FAQs
Improvements to existing County parks, recreational facilities and trails
Libraries
Health and Human Service Facilities
Public Safety Facilities including Sheriff Stations & Fire Stations
County Offices and Administration Facilities
Major Systems Renovations to existing County Facilities
Affordable housing developments
(External link)Fire stations (External link)or libraries(External link) not within the existing county service area (e.g., City of San Diego fire stations)
Public transit
County programs located in leased buildings
What is the Capital Plan?
The Capital Plan, also known as the Capital Improvement Needs Assessment (CINA), is the County's five-year forecast of planned and potential capital projects.
What is a capital project?
A capital project includes new County buildings, recreational facilities or land acquisition that supports an existing County service or program run by one of our departments and requires capitalization for financial reporting purposes. Examples include:
What are examples of projects that aren't included on the Capital Plan?
There are a number of critically important topics to our County that require action, but they are separate from the Capital Plan. For example, we are often asked about:
Although these non-capital projects are not part of the Capital Plan, there are other avenues for moving these projects forward. Please reach out and we will connect you with the appropriate program for further info.
What will the County do with the community feedback?
The public’s input will help inform the County Board of Supervisor’s final approval of the Capital Plan in March 2025. Departments and programs will incorporate what they heard from the community into their capital plans.
How does the County decide which projects are included on the Capital Plan?
It is important that we maintain, upgrade and renew core infrastructure and amenities that serve our County, while being fiscally responsible.
Part of the capital planning process means making some hard choices - there is not enough funding to take on all the projects that the community would like to see. We create the draft plan guided by what we've heard from the community about needs, strategic facility plans, the state of repair of existing facilities, and operational needs identified by our departments. A large portion of the Capital Plan funds are invested in the required work to maintain and renew our existing facilities. Our draft Capital Plan tries to strike a balance of priorities for the next five years.
How is the Capital Plan different from the budget?
The Capital Plan or CINA is a planning document. Approval by the Board of Supervisors in March does not mean that the projects are approved for funding. After the Capital Plan is approved by the Board of Supervisors, it is referred to the County’s Operational Planning process for funding in June.
What is the Operational Plan?
It is the County’s budget. More information is available here (External link).