How the Ordinance Works

Following are the major points of the Interim Development Ordinance as adopted by the San Diego City Council Tuesday morning.

In the 12 months after the ordinance is officially adopted, developers will be limited to building 8,000 residential dwelling units citywide. That is a sharp reduction from the 15,000 units developers built in 1986, and is 1,300 units fewer than was recommended citywide by a 27-member citizens’s task force appointed by Mayor Maureen O’Connor to study urban growth.

While lowering the citywide cap, council members also voted Tuesday to exclude several communities from the plan. Those communities are Tierrasanta, Otay Mesa, downtown, much of Southeast San Diego, all trolley corridors, and the transportation corridors in the Mid-City area. Construction industry sources say, however, that those exclusions represent very little residential development and do not present a major loophole.

City staff members will monitor the socioeconomic impact of the interim measure and give reports to the council every quarter.

Three people will be responsible for determining how to parcel out the 8,000 permits. The trio will consist of representatives from the Planning Department, the city manager’s office and the city attorney’s office. Council members ordered the decision-making shared to reduce the possibility of corruption in allocating the permits.

The council approved in concept a provision that would protect canyons, hillsides and wetlands from development. Staff members are to bring back further details for study in 30 days.

Low-income housing and housing for the elderly in areas in need of such housing will be exempt from the interim ordinance.

The city will begin immediately to take steps to charge development fees on all construction in inner-city neighborhoods. These fees were not imposed previously in the older neighborhoods because the city wanted to encourage redevelopment and growth but council members say the money is needed now to buy parks and expand sewers, streets and libraries. As a starting point, the council has accepted a staff recommendation to impose a $2,400 fee for every dwelling unit, but that figure is certain to be revised.

Members of the city staff are to come back to the council on July 21 with details on how the interim ordinance will work. These details will include what kind of paper work developers must fill out, how the city will allocate the units, and what development projects should be given preference.

The second reading of the interim ordinance will be held July 21. If accepted, the measure will go into effect Aug. 21, when the 8,000-unit cap will take effect. Mayor O’Connor said the cap will be applied retroactively to all applications for building permits made since April 29.