Overview

The City's General Plan is its constitution for development. It is comprised of 10 elements that provide a comprehensive slate of citywide policies and further the City of Villages smart growth strategy for growth and development.

The General Plan was comprehensively updated by unanimous vote of the City Council in 2008. The City Council also certified the General Plan Program Environmental Impact Report and adopted associated amendments to the Land Development Code. The General Plan update did not include land use designation or zoning changes, which is the purview of the City's community plans. Additional background information on the development of the General Plan, the public hearings and the update process is documented in the staff report to City Council.

Community plans work together with the General Plan to provide location-based policies and recommendations in the City's fifty-plus community planning areas. Community plans are written to refine the General Plan's citywide policies, designate land uses and housing densities, and provide additional site-specific recommendations as needed. Read more about how the General Plan and Community Plans work together.

The General Plan has a strong sustainability focus and provides local policies to address global climate change. The General Plan Conservation Element, Section A, provides an overview of climate change issues. The City has also prepared a Sustainability Brochure to provide information on its sustainability initiatives.

Learn About Implementing the General Plan

General Plan

• Cover, Acknowledgements & Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Strategic Framework
• Land Use & Community Planning Element - Updated 06/29/2015
  • Land Use and Street System Map - Updated 9/10/2020
  • Figure LU-4 Proposition A Lands - Corrected 4/28/2009
• Mobility Element -Full Version - Updated 06/29/2015
  • Sections A & B
  • Sections C-G
  • Sections H-K
• Urban Design Element
• Economic Prosperity Element - Updated 01/19/2023
  • PIL Kearny Mesa*
  • PIL Torrey Pines*
  • PIL Mira Mesa*
  • PIL Barrio Logan*
  • PIL Clairemont Mesa*
  • PIL University City*
  • PIL Miramar Ranch North*
  • PIL Otay Mesa
  • PIL Scripps Miramar Ranch*
  • PIL Carmel Mountain Ranch*
  • PIL Rancho Bernardo*
  • PIL Navajo*
  • PIL Centre City*
  • PIL Sabre Springs*
  • PIL University City
• Public Facilities, Services, and Safety Element - Updated 1/31/2023
• Recreation Element - Updated 08/03/2021 (PDF)
• Conservation Element - Full Version
• Noise Element - Updated 06/29/2015
• Historic Preservation Element
• Appendices
• Glossary
• General Plan Map Figures (Higher Resolution)

Housing Element of the General Plan

The Housing Element of the General Plan is available under separate cover, due to the need for frequent updates and to facilitate compliance with state reporting requirements. State law requires local governments to update their General Plan Housing Elements every eight years to periodically address the changing housing needs of their communities, to establish action plans to meet those goals, and to report annually on progress toward meeting those goals.

General Plan Executive Summary

The Executive Summary of the City of San Diego General Plan is a reprint of the Strategic Framework Section of the General Plan, with some additional photos and graphics. It provides a concise summary of the central ideas contained within the City's General Plan.

• Executive Summary text
  • Marco Estratégico
  • Estratehikong Balangkas
  • Khuôn khổ Chiến lược
  • 策略框架
  • 전략적 프레임워크
• San Diego's Built Environment in its Natural Setting
• Land Use and Street System Map
• Transit Land Use Connections Map

General Plan Action Plan

The General Plan Action Plan was approved by City Council unanimously on July 7, 2009. The Action Plan is the comprehensive implementation program for the 2008 General Plan. View the General Plan Action Plan.

General Plan Monitoring

General Plan Monitoring Reports are prepared to assess progress in implementing the General Plan.

• 2014 General Plan Monitoring Report
• 2012 General Plan Monitoring Report
• 2011 General Plan Monitoring Report
• 2010 General Plan Monitoring Report

General Plan Amendments

2022 Amendments to the Public Facilities, Services and Safety Element

On August 2, 2022 by Resolution Numbers R-314271, R-314272, and R-314273, the City Council approved Build Better SD which included amendments to the General Plan Public Facilities, Services and Safety Element to bring the City’s outdated infrastructure policies in line with the City’s present-day housing, equity, and climate goals, as well as to acknowledge the new development patterns of urban infill as the primary development in need of infrastructure. The amendments, shown in strikeout/underline format, are included below. The amendments have been incorporated into the online posting of the General Plan.

• 2022 Adopted General Plan Amendment Public Facilities, Services and Safety

2021 Amendments to the Public Facilities, Services, and Safety Element 

On December 14, 2021, the City Council approved by Resolution Number R-313851 the Public Facilities, Services and Safety Element. The amendment addresses applicable climate adaptation and resiliency strategies. The amendment, shown in strikeout/underline format, is included below. The amendment has been incorporated into the online posting of the General Plan.

• 2021 Adopted General Plan Amendment Public Facilities, Services and Safety

2021 Amendment to the Recreation Element

On August 3, 2021 by Resolution Number-313687, the City Council approved the Parks Master Plan. The General Plan Recreation Element Update by City Council by Resolution 313686 identifies ways the City can expand its recreational opportunities through implementation of its Parks Master Plan. The EIR addendum was also adopted by Resolution 313685. The amendments, shown in strikeout/underline format, are included below. The amendments have been incorporated into the online posting of the General Plan.

• 2021 Adopted Recreation Element Amendment
• Parks Master Plan (2021)

2018 Amendments to Public Facilities, Services and Safety Element

On June 15, 2018 by Resolution No. 311806, the City Council amended the General Plan Public Facilities, Services and Safety Element Sections D and P. The Amendment was for compliance with California Senate Bill 1241 that requires jurisdictions with Very High Hazard Severity Zones to address the risk of fire in the General Plan.

• 2018 Adopted General Plan Amendment Public Facilities, Services and Safety Element Sections D & P

2015 Amendments to Land Use, Mobility, Economic Prosperity, Public Facilities, Services and Safety, Recreation, and Noise Elements

On June 29, 2015, by Resolution Number R- 309817 and certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report No. 104495 Addendum R-309818, the City Council approved amendments to the General Plan. The 2015 Amendment Package contained amendments to Land Use, Mobility, Economic Prosperity, Public Facilities, Services and Safety, Recreation, and Noise Elements. The proposed amendments, shown in strikeout/underline formatting, is documented below and includes a summary of the amendments.

• 2015 General Plan Amendment Package
• Final Addendum to Environmental Impact Report No. 104495

2012 Amendments to Conservation Element

On Jan. 31, 2012, by Resolution 307262, the City Council approved amendments to the Conservation Element to provide policy support for urban agriculture. Urban agriculture is the production of food in and around cities for local consumption. The amendments, shown in strikeout/underline formatting, are documented below. The amendments have been incorporated into the online posting of the General Plan.

• Adopted General Plan Urban Agriculture Amendments
• City Council Executive Summary

2010 Amendments to Land Use and Community Planning, Public Faciliies, Services and Safety, and Recreation Elements and Glossary

On Dec. 6, 2010, by Resolution No. R-306419, the City Council approved minor amendments to the General Plan Land Use and Community Planning Element; Public Facilities, Services and Safety Element; Recreation Element; and Glossary. The amendments, shown in strikeout/underline formatting, are documented below. The edits have been incorporated into the online posting of the General Plan.

• Adopted General Plan Amendments (2010)
• Staff Report to City Council