Uptown Planners (and the Hillcrest Town Council) have voted overwhelming to support an interim 65-foot height limit for much much of Hilcrest and Mission Hills. The height limit would remain in effect until the update of the Uptown Community Plan, which begins in January 2008, is completed.
In response, the Mayor’s Office has offered a weak alternative proposal, which would continue to permit high rise development, but impose feeble “design standards” for new buildings. It appears an attempt to get a community “buy in” for future high rise development in Uptown.
The Interim Height Ordinance Task Force, representing the interest of the over 1,200 members of the Uptown community who signed petitions in favor of a mandatory height limitation, has soundly rejected the Mayor’s proposal, 
and is again requesting the adoption of a mandatory interim height limitation.
At the last meeting of Uptown Planners, City Planning staff spoke glowingly of the Vancouver model of allowing high-rise development in an urban community. This photo is what Vancouver refers to as a “neighborhood.” They intentionally encouraged traffic gridlock as a tool to achieve their high density.
Is this what the San Diego Planning Department wants for Hillcrest? >
If you want to stop Hillcrest from being swallowed into a high-rise “Greater Downtown,” you need to attend the Uptown Planners meeting this Tuesday. Demand the immediate adoption of the Interim Height Ordinance.
The Uptown Planners meeting is this Tuesday, October 2nd, 6pm at the Joyce Beers Community Center (located in the Uptown Shopping Center, on Vermont Street next to Terra Restaurant).
