Major Sewer Pipe Rehabilitation Along SR 163 Begins Construction

This project will extend the life of the pipe by more than 50 years to ensure proper sewage collection and reduce sewer spills. Overnight partial and full closures of SR 163 are scheduled for the upcoming few weeks. Visit the project’s Web page for more information.

San Diegans Now Able to Recycle More Plastics

Don't pitch that yogurt cup into the trash anymore. The city's recycling program has added a number of new plastic items to the list of items acceptable for recycling.

Effective immediately, residents may begin placing several previously unacceptable plastics into their Blue Bins for recycling, including round yogurt and dairy tubs, clear PET #1 clamshell plastic, drink cups, deli trays and berry baskets.

New non-food plastics include plant pots and garden trays, as well as rigid plastics such as buckets, toys and containers that held non-hazardous household products such as detergent and pet litter.

Other larger items -- including plastic crates, totes, laundry baskets, pallets and lawn furniture -- are also now accepted, although these items will need to be broken down in order to fit into the Blue Bins.

For more information on the city's recycling program is available at: www.recyclingworks.com

New Incentives for Accessible Design

San Diego residential developers have new incentives to build projects that are accessible to the disabled under a recently approved city program that takes effect June 18.

The Voluntary Accessibility Program is aimed at increasing the amount of disabled-accessible housing in the local housing supply by offering development incentives for accessible design.

Developers will be awarded points for features that facilitate access to and access within the housing unit, such as unobstructed paths to the unit from the sidewalk/driveway; a no-step entrance into the dwelling unit; wider doorways and hallways; doors and light switches requiring little physical effort to operate; accessible bathrooms and kitchen; and an accessible route of travel on primary-entry level.

There are a variety of incentive options to help facilitate accessible design for individual units. Options include floor-area ratio bonus; parking deviations; setback deviations; lot-coverage deviations; height deviations; and landscape deviations.

All residential development outside of the coastal zone may voluntarily participate in this new program at no additional application cost. The program will be available to projects in the coastal zone once the ordinance is certified by the Coastal Commission.

More information on the city's Voluntary Accessibility Program is available at www.sandiego.gov/development-services/industry/landdevcode.shtml#amend.