What is a General Plan?

The General Plan is the City’s long-term policy guide for the physical, economic, and environmental growth and renewal of the city.

Why is an Update Needed?
An update is needed because the last comprehensive update to the City’s General Plan was completed in 1991, and covered a planning period through 2006. The current plan has outdated information, assumptions, projections and policies. General plans typically look 15 - 25 years into the future.

This process also provides a chance for the community to evaluate the existing plan and update policies where necessary in order to adequately meet the future needs of the community.

What is Covered in the General Plan?
The General Plan comprises goals, policies, programs and actions, which are based on an assessment of current and future needs and available resources. Once adopted, the document becomes the principal tool for the City to use when evaluating public and private building projects and municipal service improvements. 

How Does the General Plan Affect Development?
The General Plan establishes policies for regulating new development projects within the city. These policies are then translated into implementation tools (such as the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, and design guidelines) to assure that the community's vision is implemented. However, the General Plan is designed to be adaptable to unique projects, and a project may go through discretionary approval in front of the Planning Commission and/or City Council.

General Plan Elements & Legal Requirements
State planning law requires that every general plan must include seven mandatory topics (or elements):

• Land Use
• Circulation (transportation)
• Housing
• Conservation
• Open Space
• Noise
• Safety

Three additional elements will address areas of special interest to the City. These include:

• Community Design
• Economic Development
• Cultural Resources

Prior to preparation of these elements, the City will be undertaking an extensive community participation process that involve community members and groups in the update. [Link to Community Meeting Schedule]

Additional Information
For more information on the structure and legal requirements for a general plan, please click on the links below:

“A Citizen’s Guide to Planning”