{"id":249777,"date":"2016-01-29T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-01-29T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/looking-up-north-parks-future-coming-into-sharp-focus\/"},"modified":"2016-01-29T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-01-29T08:00:00","slug":"looking-up-north-parks-future-coming-into-sharp-focus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/looking-up-north-parks-future-coming-into-sharp-focus\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking up: North Park\u2019s future coming into sharp focus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Por Ken Williams | Editor<\/p>\n

Dozens of San Diego residents recently peered into the future and saw a vision of North Park, circa 2035. Most seemed to like what they saw: higher density mixed-use projects along the transportation corridors of Park and El Cajon boulevards, and preservation of the historical character of this hipster neighborhood.<\/p>\n

After more than six years of diligent, time-consuming work by the North Park Planning Committee and other stakeholders, key parts of the final draft of the North Park Community Plan update were unveiled to the public at the Jan. 19 meeting of the local planning committee.<\/p>\n

Speaker after speaker praised the update, but a couple of people spoke against the changes.<\/p>\n

\"FRONT<\/a>
Artist rendering of H.G. Fenton\u2019s mixed-use complex planned on the northeast corner of Florida Street and El Cajon Boulevard. Commercial businesses would be located on the ground floor with apartments above, a model for future growth along Park and El Cajon boulevards. (Courtesy of H.G. Fenton Co.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis planning group has done a great job,\u201d said North Park resident Omar Passons, a community activist who formerly served on the committee. He applauded the proposed Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) density bonus program that would mandate a Process 4 Planned Development Permit, which requires the strictest level of scrutiny by planning officials and can be appealed all the way to the City Council.<\/p>\n

Kathleen Ferrier, a North Park resident who is director of advocacy at Circulate San Diego, said she was concerned about the growing lack of affordable housing in North Park. She said her brother, a PhD student, would love to live in North Park but cannot afford to move here. She said the update plan would boost affordable housing and help support transit options along El Cajon Boulevard. By 2035, for example, \u201cThe Boulevard\u201d is expected to have a trolley line connecting Downtown to San Diego State University, via Park Boulevard.<\/p>\n

Paul Jamason, who often posts on the sdurban.com<\/a> website about transportation and development issues, said he was pleased with the update because \u201ctens of thousands of people need affordable housing, especially along El Cajon Boulevard.\u201d<\/p>\n

A woman named Randi said she lived in a house off Howard Avenue that was built in 1910 on the northwest end of North Park, just south of El Cajon Boulevard. Her voice cracked as she expressed her fear that the higher density proposal might spell doom for single-family homes like hers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am a scientist,\u201d she said, \u201cso I\u2019m not usually this emotional.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom Mullaney, who represents a small group called Friends of San Diego, bashed North Park\u2019s update plan because of the density bonus program. Mullaney, who is also a member of the Uptown Planners, told North Park planners that his committee got rid of the density bonus because of that community\u2019s objections. Mullaney also took issue with the Pedestrian-Oriented Development (POD) density bonus overlaid on the area south of El Cajon Boulevard and north of University Avenue, from Florida to Boundary streets.<\/p>\n

The North Park Planning Committee asked city planning officials to fine-tune the language in the update to reflect that the POD density bonus is specifically designed to get rid of the so-called \u201cHuffman six-packs,\u201d those small apartment buildings that sprung up in North Park and Hillcrest in the 1970s and 1980s as the city\u2019s answer to the never-ending affordable housing crisis. The Huffmans are typically plain-looking with a row of parking spots in front of the apartment buildings and little to no green space.<\/p>\n

Because many North Park residents have grown weary of the Huffmans, city planners decided to provide incentives through the POD. Still, a few North Park committee members expressed concerned that the POD infill zone \u2014 which would allow up to 44 dwellings per acre \u2014 would trigger a major increase in density between El Cajon Boulevard and University Avenue.<\/p>\n

Lara Gates, a city planning official now in charge of the North Park update, reminded the committee that a POD developer would also have to request a rigorous Process 4 Planned Development Permit.<\/p>\n

\"Screen<\/a>WHAT THE PLAN UPDATE DOES<\/strong><\/p>\n

The update of the North Park Community Plan will replace the 1986 Greater North Park Community Plan, which was preceded by the 1970 Park North-East Community Plan and the 1969 North Park Commercial Area Plan. The document, a component of San Diego\u2019s General Plan, will be a guide for how the North Park community will grow and develop over the next 15 to 20 years. If the time line goes as planned by the city, the update would go into effect by January 2017.<\/p>\n

The plan includes specific goals and recommendations regarding the use and development of land and addresses mobility, economic prosperity, public facilities, conservation, open space and recreation, according to the document. The plan also envisions a sustainable community that preserves historic resources and North Park\u2019s unique and aesthetic character.<\/p>\n

The update begins with this description of the neighborhood:<\/p>\n

\u201cNorth Park is a dynamic urban community located in the central core of the City of San Diego. Originally settled at the turn of the 20th century, North Park has evolved into a thriving area community of thriving neighborhoods with a diversity of housing, strong commercial districts, and a growing arts community. The North Park Community Plan strives to reflect and protect North Park\u2019s uniqueness while planning for future growth in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The current population of North Park is estimated at 45,728 and the document notes that \u201cResidents represent all economic backgrounds and are diverse in composition. Based on the build out of the community plan, the ultimate population of North Park community is estimated to be approximately 70,000.\u201d<\/p>\n

Core values for North Park, the document states, are:<\/p>\n