HISTORIC PRESERVATION NEEDS YOUR HELP -- A MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Last week, President Obama released his FY 2011 budget request, which would eliminate funding for Save America's Treasures (SAT) and Preserve America (PA), and cut funding for National Heritage Areas by 50 percent. 

These critical historic preservation programs matter now more than ever -- not only because they protect our national heritage but because they serve as economic development engines and job creators in the thousands of communities they serve.

Please read more from the National Trust HERE and take action today.

HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF UPTOWN

The City of San Diego is embarking on an update to the 1988 Uptown Community Plan concurrently with updates to the community plans for Golden Hill and North Park.
The City's community plans are long range planning documents established as essential components of the General Plan. The community plan update process will develop the community-specific detail, relevant policies, and implementation strategies necessary to fulfill General Plan objectives.

The General Plan sets out a long-range vision and policy framework to guide future development, provide public services, and maintain the qualities that define San Diego over the next 20+ years.

The recent update to the General Plan shifts focus from how to develop vacant land to how to design infill development and reinvest in existing communities. This focus is reflected throughout the Plan, including such topics as sustainable development, urban design, the provision of public services & facilities, mobility and historic preservation.

How to Get Involved
If you live in the Uptown planning area (Bankers Hill, Hillcrest, Mission Hills, University Heights) and would like a say in how your community is developed over the next 20 years, now is the time to get involved:

1. Volunteer to help with the Historic Resource Survey of the Uptown area by clicking here. Scroll toward the bottom of the page for the "Interest Form: Historic Resource Survey." Volunteers are needed to take photos, gather information and conduct research about potentially historic properties throughout the Uptown area.
2. Help identify potential historic resources in your community by clicking here. As part of the Community Plan Update process, the City of San Diego needs your help to identify historic resources that are important in your community. Historic resources include buildings, structures, objects, archaeological sites, landscapes, traditional cultural properties, and districts. These places may be important for a variety of reasons such as architecture, landscape design, ethnic heritage, social history, residential development, and commercial or industrial uses. In considering what places to identify, think about what qualities and characteristics of these places make them important.
   

The Time is Now
As the city shifts focus from developing vacant land to infilling older urban neighborhoods, it is critical for residents of San Diego's older communities to have a say in how their neighborhoods are shaped.

Over 20 years have passed since the last Uptown Community Plan update, so this is a wonderful opportunity to have a say in how your community will develop over the next 20 years.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION MEASURES APPROVED

Thanks to the leadership of Land Use and Housing Committee (LUHC) Chair Todd Gloria and LUHC members, working together with members of the community, several important historic preservation measures were approved at the September 23 meeting of the LUHC, dubbed "History Day" by Chair Gloria.

Specifically, a motion was made by Council President Pro Tem Faulconer, seconded by Councilmember Lightner, and approved unanimously by the Committee to request that staff make the following changes regarding the permit review process for potentially historic properties:

• Amend the Historic Resources Guide (HRG)Section II (A)(1) to require the City to seek input from local individuals and groups with expertise for use in determining whether a potential historic resource exists, even in situations where a site-specific survey has been submitted by a project applicant, not just to help determine if a site-specific survey will be required;
• Clarify in the HRG that no process, such as the "preliminary review" process, can be used to bypass input by individuals and community groups into the existence of potential historical resources;
• Clarify the process so that if there is a disagreement between staff and the public as to whether a specific property is potentially historic, based on valid documentation, the decision should be forwarded to the full Historic Resources Board for determination;
  Revise the process to allow ten days for review by local individuals and groups with expertise;
• Direct the Neighborhood Code Compliance Department to develop, with input from stakeholders, potential policy language pertaining to fines for the unpermitted destruction of potentially historic resources; 
• Bring forward an amendment to the Land Development Code to require that demolition permits be posted and visible on all construction and demolition sites, and that permits provide consistent information regarding all of the addresses and parcels involved in the application;
• Report back to the Committee about how relevant information about permit applications can be included on the Development Services Department website in a timely manner, and direct staff to work with stakeholders to determine what information is necessary.
• Include, to the extent possible, the suggestions contained in the memos from the Uptown Planners and the Neighborhood Historic Preservation Coalition into the formal process.  Staff is also directed to prepare a response to these memos within 90 days, describing how these suggestions will be incorporated, and explaining the justification in the instances where the suggestions cannot be implemented.  
  LUHC members will take a motion at the next meeting on October 21 to approve the record of actions from the September 23 meeting. 

Take Action
Please take a moment to email all the members of the Land Use and Housing Committee thanking them for their leadership in helping to protect San Diego's historic assets and community character. Please also copy the Mayor's office on your email.

Contact Information

Land Use and Housing Committee Members

Councilmember Todd Gloria, Chair: toddgloria@sandiego.gov
Councilmember Sherri Lightner, Vice Chair: SherriLightner@SanDiego.gov
Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer: kevinfaulconer@sandiego.gov
Councilmember Anthony Young: anthonyyoung@sandiego.gov

Mayor's Office

Mayor Jerry Sanders: jerrysanders@sandiego.gov

Thank YOU!

A special thanks to all of you who take the time to attend meetings, write letters and emails, and make your voices heard on these critical preservation issues. Our elected officials really need to continue hearing from us to protect the historic treasures which help to make our neighborhoods so special.