Community Area: Northern Urbanized

The Kearny Mesa planning area is generally bounded by SR-52 on the north, I-805 on the west, Aero Drive on the south, and I-15 on the east.

The first urbanization of Kearny Mesa began in 1937 with Gibbs Airfield, now Montgomery Field. In 1948, the City of San Diego acquired the airfield and 1,400 acres of surrounding property as a replacement site for San Diego International Airport. When airspace conflicts with MCAS Miramar (formerly NAS Miramar) preempted the proposed airport, the surplus acreage became an industrial park.

Beginning in 1955 with General Dynamics, numerous aerospace, electronic, and other industrial and office firms have located in the area. Portions of Kearny Mesa, predominantly west of SR-163, also include commercial development. Residential development is limited but increasing in recent years, particularly with the development of Stonecrest in the southeast corner of the community and the redevelopment of the General Dynamics site, now known as Spectrum.

The original 1977 Serra Mesa Community Plan encompassed Kearny Mesa. The 1992 Kearny Mesa Community Plan now applies to Kearny Mesa. The Montgomery Field Master Plan contains land use policies for the airport.