Community Identity and Community Planning Areas
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West Vista
Southwest Vista
Mar Vista/Sunset/Carriage Hill
North Vista
Vista Business Park
Shadowridge
East Vista
Vista Village
An optional component of the General Plan intended to address the physical form of the City's built and natural environments, the Community Identity Element was most recently updated in 1998. The overarching goal of the Community Identity Element is to "preserve the semi-rural legacy of historic Vista by: protecting the City unique neighborhoods, maintaining and enhancing natural and scenic resources, preserving the community's cultural and historical heritage while promoting responsible economic development which includes the revitalization of the downtown Village." Expressed in more basic terms, this component of the General Plan seeks to highlight the physical attributes that lend the City its unique character and distinguish it from other communities in the region.
At the time of the last update, residents defined eight planning areas within the City's boundaries which embody distinct neighborhood characteristics and objectives. Just as the City at large maintains a distinct identity within the North County region, each of the City's planning areas should have its own unique character, as defined by such features as topography, landscaping, roads and trails, schools, parks, cultural institutions, commercial venues and residential development. These planning areas are outlined on a map that can be viewed by clicking here. As part of the update process, the City is encouraging stakeholders to evaluate the appropriateness of these planning areas as they are currently delineated: i.e. whether their geographical boundaries capture the uniqueness of each planning area, in light of significant changes in the City's physical form that have transpired over the past decade.
Along with citywide goals and objectives addressing issues of common concern, the Community Identity Element outlines specific objectives and policies for each of the eight planning areas. These area-specific objectives and policies are intended to preserve, protect and enhance the defining qualities of each planning area. Ultimately, it will be possible to read what the Community Identity Element has to say about each planning area by clicking on portions of the Community Planning Areas Map. Until then, you can access the entire document by clicking here.
In addition to asking stakeholders to evaluate the appropriateness of the current planning area boundaries, the City is also soliciting input on the suitability of the specific objectives and policies established for each planning area. To inspire and guide feedback on the planning areas and their unique characteristics, the Planning Division has prepared a handout that introduces terminology often used to identify and evaluate a community's physical form. These terms, originally defined in the early 1960's by Kevin Lynch in his groundbreaking work "The Image of the City," can be viewed by clicking here. At the bottom of this handout are listed the various means by which you can share with City staff your thoughts on Community Identity and Vista's Community Planning Areas.