The Hillcrest Town Council (HTC) listened to a presentation by Uptown residents business owner, Tom Mullaney and Nancy Moors, one of the founding members of the HTC. The meeting was held Tuesday, July 14, 2015 in the Joyce Beers Community Center.
The Steering Committee of the HTC discussed the recently released “Land Use” element of the Uptown Community Plan Update. Their decision to take the information to the membership at large resulted in Tuesday’s motion to adopt two resolutions and forward the action to the Uptown Planners, Mayor’s Office and city council.
After discussion, the original resolution was divided into two separate motions.
The first motion was:
Resolution from the Hillcrest Town Council opposing a Density Bonus System
- We firmly support maintaining the traditional character of Hillcrest, the “historic feel” that’s essential to the neighborhood.
- We are opposed to the Density Bonus system, which would result in incompatible buildings, and densities much higher than can be supported by the street system and available parks.
The second motion was:
Resolution from the Hillcrest Town Council opposing a Density Bonus System
We are opposed to densities higher than 44 units per acre to the west of 163, because this is necessary to ensure that new development is compatible with the neighborhood character of Hillcrest.
Both were passed overwhelmingly by the membership.
Some community members last night expressed that Hillcrest should not take any more density until the city provides infrastructure, parks and other city services found in other neighborhoods.
The resolution was timely in light of a “special” Uptown Planners meeting to discuss the recent “Land Use” element of the Uptown Community Plan Update released by the city. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 21 at 6pm in the Great Hall at St. Paul’s Cathedral at the corner of Fifth and Nutmeg in Bankers Hill.
The population of Uptown, which has been rather stable (at about 35,000 residents) for 40 years, is expected to grow to 58,000 in the next five years according to SANDAG. Most of the population growth will be in Hillcrest and Bankers Hill, but all will be shopping at Hillcrest grocery stores (since Bankers Hill has none).
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