Pacific Beach Planning Group OKs 3 housing projects
The Pacific Beach Planning Group approved three new development projects and discussed several other issues at its July 24 meeting at the library.
• 904 Sapphire St.: Planners gave a green light to the demolition of an existing dwelling unit, garage and detached companion unit and construction of a 3,900-square-foot, two-story duplex over a basement with an 830-square-foot detached companion unit. The project is being designed by Studio One Architects in Carlsbad.
• 4455 Lamont St. and 1920 Hornblend St.: Planners voted to approve the demolition of an existing dwelling unit, garage and detached companion unit and the demolition of two existing commercial buildings (on Lamont Street in CC-4-2 zone) and one single dwelling unit (on Hornblend Street in CO-1-2 zone) for construction of a new three-story, mixed-use building containing two commercial units in the front on the ground floor and 28 residential units in the back on the second and third floors.
The residential units will have two bedrooms, averaging 800 square feet, with 44 percent designated for moderate- income levels. Called The Lamont, the project is being designed by Golba Architecture in Pacific Beach, following EcoDistrict guidelines for increased multi-use development in transit corridors.
The building has been designed with gaps and notches and varied materials to avoid a big block appearance and the project will include new trees along Hornblend Street.
• 1956 Hornblend St.: Planners voted to OK the demolition of an existing residential single dwelling unit in the CO-1-2 zone for the construction of two detached buildings with seven units each, for a total of 14 residential units totaling 22,194 square feet.
The residential units will be two-level townhouses averaging 1,200 square feet, with 44 percent designated for moderate income levels. The two buildings will be terraced, with balconies in front and roof decks on top of the middle units. This project is also being designed by Golba Architecture.
Streets & Sidewalks Subcommittee
Eve Anderson, chair of the Streets & Sidewalks Subcommittee, announced that the next subcommittee meeting will feature Gary Chui, sidewalk expert for the City’s Traffic Engineering Division. It will be held at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 14, at the PB Woman’s Club, 1721 Hornblend St. This change of venue is for the August meeting only.
Chair’s Report and Community Plan
Planning board chair Karl Rand brought up the idea of forming two new ad hoc subcommittees — 1) to work with the Police Department’s Northern Division to better enforce scooter regulations and 2) to advise on guidelines for sidewalk vendors. Senate Bill 946, The Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, passed last year and took effect Jan. 1. It decriminalizes sidewalk vending, but still allows local communities to regulate vendors for safety and public health concerns. (See related story on Page 12.)
The group decided to table the idea until the next meeting.
Rand also suggested that board members read the “Pacific Beach Community Plan” as a prerequisite to updating the plan, which has not been updated since 1995. Board secretary Carolyn Chase said she would gather and type up ideas. San Diego City Planner Michael Prinz will explain the updating process at the group’s next meeting on Aug. 28.
To see the 114-page plan, go to pbplanning.org/reference-materials