Poway Road workshop to focus on land use
The second of two public workshops on the future of Poway Road will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday in the City Council chambers.
Representatives of a consulting firm hired by the city to update the 20-year-old Poway Road Specific Plan are expected to outline some concepts on how the city can best address a number of challenges facing the road. Monday night’s workshop will focus on land uses along the road, especially in the so-called “town center” portion surrounding the library.
Bob Manis, the city’s development services director, said there will be discussion on residential densities, which are currently set at no more than 30 units per acre. The idea of perhaps increasing that maximum, without waving the city’s building height restriction of 35 feet, will be at least explored, he said.
Consulting firm MIG, Inc. is preparing four related studies for review and adoption later this year by the City Council. These include an overall study of the Poway Road corridor area, proposed amendments to the specific plan, a complete streets report and a strategy to implement economic enhancements along the road.
The study area encompasses the 2.5-mile stretch of Poway Road between Garden and Oak Knoll roads.
A council-appointed ad hoc committee of residents, property owners and industry experts has been meeting every two months or so to work with the consultant. Three more committee meetings and a second City Council workshop are anticipated prior to the final reports being presented for approval.
About 50 people attended the first public workshop, held last July. Working in small discussion groups, the participants envisioned a revitalized Poway Road with clustered wine bars and restaurants, a mixture of new retail and residential opportunities, pedestrian-friendly sideways and families riding their bicycles along well-defined lanes with drought-tolerant landscaping.
MIG will be paid about $350,000 for its work. Funding is coming from the city’s allocation of TransNet half-cent sale tax revenues.
More information about the Poway Road Corridor Study can be found on the city’s website, poway.org.
