Welcome to the City Planning Department!  We are proud to be carrying on the long and distinguished history of city planning here in San Diego, dating back to John Nolen's path-breaking plans for the City in 1908 and the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park. As a mature city with a dwindling amount of raw land, San Diego must use its remaining land resources wisely and focus on infill development to maintain our prosperity and our quality of life, and to achieve the goals of the City's Climate Action Plan.

The City Planning Department is responsible for the City's land use planning and policy. Specifically, the Department develops plans, policies, and regulations that accelerate the creation of more homes for people, protect the environment, improve public spaces and advance social equity.  The Department's initiatives are the first step in comprehensively and strategically planning for safe, enjoyable, healthy, and thriving communities in the City of San Diego.

The City Planning Department's mission is to plan for an equitable and sustainable future with affordable homes, good jobs, infrastructure and public spaces for the people of San Diego.

The City Planning Department's vision is a forward-thinking leader that works together with the people of San Diego to find and implement solutions that improve the lives of the City's community members.

We have become a leader among cities for our visionary approach to planning. The innovative strategies we have created have received local, state and national awards, and made us a model for other cities to follow.

Statement on Equity

The City Planning Department is working towards including greater emphasis on social equity and justice as a foundational principle in the way we plan our City and its many diverse neighborhoods.  We are planning professionals with a variety of backgrounds, histories, and experiences who share a desire and passion to serve the public interest.

Recognizing that our city is comprised of many diverse aspects of identity, including race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status, the City Planning Department is in the pursuit of ways to better allow everyone in our city to thrive. We acknowledge the effect of planning decisions on historically marginalized and underserved communities, and we are dedicated to developing equitable policies to remedy systemic inequities. 

It is our vision that every San Diegan has access to quality housing, parks, public spaces, and mobility options, which create a strong and sustainable city.  To ensure that the public input we receive is representative of the city we serve, we are committed to providing opportunities for meaningful input from all communities of people in our city.

Our work towards greater equity in city planning is an ongoing process.  We welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with others to achieve the common goal of improving social equity ​in our city.

Our Divisions

The Department is structured into four divisions, each with focused specialties and staff with varied technical disciplines: Community & Mobility Planning, Housing Policy & Environmental Analysis, Climate, Preservation & Public Spaces and Work Culture & Operations.

The Community & Mobility Planning Division is responsible for amending and updating the General Plan and community plans to help meet the City’s housing, climate and equity goals. The City’s land use and mobility policies are focused on encouraging walking, bicycling and transit ridership to allow more opportunities for people of all incomes and backgrounds to live and work in all communities throughout the city. Mobility policies are specifically focused on improving personal mobility, reducing the number of vehicle commute trips during peak congestion periods, and increasing the efficiency and reliability of our transportation system for all users. This Division is also responsible for providing inclusive public engagement opportunities that inform all Department initiatives, working to ensure community members have opportunities to provide input into plans that affect their lives so that the City’s long-range plans meet the needs of the people who live, work and play in San Diego. This Division is especially focused on reaching and engaging people who have not traditionally participated in the planning process to ensure that input received is truly representative of the City’s diverse population. 

The Housing Policy & Environmental Analysis Division is responsible for developing policies and regulations that streamline and incentivize the production of homes through amendments and updates to the City’s Land Development Code. The Department's housing policies are focused on encouraging walking, bicycling and transit ridership, fair housing, and reversing racist zoning regulations of the past to allow more opportunities for people of all incomes and backgrounds to live in all communities throughout the city. This Division reviews the City’s housing data and prepares reports on where and what kind of homes are permitted each year. This Division also conducts the analysis and review of all City actions under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and coordinates the consultation process with local Tribes.