Title
Review and Comment on 2019 General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report and General Plan Update on the Open Space and Recreation Element The review of the annual report and General Plan update draft elements are exempt actions under the California Environmental Quality Act
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Review and Comment on 2019 General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report and General Plan Update on the Open Space and Recreation Element. The review of the annual report and General Plan update draft elements are exempt actions under the California Environmental Quality Act
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 (Exhibit 1) 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 updating various Elements of the General Plan and this work in progress is Staff is soliciting feedback on the Annual Report and all work in progress at a variety of City Commissions/Boards. This work in progress is available for public review on the City’s General Plan Update website. On the City website, the public 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 work in progress currently available for public review on the City Website includes the first draft of the following Elements:
• Introduction,
• Climate Action and Conservation,
• Open Space and Recreation, and
• Safety and Noise.
In the next 30 days, staff will post the updates to the following elements:
• Land Use and City Design, and
• Transportation and Mobility.
Staff is requesting that the Recreation and Parks Commission review and comment on the General Plan Open Space and Recreation Element. This Element is included in Exhibit 2 and starts on page 29. The introduction and all of the work in progress on the General Plan update is also included to provide additional context as needed.
The Housing Element will not be updated until 2022 as required by State law.
RECOMMENDATION
Review and comment on 2019 General Plan and Housing Element Annual Report and General Plan Update on the Open Space and Recreation Element. The review of the annual report and General Plan update draft elements are exempt actions under the California Environmental Quality Act
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Planning, Building & Transportation Director
Exhibits:
1. General Plan Annual Report
2. General Plan Update - Work in Progress, Including Open Space and Recreation Element