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Home My WebLink AboutCC 2025-09-23_09h General Plan Update September 2025 Item 9.h. MEMORANDUM TO: City Council FROM: Brian Pedrotti, Director of Community Development BY: Andrew Perez, Planning Manager SUBJECT: General Plan Update Progress Report – September 2025 DATE: September 23, 2025 RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file a progress report on the Comprehensive General Plan Update IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES: The financial and personnel impacts associated with this progress report are included in the budget for the Comprehensive General Plan Update. BACKGROUND: Last month’s progress report was provided for the City Council on August 26, 20251. The report described the status on the completion of an administrative draft of several individual elements and the process for review by City staff, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), and the General Plan Citizen Advisory Group (GPCAG). It also described plans for community outreach that would inform the Economic Development and Environmental Justice elements. Finally, the report provided an update on the progress of the update as it relates to the overall project schedule. ANALYSIS OF ISSUES: Since the last update to Council, the administrative drafts of the two elements were delivered by the consultant: 1) Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, and 2) Natural and Cultural Resources Element. The Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Element ensures adequate recreation facilities and community services to promote health, community engagement, and quality of life through accessible spaces for leisure and activity. The Natural and Cultural Resources Element addresses open space and conservation of natural resources, consistent with the provisions of Government Code Section 65560. This element was previously titled the Agriculture, Open Space, and Conservation Element, but the name has been updated to better reflect the topics 1 https://pub-arroyogrande.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=15704 Page 112 of 169 Item 9.h. City Council General Plan Update Progress Report – September 2025 September 23, 2025 Page 2 addressed. The revised element expands the discussion beyond open space and conservation to include water resources, cultural and historic sites, and air quality. Agricultural topics have been removed from this element and will be incorporated into the Land Use Element. Public Outreach On August 26, 2025, a small business workshop was held in the City Council Chamber to obtain input from the business community to gain insight into existing conditions from the perspective of local small businesses, identify any pressing barriers or threats to continued operations, discuss opportunities for small business growth, and define specific policies or programs the City could consider to support and foster small business development. Valuable input was provided by those in attendance, and an online survey was made available to give those who were unable to attend an opportunity to submit comments. The feedback obtained through this effort will help inform policy and program development for this element. Community Development staff were present at the Summer Concert Series events on August 24, 2025, and August 31, 2025, to obtain community input about what qualities or community resources are most important for a healthy community for the development of the Environmental Justice element. Participants were also asked to identify which resources that contribute to a healthy community are most abundant and which are more challenging to access. Staff will use the results to shape the goals, policies, and programs in this element. An Environmental Justice element is required by State law to address the “unique or compounded health risks” in disadvantaged communities by decreasing pollution exposure, increasing community assets, and imp roving overall health with policies and programs in their General Plan. The State defines a disadvantaged community as “an area that is a low-income area that is disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation.” There are no areas within the city that meet the definition of a disadvantaged community; therefore, the Environmental Justice element will focus on policies and programs that promote equitable access to resources for a healthy lifestyle, such as access to nutritious food, clean water, and programs for mental and physical wellness. Schedule and Timeline Progress As stated above, staff review of the draft elements began in late August and will continue through October. A public hearing with the Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled for December 3, 2025. The Council’s review will occur in January 2026; however, that timing is dependent on the direction from the Planning Commission. A short -term project schedule that shows tasks through the end of the calendar year is provided as Attachment Page 113 of 169 Item 9.h. City Council General Plan Update Progress Report – September 2025 September 23, 2025 Page 3 1. The overall project remains on schedule with the timeline2 provided to the City Council as an attachment to the February 2025 progress report. Table 1 provides a simplified view of the 11 project phases, the status of each, and anticipated completion date. This table shows the project is on schedule, with Phase 6: General Plan, Phase 10: Economic Development Tools, and Phase 11: Climate Action Plan Update currently in process. Phases 1 through 5 have been completed. Table 1: General Plan Update Project Schedule Phase Status Completion Expected 1: Project Initiation Complete N/A 2: Public Outreach Strategy Complete N/A 3: Gather and Analyze Data Complete N/A 4: Visioning and Guiding Principles Complete N/A 5: Land Use Scenarios Complete N/A 6: General Plan In Process December 2025 7: Program EIR Not started August 2026 8: Public Review and Adoption Not started November 2026 9: Comprehensive Dev Code Not started March 2027 10: Economic Development Tasks In Process – draft analysis November 2025 11: Climate Action Plan Update In Process – draft analysis January 2027 ALTERNATIVES: The following alternatives are provided for the Council’s consideration: 1. Receive and file this progress report on the Comprehensive General Plan Update; or 2. Provide other direction to staff. ADVANTAGES: Regular updates to the City Council will inform decision -makers and the community on the status of the project. DISADVANTAGES: None identified. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: No environmental review is required to receive and file this progress report on the General Plan Update because it has no potential to result in either a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment. (State CEQA Guidelines , Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, §§ 15060, subd. (c)(2)-(3), 15378.) PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS: The Agenda was posted at City Hall and on the City’s website in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2. 2 https://pub-arroyogrande.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=13849 Page 114 of 169 Item 9.h. City Council General Plan Update Progress Report – September 2025 September 23, 2025 Page 4 ATTACHMENTS: 1. Short-term Project Schedule Page 115 of 169 ATTACHMENT 1 Page 116 of 169