The Little Italy Association, a business group representing the fast-growing area north of Downtown, has failed in its first attempt to change the name Hawthorn Street to Little Italy Way.
The San Diego Planning Commission on Thursday rejected the business group's bid to make the change. It was the second rejection: the Centre City Development Corp. turned down the request a few weeks ago.
The association, which hopes to bring added identity to the area, will appeal the decision to the city council. The group wants to rename Hawthorn between Interstate 5 and Harbor Drive to Little Italy Way, complete with freeway exit signs.
The Planning Commission recommended that the redevelopment agency work with Caltrans to explore other ways of posting community identity signs. Any new signs of that nature would require council approval, says Allan Wake, the city's street name coordinator.
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