The Golden Hill Community Plan Update

The City of San Diego is embarking on an update to the 1988 Golden Hill Community Plan concurrently with updates to the community plans for North Park and Uptown.

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.

News and Updates:

Updated March 11, 2010

Cluster Update Meeting/Workshop: Uptown, North Park, and Greater Golden Hill community members, please mark your calendars to attend the upcoming “Cluster Meeting” where we will be discussing shared issues as they relate to the topics of Urban Design and Historic Preservation among the three communities.  Under these topics we will be addressing existing conditions, design strategies, and the historic survey work program.  This meeting is open to the public.

The meeting will be held at:

The Hall of Champions in Balboa Park
Saturday, March 20 th, 2010
From 9:00am to 2:00pm

Continental breakfast will be served at 8:30am and lunch will be provided. 

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Community Tour: The Greater Golden Hill community is invited to take a self-guided tour to evaluate various sites/issues in the community.  The urban design consultants at MW Steele Group have developed the tour based upon comments provided at the two previous Community Plan Update Advisory Committee (CPUAC) meetings as well as input from City staff.  Anyone may take the tour.  Completed tour materials can be emailed to Bernard Turgeon, bturgeon@sandiego.gov by February 22, 2010.  The tour route and comment forms can be printed in 8 ½” x 11” format from the link below.

• Greater Golden Hill Community Tour (PDF)

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Community Plan Update Advisory Committee (CPUAC): Throughout the Community Plan update process, community input will be provided at public meetings of an advisory committee formed for this purpose. The CPUAC is a subcommittee of the Greater Golden Hill Planning Committee, the city’s recognized citizen’s group for Greater Golden Hill.  The CPUAC will be holding periodic public meetings to provide the City with feedback and recommendations during the 2-year community plan update process.  Public participation is key to developing meaningful, community-specific recommendations for the new community plan.

The initial phase of the community plan update process is to survey existing conditions and identify issues in order to establish a community vision and set goals for each element of the community plan. 

3rd CPUAC Meeting – February 3, 2010

• February 3, 2010 agenda (PDF)
• Project Schedule – next 6 months (PDF)

2nd CPUAC Meeting - January 6, 2010

• January 6, 2010 agenda (PDF)
• Staff Presentation (PDF)
• Meeting Notes (PDF)

1st CPUAC Meeting - November 4, 2009

• November 4, 2009 agenda
• Staff Presentation (PDF)
• Map & worksheet for documenting community images (PDF)
• Project timeline (PDF)
• Meeting Notes (PDF)

January 28, 2009 Initial Public Meeting to discuss the plan update process with City staff

• Invitation (PDF)
• Agenda (PDF)
• Staff presentation (PDF)

Community Plan Update Advisory Committee membership: The 15 member committee consists of Greater Golden Hill Planning Committee members plus non-members. To ensure diverse membership, seats are identified categorically by interest: (4) Resident Property Owner, (2) Non-resident Property Owner; (2) Non-owner Resident, (1) Community Non-Profit Organization, (1) Canyons, (1) Environmental/CEQA, (1) Historic, (1) Open Space/parks, (2) Business (Community Commercial zone and At-large w/ preference for the smaller Neighborhood Commercial zone area). The Business seat at-large is currently vacant.

• Committee Members (PDF)
• Interest Form: Community Plan Update Advisory Committee (PDF)

There is also an interest form to be a volunteer for the historic resources survey:

• Interest Form: Historic Resource Survey (PDF)

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25th Street Renaissance Project Reference Documents in RFP Advertisement for Consultant Services

• Golden Hill Parking Study (PDF)
• Traffic Assessment for 25 th Street Community Center (PDF)
• Golden Hill 25th Street Revitalization Plan by RNP Architecture and Planning (PDF)
• Golden Hill 25th Street Revitalization Plan Update: Proposed Elements (PDF)
• Limits of Survey (PDF)

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Community Area: Central Urbanized

Greater Golden Hill is an urbanized community consisting of approximately 441 acres, located east of downtown San Diego and adjacent to Balboa Park. It comprises the historic Golden Hill neighborhood, South Park, and the areas north and east of South Park including the Choate' addition and Brooklyn Heights. The Greater Golden Hill Community boundary is Balboa Park and Juniper Street on the north, 32nd Street between Juniper Street and Hawthorn Street, then along Marlton Drive to the 34th Street canyon to Beech Street on the east, State Route 94 on the south and Interstate 5 on the west.

Greater Golden Hill has a long and colorful history which is visible today in the homes representative of Victorian, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and Farm House styles. Initial development within the Greater Golden Hill community began in January 1870, with the subdivision of a large parcel of land in the western section, Subdivision Map No. 249 Culverwell and Taggarts Addition extending to 23rd Street. Greater Golden Hill was then at the fringe of San Diego's urban development and offered large lots with views. Following several boom and bust periods, Greater Golden Hill began to come into its own and was one of the most fashionable places to live.

By the early 1920's central Greater Golden Hill was almost completely developed. Since that time a number of changes have occurred, however, the area retains a remarkable number of structures in excess of 60 years of age that are prime examples of architectural styles of their times. The community's location, excellent regional access, view opportunities, and historical characteristics are resources that will encourage development and redevelopment within the community.