Title
Planning Board Review of General Plan Chapter 1 Settings, and Organization of the General Plan, Chapter 2 Land Use Element, and Chapter 3. City Design. The review of the General Plan Chapters are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
Body
To: Honorable President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: Andrew Thomas
Acting Planning, Building & Transportation Director
Date: April 8, 2019
BACKGROUND
Every city and county in the State of California is required to adopt and maintain an up-to-date General Plan, which establishes the local development and conservation policies necessary to guide physical development and protect the general health, safety and welfare of the community. The General Plan should be an “integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement of policies for the adopting agency.” (Government Code section 65300.5.)
As described in prior reports to the Planning Board and City Council, General Plan Chapter 1. Settings, and Organization of the General Plan, General Plan Chapter 2. Land Use Element, and Chapter 3 City Design have not been comprehensively reviewed since adoption in 1991.
DISCUSSION
Staff has begun a staff review of these three chapters and will be proposing a comprehensive update for community and Planning Board review at a future meeting of the Planning Board.
In preparation for these future discussions, staff has attached the three chapters to this report for Planning Board review and consideration. The entire City of Alameda General Plan is available at: <https://alamedaca.gov/community-development/planning/general-plan>.
Staff is not requesting any action or decision from the Planning Board at this time. The three chapters are being provided for information purposes only.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Reviewing an existing elements of the General Plan is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), nor is an annual report defined as a “project” under CEQA. Any future decisions to amend these chapters will be subject to environmental review and the appropriate review will be conducted at that time.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Board and community review and consider the existing text and Land Use Diagram in Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of the General Plan. No action or decision is recommended at this time.
Respectfully Submitted By:
Andrew Thomas
Acting Planning, Building & Transportation Director
Exhibits:
1. Chapter 1 Settings, and Organization of the General Plan
2. Chapter 2 Land Use Element
3. General Plan Diagram
4. Chapter 3. City Design. General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report