TCC-Originated Changes to the GP’s Strategic Framework Element

Principles for Interpreting the General Plan

A Community Bill of Rights

The policies of the City of San Diego General Plan should be recognized as goals and aspirations, as aims and objectives, but not as hard requirements that all must be achieved. Some policies reflect priorities of greater concern while others reflect lower priority goals. This context must be maintained as policies are reviewed and implemented.

City of San Diego General Plan also includes many goals and policies that can be misinterpreted if assessed in isolation. To preclude mistaken interpretation or unintended application of this General Plan, the following principles are added in order to provide clarity to future readers.

Policies

SF-1 The General Plan shall not be used as a means to compel a community to accept a reduced quality of life, or a significant change to its essential character.

Passed in May by CPC by a vote of 25-3-1 (the CPC chair routinely abstains from voting).

SF-2 The General Plan shall not be construed as encouraging or recommending a growth in city spending.

This will be voted by CPC on June 26th.

SF-3 The General Plan shall not be construed as encouraging growth in the size or scope of government.

Passed in May by CPC by a vote of 20-8-1

SF-4 The General Plan shall not be used as encouraging excessive additional administrative impediments that serve to increase the cost of development.

Failed at CPC by a vote of 13-15-1

TCC-Originated Changes to the GP’s Mobility Element

Added a new Goal to Section C on page ME-20:

♦ Well maintained streets and a responsive road-repair program.

Changed the sub-header at the top of page ME-21 to read:

Street Layout, Design, Operations and Maintenance

Added a new Discussion item to the bottom of page ME-21 that reads:

A top priority is proper street maintenance: filling potholes, repaving damaged streets and fixing raised sidewalks. Maintenance of the road system is a critical City function with high visibility because poorly maintained streets: 1) can cause vehicle damage, 2) can cause vehicle and pedestrian accidents, and 3) tend to accelerate further deterioration of the roadway. Service-level metrics should be established to assess the City’s ability to maintain the roadways and its responsiveness to citizen complaints.

Passed in June by CPC by a vote of 19-0-1

Significantly amended policy ME-C.4 sub-policy b to read:

b. Establish street maintenance as a priority city service that adequately maintains the transportation system.

1) Establish minimum Levels of Service for road repair (repaving, sealing, pot hole filling, curb and sidewalk repair, etc.) to ensure priority repairs are made without delay and less critical repairs are made in reasonable time.

2) Ensure that road repair concerns of lower priority are consolidated into efficient work packages such that repair crews in the field: a) fix all reported issues in the nearby area and b) unreported but equally significant road repair issues also are fixed by a repair crew in the area.

3) Establish road repair Levels of Service that can be measured and tracked over time to verify city response times. City shall report regularly to the public on its ability to satisfy the minimum Levels of Service for street maintenance.

4) Establish lines of communication between City staff and the Communities (via the CPGs) to facilitate the reporting and prioritization of a community’s more significant road repair concerns. Automate via the internet an information exchange with communities in order to facilitate the widest understanding of the status of road repair and other intended changes to street design.

Passed in June by CPC by a vote of 19-0-1

Amended the discussion of Airport Site Selection in Section H, page ME-43, to read:

In recognition of long-term capacity constraints at SDIA, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority is searching for a new airport site to address regional air transportation needs. Even upon selection, it could take up to fifteen years before a new international airport could begin flight operations. Depending upon the selected location, the City will coordinate land use and transportation planning decisions with the Airport Authority to serve the new airport. In the interim, the City will coordinate with the Regional Airport Authority in its efforts to maximize the passenger and flight capacity of SDIA in the current footprint of Lindbergh Field.

Passed in June by CPC by a vote of 16-1-2

Failed to amend the Goals of Section B, page ME-16:

♦ A transit system that pays for itself.

Failed at CPC by a vote of 4-15-1