City Embarking on ‘Top to Bottom’ Review of Historic Preservation Program

The city of San Diego this week launched an initiative to update its Heritage Preservation Program.  

The goal of the Preservation and Progress initiative, city officials said in a news release, is to  streamline the process for building new homes while also protecting places of historic, architectural and cultural importance and encouraging their adaptive reuse.

But Mayor Todd Gloria acknowledged that the city is seeking to prevent critics from using historic preservation efforts “to block revitalization and new home construction.”

He called the initiative a “top-to-bottom review of our historic preservation (that) will ensure we are truly preserving the architecture and buildings that are historically significant to San Diego.”

Under the city’s existing program, development that impacts older properties is evaluated for possible historic significance as part of permit reviews.

The process, the city contends, results in significant time and money invested in identifying what is not historically significant, rather than what is important and worthy of protection. 

Under the new initiative, staff will update existing policy and regulatory documents guiding the city’s preservation program to fix “inefficiencies and remove regulations unnecessarily impacting properties lacking historical or cultural importance.”

The effort also aims to identify and protect historic properties and districts “truly important to the city’s history and culture.”

“Many of our urban neighborhoods have wonderful historical resources worth preserving, as well as opportunities to add much-needed housing,” said Council member Stephen Whitburn. “’Preservation and Progress’ will enable the city to more effectively and efficiently advance both of these important goals for current and future generations.” 

While updating the policies and regulations, city staff will also look to advance equity in preservation, particularly for those that have been harmed by injustice and exclusion, including Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), as well as LGBTQ+ communities.

The initiative also will evaluate the Mills Act program, which offers property tax relief to owners of historic property, to ensure it is equitable and operates in a fiscally responsible manner.

“Identifying and protecting the places, events and people that have shaped our city and history continues to be of high importance, but as our city grows, we must find more efficient ways to preserve our history while also meeting the needs of today’s city,” said Planning Director Heidi Vonblum. 

The city’s “Progress and Preservation” webpage is open for stakeholders to learn more and submit comments. The initiative ultimately will go to the City Council for a vote. 

The city said it will continue to assist applicants under the existing historic preservation requirements. A quick explainer is available online and city staff can answer questions.