There are over 150 canyons throughout urban San Diego.

They provide urban dwellers with valuable open space that provides a range of benefits. They harbor incredible biodiversity. Their "green infrastructure" provides valuable ecosystem services, including work to clean and filter our urban runoff, as well as mitigating the urban heat island effect to cool our city. They also provide an escape to nature from an otherwise completely paved and urbanized environment. Development around these areas has left a legacy of neglect and degradation. These precious open spaces are in dire need of enhancements, including safe and enjoyable access, wetland and upland habitat restoration, and taking advantage of the opportunities to integrate this natural space into the fabric of our urban environment. That's the aim of Canyon Enhancement Planning.

After the adoption of the City of San Diego General Plan in 2008 (Applicable General Plan Objectives call for the protection and enhancement of San Diego's canyons, including linking them together into an open space system that is integrated into the fabric of our built environment), San Diego Canyonlands established the Canyon Enhancement Planning Committee of urban design visionaries, professional landscape architects, and others to create a Canyon Enhancement Planning Program for community stakeholders, to help implement this vision. This program and the associated Guide is helping to facilitate a systems approach for implementing a regional vision that weaves our natural open spaces with the fabric of the urban environment, to gain progress towards opportunities like visual and physical canyon access, restoration, preservation, environment-based education and ecologically sensitive recreation.

CEP DOCUMENTS AND STATUS BY CANYON

Canyons and creeks are organized alphabetically. CAUTION: Maps are for planning purposes only. Any work to improve or create trails without appropriate permits/permissions from land owner/manager is illegal.

47th Street Canyon | City Heights Google map

CEP STATUS: Plan completed (2012), trails built, restoration implemented and being maintained, routine monthly events being held by established Friends Group.

Enhancement Action Plan - 47th Street Canyon

Map - Socio-Infrastructural Conditions

Map - Geotopographic & Viewshed Conditions

Map - Vegetation Conditions

Map - Vegetation Communities

Map & Notes - Vegetation/Habitat Areas with Comprehensive Field Notes

Map - Trail User Count Results (May 2012)

Auburn Creek Enhancement Planning Documents | City Heights Google map

CEP STATUS: Plan completed (2014), trail built, restoration implemented, routine events being held.

For background on the San Diego Canyonlands Creek Enhancement Planning (CEP) process and more information on Auburn Creek CEP, click: CEP Orientation Info

Auburn Creek Socio-Infrastructure Map

Vegetation Communities Map

Near Term Draft Concept Plan

Aug. 20, 2014 Stakeholder Meeting Notes

Aug. 20, 2014 Stakeholder Draft

Long-Term and Near-Term Plan Notes

Sept. 24, 2014 Stakeholder Meeting Notes

Bell Canyon | Skyline-Paradise Hills Google map

CEP STATUS: Mapping completed.

3-D - Google Earth Viewers of Existing Conditions Data

Map - Socio-Infrastructural Conditions

Map - Geo-Topographic/View Shed Conditions

Map - Vegetation/Biological Conditions

Chollas Creek - Oak Park Branch | City Heights & Eastern Areas Google map

CEP STATUS: Plan completed (2014), some restoration implemented, trail being planned and permitted by Urban Corps of San Diego County, routine monthly events being held by established Friends Group.

Stakeholder Info:

CEP Brochure

CEP Stakeholder Orientation Sheet

Workshop #1 - Notes (June 22)

Workshop #2 - Notes/Charrette (July 19)

Workshop #3 - Notes (Sept. 28)

Workshop #3 - Photos (Sept. 28)

Workshop #4 - Notes (Jan. 25, 2014) & Ridgeview Visit Photos

Workshop #5 - Draft Action Plan & Notes from April 5, 2014

Workshop #5 - Draft Action Plan Map

Applicable Plans:

Chollas Creek Enhancement Program (2002)