Help us help our community that we so dearly love! You don’t have to live in OB to love it! Keep Ocean Beach “small” and preserve its character by signing the petition to support the Ocean Beach Community Plan to help prevent overdevelopment.

Click on the link below to read more – and sign!

https://www.change.org/petitions/petition-oceanbeachplanning-org-to-support-the-language-of-recommendation-4-2-9-contained-in-the-current-draft-ob-community-plan-which-was-agreed-upon-by-community-groups-and-the-city-attorney-s-office#share

Sign the Petition

New At its May 29, 2014 hearing, the San Diego Planning Commission attempted to undermine the intent of the Draft Ocean Beach Community Plan. Their recommended change removed references to OB’a Floor Area Ratio (FAR), a code element followed for over 30 years which has been crucial to OB’s small-scale character. FAR is a limit on the allowable square footage of development on a lot. The Planning Commission’s revision could expose OB to bulky overdevelopment. The Draft Community Plan is the result of broad community participation and consensus, and is endorsed by the following organizations: OB Planning Board, OB Town Council, OB Mainstreet Association, OB Historical Society, Friends of the OB Library, OB Community Foundation, OB Community Development Corporation.

Background
The Community Plan Update identifies OB as a small-scale coastal village and further expresses General Plan policies in OB through the provision of site-specific recommendations that implement the City of Villages strategy. Recommendations in the Plan are intended to encourage new development which minimizes intrusions and maximizes public views. Such recommendations include utilizing upper story setbacks, gable alignment with view corridors, and avoiding “walling off” public views.

By signing this petition you are stating you support the language of Recommendation 4.2.9 contained in the current Draft OB Community Plan, which was agreed upon by community groups and the City Attorney’s office, rather than the weaker language recommended by the Planning Commission.

Current Draft – Recommendation 4.2.9 (with footnote):
4.2.9 Maintain the community’s small-scale character and avoid exceptions to established Floor Area Ratios to the greatest extent possible under the law.(1)
(1) Existing regulations specify FARs of 0.7, 0.75, 1.80, and 2.0 for the RM-2-4, RM-1-1, RM-5-12. and CC-4-2 zones, respectively.

San Diego Planning Commission Recommended Change (footnote removed):
4.2.9 Maintain the community’s small-scale character and evaluate exceptions on a case by case basis to achieve the goals of the residential guidelines.

The San Diego City Council will consider adoption of the OB Community Plan on June 30th at 2:00pm. Please attend this hearing, wear blue to show support for the plan, and speak in favor of the OB Community Plan! RSVP on Facebook!