La Mesa Mixed-Use Strategic Implementation Plan

La Mesa, California

Gruen Associates developed a mixed-use zoning implementation plan. Flexible and performance-based development regulations for a project were developed and tailored to the City’s physical, economic and social environment. Design guidelines and prototype projects were tested. Gruen’s innovative approach to implementing the concurrent development of the guidelines and projects constantly compared the two against each other, fine-tuning regulations with the expectations of adjacent users and governing officials. Phase I’s report summarized an existing conditions analysis and physical conditions—existing land use, parcel configurations, streetscape and infrastructure. An analysis of existing regulations and policies from the City’s General Plan, Zoning Code and Specific Plans, along with stakeholder input and examples of similar developments from other communities aided our efforts to educate business and property owners along the study area and generate support for the implementation plan.