Opinion: San Diego’s Plans for University City Contradict its Own Stated Objectives

The city of San Diego claims that its revised University Community Plan Update will “create homes for all of us, protect & enrich every neighborhood, advance mobility & infrastructure, champion sustainability, and foster regional prosperity.”

Will it, though, considering that it defies sound planning sense and contradicts the city’s own rationale for wanting to more than double the number of housing units and population of University City? Here’s why that seems doubtful.

It won’t fulfill the need for affordable homes. Mayor Gloria touts his “Homes for All of Us” housing program that supposedly provides housing for very low-, low-, and middle-income households to satisfy our affordable home crisis. However, Planning Department officials readily admit that, because land is expensive in University City, most of the new housing units here will be luxury apartments with rents upward of $4,500 per month for a small studio. As an incentive, developers are allowed to provide a very low percentage of “affordable” units far below the standard 10-20% range.

The plan doesn’t add the infrastructure needed to support such a large population increase. The city proposes to add tens of thousands of people to University City, without regard to the existing, limited infrastructure. There are no provisions to add new roadways, schools, recreational facilities, libraries, and fire and safety facilities, nor is there any funding mechanism to add that new infrastructure.

It excludes new parks and recreation. The city’s plan falls far short of its own Parks Master Plan guidelines, with a 4,000 park-point deficit that would leave 40,000 people with a shortage of recreational space and lower quality of life. The one and only proposed new park clear up on Torrey Pines Road is leased by Scripps until 2043. It’s too far from residential neighborhoods, and it’s inaccessible by bike, trolley or foot. The plan also has a 2.2 recreation center deficit, and .49 aquatic center deficit.

The plan lacks adequate fire & safety protection. The San Diego Police Department’s Northern Division has stated it would be unable to provide enough police, emergency response, and fire support for our community since it doesn’t have the funding or personnel. Crime rates could surge upward if the population increases.

It doesn’t preserve our vital retail. One by one, residents of University City are watching their grocery stores and other retail services disappear, beginning with Bristol Farms in Costa Verde, which so many nearby seniors were able to walk to for their shopping needs. Now, our Sprouts, Vons, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Ralph’s stores are under threat, since the city has no mandates on developers as to what type of retail they must provide for properties zoned CC-3-8, Mixed-Use or Neighborhood Village.

The Plan doesn’t support mobility goals. The original justification for spending $2.1 billion on the Mid-Coast Trolley was so it could bring workers and students into University City from other communities. With 62 trolley stops, workforce and student housing should be spread out throughout the city so it can bring people into University City to work and go to UCSD, rather than have all the housing concentrated here.

The entire Plan Update relies on future investments in transit that aren’t guaranteed. They need to be identified, especially since MTS lacks the funds. People will only give up their cars with a clean, safe, efficient transit system. The limitations of current transit mean people still need cars.

It conflicts with the city’s Climate Action Program. The massive amount of concrete and lack of parks and open green space will create heat islands. Carbon emissions from vehicle traffic will increase. Artificial light, noise, exhaust and shadows from imposing high-rises will negatively impact the flora and fauna of the surrounding canyons. Tall high-rises will block sunlight on solar arrays.

The plan is devoid of any funding mechanisms. Public records have revealed that the City spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to hire outside consultants to illustrate how attractive University City will be to businesses and residents alike given the added growth. However, the plan doesn’t identify where the money will come from to fund new infrastructure, including the public facilities and community enhancements that are depicted in the plan document.

If adopted by the City Council on July 30, the poorly conceived University Community Plan Update would represent one of the most deceptive and destructive community plans in San Diego’s history — one that not only lacks sensible planning principles, but also contradicts the city’s own reasoning for adding such enormous density in the first place.

Bonnie Kutch is a resident of University City and founding member of UC Neighbors for Responsible Growth.