KPBS Midday Edition

Future Of San Diego's Community Planning Groups Uncertain

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host, John Carroll / General Assignment Reporter & Anchor

Published January 6, 2020 at 9:53 AM PST

This story was published more than 4 years ago.

San Diego's skyline is shown in this undated photo.

Future Of San Diego’s Community Planning Groups Uncertain

San Diego's Community Planning Groups were on the road to reform. Then the City Attorney reviewed those suggested reforms and now the process is anything but certain.

San Diego's community planning groups have been around since the 1970s. They're the first stop for developers wanting to build in the city.

But in 2018 came concerns from the city auditor and a report from the San Diego County Grand Jury critical of how the groups operate.

Reforms to make the groups more inclusive and transparent are still under review by the city’s Land Use and Housing Committee. The reform process includes a review from the City Attorney’s office that raises questions about the scope of reforms the city can impose. That’s because the groups are considered independent entities.

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Colin Parent, executive director of the non-profit group Circulate San Diego, which advocates for sustainable growth, joined Midday Edition on Monday to discuss the challenges that lie ahead.

Corrected: April 18, 2024 at 2:48 AM PDT

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story said the City Attorney's office stopped the process. The City Attorney's office is still reviewing it.

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Maureen Cavanaugh

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Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

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John Carroll

John Carroll is a general assignment reporter and anchor at KPBS. He loves coming up with story ideas that are not being covered elsewhere, but he’s also ready to cover the breaking news of the day.

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