HELIX Environmental Planning (HELIX) is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a planned update to the City of San Diego’s San Ysidro Community Plan and a related Specific Plan. HELIX also conducted technical studies related to air quality, greenhouse gases, and biology. The San Ysidro Community Plan covers approximately 1,800 acres near the international border with Mexico. The primary goal of the update to the Community Plan and the Specific Plan is to incorporate sustainable land use and design principals drawn from the city’s General Plan. An additional goal is to create a “community village” in the central portion of the community which includes increasing land use density, intensity, and diversity to take advantage of transit opportunities.
 
Major issues addressed in the EIR include traffic, visual character, biological resources, historical resources, and public services. HELIX worked closely with the city and its planning consultant to develop policies, goals and objectives in the Community Plan Update which would serve to reduce environmental impacts. Examples included controlling direct and indirect impacts (noise and lighting) on biological resources, encouraging preservation and reuse of significant historic buildings, employing energy conservation measures to reduce air emissions, encouraging walking and biking and orienting development near transit to reduce reliance on the automobile, and minimizing sensitive uses within high traffic noise zones. In addition, HELIX identified specific mitigation measures to protect sensitive biological resources and historic resources.