Plan for a Grantville population boom

The City of San Diego has taken the first step in opening the population floodgates in Grantville: the community plan update calls for an increase of 8725 dwelling units in coming years.

However, before an update is ratified and before thousands of residents will move into the area just east of Mission Valley, the city was required to study the environmental impact resulting in the population rush. But increasing the number of dwelling units will bring more noise and traffic to the community as well as pose risks to the San Diego River and other biological resources, air and water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions.

According to city documents, residents have one more month, until February 2, to voice their concerns and comment on the environmental impacts that adding thousands of residents will create.

Updating the community plans throughout San Diego has been a long process, one needed in order to account for future population growth. In no other community, however, is there such a large projected increase than Grantville and Mission Valley.

For years, according to one planning document, city planners have considered the area a "prime for neighborhood revitalization with a more lively mix of employment, commercial, higher density residential, and civic uses. The area, say planners, is ripe for growth because of its proximity to transit, access to freeways, and, of course, underdeveloped land.

Now their hopes are coming to fruition. After dozens of scoping meetings with stakeholders, city planners have agreed to adopt a plan that includes several land-use zones, most of which are said to be pedestrian-friendly. The zones range from 44 dwelling units allowed per acre to 109 dwelling units.

According to a city document, the plan "will promote mixed-use, transit-oriented development with pedestrian and bicycle orientation, and allow for increased density in the area surrounding the Grantville Light Rail Trolley Station, up to 109 dwelling-units per acre, when certain criteria are met."