Title
Planning Board Public Hearing to Review and Endorse the 2019 General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report, and Review and Comment on the General Plan Update Work in Progress. The review of the annual report and General Plan update draft elements are exempt actions under the California Environmental Quality Act
Body
To: Honorable President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: Andrew Thomas
Planning, Building & Transportation Director
Date: February 24, 2020
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.)
In addition Government Code § 65400 et seq. requires that the City of Alameda annually review the adequacy of the General Plan and progress made toward meeting the City’s regional housing need allocation (the “RHNA”).
DISCUSSION
The attached annual report on the status of the General Plan provides an assessment of the City’s General Plan and progress made toward meeting the city’s regional housing need in 2019.
In addition, the Annual Report provides links to the General Plan update that is currently underway and posted on the City of Alameda website at: <https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Planning-Building-and-Transportation/Planning-Division/2020-General-Plan-Update>.
Staff is requesting that the public and Planning Board:
• Review and endorse the Annual Report for transmittal to the City Council, and
• Review and comment on the work in progress on the General Plan update.
All of the work in progress on the General Plan is available for public review on the City’s General Plan Update website. On the City website, reviewers may review each element of the current General Plan and review the work in progress on each updated Element. (Paper copies of the draft elements are also available upon request.) The public is encouraged to send comments on the work in progress by emailing the city at: GPUpdate2020@alamedaca.gov <mailto:GPUpdate2020@alamedaca.gov>.
The current work on the General Plan update for Planning Board review includes the first draft of the following Elements:
• Introduction,
• Climate Action and Conservation,
• Open Space and Recreation, and
• Safety and Noise.
Prior to the March 23, 2020 Planning Board meeting, staff will publish the updates to the following:
• Land Use and City Design Element, and
• Transportation Element.
The Housing Element will not be updated until 2022 as required by State law.
At the March meeting, staff will also schedule a public hearing to review the scope of the environmental impact report evaluating the environmental impacts of the draft General Plan update.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Endorsement of the General Plan and Housing Element annual report (Exhibit 1) is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), nor is an annual report defined as a “project” under CEQA.
The General Plan Update will require environmental review prior to adoption by the City Council at the end of the 2020. Reviewing and commenting on draft documents is not a “project” under CEQA that requires environmental review at this time.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Board
• Review and endorse the Annual Report for transmittal to the City Council, and
• Review and comment on the work in progress on the General Plan update.
Respectfully Submitted By:
Andrew Thomas
Planning, Building & Transportation Director
Exhibits:
1. General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report
2. General Plan Update Work in Progress