Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting – May 17, 2024
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Land Use and Housing Committee Meeting – May 17, 2024
The Land Use and Housing Committee met on May 17, 2024, at 9:30 AM. The meeting included approval of minutes, non-agenda public comment, an informational presentation on housing data, and discussion of two major agenda items: the General Plan Environmental Justice Element and the 2024 Land Development Code update. All votes were unanimous.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Committee Minutes (April 18, 2024): Approved unanimously. One virtual speaker requested more detail in minutes (mention of a book recommendation).
Public Comments & Testimony
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Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Cesar Javier (Southeastern San Diego, District 9): Described a long-running home occupation (ceramics/kiln) operating in a residential zone, citing violations of state law and city code, including Proposition 65. Called for enforcement.
- Joy Sanyata (District 3): Shared a positive experience taking the trolley to the U.S.-Mexico border and welcomed migrants.
- Bill (member of MB Dems): Criticized the historical district application process, arguing it rewards not improving property and leads to property tax losses via Mills Act. Asked committee to revisit the process.
- Saad Asad: Noted the pause of the Riverwalk project (4,300 homes, 430 affordable) in Mission Valley and urged exploring alternative financing. Also encouraged adopting AB 1033 to allow ADUs to be sold as condos, citing Berkeley’s example.
- Virtual speaker (border security): Expressed concern about dropped IDs and dog tags at the border, arguing asylum seekers are not eligible and that the city ignores national security threats.
- Kathleen Lippett: Recalled 2017 opposition to marijuana businesses in environmental justice communities and urged not to further burden those communities with unregulated products.
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Item 3 (Equinox Dashboard) Public Comments:
- Joy Sanyata: Thanked USD for data, suggested too many nonprofits are “cooks in the kitchen” and need more collaboration.
- Virtual speaker (The Original): Criticized nonprofits for profiting, claimed affordable housing is unaffordable, and alleged that government actions worsen problems.
- Don (virtual): Asked if USD studied the correlation between upzoning and increased housing prices.
- Kathleen Lippett: Shared experience that nonprofits prioritize bureaucracy over helping clients become independent.
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Item 1 (Environmental Justice Element) Public Comments:
- Joy Sanyata: Quoted staff report, noted “food apartheid” statistics (downtown 60%, San Ysidro 100%, uptown 8%). Called environmental justice a work in progress.
- Evan Strawn (San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce): Supported many aspects but expressed concerns about expanding incompatible industrial land use regulation and a reach code, urging separate stakeholder engagement.
- Virtual speakers: One speaker accused the city of using “environmental justice” to enslave people. Julie Corrales (Environmental Health Coalition, Barrio Logan) stressed that her community is 95th percentile for asthma and 93rd for cancer risk statewide; pleaded to keep the element strong and not cave to industry.
- Craig Benedetto (NAOP San Diego): Supported incentives but urged caution on industrial use changes and building decarbonization, asking for further discussion with job creators.
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Item 2 (LDC Update) Public Comments:
- Joy Sanyata: Commented on C Street Corridor, Gaslamp outdoor spaces, and SRO exemptions.
- Saad Asad (MB Dems): Supported housing production incentives, mixed-use development, and streamlining. Opposed amendments that would reduce ADU size or increase setbacks.
- Evan Strawn (Chamber): Supported the update, especially sidewalk cafe exemption, behavioral health facilities streamlining, and child care FAR bonus.
- Dana Givitt (Neighbors for a Better San Diego): Requested three amendments: (1) apply tree requirement limitation to ADU floor area in open space zones, (2) clarify transition planes in Complete Communities, (3) add a sunset clause for downtown density bonus.
- Lori Feyler (BIA): Supported item 17 with revisions, called it a win-win for Complete Communities.
- Stuart Johnson: Opposed behavioral health facilities in residential areas, citing noise and safety issues from a nearby facility.
- Virtual speakers: Clayton Fowler (Downtown San Diego Partnership) supported downtown updates. Dan Courtney opposed item 52, noting a facility near a school. Craig Benedetto (NAOP/BOMA) supported the update. The Original speaker criticized the process and the impact on residents.
Discussion Items
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Item 3: Informational Presentation – Equinox Quality of Life Dashboard (USD Nonprofit Institute)
- Presenters: Dr. Tessa Tinkler and Io Hanabusa. Highlighted top concerns among San Diego residents: homelessness and affordable housing. 38% of respondents are considering leaving the region, with 75% citing cost of living.
- Key data: Median single-family home price rose from $548,000 (2015) to $911,000 (2023) – a 66% increase. Only 11% of households can afford a median-priced home (down from 29% in 2019). Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom unit doubled from $1,390 (2015) to over $2,800 (2024). Needed hourly wage to afford that rent without cost burden is $54.48, while mean renter wage is $28.57.
