upcoming Community plan update. Other recommendations include:

• Mandate Community Planning Groups involvement in the review process before permits are issued to better comply with public notice requirements.
• Define Remodels and Demolitions so they are handled properly.
• Enact fines for those who demolish buildings without following the process.

Overall recommendations involve ensuring that the processes followed are in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. One recommendation is to eliminate historic review consultants from the City’s approved list when the consultant repeatedly submits reports that manipulate information or distort conclusions to favor demolition. This is critical since some of these reports have lead to the demolition of potentially eligible historic landmarks. The memo that articulates all of the issues and proposals is attached. The proposals will be heard with the Land Use and Housing Committee of the City Council on September 23, 2009

A link to a 3:24 minute You Tube videotape that highlights the issues is available at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbcyIMDvsGg

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