City Works With Public to Update 23-Year-Old Plans for La Mesa's Downtown Village

The plans that guide the look, feel and development of La Mesa's Downtown Village are 23 years old and the city thinks they need an update. More than 100 residents came to see what the city has in mind and to give their input on the future of the 200-acre heart of La Mesa.

This first workshop on the "Downtown Specific Plan Update" (there may be a second workshop) was designed to get resident input.

"This is your Downtown Village," said Community Development Director Bill Chopyk. "We want to hear from you, what you want it to be."

The Planning Department gave a short presentation explaining an overview of their ideas for the "Downtown Specific Plan Update," assessing what the area needs to thrive. Then several questions were taken and attendees were encouraged to go through various stations set up to explain aspects of the plan and take resident notes and suggestions on large notepads.

Dozens of prompts and questions at the stations included: "Would you prefer more available space for outdoor areas or immediate parking?" and " What is the most successful place in the village and why?"

The village parking issue was a hot topic. The city suggests a "parking in lieu" program which would allow businesses in the area to either provide parking or pay into a fund for eventually building more parking.

The future of sidewalk cafes and displays was discussed (City Council brought this up at the last meeting), with the city saying they would need to revisit the standards for such permits to make sure pedestrian access was the prime concern.

The city staff giving the presentation made sure to emphasize that historic preservation is an important part of the plan.

Components of the update include upgrades to the Civic Center, transit oriented development, Date Avenue Historic District, Streetscape improvement projects, the legacy project and the parking in-lieu program.

Project timeline:
Specific plan outline- June
Opportunity site development concepts- June
First draft of specific plan- September
CEQA documentation- September
Public review draft specific plan- October
Specific Plan adoption- December

Also read: Council Talks Village Streetscape, Sidewalk Cafes and more