I appreciated the feedback of community members regarding density in the Aug. 14 Peninsula Beacon.  It is critical for District 2 residents to be engaged in the community planning process so they can participate in decisions about growth and development in their neighborhoods. I am reminded of the importance of this as I drive around the district and see more construction projects appear due to an improved economy.  
It’s important that neighbors have a say in how their neighborhoods will look and feel. What do you want your neighborhood to look like in five, ten or twenty years? 
Residents and business owners of Ocean Beach were very clear about what they wanted for their neighborhood and spent more than 12 years working on the Ocean Beach Community Plan Update and it was recently approved by the City Council. There are many features to the updated plan and Ocean Beach elected to retain its small-town community character. A community plan update is currently under way for the Midway-Pacific Highway Corridor and includes considerations for land use, transportation and urban design, among others. City-recognized community planning groups and Town Council meetings are open to the public, held once a month, and typically last about two hours. I encourage you to attend and participate.  It’s a terrific way to learn about what’s going on in your community and to connect with your neighbors, as well as to weigh in on critical decisions that impact your neighborhood. Information about these meetings in District 2 can be found on my website at www.sandiego.gov/cd2 under the “Communities” tab. 
Increased community engagement will create a clearer reflection of what District 2 residents want now, and for future generations, in the place they call home. — Ed Harris represents City Council District 2, which includes Point Loma, Ocean Beach, the Midway District, Mission Bay, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach, among other communities.