City Council upholds override to airport land‑use finding for Little Italy site

San Diego City Council on July 16 overruled an Airport Land Use Commission determination that a proposed project in Northern Little Italy was inconsistent with the airport land use compatibility plan, clearing the way for a subsequent planning hearing and further review.

City staff said the action before the council was a proposed decision to overrule the ALUC finding for parcels near 2345 Kettner Boulevard to raise the maximum allowed intensity so a future project could include up to 60 hotel rooms (an increase from 32), more non‑ancillary uses such as restaurants and offices, and a modest increase in non‑ancillary intensity from about 10% to 15.6%. William Aglupos, development project manager in the Urban Innovation Division, told council the proposal is compatible with surrounding block intensities and that the Downtown Community Planning Council had unanimously supported the project in February 2024.

Marcela Escobar, president and CEO of Atlantis Group and the applicant’s representative, said the site already has FAA height clearance and described the parcel as a “donut hole” within a neighborhood that otherwise exceeds the planning intensity limits. “We respectfully request the ability to develop to intensities that are comparable with what’s in the area,” Escobar said.

Public commenters included Emmanuel Rodriguez, chair of the Downtown Community Planning Council, who said the council’s support reflected the neighborhood’s preference and urged the council to oppose a separate airport authority proposal to widen Grape Street that he said would increase collisions and sever neighborhood connections.

Council members examined staff and applicant data about people‑per‑acre intensity and asked whether staff had conducted independent verification of the applicant’s survey. Staff said they performed a site survey but that some information was provided by the applicant and could be further explained by the applicant’s team. Councilmember Pro Tem LaCava and others pressed for careful verification but said precedent for similar overrides and the surrounding context supported the staff recommendation.

Councilmember Woodburn moved the staff recommendation and Councilmember Von Wilpert seconded. The council voted unanimously to approve the proposal to overrule the ALUC's inconsistency determination; staff said the action would be followed by required notices to the airport operator and Caltrans and by a second council hearing after Planning Commission review.

Next steps: If the council proceeds with the override at the required second hearing, any future development project on the site will require its own permits and environmental review.