SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego City Council approved an update to the College Area's community plan Tuesday, allowing for significantly more housing near San Diego State University and along major streets. The plan could increase housing capacity from more than 16,000 homes to more than 34,000, but neighbors are raising concerns about infrastructure and services.
Julie Hamilton with the College Area Community Council met me at 63rd and Catocin in the College Area and didn't shy away from expressing her concerns about the newly approved plan.
"There's so many things wrong with this community plan because we simply don't have the services to aid a community like this. What they're proposing is a community that's not safe, and it's not healthy," Hamilton said.
The plan includes significant changes to zoning regulations. On some streets, developers could build up to 29 dwelling units per acre, which would allow any developer to rely on complete communities guidelines to construct buildings up to seven stories high.
Hamilton pointed to several infrastructure challenges that come with new neighbors, including parking issues, traffic congestion, and a lack of sidewalks in certain neighborhoods. She's also concerned about emergency services like fire stations.
The city's plan calls for more fire stations near SDSU and on the east side of the area near El Cajon Boulevard.
"We do support housing, we do support increased density, but this increase in density is so high with absolutely no ability to serve it that it's just irresponsible," Hamilton said.
SDSU student Liam Troddyn echoed Hamilton's concerns about parking.
"It's hard to find parking around here — I mean, there's no parking around here at all," Troddyn said.
The College Area update, along with the Clairemont neighborhood update that also passed this week, aims to set these areas up for decades in the future. The plans address parks, open spaces, business, transportation and other areas.
Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera says the plan will open the door for more affordable housing.
"What the plan allows for is more housing that is properly built, that is actually meant to have the number of people living in the homes that will be created that will be living there, and that prices in the College Area level out and eventually become more affordable," Elo-Rivera said.
Elo-Rivera also addressed concerns about infrastructure, saying they are actively working on improvements.
"We have to improve the infrastructure, and we need to create a pathway for the area to actually be a better place to live for all residents," Elo-Rivera said.
Elo-Rivera says now that the plan is approved, they're working with the mayor's office to create a plan that will provide the College Area with "the infrastructure they deserve."
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