San Diego is taking bold strides towards addressing climate challenges and correcting historical segregation with the recent unanimous approval of Blueprint SD by the City Council, as reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune. The comprehensive plan, the first of its kind since 2008, intertwines various city objectives into a singular vision poised to guide the city's development over the next thirty years.
Council President Sean Elo-Rivera expressed that these amendments to the general plan are a major move forward in shaping the future that San Diego needs. The revamped Blueprint SD aims to quickly revise community zoning plans, fight climate change by encouraging housing in transit-friendly areas, and dismantle long-standing racial segregation within the city. This strategic approach also plans to integrate more multi-family housing in predominantly white high-resource areas, which include quality schools and job opportunities.
While the plan has been lauded for attempting to break down barriers of inequality, it isn't without its critics. According to NBC San Diego, some residents fear the impact on single-family neighborhoods and the loss of senior housing, especially for gay seniors in communities like Hillcrest. Heidi Vonblum, the city's planning director, affirms the importance of reversing inequitable trends shaped by historical zoning policies.
On the environmental front, critics like the Sierra Club point out that the plan focuses on growth in areas where transit options do not exist. According to Charles Rilli from the Sierra Club, the programmatic environmental impact report must be revised to address the timeline and specifics of implementing transit infrastructure.
Despite the concerns, Blueprint SD has garnered substantial backing from various business groups, including the Building Industry Association and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. Even with late stipulations like the requirement for new buildings to be powered by electricity, Councilmember Joe LaCava reiterated that these measures are already incorporated into the city's existing climate action plan.
