The San Diego City Council Monday unanimously approved an updated version of the Old Town Community Plan, which will serve as a guide to the community's development over the next 20 to 30 years.
The city hadn't updated the Old Town plan since 1987, one of 11 outdated community plans to be updated in the last five years. The plan provides guidelines on permitting, zoning, urban design and transportation. According to Mayor Kevin Faulconer's office, the city has five more community plan updates in the works.
"As we rebuild our city for the future, we want to make sure that historic neighborhoods like Old Town retain their community character while also allowing for future growth that meets our housing needs and protects our environment," Faulconer said. "This updated plan is a big step in the right direction, and I want to thank the many community leaders and residents for working collaboratively to get this across the finish line."
City staff developed the plan with Old Town stakeholders to more efficiently meet the city's Climate Action Plan goals. The city also worked with the Metropolitan Transit System and the San Diego Association of Governments to include provisions designed to improve and increase the use of public transit in Old Town. The full plan is divided into nine sections, including historic preservation, conservation, mobility and land use.
"Old Town is unique to San Diego, serving as both a major historical destination and a residential community," said District 3 City Councilman Chris Ward, who represents the district encompassing Old Town. "I'm pleased that the updates included in this community plan will add much needed density to our housing stock and strengthen walking and biking connections between this community, the adjacent Midway community, and San Diego River Park."
