APB Archives

CITY HEIGHTS AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE (Feb 22, 04)

WHAT IS IT AND WHY DO I CARE? (Feb 22, 04)

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The City of San Diego has nearly five dozen identified communities. City Heights is one, as are Normal Heights, Barrio Logan, Torrey Highlands, etc. Most communities have a Community Plan or are writing one, and the City wants communities to have a strong voice in the writing and implementation of their
community plans. Planning Committees handle this.
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The City also has a development project review procedure (Process 2000) for deciding whether to grant deviations from the zoning and other development requirements. The City wants communities to have a voice in whether deviations should be granted, how many, and what kind. Planning Committees handle this as well. This forms the largest part of a community planning group's work.
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The City also grants certain permits for other land-use activities and wants the affected communities to have a voice here as well. Reviews and advice about sewer and water projects; major road repair and replacement; street names, street and alley vacations; parking reservoirs; city initiated projects; park activities that involve land use matters; and a host of similar permits are sent to the community planning system for recommendation. Usually the city takes the community planning group's recommendation, although
sometimes the city will decide otherwise.
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There are other occasional activities where community input is needed and no other group or agency is suitable. The community planning group, an elected body, is sometimes asked to step in and offer advice or recommendations in such cases. There are also instances where the community planning group will join forces with another community agency for some specific purpose, such as a
design review. Finally, there are occasions where city or county or regional agencies will want recommendations from communities or will ask communities to send representatives to working groups. The Community Planning Groups often take these requests.
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The Community Planning System got started in the early 1960s. In 1965, the city formally ordered the Planning Department to cooperate with citizen groups to conduct planning activities. In 1970 the City adopted Council Policy 600-09 establishing the Community Planners Committee, made up of the chairpersons of the individual community planning groups. That committee, the
CPC, makes recommendations on larger, city-wide issues. The community Planning System has been deeply involved in City affairs since 1960, both individually in the communities and globally in larger city activities. The Community Planning System is not an advocacy system and if individual community planning groups drift over into advocacy, the city will step in and change course for them.
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The City Heights Area Planning Committee came into being in the late 1980s. It has 20 seats; 11 chosen by geographic districts (shown on a map in the bylaws); 3 from the business community; 2 from schools or non-profits; and 4 chosen at-large. The seats are set up so that half are elected each year and each incumbent serves a two year term. Elections are held in March, usually in conjunction with the regular Committee meeting.
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