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San Diego point system could produce some worthless parks
The theory sounds reasonable, but the proposed point system is quite subjective (and complicated to manage). Some elements that earn points are trivial or at least not as critical for most communities as space. The City Council should not approve this plan. Instead, planners should first identify how to allocate parkland equitably throughout the city. Then they should work with neighborhoods to determine the most valued amenities for each park. That should vary based on what residents actually want, not what officials decide is right for them. This affects other areas besides those listed, btw, especially Uptown. It's no coincidence that this plan is being pushed along with Complete Communities: it's a bureaucrat-centric, pro-developer approach that pretends we already have a public transportation system that doesn't exist yet and possibly never will.— July 22, 2020 4:11 p.m.
The problem with San Diego's historic neighborhoods
If the City made classified some homes incorrectly, that’s unusual (given its staff expertise), but it’s good that there is an appeals process to address possible mistakes. This article is skewed, though, in adopting the assumption of some disgruntled owners that they should have unlimited rights to do whatever they want with their homes (or other buildings, including multi-family residences) because “it’s my property.” While individual property rights do matter, it’s also important to accommodate interests of the broader community, as we routinely do with zoning laws, building codes, permitting requirements, etc. That’s why the City works with local Planning Groups and listens to other interested parties as well when determining historic designations. Even if/when only a minority owners in a neighborhood appreciate the economic and cultural benefits of historic designation (and often owners do favor designation!), the City also needs to consider both the short- and long-term benefits to non-owner residents in potentially historic districts and to all of the citizens of San Diego, now and in the future. Turns out that the City actually does that, informed not just by anecdotes but also by research and expert opinions. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation circulating about historic designation, including about the restrictiveness of renovation requirements and the safety scare in this article. This article also presents a case for designation being worse for lower income owners, without mentioning that it spares them the upfront costs of individual historic designation while still allowing them the right to apply for a tax reduction of up to 70%, which is real money to most everyone. Looking forward to seeing a more balanced piece on the topic of neighborhood historical designations soon!— November 15, 2018 11:02 a.m.