A new mixed-use project approved at the Dec. 17 Council meeting will bring 141 multi-family residential units and approximately 584 square feet of commercial space to Poway Road. The Poway Commons will span both the north and south sides of Poway Road, west of Tarascan Drive and Civic Center Drive. The project includes 83 market rate residential units for sale on the south side of Poway Road and 14 market rate residential units and 44 senior affordable apartments on the north side. The development has on-site amenities that include pathways, passive open areas, a private barbeque area, and private streets that will be maintained by a homeowner’s association. The project will also provide improvements to the vacant corner in front of the library to transform that space into a public plaza/gathering area.
The Poway Commons is the second project to receive approval following Poway Road Corridor Specific Plan (Specific Plan) update two years ago. As part of an extensive, multi-year process, standards were modified to reflect the community’s vision for Poway Road – it made this type of project achievable. The Poway Commons is located in the updated plan’s Town Center, which is between Carriage and Community Roads. The vision for this area is to become a vibrant, family-oriented, pedestrian-friendly “Main Street” environment with a mix of commercial and residential uses, supported by a thriving civic district. (Read more about the plan here.)
The Poway Commons developer, Meridian Development LLC, was selected by the city in 2017 as the result of a Request for Qualifications/Proposals to develop a block of properties owned by the city and Poway Housing Authority.
Poway Road Specific Plan FAQs
What effect does the Specific Plan have on future development?
The Specific Plan isn’t about giving a green light to development, but rather updating the standards by which to evaluate projects that come up for review. The updated Specific Plan has put an emphasis on redeveloping vacant and underutilized properties within the Town Center district of the corridor and as a result the city has seen more inquiries regarding future development along Poway Road.
Residents have voiced both support and apprehension about development along the Poway Road Corridor. Are there common misconceptions about the newly adopted plan?
We most often hear concern about the maximum number of residential units allowed under the plan and people are worried about the impact on Poway Road. But what’s been overlooked is the maximum number of residential units under the updated plan has been significantly reduced – almost by half. And setting a ceiling on the number of residential units doesn’t automatically mean that all will be built. Every proposal goes through a review process to ensure the project meets the adopted development standards and is in the best interest of our community. Between the Trading Post and Poway Commons, there are less than 200 new residential units currently approved for construction.