Plans to build a new community in Otay Mesa that would include more than 5,000 homes are continuing to move through the City of San Diego approval process. The proposed Southwest Village project would transform a 490-acre area south of state Route 905, east of Interstate 805 and north of the U.S. -Mexico border into one of San Diego’s newest neighborhoods. City planners have been working on the project since 2018. According to the City of San Diego’s website: the development, designed by Tri Pointe Homes, would include more than 5,000 homes, about 175,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, a school, 35 acres of parkland and 200 acres of preserved open space. Housing plans call for a mix of multifamily and affordable housing units, detached homes and condominiums with one- and two-car garages. The proposal also includes a village core centered around a future transit and mobility hub, along with trails and protected habitat areas. According to the city’s website, the first phase of construction would include roads, infrastructure improvements, and water and sewer systems. A few major issues still need to be resolved before the project can move forward, including the extension of Beyer Blvd. Approval is still needed to extend Bayer Boulevard to connect San Ysidro and Otay Mesa. City officials say the extension would require coordination with state and federal agencies because the route crosses protected land. The decision to adopt the Southwest Village Specific Plan, Rezone, amendments to the Otay Mesa Community Plan, and related items, as well as certify the SEIR and adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, CEQA Findings and the Statement of Overriding Consideration will be made by the City Council at a future public hearing. There has been limited opposition to the project so far. A small number of property owners have raised concerns about traffic, noise and air pollution. The project must still go before the Planning Commission and is expected to be considered by the San Diego City Council later this month or in July. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less