City Council ponders future of Poway Road
The success of any effort to revitalize Poway Road over the next 20 years may depend on whether the city can interest developers in building new residences using current city-imposed density restrictions.
That was one of several issues raised by Poway City Council members during a Tuesday night workshop on a Poway Road Corridor Study being prepared under contract by an outside consultant. The study and related documents are due out by the end of the year.
The city limits the number of residential units that can be built on one acre to 30. There wasn’t much interest during the workshop to increase that number, but, at the same time, councilmembers wondered whether that limit would prevent new, higher-density projects from “penciling out” for prospective builders.
Is the city willing to trade densities higher than 30 units per acre in exchange for a chance to jump-start revitalization of the city’s aging main road, Councilman John Mullin asked. The so-called Town Center portion of the road, surrounding the library and Community Park, might be a place to “test market” the idea of a higher density, he suggested.
Mullin said he generally liked what he was seeing so far in the study but warned that there’s no point with proceeding with a development plan “that the market won’t support.”
“Can we live within these constraints?” he asked. “Can we make the plan work?”
A second, possibly limiting rule on the city’s books prohibits building taller than two stories or 35 feet in height, whichever is greater. Councilmembers on Tuesday had no interest in raising the height limit but seemed receptive to allowing three stories within 35 feet under certain circumstances, such as along a section of the south side of the road.
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 Poway Road 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.
MIG is working with a council-appointed ad hoc committee which meets bimonthly to provide direction. The evolving plan has been the subject of two public workshops and two council sessions.
The plan identifies areas along Poway Road that might be candidates for improvement and calls for up to 1,339 new residential units and the addition of 260,000 square fee of commercial space.
Many of the new homes, if ever built, would likely be lofts, studio apartments and condominiums. Some might be built over new retail and/or professional offices.
Councilman Barry Leonard suggested that one or more of Poway Road’s older shopping centers might eventually be the locations for new homes, assuming land values continue to rise.
In other matters, the council:
• Approved a contract with Texas sculptor Will Vandable to create a bronze statue of Tony Gwynn that will be the centerpiece of a memorial to him near the Lake Poway ballfield.
• Continued working on revisions to a community contributions policy that will be brought to the council for approval next month.
• Recognized Joseph Tivanian as the Sheriff’s Station Deputy of the Month.
• Recognized Jeannie Hume, owner of Crystal Gardens Florist, for being named Small Business Owner of the Year by state Sen. Joel Anderson.
• Recognized Meadowbrook Middle School Great Seal Art Contest winners Jessica Manners, Emi Matsuo and Julie Zhu.
