{"id":251459,"date":"2017-04-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-04-07T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/uptown-planners-feel-disrespected\/"},"modified":"2017-04-07T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2017-04-07T07:00:00","slug":"uptown-planners-feel-disrespected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/uptown-planners-feel-disrespected\/","title":{"rendered":"Uptown Planners feel disrespected"},"content":{"rendered":"

News analysis<\/em><\/p>\n

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

The Uptown Planners seem to be borrowing a line from the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield, whose catchphrase was \u201cI don\u2019t get no respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Members of the citizen-elected volunteer board, which advises city planners on matters related to growth and development in the Uptown district, expressed anger at their April 4 monthly meeting that the Planning Department is not paying attention to their recommendations.<\/p>\n

And the immediate collateral damage for that resentment is the Hillcrest 111 project.<\/p>\n

\"Uptown
The proposed Hillcrest 111 building at the corner of Seventh and Robinson avenues in Hillcrest (Artist rendering courtesy of Architects Orange)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The backstory<\/strong><\/p>\n

The public frustration expressed by the Uptown Planners is mostly related to the Uptown Community Plan Update (CPU), which the City Council approved on Nov. 14, 2016 and which recently went into effect.<\/p>\n

For seven years, the volunteer board held countless meetings with stakeholders and the community to craft the proposed CPU. But last year, the City Council approved an ambitious Climate Action Plan, making it necessary that the CPU reflect the goals of that plan.<\/p>\n

After the Uptown Planners forwarded their proposed CPU, an important policy document that will guide growth and development for the next two decades, significant changes were made last fall to encourage more density and discourage long-distance commutes. The Planning Commission overruled a number of their recommendations, deciding instead to mix and match between the 1988 CPU and the draft proposal. Among other things, the Planning Commission recommended keeping the existing land-use maps and axing the Interim Height Ordinance that had temporarily restricted the construction of buildings over 65 feet in height.<\/p>\n

The City Council then approved the hybrid version of the CPU, angering the majority of board members who control the Uptown Planners and community stakeholders, such as Mission Hills Heritage and Save Our Heritage Organisation. Those two stakeholders have been raising money to cover their legal expenses as they sue the city over the CPU that was approved.<\/p>\n

Hillcrest 111 project<\/strong><\/p>\n

San Diego Uptown News readers learned about the Hillcrest 111 project in an article titled \u201cThe next big thing in Hillcrest?\u201d that was published in February. The article can be read at bit.ly\/2kPyfMg<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the Feb. 4 meeting, the Uptown Planners reviewed the mixed-use project planned by developer giant Greystar on 1 acre located at the southwest corner of Robinson and Seventh avenues in Hillcrest. The land is currently being used as a parking lot by AT&T, which occupies a monolithic complex on the north side of Robinson Avenue. As part of the deal, Greystar will build a private garage \u2014 providing oversized parking for 86 AT&T trucks, vans and personal vehicles \u2014 on the south side of the Hillcrest 111 building. The seven-story, 90-foot tower will offer 111 residential units, including nine apartments for very-low-income families, plus retail space on the ground floor facing Robinson and Seventh avenues.<\/p>\n

Greystar applied for a Process 2 Neighborhood Development Permit, one of the Planning Department\u2019s easier application processes, simply requiring action by the Uptown Planners and then a decision by the Planning Department staff.<\/p>\n

Uptown Planners voted Feb. 4 to recommend:<\/p>\n