San Diego Zoning

Executive Summary: The 2026 San Diego Development Framework

Market Dynamics

San Diego's development landscape in 2026 is shaped by consistent population growth, placing immense pressure on the housing market. The city has seen a remarkable increase in housing permits in recent years, with 8,782 new homes permitted in 2024 alone, more than double the average annual number over the past two decades. This surge in development activity reflects an effort to address the ongoing housing affordability crisis, driven by a growing population and limited housing supply. These market pressures are further compounded by rising construction costs and land values, making it increasingly challenging to deliver affordable housing options.

Political & Development Climate

The San Diego City Council, under Mayor Todd Gloria, generally adopts a pro-development stance aimed at addressing the city's housing shortage and climate action goals. The Council has implemented policies designed to encourage denser development near transit corridors and prioritize infrastructure investments in areas with high housing needs. However, these policies often face opposition from community groups concerned about impacts on neighborhood character, infrastructure capacity, and quality of life. Recent debates surrounding ADU bonus programs and density bonus laws highlight the ongoing tension between the need for more housing and the desire to preserve existing neighborhood qualities. The city is actively working to balance these competing interests through community plan updates and zoning reforms.

Key Drivers

• Driver 1: State Housing Mandates: California's ambitious housing goals require San Diego to significantly increase its housing production, pushing the city to adopt innovative zoning and development policies to meet these targets.
• Driver 2: Climate Action Plan: San Diego's commitment to its Climate Action Plan drives policies that promote denser, transit-oriented development, aiming to reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Driver 3: Affordability Crisis: The escalating cost of housing in San Diego continues to be a major driver, prompting the city to explore strategies for increasing the supply of affordable and "missing middle" housing options.

Strategic Growth Corridors

Primary Commercial Arteries

Major highways and commercial routes in San Diego, including El Cajon Boulevard, University Avenue, and 주요 thoroughfares in Mission Valley, serve as primary commercial arteries and are increasingly targeted for higher-density, mixed-use development. These corridors benefit from existing infrastructure and transit access, making them suitable for accommodating increased residential and commercial densities. Furthermore, Complete Communities initiatives prioritize development along transit corridors, providing incentives for projects that incorporate affordable housing and sustainable transportation options. The revitalization of these arteries aims to create vibrant, walkable, and transit-accessible neighborhoods.

Redevelopment Nodes

Several key districts in San Diego are targeted for revitalization and redevelopment, including downtown San Diego, areas around Balboa Park, and specific neighborhoods within Mid-City. Downtown redevelopment focuses on attracting businesses, creating residential opportunities, and enhancing the public realm through infrastructure improvements and public space enhancements. The "Complete Communities" strategy seeks to revitalize underutilized commercial centers by allowing them to be turned into neighborhood centers.

• Opportunity: Transit-oriented development around trolley stations and bus rapid transit lines offers significant opportunities for creating mixed-use, walkable communities.
• Constraint: Community resistance to increased density, coupled with infrastructure limitations and environmental concerns, can pose constraints on redevelopment efforts.

Detailed Zoning District Analysis

The city's land use is governed by the following primary classifications:

Residential Districts

Residential districts in San Diego transition from low to high density, with various zoning codes dictating allowable uses and development standards. RE (Residential-Estate) zones provide for single-dwelling units on large lots, while RS (Residential-Single Unit) zones accommodate single-dwelling units with varying lot sizes. Moving towards higher density, the R-1 zone typically allows for single-family homes with specific guidelines on lot size, building height, and property setbacks. R-3 zones are intended to implement medium-high density land use designations, providing regulations and standards for the development of residential dwellings. These transitions aim to accommodate a variety of housing types while promoting neighborhood quality. The city has also implemented a "Bonus ADU" program, allowing homeowners to build multiple ADUs on single-family lots, further increasing density. The allowance of these ADUs has sparked debate with some referring to them as "granny towers" or "backyard apartments".

Commercial & Mixed-Use

Commercial and mixed-use zones in San Diego vary in intensity and allowable uses. CC zones accommodate community-serving commercial services, retail uses, and limited industrial uses. The CC zones are intended to provide a range of development patterns, from pedestrian-friendly commercial streets to auto-oriented strip commercial streets. Some CC zones may also include residential development. CC-5 zones are broken down further based on intensity and pedestrian or auto orientation, with a maximum density of 1 dwelling unit for each 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of lot area. These zones aim to create vibrant, mixed-use environments that support local communities.

Industrial & Special Purpose

San Diego's industrial zones accommodate a range of industrial and manufacturing activities. The purpose of the industrial zones is to promote balanced land use and provide flexibility in the design of new and redeveloped industrial projects. IP (Industrial-Park) zones provide for high-quality science and business park development, with varying uses allowed based on the specific zone. IL (Industrial-Light) zones provide for a wide range of manufacturing and distribution activities, encouraging sound industrial development. M-1A zones permit a broad range of light industrial uses as well as retail commercial and office uses. PUDs (Planned Unit Developments) are special purpose zones that allow for flexible development standards and a mix of uses, often incorporating residential, commercial, and recreational components.

Recent Code Amendments & Trends

Regulatory Updates

San Diego regularly updates its zoning code and comprehensive plan to address evolving needs and priorities. Recent updates include changes to the definition of Sustainable Development Areas, aligning development with climate action goals. Zoning Text Amendments (ZTAs) are introduced to provide more flexibility and expedite approval processes for various development initiatives. "Blueprint SD" is a refresh of the City's General Plan, which helps guide where more new homes and jobs near transit, parks, and services should be located to help meet the City's equity, climate, and housing goals. The Clairemont and College Area neighborhoods have new community plans approved by the City Council aimed at more housing near public transit.

Housing Innovation

San Diego has been at the forefront of housing innovation, particularly with its ADU bonus program. This program allows developers to build more ADUs than typically allowed, leading to greater density in single-family neighborhoods. However, this program has faced backlash from homeowners, leading to ongoing debates and potential revisions. The city is also exploring "missing middle" housing options, such as townhomes, rowhouses, triplexes, and fourplexes, to increase housing diversity and affordability. Senate Bill 79 supports housing development near transit-oriented development.

Infrastructure & Concurrency

Utility Capacity

Ensuring adequate utility capacity is a critical aspect of land use planning in San Diego. The availability of water and sewer services is essential for supporting new development, and the city carefully monitors its infrastructure to avoid straining resources. Investments in water and sewer infrastructure are often prioritized in areas targeted for growth and redevelopment. The draft 2025 regional plan proposes transit investments that would serve the mid-city communities.

Impact Fees & Permits

Development impact fees (DIFs) are charged to new development projects to help fund the infrastructure needed to support growth. These fees are used to pay for roads, parks, schools, and other public facilities. San Diego has implemented "Build Better SD," a package of reforms to how the City collects and allocates development impact fees. Traffic concurrency requirements ensure that new development does not negatively impact traffic flow. The city also streamlines the permitting process to expedite the approval of new housing projects.