In July of 2008 the Uptown communities received a “time-out” from the exisitingcommunity plan which includes allowances for buildings up to 200-feet tall along Fifth Avenue. The IHO (Interim Height Ordinance) now limits development to 65 feet along Fourth, Fifth & Sixth avenues north of Upas; a 50-ft limit on Washington Street from Dove to Ibis Street; a 65-ft limit on Washington Street and University Avenue east of Dove; and a discretionary review in Bankers Hill on Fourth, Fifth & Sixth avenues south of Upas.
The City’s Land Use & Housing (LU&H) Committee, chaired by Councilmember Todd Gloria, met yesterday afternoon to hear a report on the progress made on the Community Plan Updates for Uptown, North Park and Greater Golden Hill. Councilmembers Sherri Lightner and Kevin Faulconer listened as city planner Marlon Pangilinan and Director of City Planning & Community Investment William Anderson shared the schedule of meetings and topics discussed over the past year. Several community activists from each neighborhood voiced concerns with the plan process.
The committee heard from several community leaders including the presidents of the Hillcrest Town Council (Bruce Bielaski), the HBA (Nancy Moors), the Hillcrest History Guild (Ann Garwood), Mission Hills Heritage (Patricia Reily), University Heights CDC director (Ernestine Bonn), Uptown Planners chair (Leo Wilson) and several members of the original IHO Task Force including its chair Barry Hager.
The LU&H committee accepted staff recommendation and voted to bring the recommendation to the full City Council to exercise the first 180-day extension. Councilmember Sherri Lightner successfully added an amendment to request that in the event budget cuts cancel completion of the plan updates, city staff will return to LU&H to discuss making the height ordinance permanent. The extension will be heard by the full City Council in January.