- Chair Lee expressed alarm at the 38% considering leaving and asked about demographic breakdown (not yet available). Council President Pro Tem Lakava asked for context on out-migration and deeper dive into reasons. Councilmember Whitburn noted that adding housing supply has moderated rents in District 3 (downtown rents down 2.1% year-over-year).
- No action was taken on this informational item.
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Item 1: General Plan Environmental Justice Element
- Presented by Samira Rao (Assistant Deputy Director) and team. Objectives: comply with SB 1000 by identifying disadvantaged communities and developing policies to address environmental justice. Used multiple data tools (CalEnviroScreen 4.0, CEJST 1.0, city climate/resiliency maps) to define EJ communities. Conducted 47 engagement events with over 1,400 participants, partnering with five community-based organizations. Draft element covers seven sections: inclusive public engagement, pollution exposure/air quality, active play, healthy food access, safe and healthy homes, climate change, and infrastructure prioritization.
- Councilmember Lakava moved staff recommendation, noting the element consolidates existing policies and does not change any specific ordinance. He committed to pursuing funding for studies called for in actions EJ B8 and B9 (regarding incompatible industrial uses). Chair Lee seconded. Vote: unanimous.
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Item 2: 2024 Land Development Code Update and Local Coastal Program
- Presented by Liz Sid Conian (Development Project Manager) and Brian Schoenfish (Deputy Director, DSD). 99 amendments: 72 citywide, 27 downtown. Key citywide items: sports arenas/stadiums multimodal updates, ADU front setback clarification (25), Complete Communities pedestrian circulation (27), behavioral health facilities streamlining (52), EMX zone residential as primary use (56), CPIOZ alternative compliance fee (58), ADU rear setback alignment (60), electrified fences in industrial zones (61), child care FAR bonus expansion (67), parcel map alignment (68). Key downtown items: incentivizing active uses on C Street, Gaslamp PDO consolidation, density bonuses for underutilized sites and middle-income housing, housing accelerator bonus, and increasing outdoor use threshold from 350 to 2,000 sq ft.
- A May 16 memo revised item 58 fee to $3,901 per linear foot and item 27 to allow flexibility for urban parkway width (14 ft total) with balcony/upper-floor projection above 25 ft.
- City attorney noted recent changes may require further review before council.
- Chair Lee made a motion to approve the update with May 16 memo revisions. Councilmember Whitburn seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 (Environmental Justice Element): Recommended to City Council approval unanimously. Councilmember Lakava committed to seeking funding for future studies on incompatible industrial uses (EJ B8/B9).
- Item 2 (2024 LDC Update): Recommended to City Council approval unanimously, incorporating May 16, 2024 memo revisions. Staff will continue to work with city attorney on any legal concerns before council hearing (scheduled for June 2024).
- Item 3 (Equinox Dashboard): No action taken; informational only. Chair Lee encouraged future demographic analysis of residents considering leaving the region.
- The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Land Use and Housing Committee is Thursday, June 13, 2024, at 1:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. Welcome to the special land use and housing committee meeting of May 17th, 2024. Our committee liaison, Natalie Klesler will go over instructions for today's meeting. Thank you, Chair. While members of the public are able to attend the meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the council administration will continue to make arrangements for this public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before the virtual queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair? Vice Chair Council President Pro Tem Lakava. Present. Councilmember Whitburn. Councilmember Moreno. Present. And Chair, Councilmember Lee. Here. Also attending the meeting today, Chris Ackerman of Vila with the mayor's office, Corinne from the City Attorney's Office, and Rachen Chen with the independent budget analyst office. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it on top of the box indicated at the speaker selection at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In-person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. Members of the public can also join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link, which is located online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 16692545252. The webinar ID is 161-286-5933 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you are watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. Please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. And if you wish to speak on a particular item, please wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon. Or if you are a cull-in participant, please press star nine on your phone. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you, Natalie, for reviewing those instructions for the benefit of the public. A quorum is now present, so we will now dispense with the approval of the committee minutes of April 18th, 2024. Natalie, please proceed. Thank you, Chair. The public comment period for the past committee minutes of April 18th, 2024 is now open. And Chair, we have not received any speaker slips on the past committee minutes, but we do currently have one hand raised in the virtual queue. So I'll begin the five-minute timer. And speakers will have one minute. Yes, I would like to recommend that in the meeting minutes. Michael Bro was talking about a book and it wasn't listed. And if you could um whoever's taking the minutes, lists the book if somebody's recommending it, so then other people who are just looking at the minutes and whatnot can see the title and then look at it if they would like. So I think we need to be more specific. Thank you. And Chair, this concludes public comment on the past committee minutes. Thank you. We're gonna go ahead and vote on the approval of the committee minutes of April 18th, 2024. Um, do I have a motion to approve the committee minutes? I see a motion and a second, a motion by council member Moreno and a second by Council President Pratemlacaba. Um let's go ahead and take the roll.
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